Treatment – Physical Therapy
After the evaluation, your treatment begins.
On the first visit, each patient undergoes a thorough evaluation from their Physical Therapist, taking into account past medical history and current medical status. The Physical Therapist will then create a comprehensive, individualized treatment program, focused around the five types of treatment methods outlined below, that is tailored towards both immediate pain relief and the long term goal of preventing symptoms from returning in the future.
The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill
We have now added the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill to our programs (provided that it is prescribed by your therapist as a part of your rehab program). Visit the AlterG Treadmill page for more information about this exciting new technology!
Exercise
As a part of your program, your Physical Therapist may prescribe different therapeutic exercises, both active and passive, for you to perform during your sessions. Performing your prescribed exercises will:
- Improve your ability to perform a functional activity
- Improve your general health status
- Maintain your health (for work or recreational purposes)
- Strengthen problem areas post-surgery
- Strengthen necessary muscles to prevent further injury from work or sport
- Therapeutic exercise can also correct faulty bodily mechanics that may be causing injury.
Manual Therapy
During a session, it may be necessary to use hands on, manual techniques to reduce your pain in combination with specific corrective exercises and modalities. Manual therapy can be in the form of joint mobilization, (coma) manipulation, myofacial release, or muscle energy techniques. These specialized techniques employed by your therapist have the intended goal of increasing the range of motion of problem areas and decreasing pain.
Instructions for Home
As a part of your program, your Physical Therapist may provide a number of simple exercises for you to complete at home. In order to facilitate a speedier recovery, it is highly recommended that you stick to the home exercises that are prescribed for you by your Physical Therapist. Attending your sessions may not always be enough to guarantee an efficient recovery process.
We know from experience that patients who are very diligent in attending their sessions AND completing their home exercise program are the patients who have quicker, more effective recoveries.
In addition, upon discharge, your Physical Therapist will give you a detailed discharge plan aimed at helping you prevent symptoms from occurring in the future.
Modalities
Our Physical Therapists may use a number of different modalities for your problem(s) or condition for a variety of reasons, including:
- Reduction of pain
- Increasing range of motion
- Decreasing swelling
- Increasing the rate of healing
- Stabilizing areas needing support
Examples of modalities used by our Physical Therapists are:
- Electrical stimulation
- Ultrasound
- Application of hot/cold packs
- Paraffin baths
- Compression bandaging
- Mechanical traction