Physical therapy is a good way to deal with an injury and protect your body from further harm. Many people underutilize physical therapy because they don't know when they should go. There are many circumstances where you could benefit from seeing a physical therapist. Here are a couple reasons why you should see a physical therapist.

1. You Have Pain That Hasn't Gone Away After RICE

The first thing you should do when you have an injury is RICE. This stands for:

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

After a fall, a sports injury, or any other type of pain, you should start this regimen. Generally it takes about 2 days for the injury to heal with RICE. If after this time you still feel pain, or there is still swelling, the injury might have been more serious than you originally thought.

This doesn't mean that you have a broken ligament or bone, it just might need more medical attention. You can go straight to a physical therapist and they can assess the damage. They will let you know if it is worth going to the doctor or if they can handle it themselves.

2. You Have A Reoccurring Dull Pain

There may be times when you feel pain, and then it goes away and comes back again. Unlike the earlier point of using RICE, it might not be serious enough to merit lying down and icing a certain area, but it is still bothersome. For example, you might have a dull ache that comes and goes in your shoulder. This may be a sign that you have, or had, and injury that didn't properly heal. A physical therapist can help with this.

3. You Recently Had Surgery

After a major surgery, you might have a hard time healing properly. For instance, in some cases, you won't be able to move that part of your body for a long period of time, and in others the surgeon will tell you to move it in small amounts. A physical therapist is trained to know how to safely condition your body after surgery. They will create a regime that will keep your body moving in the correct ways so that your injury can heal as quickly as possible. This will help you regain as much mobility as possible.

These are just a couple different reasons why you should see a physical therapist. If you are unsure if you need to see a physical therapist, schedule a consultation and they can help you figure it out. 

To learn more about care for sports injuries, contact a sports physical therapy company in your area.