Physical therapy’s role in total mind-body healing
A serious fall, a heart attack or other major medical event can affect physical health, but it can also take a toll on mental health. Worrying about needing treatment or surgery, concerns about the impact on family and career, and dealing with pain can be stressful. This increased stress can lead to feelings of depression or other mental health issues.
During the time of healing, it is important to treat both the body and the mind for a successful recovery. In a study published by the National Institutes of Health, researchers noted that there is no real division between mind and body because of the many networks of communication between the brain and the body’s systems. It is therefore important to give attention to the body as a whole. As World Mental Health Day approaches on October 10, it is a time to remember this connection between physical and mental health.
Addressing the need for treating physical and mental health together
An effective method of addressing mental health following a medical event is through physical therapy. While physical therapy addresses many of the body’s mechanical needs during recovery, it can also help with mental health.
Here are five mental health benefits of physical therapy.
Improves mood
Feeling pain and stress can negatively affect your state of mind. Studies have shown that physical activity increases the levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which affects mood. This increase can improve a person’s mood and help prevent further mental distress.
Builds self-esteem
When normal abilities are interrupted by a medical event, it can be damaging to self-esteem. Coping with being unable to do everyday activities without help is hard to accept. Participating in simple physical exercises can provide a feeling of accomplishment and help with acceptance of new limitations. A focus on what can be done instead of what can’t be done builds self-esteem.
Reduces depression
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Going through surgery or an unexpected medical event can cause a person to wonder, “Why does this have to happen to me?” This can lead to depression, which can negatively affect the healing process. Physical activity can release chemicals called endorphins that trigger a positive feeling in the body. Endorphins also interact with the receptors in the brain to decrease the perception of pain. This combination of a positive feeling and pain reduction can help reduce depression.
Improves sleep
Sleep is an important part of mental health. When a person sleeps, the mind is able to rest and recharge. During sleep, the brain sorts out new information, emotions and memories. Without proper sleep, stress levels and anxiety can increase because the brain has not been able to have enough time to recharge. Exercise can help the body fall asleep more quickly and experience a deeper and higher-quality level of sleep, providing a better mental outlook on life.
Provides social support
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Working with a physical therapist can reduce the feelings of isolation caused by medical issues. Being with others who share an interest in your health is reassuring. A therapist can provide encouragement and information about the recovery process. Setting a physical therapy goal and then reaching it helps to regain a sense of control, which can reduce anxiety. A physical therapist can also help address balance and strength issues to help increase confidence.
Getting care for both the mind and body
The recovery process can be challenging for both physical and mental health. Fears that another mishap can lead to more limitations and other concerns about future health can make it hard to have a positive outlook. Another way to be sure that both physical and mental needs are addressed is to choose to recover in a short-term rehabilitation center where there is an experienced staff ready to meet all needs, 24-hours a day.
Whitehall of Deerfield is one of the area’s premier choices for post-hospital recovery and has consistently received Medicare’s highest rating in Medicare’s five-star rating system of nursing and post-hospital rehabilitation centers. Learn more about the individualized, one-on-one therapy programs, hotel-like amenities and COVID-19 safety measures by visiting WhiteHallofDeerfield.com or calling 847-945-4600.
— J. Buchenot for Whitehall of Deerfield
Whether you are dealing with an injury or chronic pain, seeking out physical therapy can improve your mental health as well as your physical strength. A physical therapist not only provides you prescribed exercises that improve function but they also act as a source of encouragement and emotional support.
How Exercise Improves Your Mood
Many people seek physical therapy after an injury or to improve their range of motion from chronic pain. While physical therapy increases functional mobility and helps individuals reengage in meaningful activities they love, it also has positive impacts on the body’s biochemistry as a whole.
Exercise increases the serotonin and brain-derived neurotrophic factors in your brain as well as boosts the body’s endorphin levels and improves sleeping patterns, all of which significantly help regulate your mood in addition to preventing risks of brain damage. Not to mention, physical activity also cultivates a sense of accomplishment, especially when patients reach targeted goals or witness the progress of their therapy outcomes. This ultimately leads to heightened motivation and diminished feelings of hopelessness, defeat or other negative self-perceptions.
