several holistic therapies can work as an adjunct treatment for physical therapy, and reiki is one of them.

During the course of physical therapy, there is more than just the physical aspect of healing happening. There is also an energy component at work. Did you know that it takes more calories to heal? Or that a positive outlook can promote faster healing? And this is all about energy.

If you can channel energy to the areas that needs to be healed, recovery from injury is that much quicker. And that is just what reiki is all about

Reiki is a non-touch therapeutic treatment that is performed by a Reiki practitioner. There is energy all around us, and the Reiki practitioner uses that energy to heal. He or she gathers and channels energy into the area of injury.

Basically, treatment consists of laying on a table while the Reiki practitioner hovers over you with his or her hands, usually starting at the head. The hands will hover over the injured body part and this will bring energy to that segment.

This energy channeling increases circulation which increases tissue healing capacity and lymphatic drainage, while decreasing pain and inflammation.

The times that I have experienced Reiki, I have found it to be extraordinarily calming and relaxing. As a physical therapist experiencing alternative medicines, I’m always trying to learn during a session and experience it fully so I can convey to my patients what it is like, if they are interested in adding it into their recovery.

If they are already utilizing it, then my physical therapy background will be better able to work in conjunction with that practitioner. My holistic philosophy approach to physical therapy embraces these alternative practices and it’s wonderful to be able to work and meet new practitioners.

And it’s also great that as hands-on as my manual physical therapy is, Reiki practitioners are offering up a healing process that utilizes its hands as well … but without actually touching their patients! How cool is that?