This pandemic has affected everyone in the healthcare industry, whether or not they are on the front lines, directly fighting the disease. Our member physical therapists have been declared essential, but they’re not surprised that patients are wary about returning to the clinic in person.
The good news is that many clinics are going above and beyond CDC guidelines to make sure that anyone coming in for treatment is as safe as possible. These are four of our PT clinics, but I know many other are doing the same to keep people as safe and healthy as they can until we return to normal.
Physical therapy in the age of COVID-19
with advice from Aeon Therapy Services, Coury and Buehler Physical Therapy, Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Specialists, Inc., and Sunrise Physical Therapy
If you’ve been working from home for months now, your body is starting to remind you that humans are not supposed to sit all day. The other day, for example, maybe your neck cracked, and it hasn’t felt the same since. In fact, the pain is getting worse. So what should you do?
Physical therapists understand that when COVID numbers are climbing and people are being told to be careful and stay home, they are reluctant to seek medical care for what might seem minor compared to people fighting for their lives in local hospitals.
However, early in the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security included physical therapy on its list of essential services, recognizing the need for all of us to keep our bodies healthy and active. In fact, many experts say physical therapy is essential in flattening the curve of the pandemic, playing a key role in keeping people out of doctors’ offices and ERs.
To meet this need, therapists have been working hard to follow the latest guidelines from the CDC while treating patients safely and effectively.