Navigating our healthcare system can sometimes feel like trying to find your way out of a giant maze. You see your primary care physician who refers you to an orthopedic surgeon who refers you to pain management. Before you know it, you’re recommended for multiple injections or an invasive surgery for what seemed to be a minor issue. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone!
Overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments have unfortunately become quite commonplace with short-term fixes and overburdened providers dominating our healthcare system. While well-intentioned, many providers have limited offerings—think: medications, injections, or surgical procedures— that may work wonders for some but are not the end-all for everyone. But here’s the good news: YOU HAVE OPTIONS! Non-invasive alternatives like physical therapy can be one of the best solutions to identify the underlying cause of your pain and dysfunction and help you avoid the pitfalls of overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments.
The Overdiagnosis Trap
Overdiagnosis happens when a condition is identified that might never actually cause you any harm or symptoms. While medical advancements in imaging and diagnostics are valuable, at times they can lead to confusion and unnecessary worry. We often give the example of studies that look for MRI findings in asymptomatic individuals. In one such study, MRIs found that 67% of older adults without ANY knee symptoms or pain had underlying meniscal tears. 67 %!!! On the flip side, many people have knee symptoms that have no imaging findings but may have a gait compensation or a back problem that is the true cause of their knee pain.
As you can imagine, overdiagnosis often leads to unnecessary treatments. Think of the knee example above- you may see a physician who takes an MRI revealing a meniscal tear and end up with a steroid pack, arthroscopic surgery, or injection that you don’t really need. Not only can this be a waste of time and money, but it can also lead to side effects and complications that make you feel worse than when you first sought out care.
The Value of Physical Therapy
Physical therapists are experts in the musculoskeletal system. With a deep understanding of the human body and biomechanics, PTs focus on treating the body as a whole and breaking down movement impairments that may be holding you back from feeling your best. Instead of prioritizing short-term fixes like medications or injections, they look at how your body moves, functions, and feels. Taking a holistic approach to care, PTs help you identify and treat the root cause of your dysfunction instead of just the resulting symptoms.
Returning to our knee pain example, a physical therapist won’t just prescribe a steroid pack or send you for a cortisone injection. Instead, they will look at your posture, core, pelvic, and lower body strength, and overall mechanics. Working collaboratively with you, they will develop a personalized treatment plan including therapeutic exercise, skilled manual therapy, and complementary modalities to stimulate the healing process and restore homeostasis within your system.
Empowering Patients to Make Informed Healthcare Decisions
This is your body and your life—you deserve to have all the knowledge possible to make the most informed healthcare decisions. Understanding your body, how it works, and what treatment options are available are all critical components of an effective treatment plan. Instead of feeling like a passive patient, a physical therapist will make you an active participant in your recovery, working collaboratively to set realistic goals and expectations as you move forward in your recovery.
You’re Not Alone
If you’ve received a diagnosis that doesn’t quite sit right or you’re looking for an alternative to surgery or medications, you’re not alone! Physical therapists can provide professional guidance, assess your condition from a movement perspective, and provide conservative options to help you feel your best. PT isn’t just about addressing pain, it’s about optimizing your body’s function and future proofing against subsequent injuries so you can move well and stay well for years to come.
Whether you’re looking for a practical, hands-on approach to care or you’re tired of navigating the healthcare maze alone, give us a call here at mPOWER physical therapy, and let’s discuss your symptoms, goals, and how we can help you get back to living your best life.
