Working from home and taking up new physical activities has prompted an uptick in local physical therapy demand, the Chicago Tribune reports.
At the start of the pandemic, patient visits dropped and 54 percent of physical therapists reported working fewer hours, according to an American Physical Therapy Association survey cited by the news outlet. Now, demand is back up to pre-pandemic levels for some Chicago-area physical therapists who say they've seen an uptick in people experiencing pain due to working long hours from home in unsupportive furniture such as a couch, and new exercise routines.
Dr. Matt Gauthier, a physical therapist at a Northwest Chicago Athletico Physical Therapy, said people with knee and hip issues have been coming in after taking up running or biking at home.
"We've been seeing a lot more people getting aches and pains because of a significant shift in their activity level," Dr. Gauthier told the Tribune.
Neck, upper back and shoulder pain have also been common due to people spending more time hunched over their computers.
Some physical therapists also said they've seen people with a history of treated problems flaring back up. That's partially related to increased stress levels amid the pandemic and less time for self-care due to kids being at home, for example, or not establishing a healthy work-life balance.
Overall, most of the pandemic-related injuries are highly treatable, experts told the Tribune.
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