If you remember a time when you felt physically able to do whatever you wanted, but that seems like a lifetime ago, you may just need a boost of confidence.

Losing strength and mobility, whether due to chronic pain from an injury or just advancing age, can really take the spark out of life if you allow it. Physical therapy can be the answer to getting back on track.

“I see people all along the pain spectrum, whether it is a recent hurt or something a patient has been dealing with for a long time,” said Dr. Karyn Staples, PT, PhD, NCPT of ProHealth Physical Therapy and Pilates Studio in Peachtree City. “Helping people get from a place where they can hardly get out of a chair to being able to do regular daily activities and have their lives back – this is why ProHealth exists. We want to make your life better.”

ProHealth clients come from all walks of life. Some just want to be able to get in and out of the car several times a day with no negative effects. Others have cited the desire to train for a marathon or prepare for an extensive hiking vacation in Spain, to name two specific examples. One woman in her seventies recently completed a 43-mile trail run in two days after ProHealth helped her get ready.

“Someone with chronic pain has likely removed a number of things from his or her life because of the discomfort involved,” said Staples. “As you are able to better understand what your body can and cannot do, you can develop positive movement experiences to counteract that.”

The Pilates activities that are an integral part of most ProHealth programs contribute to that positive movement by essentially rewiring the nervous system. Pain drains the nervous system to the point that nearly everything hurts. Proper movement reminds the body and the brain, “Oh, yes. I can still do that.”

Every single body is different. The system at ProHealth supports movement that gives feedback on body alignment, breathing, joint mobility, strength – everything that supports the desired goal for a good quality of life, which can be defined in many ways.

It may be the ability to pick up a grandchild, carry groceries out of the store and into the house, or stand in the kitchen and cook a meal without feeling as though you might not make it.

Movement has been proven over the years to be one of the best things to help an individual gain confidence in his or her body.

“There are a ton of different ways to move,” said Staples. “It’s about finding out which movements are best for your body – and they can change over time.”

One ProHealth patient, a female in her fifties, was feeling the effects of decreased physical activity and increased pain and discomfort due to various health issues. As she underwent a three-month physical therapy program at a relatively low level of movement, her body began to “remember” what it was previously capable of.

“Over that period of time, she established a foundation for what would come later,” said Staples. “Every day she did the same five exercises, modifying them each week based on whether they were still challenging or getting easier.”

After completing physical therapy, the patient moved into a walking program and began taking part in other activities with her friends that she had not done in quite some time, involving movements she had shunned because her body was not functioning at its best. This progress was also reflected in the improved response to treatment from her doctors for what had been ailing her.

Making those initial positive movements without pain allowed this patient to gain confidence in how she could function in everyday life. She was not yet pain-free, but she was aware of what she could and could not do – how far she could push herself.

“She is more able to be in charge and have some sense of control as far as knowing what she can handle,” said Staples. “We try to get people to love movement again while being respectful of what the body is capable of at different levels.”

ProHealth Physical Therapy and Pilates Studio is located at 1777 Georgian Park in Peachtree City. For more information or to book an appointment, phone 770-487-1931 or visit http://www.prohealthga.com