What is Physical Therapy?
What is a Typical Physical Therapy Treatment?
All physical therapy treatments are unique to the patient and to the situation. Treatments are designed to help the patient regain full function in order to perform usual daily activities. Often, a physical therapy treatment will include some of the following activities:
- Manual Therapy. All of our therapists are skilled at many forms of manual (“hands-on”) therapy, including joint mobilization, myofascial release, soft tissue mobilization, and muscle stretching.
- Strengthening/Conditioning. With most injuries or long-term conditions, the patient will experience a loss of strength in a body part. The therapist will determine the level of muscle loss and will begin a strengthening program to correct the situation.
- Range of Motion. Many patients will have limited motion of a body part because of injury or pain. The therapist will work with the patient to regain that motion in the clinic, and will instruct the patient in a stretching program to perform at home.
- Heat or Cold Modality. There are several ways to either warm up tissues or cool them down. Heat helps to relieve pain and also brings fresh blood into the area, which helps carry added oxygen and nutrients to the injured tissues. Cold is an anesthetic agent and numbs the injured body part. The choice of modality depends upon the injury/condition and the patient’s tolerance to either heat or cold.
What Kind of Injury/Condition is Appropriate for Physical Therapy?
The most common type of patient that we treat is a person who has experienced an injury to muscles, bones, or joints. Our patients include injured workers trying to return to full employment, athletes recovering from a recent injury or surgery, retirees trying to regain strength and motion in order to remain active, and people experiencing a physical condition that limits their ability to enjoy life.