Difference between physical therapy and chiropractic care

Do you know the difference between physical therapy and a chiropractic care? We examine similarities and differences in this quick-read article.

Many patients do not know the difference between physical therapy and chiropractic care. They both treat same conditions and body parts. They both treat and manage pain and improves mobility without using medicine or shots. This article will guide you on how to choose between physical therapy and chiropractic care when you have pain and mobility issues.

Similarities between physical therapy and chiropractic care

First, let us see the similarities between these two professions. Physical therapist and chiropractor are licensed health care professionals. Both professionals keep their license active with continued education courses. Both primarily focus on treating pain with natural way without injections, shots and surgery. They both use hands on approach and manual techniques to fix the underlying issue causing pain.

Difference between physical therapy and chiropractic care

Next, let’s see the difference between physical therapy and chiropractic care. Physical therapy focuses on injured body part along with the adjacent body parts causing pain or mobility issues, so treatment approach depends on body movements and functions as a whole. Chiropractic care focuses on finding spinal and muscular malalignments that might be leading to pressure within nervous system and causing chronic pain. Physical therapy focuses on reducing pain and improving ability to perform daily activities in the pain free range. On the other hand, chiropractic focuses on achieving pain relief and fixing spine alignment.

Along with above mentioned differences, there is one more difference which is related to the treatment approach both use to treat patients. When injury or illness affects strength, mobility, balance and endurance physical therapy mainly uses manual therapy techniques like myofascial release, deep tissue massage, instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, joint mobilization and other techniques along with stretching and exercises to reduce pain and improve mobility and strength and assist natural healing. Chiropractic care mainly perform spine manipulations and joint adjustments along with other manual techniques to allow the body heal naturally after any injury or illness or chronic pain.

If you are currently experiencing back pain or chronic pain, both physical therapy and chiropractic care could help you to manage pain and improve quality of life. It really depends on the type of treatment you are looking for. Use this information and perform some of your own research to make the best decision for you.

If you’d like to meet with a physical therapist in Malvern, PA, contact us today to learn how physical therapy can help you to manage pain.

About Potential Physical Therapy:

Our physical therapist designs a personalized exercise program and manual therapy techniques according to individual needs. We use an evidence-based approach to educate and treat you that speeds up your pain relief. We teach proper form of exercises and home exercise program for faster recovery. In most cases physical therapy will be enough to recover from lower back pain. Contact us today to learn more about our programs and how they can help relieve your pain.

Experience the difference physical therapy can make for you.

Schedule your call at (610) 249-0001