Yes, you can do physical therapy and chiropractic care together! In fact, many patients get better results when they combine both treatments. Think of it like having two different tools to fix the same problem. Physical therapy helps make your muscles stronger, while chiropractic care helps your spine move better.

When you use both treatments at the same time, you can heal faster and feel better sooner. This works especially well for back pain, neck pain, and injuries from sports or car accidents. Many doctors now suggest using both treatments together because they help each other work better.

This article will help you understand how these two treatments work together. We’ll explain the benefits, what to expect, and how to make sure your treatments work well together. By the end, you’ll know if combining physical therapy and chiropractic care is right for you.

How Physical Therapy and Chiropractic Care Work Together

Physical therapy and chiropractic care are like two pieces of a puzzle. They fit together perfectly to help your body heal. Each treatment does different things, but they both want to help you feel better and move easier.

What Each Treatment Does

Physical Therapy helps you get stronger and move better. Physical therapists teach you exercises to make your muscles stronger. They also help you learn how to move without hurting yourself. Physical therapy is great for building up weak muscles and learning new ways to move your body.

Chiropractic Care helps your spine and joints move the right way. Chiropractors use their hands to adjust your spine and joints. This helps reduce pain and makes your body work better. Chiropractic care can help with pain right away and make your nervous system work better.

Why They Work Better Together

When you combine both treatments, amazing things happen. The chiropractor helps your spine move better, which makes it easier for your muscles to get stronger during physical therapy. The physical therapist helps your muscles support your spine, which helps the chiropractic adjustments last longer.

Research shows that people who get both treatments often feel better faster than people who only get one treatment. According to the National Institutes of Health, multimodal approaches to pain management often provide better outcomes than single treatments. Studies show that patients who receive both chiropractic care and physical therapy generally report higher patient satisfaction and better outcomes.

Benefits of Combining Both Treatments

Using physical therapy and chiropractic care together gives you many benefits that you can’t get from just one treatment alone.

Faster Pain Relief

When you use both treatments, you can get pain relief faster. Chiropractic care addresses the joint dysfunction which can cause nerve irritation while physical therapy helps retrain the musculoskeletal support system so the body can heal faster. This means you might feel better in just a few weeks instead of months.

Better Long-Term Results

The combination helps you stay better longer. Research shows that when combining chiropractic care and physical therapy, patients experience even greater relief, faster recovery, and longer-lasting results. This happens because physical therapy strengthens the muscles that support your spine, while chiropractic adjustments help your joints move properly.

Improved Movement and Function

Both treatments help you move better in different ways. Chiropractic care helps align your spine, which can enhance your body’s overall function. Physical therapy then builds on this by increasing your strength and flexibility, making it easier to move and perform daily activities.

Less Need for Medicine

Many people find they need less pain medicine when they combine both treatments. Combining these therapies often leads to substantial pain reduction, which may decrease the need for pain medication, reducing potential side effects. This is great news because it means you can feel better without worrying about medicine side effects.

What Problems Can Be Treated Together

Combining physical therapy and chiropractic care works well for many different health problems. Here are some of the most common ones:

Back Pain Problems

Back pain is one of the best problems to treat with both therapies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, back pain affects millions of Americans and is a leading cause of disability. Chiropractic adjustments can realign the spine, while physical therapy strengthens the muscles supporting your back. This combination helps alleviate pain and prevents future occurrences by addressing both spinal alignment and muscle strength.

For people with sciatica and back pain, this combination can be especially helpful. The chiropractor can help reduce nerve pressure, while the physical therapist can teach exercises to prevent the pain from coming back.

Sports Injuries

Athletes often benefit from both treatments. Athletes frequently experience issues like sprains, strains, and joint injuries. Chiropractors can help with joint alignment and pain relief, while physical therapists focus on rehabilitation exercises to restore function and prevent re-injury. This combination helps athletes get back to their sport faster and safer.

Neck Pain and Headaches

Many people have neck pain and headaches at the same time. A pinched or irritated nerve can affect specific areas or cause pain throughout your entire body. Through specific exercises and adjustments, chiropractors and physical therapists can work together to relieve the pain of a pinched nerve.

If you struggle with migraines or headaches, combining both treatments can help address both the muscle tension and spine problems that might be causing your pain.

Car Accident Injuries

Car accidents can cause hidden injuries that both treatments can help with. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that many accident injuries don’t show up on standard medical tests right away. Imaging equipment can’t see minuscule rips and tears in your muscles, such as the common pain associated with whiplash. Visit your physical therapist and chiropractor to start treatment before your injuries worsen or serious pain sets in.

Chronic Pain Conditions

For people with long-term pain problems, both treatments can provide relief. Chronic conditions like arthritis can also benefit from both chiropractic care and physical therapy. Chiropractors can help manage pain and improve joint function through adjustments. Physical therapists can offer exercises to maintain joint mobility and strengthen surrounding muscles.

How to Get the Best Results

To get the most benefit from combining physical therapy and chiropractic care, you need to do a few important things.

Find Providers Who Work Together

The best results happen when your physical therapist and chiropractor talk to each other about your care. Communication is crucial to successfully implementing a combined care plan. First, it’s important to find a chiropractor and a physical therapist who are willing to work together.

Look for clinics that offer both services or providers who have worked together before. This makes it easier for them to share information about your progress and adjust your treatment plan.

Follow Your Treatment Plan

Both treatments work best when you stick to your plan. Regular appointments and consistent exercise are necessary for the best outcomes. Chiropractors and physical therapists may give you specific exercises or routines to practice at home.