Why Engagement Truly Matters
As many physical therapy patients have had to face the added challenge of limited treatments due to the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health continues to cause major concern for those who are already restricted physically but now suffer the consequences of extended social isolation as well. In fact, this study on the psychological impact of quarantining, reports symptoms of anxiety, irritability, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder, all of which can be combated through regular routines of exercise.
With that in mind, engagement has a critical influence on how patients form relationships, complete plans of care and inherently treat others as well. Most importantly, physical therapy provides patients with a 1:1 interaction (whether virtual or in-person) with their therapist, who can act as both a mentor and external support. Through improving their quality of daily life, providing them with social opportunities in their community and facilitating total body wellness recovery, physical therapy has even been shown to have similar effects to antidepressants for those diagnosed with clinical depression.
The Importance Of Routines
For those who suffer from chronic pain, many patients experience feelings of depression when they aren’t able to perform daily tasks or are only limited to certain activities. When an illness becomes chronic, these feelings can last for a long time, so reducing pain and restoring function plays an integral part in fostering good mental health. Physical therapy can help you restore strength and even offer everyday tactics to avoid pain or further injury. With a regularly scheduled exercise routine, your brain learns your body’s limits, helps retrain your muscles and reinforces movement patterns that will enable you to be more active with less pain. As you get stronger, your nervous system will trust what movements are safe and which actions may cause harm.
PT Benefits For Specific Behavioral and Mental Disorders
Physical therapy has also demonstrated a positive impact on patients with schizophrenia, anxiety and depression. In fact, during a randomized clinical trial, therapists concluded that one to two hours of weekly exercise improved patients’ cardiovascular fitness and reduced the need for intense cognitive treatments. As for more common disorders such as anxiety and depression, exercise significantly reduces symptoms and has been shown to decrease the risks of other severe health conditions like metabolic syndrome, heart disease or even cancer. Overall, exercise improves your body image, stimulates constructive coping strategies and fosters a stable sense of independence.
As a physical therapist, I see patients for a variety of reasons. Most people link physical therapy to injuries, but injury rehab is only part of a physical therapists role in healthcare. Things like injury prevention, sports performance, exercise programing, and fitness consulting are a big part of my personal practice. You see, a physical therapists full role is to maximize an individual’s quality of life. For some people, stress from work, family issues, health concerns and other things may be negatively impacting their quality of life. A team approach that includes mental health professionals, physical therapists, physicians, and most importantly the patient and their family, can be instrumental in helping a person overcome mental health concerns. Unfortunately, the role of exercise is commonly misunderstood and underutilized in improving an individual’s mental health. So what exactly is a physical therapists role on the team?
Physical Therapists Role in Improving Mental Health
1. Determine a baseline health and fitness level for new exerciser
2. Determine what exercises are appropriate for an individual based off specific testing
3. Act as a fitness consultant and guide to progressing a home exercise program
4. Working with a patients current fitness professional, like a personal trainer, to address mobility deficits that are impairing an individual’s ability to exercise
5. Certain pharmaceuticals impacts the body’s typical response to exercise. A physical therapist understands these effects and can create a safe program for an individual based on this knowledge
So now that we know what role a physical therapist plays, how exactly does physical activity and exercise benefit a patient dealing with mental health concerns?
10 Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health
1. Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression
2. Improve quality of sleep
3. Improve self esteem
4. Improve social interaction
5. Creates a sense of achievement
6. Improves cognitive function
7. Improvement in mood
8. Reduces fatigue and improves mental alertness
9. Reduces dependence on pharmaceuticals
10. Exercising is a healthy activity that all family members can participate in together Why Does Exercise Improve These Aspects of Mental Health?
