Physical therapy assists your body to make a complete recovery and restore you to full function. This is accomplished by designing a very specific treatment program for the injured area. A physical injury damages your muscles, nerves, ligaments, cartilage, tendons, and blood vessels. It is a big challenge for your body to restore everything back to normal. In fact, the repair process may not be fully completed. Even if the pain is gone, you may develop scar tissue, adhesions, or a weak tissue structure that is susceptible to re-injury.
You should get physical therapy for an injury for the same reason that you would see an orthopedist for a broken leg. Your broken leg could heal completely by itself without professional assistance – but not as quickly – and the healed leg may end up deformed and not very functional. Physical therapy shortens your healing process and helps you recover more completely. You shouldn’t postpone getting physical therapy for the same reason you wouldn’t postpone seeing a doctor for your broken leg. Putting off therapy leads to continued inflammation and pain, unnecessary scar tissue, and increased risk of re-injury.