Why is physical therapy vital in helping people recover after an injury?    

As a mental health professional, I can share that physical therapy plays a crucial role not only in the physical recovery after an injury but also in supporting mental well-being during the recovery process. Here are some key reasons why physical therapy is vital for both physical and mental recovery.

• How does physical therapy help people recover after injury? 

• As a mental health professional, I know that healing isn't limited to the wound; support for the emotional and psychological well-being is included in the general recovery. Therapy of any kind would involve this general healing. Functional rehabilitation not only provides recovery from the physical aspect of trauma but also from the commonly attached mental-emotional part of rehabilitation after an injury. Herein lies the importance of physiotherapy in recovery from mental health perspectives.

• What was the greatest challenge that you faced in this career? 

• Probably the toughest is building trust, especially with clients who may have had bad experiences with mental health care before. A lot of individuals come with an air of incredulity or paranoia about therapy or mental health treatment. It's important-and often time-consuming and demanding-to create a safe space, one in which a therapist is not judgmental and respects the feelings of the client.

• What is the most common injury that you treated? 

•  I do not directly treat mental health professional physical injuries; however, I work with people who have emotional and psychological challenges emanating from physical injuries. The most common "injuries" I see follow the line of psychological injuries or the mental health effects of physical injuries; for instance.

• Why did you pick this career? 

• This topic is being addressed mostly because of her eternal, inner desire to help others; most of her life, she saw how mental health troubles affected individuals, families, and entire communities. She wanted to support, guide, and help people who faced emotional or mental issues.

• Do you get stressed before surgeries? 

• There is absolutely nothing abnormal about whenever people feel stressed out before surgery, be it from the person undergoing the surgery or a person who is very close to the individual undergoing the surgery. I am in the field of mental well-being, and there are a number of stress-causing factors in relation to surgery, including the fear of the Unknown and Fear of Pain or Discomfort.

• What was the hardest surgery you have ever done? 

• I don’t perform surgeries due to my profession, but I work with a lot of patients where surgical interventions have been initiated. The emotional problems associated may include anxiety about the procedure itself or other worries regarding recovery afterwards.

• Do you prefer working alone or with someone? 

• As a mental health professional myself, the answer to whether I prefer to work by myself or with someone else depends on the specific situation. There are pros and cons for both working alone and with others, and I appreciate both experiences.

• What is the hardest experience you have ever faced? 

• One of the most difficult things about being in any kind of mental health profession is helping people during that time of intense suffering when it feels as though hope is lost. Though I may not have direct experiences of suffering as my clients do, I am still very much impacted by what I hear, mostly from people with whom I work who are experiencing profound trauma, loss, or deep emotional pain.

• How do you explain things to your patients?

•  I guess being a mental health professional, the ability to communicate clearly and lovingly will help you build up a rapport and take a patient through his feelings and treatment plans. I will do my best to ensure that the process of explanation is informative, empathic, and taking into account the qindividual needs of each case.

• What was the easiest surgery that you did? 

• The principle of the art of very delicate procedures does not apply to me because, as a mental health professional, I do not perform the surgery myself; of course, I do work with patients who are preparing for or recovering from surgery, or who are navigating some of the psychosocial aspects involved with such surgeries.

Why is physical therapy vital in helping people recover after an injury? 

 Physical therapy is important because it promotes the recovery of movement and strength and functional independence after an injury. In addition to improving and expediting recovery from the injury, it also prevents the development of long-term complications such as stiffness, muscle weakness, or re-injury.  

• How does physical therapy help people recover after injury? 

• Physical therapy uses specific exercises, manual techniques, and equipment, such as ultrasound or electrical stimulation to increase blood flow, decrease pain, restore strength, and return the patient to their functional level of daily activities.

• What was the greatest challenge that you faced in this career?

•  One of the most difficult challenges is working with patients who are discouraged or non-compliant with their treatment plan. Helping them stay motivated and engaged to the plan, especially if results take time, tends to be difficult but also rewarding.

• What is the most common injury that you treated? 

•  I tend to treat a number of soft tissue injuries like sprains and strains, particularly to the ankles and lower back regions. I see a lot of patients that also present repetitive strain injuries and joint pains, especially the knees and shoulders.