Make sure to go to all your appointments and do your home exercises. This helps both treatments work better together.

Tell Your Providers About Changes

Keep both your physical therapist and chiropractor updated about how you’re feeling. Listen to your body and communicate any changes or concerns to both your chiropractor and physical therapist. They can adjust your care plan as needed to ensure that you remain on the path to recovery.

If something hurts more or feels different, tell both providers so they can work together to help you.

Understanding Insurance and Cost

Before starting combined treatment, it’s important to understand how insurance works for both types of care.

Insurance Coverage Differences

Physical therapy is usually covered better by insurance than chiropractic care. The Department of Health and Human Services notes that physical therapy is considered an essential health benefit under the Affordable Care Act. All ACA-compliant individual and small group plans include coverage for physical therapy, although the specifics vary from one state to another. Some individual and small-group plans, sold via the health insurance marketplaces and off-exchange, include coverage for chiropractic services – but many do not.

Talk to Your Insurance First

Before starting treatment, call your insurance company to ask about coverage for both treatments. Ask about:

• How many visits are covered for each treatment
• If you need a referral from your doctor
• What your out-of-pocket costs will be

Consider the Benefits

Even if you have to pay some costs yourself, many people find that combining both treatments helps them get better faster. This can actually save money in the long run because you need fewer total visits.

What to Expect During Treatment

When you start combined treatment, here’s what you can expect:

Your First Visits

Both providers will want to understand your problem. They’ll ask about your pain, how it started, and what makes it better or worse. They might also do some tests to see how you move and where you hurt.

Treatment Sessions

Your chiropractic visits might be shorter but more frequent. The chiropractor will adjust your spine and joints to help them move better. Your physical therapy visits might be longer and include exercises, stretches, and other treatments.

Working Together

Your providers should talk to each other about your progress. They might change your treatment plan based on how you’re doing. This team approach helps you get the best results.

Home Exercises

Both providers will probably give you exercises to do at home. These help keep your progress going between visits. Make sure to ask questions if you don’t understand how to do an exercise.

The Science Behind Combined Treatment

Research shows that combining physical therapy and chiropractic care really works. Patients who receive both experience not only faster pain relief but also long-term strength, stability, and injury prevention.

What Studies Show

Multiple studies have found that people who get both treatments often have better outcomes than people who only get one. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that combining chiropractic care with standard medical care resulted in significantly greater pain relief and improved function compared to medical care alone. The results of a clinical trial showed that chiropractic care combined with usual medical care for low back pain provides greater pain relief and a greater reduction in disability than medical care alone.

Why It Works

The combination works because each treatment helps the other be more effective. Chiropractic care specializes in restoring joint mobility by addressing restrictions that limit movement and contribute to pain and stiffness. Physical Therapy complements Chiropractic care by strengthening the muscles that stabilize and support the joints, ensuring that improved mobility translates into lasting function.

Professional Support

Even healthcare professionals are recognizing the benefits. Despite the historical tension between these professions, the truth is that Chiropractic and Physical Therapy work best together.

How to Start Combined Treatment

If you think combining physical therapy and chiropractic care might help you, here’s how to get started:

Talk to Your Doctor

Start by talking to your regular doctor about your pain or problem. They can help you understand if combined treatment might be right for you and give you referrals if needed.

Research Providers

Look for providers who:

• Have experience working together
• Are covered by your insurance
• Are close to your home or work
• Have good reviews from other patients

Ask the Right Questions

When you call providers, ask:

• Do you work with physical therapists/chiropractors?
• How do you communicate with other providers?
• What should I expect from treatment?
• How long will treatment take?

Start Treatment

Once you find good providers, start treatment as soon as possible. Many problems get better faster when you start treatment early.

Special Considerations

There are some special things to think about when combining treatments:

Pregnancy

If you’re pregnant, both treatments can be safe, but you need providers who understand pregnancy. Chiropractic care during pregnancy can help with back pain and other pregnancy-related discomforts.

Age Considerations

Both treatments work well for people of all ages, but older adults might need gentler approaches. Young athletes might need more intense treatment to get back to their sports.

Chronic Conditions

If you have long-term health problems, tell both providers. They can adjust your treatment to work with your other health needs.

Combining with Other Treatments

Physical therapy and chiropractic care can also work well with other treatments:

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy can help relax your muscles and make both other treatments more effective. Many people find that massage helps them feel more comfortable during treatment.

Vitamin and Nutritional Support

Good nutrition can help your body heal faster. Some clinics offer vitamin therapy to support your healing process.

Recovery Programs

For athletes, specialized recovery programs can help you get back to your sport safely and quickly.

Final Thoughts

Combining physical therapy and chiropractic care can be a powerful way to help your body heal and feel better. These two treatments work together like teammates, each helping the other be more effective.

The key to success is finding providers who work well together, following your treatment plan, and communicating with your team about how you’re feeling. While it might take some effort to coordinate both treatments, many people find that the faster healing and better results are worth it.

If you’re dealing with pain or mobility problems, consider talking to your doctor about whether combining physical therapy and chiropractic care might be right for you. With the right team and approach, you can get back to feeling your best and doing the activities you love.

Remember that every person is different, and what works for one person might not work for another. The most important thing is to find a treatment approach that helps you feel better and improves your quality of life. Whether that’s physical therapy alone, chiropractic care alone, or both together, the goal is to help you live a healthier, more comfortable life.

Ready to explore how combined care can help you? Contact a qualified provider today to learn more about your options and start your journey to better health.