Expert Advice From Physical Therapist Nischal Patel of Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine
MORRISTOWN, NJ – Is pain sidelining you? Don’t let it stop you from doing what you love or getting to where you want to be. Physical Therapist Nischal Patel of Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine helps patients, who have been in pain for weeks or months, see significant improvement, with many becoming pain-free.
When asked what exactly physical therapy is, Patel explained that physical therapy is a way to get patients moving better.
“I consider PT as a bridge to help people get from where they are currently with their physical health, to where they would like to be, especially after any kind of injury or setback, or when dealing with aches and pains”, Patel said.
TAPinto had the opportunity to interview Physical Therapist Nischal Patel and discuss what exactly Physical Therapy is, what conditions can be treated with Physical Therapy, what happens during a session and what benefits physical therapy offers.
What conditions benefit from Physical Therapy?
I think anyone and everyone can benefit from PT. Here at Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine, we will do a lot of musculoskeletal, spine, major joints, foot and ankle, knee, hip, elbows, shoulders, and hand. But we’re also seeing the benefits of PT for concussions, and other conditions that people may not necessarily think of when they consider PT, such as TMJ and migraines as well.
What happens in a PT session?
Usually, the first time a patient comes in, I like to sit down with them and have a 5-10 minute conversation to learn more about the symptoms and challenges they may be facing. I ask a lot of questions to investigate what motions or activities bother an injury, and what actions help the patient feel better, if any. I like to get an understanding of what the patient is and isn’t able to do, and get to know them a little bit as well.
Then I’ll do some testing, checking the patient’s range of motion in the affected area, checking the joints above and below to get a better understanding of where pain may be originating from. For instance, someone’s knee could be bothering them, but the problem may really be with their hip or foot instead.
From there, especially on the first day, I like to give the patient about 3-5 exercises that are comfortable for them. My goal is to get them to move a little bit better during the session. I typically send them home with a few exercises to do at home consistently. In following sessions, I like to be sure to get my patients moving for about 30-40 minutes, and provide more manual stretching and exercises when needed.
Is PT painful?
It really depends – for someone coming right off a surgery who has been in a sling or cast, when they first start moving they may certainly experience some discomfort, or even a little pain to be honest. However, it’s important to note the difference between pain and discomfort. In a typical PT session, there may be exercises that will help improve the injury and the patient’s mobility, and those exercises or motions may in fact be a little uncomfortable. Discomfort is definitely okay! When we move joints that don’t really want to move, we might have some weakness or soreness, but should still be able to do 15-20 reps of an exercise. If there’s any kind of shooting pain, that’s more indicative of a problem. So while sometimes PT exercises might be a little difficult or uncomfortable, it shouldn’t be causing severe pain – that’s a sign that something is abnormal.
If someone hasn’t experienced an injury or had surgery, why might they need PT?
Maintenance! If someone is a runner, likes to do crossfit, Peloton, hiking, or HIIT classes, even gardening or working out casually, they may experience some aches and pains or soreness that can come from working out in a certain way. This is just a part of being active. My approach to Physical Therapy is to be more proactive than reactive. The goal here is to increase a patient’s longevity of exercise, meaning they’re able to stay active in their daily lives longer.
If someone exercises independently on a regular basis, might they still need PT? How is PT different from regular exercise?
It’s always a good idea to switch things up in our workouts! It’s important to keep in mind that doing the same exercises for 4-6 weeks will, at first, make an athlete stronger or help them improve, but over time our bodies need more and need to change the routine because our bodies get used to it, and then it’s no longer as helpful as it had been when you started. I like to give people exercises that they can add into their everyday routine to help increase their performance.
So, who else can benefit from physical therapy?
Older individuals can also really benefit from PT. In the older population, we see a lot of occurrences of arthritis, which will occur naturally for most people as we age. This makes us more likely to experience pain or discomfort on a daily basis. When we have pain or discomfort, we tend to move less and less. People will stop going up and down stairs, lifting objects like groceries, and other daily activities may start to suffer.But again, that’s why it’s so important to be proactive. Using weights and machines in a session and putting that weight on their joints can actually slow the progression of arthritis.
How does treatment differ for older adults?
I try to make sure that the exercises I’m giving all of my patients are functional to their day to day lives. For instance, I have an older patient who lives on the second floor, is still very mobile, and needs to carry her groceries up the stairs when she returns from shopping. So in her sessions, we work on that by simulating the activity with dumbbells, because it’s something she would normally be doing and I want to increase her abilities and mobility as it relates to her daily activities. For another patient who likes to make sure he can still play with his grandkids, we work on getting onto and off of the floor. It might not seem like what we think of when we think
“Physical therapy”, but I always want to help patients function the way they want on a daily basis. Every patient’s treatment is different based on their needs, their current level of fitness, and what they’d like to achieve.
Can I attend PT without a referral?
Yes you can. New Jersey is a direct access state. That means that a patient can come see a physical therapist for 4 weeks without needing a referral. However after those 4 weeks, they will need to be evaluated by a physician to deem additional physical therapy medically necessary.
As Physical Therapy month comes to a close, Patel wishes more people knew about all that physical therapy can do for you.
“I think it’s important that they know we’re always here to help”, he said. “Taking a proactive approach to your fitness and mobility can really be instrumental in preventing painful conditions through maintenance. This way, you don’t have to deal with pain for longer than you need to. Moving better will drastically improve your quality of life”.
Interested in how PT can help with your mobility, pain relief, and overall fitness? Give Genesis Orthopedic and Spine a call. With locations in Morristown, Westfield, West Orange, MIddletown and Ridgewood, help is just a phone call away.
The Morristown office is located at 25 Lindsley Drive and can be reached at 862-345-7955.
