What does a physical therapist focus on to manage a patient's pain?

A physical therapist focuses on therapeutic exercises to manage a patient's pain because these exercises are specifically designed to strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, enhance mobility, and promote overall physical function. By tailoring a regimen of exercises to the individual needs of each patient, physical therapists aim to alleviate pain, improve movement patterns, and facilitate recovery from injuries or surgeries.

Therapeutic exercises can include activities that build strength, stability, and endurance, which are central to restoring function and reducing pain over time. Additionally, these exercises can help prevent future injuries by addressing underlying issues that may contribute to pain.

In contrast, cognitive behavioral therapy mainly addresses psychological aspects of pain and behavior changes, medication management focuses on pharmacological approaches to pain relief, and surgery is a more invasive intervention usually reserved for cases where other therapies have failed. Thus, the focus of a physical therapist's practice is squarely on therapeutic exercises as a primary and effective method for pain management.