Always Ready. Always Safe. Learn More About Our Health and Safety Protocols.corona close
Skip to main content
Back to all

Nutrition & Physical Therapy

January 9, 2018 | Industry News
Share
Tweet
Share

Table with foods including salmon, almonds, avacado, broccoli, garlic, and more.

Nutrition and physical therapy are two separate worlds.  Right?  Actually, while the two are different disciplines, they still converge.  Proper nutrition throughout the therapy or the rehabilitation process directly affects recovery and function and can lead to better outcomes for people with chronic conditions.  The desired outcome and/or the reason for physical therapy will dictate the nutrition application for each patient.

Physical Therapist ≠ Nutritionist

According to the American Physical Therapy Association, nutrition is within the scope of the physical therapy practice.  There are many instances in which nutrition can become come an important piece of the wellness puzzle.  It’s important to understand, however, that being a physical therapist does not imply that the person is also a nutritionist.  Most nutritional information coming from a physical therapist will be general in nature.  In fact, each state has varying jurisdiction on the scope of the physical therapy practice as well as regulations on who may give nutrition advice.  Should a patient be in need of more specialized and quantitative nutritional advice, it is always best to consult with a licensed professional.

Nutrition and Physical Therapy Application

In a majority of cases, the primary goal of physical therapy is to overcome pain and increase mobility.  While physical therapy itself has excellent outcomes, improved nutrition can further enhance already positive results.  The following are a few conditions that have shown nutrition to be a potential missing link to managing and maintaining pain relief.

  1. Inflammation: It has been found that a diet full of healthy fatty acids, fruits, vegetables with high fiber and antioxidants can have anti-inflammatory effects.
  2. Obesity: Obesity is a top contributing factor to chronic pain conditions.  A healthy, balanced diet paired with exercise is the best way to find success in weight loss.
  3. Osteoarthritis (OA): While the most modifiable risk factor for OA is obesity, studies have also identified links between certain nutrient deficiencies and OA as well as some nutrients having evidence of symptom relief.
  4. Autoimmune Disease: Studies have found nutrient-poor diets full of high-sugar, sodium-packed and processed foods can exacerbate the diseases.  Additionally, the lack of such nutrients as vitamins A & D, selenium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics and flavanol has shown to have a negative effect.
  5. Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: Diabetic neuropathic pain is common in people with diabetes.  Proper nutrition can lead to weight loss and symptom management.

How Can a Physical Therapist Help?

At the root of both physical therapy and nutrition is the desire for overall health and increased quality of life.  Your physical therapist will collaborate with you to design a specialized treatment plan, with an emphasis on patient education to help you learn and implement healthy habits.

The entire Phoenix Physical Therapy Team is committed to providing our patients with quality physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy in a safe and healthy clinic environment. We continue to follow the guidance provided by the CDC, WHO and public health officials to update you as new information becomes available. Let’s work together to keep each other safe and healthy.

The safety of our patients, communities and team members remains our top priority. We know you have a choice in your care providers and appreciate your commitment to Phoenix and our qualified clinicians.

Here are the actions we have taken to keep our patients, communities and team healthy & safe:

  • Flexible scheduling allows for social distancing
  • Regular cleaning and sanitation of all clinic surfaces
  • Facemasks must be worn by all Phoenix staff and are recommended for all patients
  • Screening questionnaire and temperature checks prior to entering clinics
  • 6 feet of social distancing throughout the clinics

Keeping Our Clinics Safe

Here are some tips on how we can keep each other safe:

  • Handwashing is your best self-defense against the spread of germs. When soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty, use at least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Please stay home if you are not feeling well, especially if you have a fever, are coughing or sneezing, or are experiencing shortness of breath. If a patient shows up with symptoms, the clinic team will work with them to reschedule.
  • Be vigilant. If you have traveled to any of the countries where there are outbreaks of the virus, please follow guidance from the CDC website and our Travel Guidelines.

Here are actions we are taking to keep our clinics clean and safe:

  • Equipment will be wiped down after EVERY use with antibacterial wipes/sprays
  • All surfaces that patients or staff may touch including door handles, countertops, seating, pens at sign-in, bathroom and all other common areas will be disinfected regularly
  • Treatment tables will be 6 feet apart
  • Team members will wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing their nose, coughing or sneezin
  • Clinics will have hand sanitizer available at the front desk and in the treatment areas
  • Any Phoenix team members who are ill will be asked to stay home
  • We will maintain social distancing between patients in the clinic
  • Caregivers that are bringing a patient to the clinic should wait in their car or come back when the appointment has ended unless necessary (i.e. minor requiring a guardian or for assistance needs)
  • When possible, we will treat patients in private rooms to increase social distancing
  • Any patients that have underlying health issues (i.e. diabetes, respiratory problems, etc.) will be given the option to be seen during special clinic hours or can opt to be treated in a private room away from other clinicians and patients
  • All patients should be self-screening before entering the clinic. Our PCCs will perform a secondary screening during the check-in process and before patients enter the clinic including a screening questionnaire and temperature check.
×