Can I Do Physical Therapy And Chiropractor At The Same Time?

Getting right to the point, the answer is yes. Physical therapists, chiropractors, and physicians often work together to help you recover from injuries much more quickly. Getting simultaneous services can result in improved joint mobility and strength.

Let’s try to get this idea through real day musculoskeletal problems. The following data are taken from Mayo Clinic. Here’s how each therapy can help patients with different issues.

Example of a Patient Experiencing Lower Back Pain

Among the patients we treated was a 45-year-old male with back pain. He was 6’ tall and weighed 220 lbs. He was sedentary, meaning he mostly sat throughout the day and occasionally worked out. His sleep and day-to-day activities were affected by pain. 

We treated him for five weeks, receiving physical therapy and chiropractic manipulation. In the first session, we focused on reducing the inflammation out of the lumbar spine and taking pressure off the spinal column. We then began incorporating active exercises to strengthen his core muscles and stabilize his lower back muscles. During the 5 weeks of the treatment protocol, his body was able to not only feel better but actually be stronger and better. He can now sit while at work and exercise at the gym comfortably because of his improved quality of life.

Example of a Patient with Headaches and Neck Pain

Another female patient, 32-year- age, 5 foot 130 pounds, came into our office complaining of pain in her neck and upper back and headache. The first evaluation determined that improper posture of the neck is causing her shoulders to be too forward. Her forward posture resulted in straining shoulders, shoulder blades, neck, and upper back. 

A four-week treatment plan was given to her that involved chiropractic adjustments to lift the pressure off her neck and cervical spine and physical therapy program to improve the posture of her neck, spine, shoulders, and upper back. By correcting her poor posture, she became able to get her neck, head, shoulders, and back aligned properly, thus reducing her pain and improving her overall health. 

Example of a Patient with Shoulder Pain

One of our patients was a 17-year-old high school baseball pitcher who came in with right shoulder pain. A Physical Therapy therpist determined that his rotator cuff muscles (the group of muscles that support the shoulder joint) were not working efficiently to support the strain on his arm, thus causing weakness in his shoulder. 

It was recommended he take a break from throwing baseballs in addition to receiving 6 weeks of treatment, using chiropractic care to minimize the inflammation in his shoulder, and active physical therapy to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles. After 6 weeks, the patient was able to return to play baseball and restore his all physical activities. 

Example of a Patient with Knee Pain

A 15-year-old gymnast hurt her left knee from tumbling and landing on her leg. This results in a strained medial meniscus. Chiropractic therapy was given to the patient to remove the inflammation and minimize the discomfort in her knee and then planned an active exercise program to strengthen the knee and stabilize the joint. In the end, she was able to resume her gymnastics after 4 weeks of regular sessions.