Get a few active urbanites together at the dinner table, and pretty soon the conversation turns to aching body parts and how to treat them. Back in the day, people recommended doctors. Now, folks want to compare notes on their rock-star physical therapists.
The phenomenon crosses all age categories. Older people have sore backs and hips. And just about everybody has gym-related issues, from pulled muscles and dislocated shoulders to torn ligaments and shin splints.
“There’s a need at all levels, from pediatric to geriatric,” says James Pumarada of Complete Physical Rehabilitation. “More individuals are saying that they’ve gone to a physical therapist versus the traditional medical model.”
He cites such complaints as unspecified lower back pain and injuries due to running and other exercise and advises being “proactive regarding sports injuries.”
What’s trending, he says are “preventive, noninvasive treatments versus invasive medical procedures such as hip and knee replacements. Strengthening and stretching can actually prevent certain conditions.”
Physical therapy is for the long haul. “We develop relationships with individuals and treat them for a lifespan,” Pumarada says. “It’s not just one time. We see uncles, aunts, siblings.”
Though physical therapy can help geriatric conditions, such as poor balance, most of his clients are between the ages of 30 and 50.
A St. Peter’s Prep alum, Pumarada says, “I love the community.”
Move It or Lose It
“Everyone has some need for physical therapy,” says Carl Gargiulo of Strulowitz & Gargiulo. “It deals with movement problems from birth to geriatrics. We help those problems through manual treatment, we help prevent movement problems, and promote wellness.”
Gargiulo agrees that PT is really hot right now. One reason, he says, is the “increased interest in fitness. It’s escalating with all age groups. People have sustained injuries or need therapies in order to be able to exercise. Chronic problems have brought a higher interest in physical therapy.”
He echoes Pumarada in seeing clients’ interest in the “conservative management of traditional problems. Physical therapy can work for lower back pain instead of surgery.”
ACL tears in the knee, low back injuries, running injuries, balance problems, vertigo, carpal tunnel, and tendonitis in the neck or shoulder can all be helped by physical therapy.
When it comes to osteoarthritis, Gargiulo says, “Physical therapy can help delay surgery or help patients better respond to surgery and live better with arthritis.”
Both Pumarada and Gargiulo say that evidence-based studies have shown that physical therapy is more beneficial than some standard medical treatments and usually better than doing nothing at all.
Another reason for the popularity of physical therapy, according to Gargiulo, is that medical advances mean that people are living longer. They may have gotten through heart disease or cancer and now need help with mobility and learning how to function better, both of which can benefit from physical therapy.
Gargiulo also stresses that physical therapists are trained to identify such things as fevers and weight loss that might require a physician’s attention.
Child’s Play
Michael Yasso of Pediatric Therapy Resources treats special-needs kids at schools in Jersey City, including children with autism, cognitive impairment, and cerebral palsy. He also sees kids with severe diet-and-exercise issues. He tells the sad story of a child who came to him because of morbid obesity. “It’s prevalent,” Yasso says. “We’re seeing more of that.” Unfortunately, many kids do not have the education or the resources to eat properly.
He’s been treating children from ages 3 to 18 for the past six years.
“We’re also getting kids to be more active and participate with their peers by improving strength, endurance, and balance,” he says.
Some children need help with day-to-day functions, such as climbing stairs and opening and closing doors. Activities like jumping, hopping, and obstacle courses can be used in treatments for children.
He also sees kids with a condition known as idiopathic toe walking, as well as standard orthopedic issues like broken bones and other traumatic injuries.
Yasso got into this special niche of PT because his wife observed that he was good with kids. That turned out to be true, and he is now treating children full-time.
“It’s very rewarding for me,” he says. “Kids know they need you, and it’s genuine and sincere. It’s so fulfilling from that perspective. It’s nice to be able to make an impact at a young age.”
How does he gauge success? “When they no longer need our services, and they can function independently.”
Taking Charge
Julie Daugherty is a Jersey City physical therapist, who agrees that a lot of people are using PT. However, she works for only one organization, so she doesn’t see the general public on a regular basis.
“I guess I would say that PT is a great way to deal with dysfunction and pain through being active and taking charge of your situation rather than just be fixed by a pill or passive treatment,” she says. “You have to engage and do your exercises to help you improve, which is really positive all around. Exercise is the one thing that consistently improves a ton of health issues (heart disease, diabetes, aging) but if you can’t do it without pain, it’s tough, and that’s where a physical therapist is helpful.”—Kate Rounds
Resources
Complete Physical Rehabilitation
75 Montgomery St.
(201) 433-6001
Pediatric Therapy Resources
1 Nardone Pl.
(201) 656-9500
Strulowitz & Gargiulo
1 Nardone Pl.
(201) 792-3840