In "unbearable" pain after a serious motorcycle accident and 11 surgeries, Dean decided to give physical therapy a chance.
He was highly skeptical at first, but he quickly became a believer in the benefits of physical therapist treatment.
"If someone offered me pain medication today, I would not take it," he said. "Just do the physical therapy. It lessens the pain tremendously."
This video is produced by Net Health in support of APTA's Safe Pain Management campaign, raising awareness about the risks of long-term opioid use and safe approaches to pain management.
Physical therapists are movement experts who improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement. You can contact a physical therapist directly for an evaluation. To locate a physical therapist in your area, visit Find a PT.