Physical therapy and massage therapy are two distinct approaches that can be used for different purposes and conditions. They may overlap in certain areas and can often be mistaken for each other, but are not the same. Understanding the differences between the two techniques can help you make an informed decision about which is the most suitable approach to address your specific needs.
Defining physical therapy and massage therapy
When you are looking for pain relief, it can be easy to be overwhelmed by practitioner titles. It’s important to seek treatment from the proper person to address your pain or help promote relaxation. Which person is the best for your situation? To decide if physical therapy or massage therapy is the best choice for you, you need to understand what each practice is all about:
- Physical therapy — Physical therapy, also known as physiotherapy, is a health care specialty. Generally speaking, it involves the evaluation, assessment, and treatment of patients with limitations in functional mobility due to surgery, injury or other conditions. Physical therapy can help you recover quickly and safely. It includes certain exercises, hands-on therapy and treatments based on physical stimuli. The goal of physical therapy is to help relieve pain and to help you move better or strengthen your weakened muscles. It is performed by a licensed physical therapist. Physical therapy is also often used to help someone achieve fitness or wellness goals.
- Massage therapy — Massage therapy is a type of treatment that is used to help manage health conditions or enhance a client’s wellness. It involves the manipulation of soft tissue. It is intended to help with pain relief and stress relief, and can help promote relaxation. It is performed by a licensed massage therapist.
What are the similarities between physical therapy and massage therapy?
Physical therapy and massage therapy have some of the same techniques and goals. These include:
- Hands-on techniques — Both therapies involve hands-on techniques to manipulate the body’s soft tissue.
- Pain relief — Both physical therapy and massage therapy can help provide pain relief. Physical therapy aims to reduce pain and improve function while massage therapy aims to reduce pain and promote relaxation.
- Stress relief — Both therapies can help promote stress reduction and relaxation. Physical therapy can help release endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. Massage therapy’s relaxation focus can help reduce stress and promote a sense of well-being.
- Muscle relaxation — Through the manual techniques both therapies can apply, they can help with relaxing tight muscles to release muscle tension and help promote relaxation.
What are the differences between physical therapy and massage therapy?
Physical therapy focuses on certain body parts that are causing issues to help provide rehabilitation with the intention of helping to improve strength. Massage therapy focuses on the muscles and some soft tissue to help relieve pain and the stress.
Physical therapy uses exercises and physical activities as well as hands-on modalities to help restore strength and movement. Each patient gets a specific and individualized treatment plan, tailored to their exact needs. It is used for rehab after an injury, surgery or both. The goal of physical therapy is to help improve a patient’s lifestyle and help prevent future issues from the injury or surgery. Physical therapy sometimes involves a referral from a medical doctor. Physical therapists pursue many years of education, sometimes including their master’s and a doctorate.
Massage therapy only uses hands-on techniques to manipulate the soft tissue. It can be beneficial for any person to seek general wellness improvement. Massage therapy can be sought out on your own, not needing a medical referral. Massage therapists complete a certification training for massage. The focus of massage therapy is to promote relaxation and well-being.
How to choose between physical therapy and massage therapy
If you are dealing with an injury or health condition, you should discuss your options with your doctor. Physical therapy can help you recover from a specific injury or illness with the intention of improving your well-being to the point of not needing physical therapy after treatment. Massage therapy can be continuously provided to continue your overall wellness and relaxation. Physical therapy is a medical and holistic mindset of improvement while massage therapy is a general wellness approach.
Border Therapy Services can help you with your physical therapy needs
If you are considering seeking physical therapy for a physical issue or to help with recovery, Border Therapy Services can be a beneficial option. Our expert team offers specialized care, providing effective and personalized treatments to your specific needs. Border Therapy Services offers services and treatments to address a variety of musculoskeletal and movement-related issues.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.