Injured Athlete?

Parents often encounter the challenge of excessive reliance on imaging when seeking care for their child’s injuries. Opting for physical therapy right from the start helps sidestep unnecessary radiation exposure and expenses associated with imaging, providing a more direct path to recovery.

Physical therapists are skilled in diagnosing these injuries and will be able to refer you to a provider for imaging if it would be helpful. Most injuries can be diagnosed and treated without the need for the extra step of costly and time-consuming MRIs.

After an initial visit to a pediatrician or primary care doctor, parents might find themselves on an unnecessary orthopedic journey, involving referrals and consultations that can delay treatment initiation. By choosing physical therapy early on, you can bypass these detours, ensuring your child gets on the path to recovery without unnecessary delays.

Physical therapists bring more to the table than just exercise expertise—they are highly trained healthcare professionals with specialized knowledge in musculoskeletal diagnosis (injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and nerves). Their focused training enables them to efficiently identify the root cause of musculoskeletal issues, often surpassing the diagnostic capabilities of primary care physicians. They understand how muscles and joints work, and they watch closely to see how you move.

By asking questions about your experiences and paying attention to your movements, they can find clues to identify what’s going wrong. Something as simple as knee pain can be caused by any combination of injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerve, and bone structures. Your PT is equipped to get to the root of the injury and address it quickly.

Time is crucial when dealing with childhood injuries. Opting for early access to physical therapy has been associated with quicker recoveries, minimizing the overall impact of the injury on your child’s well-being. By making physical therapy the primary intervention, parents can ensure their child receives prompt and effective care.