Physical therapists, of necessity, wear many hats.
Some days, they are taking care of injured athletes trying to get back to their sport, or, on other days, they might be working with elderly patients needing to improve their balance, or maybe with an eight-year-old with a broken arm, or maybe a–
I’ll stop myself there. The point is, physical therapists work with their patients to develop plans that help meet their needs, whatever they may be. To use a technical term, physical therapists do a bunch of really good stuff.
However, PTs might do so much good stuff and wear so many cool hats that sometimes people don’t realize everything they can do. This article is dedicated to one aspect of physical therapy work that most people, sometimes even other doctors, don’t realize exists–physical therapy and oncology.
This article will mention cancer treatments and cancer, so if these are subjects that any reader wishes to avoid, I understand completely.
Quality of Life
Oncology, the study and treatment of cancer and tumors, is generally regarded to be a specialized branch of medicine, and for good reason–finding effective treatments for cancer is one of the most important, and most difficult, aspects of medicine.
When someone gets cancer, they are likely to work with a team of doctors to help them diagnose, assess, and treat their cancer. There are medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, psychologists, pharmacists, and dozens of more doctors that a patient may work with during their road to recovery.
Physical therapists can be part of this team, especially after serious treatment has been attempted, such as chemotherapy or surgery.
In an interview with Cancer.net, Sharlynn Tuohy, a physical therapist and the Director of Rehabilitation at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, says of the role of physical therapy in cancer treatments is to “help individuals maintain their strength, decrease fatigue levels, minimize pain, and maximize function such as balance, walking, and overall mobility. We also provide value in end-of-life care through gentle but effective treatments.”
Physical therapists are not able to provide chemotherapy, nor can they perform surgery, but, as Dr. Tuohy says, they can increase the quality of life, which makes a very large difference to the patient. Cancer treatments often overwhelm the lives of the patients, impacting the way patients do everyday tasks like getting in and out of bed, brushing their teeth, and walking up and down stairs.
Psychological Impacts
We often regard cancer patients to be some of the bravest, strongest-willed, and most determined people on the planet, as we very well should. However, this does not mean that they do not get psychologically impacted by their treatments.
The understanding of mental health has grown considerably over the last pair of decades, and doctors are increasingly well-equipped to help patients, or at least point them in the right direction. An aspect of mental health that doctors and therapists alike can help with is exercise, one of the best ways to improve mental health.
Physical therapists are experts in exercises; they specialize in helping the body exercise without injury, and in increasing strength without the need for intense weight-lifting routines. That is why physical therapists are uniquely qualified to help people dealing with cancer treatments exercise.
Frequent exercise can make a world of difference for those dealing with the psychological effects of receiving a cancer diagnosis and treatments. A physical therapist can help design a routine that a patient can do every day without causing negative impacts on the body, allowing cancer patients to get the mental health boost that exercising can bring while avoiding pain and discomfort.
A Support System
As a physical therapist, I believe that the techniques and treatments that I recommend to my patients can help them to improve the quality of their lives. Ideally, for those battling cancer, that would make me one part of a larger support system of medical experts, friends, and family members.
Physical therapy is in no way a secret cure for cancers. It is just a treatment method, and an ancillary one at that. As a treatment method, however, it can help in ways that are generally unknown, such as improving the quality of life and the mental health of patients.
It is my hope that anyone going through cancer treatment can get the help they need to keep fighting and staying positive. As the late great ESPN anchor Stuart Scott, who passed away during his battle with cancer, said so eloquently, “You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and the manner in which you live.”