As you can see above, exercise can improve a variety of aspects related to mental health, but how exactly does a physical therapist led exercise program impact mental health
Physiological Effects of Exercise on Mental Health
1. Improves Blood Flow
2. Increases Arousal
3. Increases Serotonin Levels
4. Increases Brain Development to Improve Memory
5. Increases Release of Endorphins
How to Get Started
Whether you’ve never exercised regularly before or are an experienced athlete, an appropriate exercise plan is an important step to maximize your results. Prior to having an exercise program created you should participate in a full health and fitness screening. A physical therapist can also perform a mobility screen to determine what exercises may be appropriate for you, and which exercises you should avoid due to mobility restrictions. This mobility screen can help decrease your risk of having an injury. After that, an individual program should be created to meet your goals, fitness level and medical history. A physical therapist or a qualified personal trainer can help with your exercise program design. One problem that I’ve encountered with “new exercisers” is that they start a program they found online, or a friend/family member told them about. If this program doesn’t mesh well with your personal interests, goals and fitness level, then exercise may feel more like a chore than an enjoyable activity. Even worse, this program may lead to an injury, which could turn an individual off from regular exercise altogether. In order to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of regular exercise, an individual must be willing to exercise regularly. So if you are looking to improve your mental health, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve your quality of life, consider adding a dumbbell or pair of running shoes to your daily routine.
About the author: Dr. Kevin Prue PT, DPT, CSCS is a graduate of Duke University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. He is the president and director of Prue Physical Therapy & Sports Performance (www.pruept.com) located in Cary NC. He specializes sports and orthopedic physical therapy, sports performance training and injury prevention for youth and recreational athletes.
As a physical therapist, I see patients for a variety of reasons. Most people link physical therapy to injuries, but injury rehab is only part of a physical therapists role in healthcare. Things like injury prevention, sports performance, exercise programing, and fitness consulting are a big part of my personal practice. You see, a physical therapists full role is to maximize an individual’s quality of life. For some people, stress from work, family issues, health concerns and other things may be negatively impacting their quality of life. A team approach that includes mental health professionals, physical therapists, physicians, and most importantly the patient and their family, can be instrumental in helping a person overcome mental health concerns. Unfortunately, the role of exercise is commonly misunderstood and underutilized in improving an individual’s mental health. So what exactly is a physical therapists role on the team?1. Determine a baseline health and fitness level for new exerciser2. Determine what exercises are appropriate for an individual based off specific testing3. Act as a fitness consultant and guide to progressing a home exercise program4. Working with a patients current fitness professional, like a personal trainer, to address mobility deficits that are impairing an individual’s ability to exercise5. Certain pharmaceuticals impacts the body’s typical response to exercise. A physical therapist understands these effects and can create a safe program for an individual based on this knowledgeSo now that we know what role a physical therapist plays, how exactly does physical activity and exercise benefit a patient dealing with mental health concerns?1. Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression2. Improve quality of sleep3. Improve self esteem4. Improve social interaction5. Creates a sense of achievement6. Improves cognitive function7. Improvement in mood8. Reduces fatigue and improves mental alertness9. Reduces dependence on pharmaceuticals10. Exercising is a healthy activity that all family members can participate in together Why Does Exercise Improve These Aspects of Mental Health?As you can see above, exercise can improve a variety of aspects related to mental health, but how exactly does a physical therapist led exercise program impact mental health1. Improves Blood Flow2. Increases Arousal3. Increases Serotonin Levels4. Increases Brain Development to Improve Memory5. Increases Release of EndorphinsWhether you’ve never exercised regularly before or are an experienced athlete, an appropriate exercise plan is an important step to maximize your results. Prior to having an exercise program created you should participate in a full health and fitness screening. A physical therapist can also perform a mobility screen to determine what exercises may be appropriate for you, and which exercises you should avoid due to mobility restrictions. This mobility screen can help decrease your risk of having an injury. After that, an individual program should be created to meet your goals, fitness level and medical history. A physical therapist or a qualified personal trainer can help with your exercise program design. One problem that I’ve encountered with “new exercisers” is that they start a program they found online, or a friend/family member told them about. If this program doesn’t mesh well with your personal interests, goals and fitness level, then exercise may feel more like a chore than an enjoyable activity. Even worse, this program may lead to an injury, which could turn an individual off from regular exercise altogether. In order to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of regular exercise, an individual must be willing to exercise regularly. So if you are looking to improve your mental health, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve your quality of life, consider adding a dumbbell or pair of running shoes to your daily routine.