• Why did you pick this topic?
  I've always been interested in musculoskeletal health. I enjoy helping people regain mobility, and medical services have a practical and visible impact on patients' lives.

• Do you get stressed before surgeries?  

While I don't perform surgical procedures in my role as a general practitioner, I closely observe orthopedic surgeons and their practice. What I've noticed is that pre-op nerves leading up to complicated procedures is normal, but they seem to prepare well and focus their minds.

• What was the hardest surgery you have ever done? 

• I cannot answer that directly since I don’t do surgery myself, but I have helped support patients in recovery from very difficult surgeries where a joint or spine are operated on, and that is intensive post operation care and coordination as well.

• Do you prefer working alone or with someone?

•  I absolutely prefer working as a team. Collaborating with physical therapists, orthopedic specialists, or nurses results in excellent patient outcomes with a team supporting each other!

• What is the hardest experience you have ever faced?

One of the most difficult experiences is unexpectedly losing a patient to complications. While it emotional, it further emphasizes the importance of being thorough and empathetic. It also demonstrates the importance of ongoing discussions with patients and families.

• How do you explain things to your patients? 

• I utilize simple, straightforward language and analogies when appropriate. I always ensure the patient understands their diagnosis and treatment options, and I urge the patient to ask questions. Patient education is crucial in providing quality care.

• What was the easiest surgery that you did? 

• I don’t perform surgeries, but I’ve assisted in minor procedures like abscess drainage or joint injections. Those are relatively straightforward and routine in a general practice setting.

• Why is physical therapy vital in helping people recover after an injury?

•  In my experience as a dentist, I have seen firsthand that physical therapy is paramount to restoring function, mobility and strength after surgery, especially after jaw surgery or facial trauma from an accident. Physical therapy decreases pain, inactive stiffness, and improves motion, ultimately to achieve a normal range of motion to enable speech, eating, and daily function.   

• How does physical therapy help people recover after injury? 

• Physical therapy utilizes specific exercises, stretching movements, and sometimes different types of equipment to strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, and retrain the body to move correctly. The dentistry field may use specific exercises for example, patients recovering from jaw surgery or trauma, may need exercises to regain proper jaw function.

• What was the greatest challenge that you faced in this career?

•  A big challenge is working with patients who are just extremely anxious or fearful. People with dental phobia make even routine tasks difficult. They require a lot of patience, empathy, and clear communication to make them feel safe and comfortable.

• What is the most common injury that you treated? 

• The most frequent injury I typically observe is a fractured tooth from trauma or accident, especially in kids or athletes. Often, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems from either grinding or trauma present as well.

• Why did you pick orthopedics? 

• I decided to pursue dental orthopedics as I was intrigued by the relationship between structure and function in the mouth and jaw. It brings me great joy to be able to help my patients recover their smile and restore function after experiencing trauma or suffering from misalignment.

• Do you get stressed before surgeries? 

• Especially in complicated situations. But there is a little totally normal stress. It keeps me sharp and focused. I always prepare to the fullest, look at all the imaging and thoroughly plan every step to avoid any surprises in the operating room. 

• What was the hardest surgery you have ever done? 

• The hardest surgery I performed was a reconstructive jaw surgery after a serious car accident. The patient suffered multiple fractures, requiring implants, bone grafts and careful realignment. The procedure was longer and sequenced in multiple stages, but it changed the patient's life.

• Do you prefer working alone or with someone?

•  I prefer working with a team. Surgery, especially, is never a solo act. You rely on your assistants, anesthesiologists, and sometimes other specialists. Collaboration leads to better outcomes.

• What is the hardest experience you have ever faced?

• Losing a young patient from a non-dental-related emergency during recovery. This is something that sticks with you and re-emphasizes the need for proper patient monitoring and the need to always be ready for any complication.

• How do you explain things to your patients? 

• I use simple, everyday language and visuals—models or X-rays—to help them understand. I also encourage questions and make sure they know they can contact me anytime if they think of more later.

• What was the easiest surgery that you did? 

• Probably a routine wisdom tooth extraction in a healthy young adult. It went smoothly, took just a few minutes, and the patient healed beautifully with no complications.