Defining Physical Therapy

Updated: Sep 5, 2018

DEFINING PHYSICAL THERAPY Nobody wants to get injured or looks forward to dealing with pain. Patients confide in us and reveal that they waited to go to physical therapy because they thought it was much more complex than it actually is, and by doing so they continued their daily life dealing with unnecessary pain. Physical Therapists can help explain & Diagnose your pain while creating a individualized plan of care to fit your specific needs.

What to Expect on your Initial Visit

The initial visit will consist of an examination with your physical therapist who will diagnose & discuss your injuries and/or pain while creating a plan of care to fit your exact needs by reducing pain, fixing movement abnormalities and helping overcome muscular imbalances that may have developed over time. Your treatment plan can consist of manual therapy, modalities & exercise programs. Treatment procedures are selected depending on your diagnosis. Below, we will discuss individual treatment methods that may be used in your plan of care:

* Heat: Hot-packs are used to warm the tissues to help promote muscle relaxation and decreased pain and are typically preformed prior to manual therapy and exercise.

*Ice: Cold-Packs are primarily used to help decrease inflammation and provide pain relief best used on acute injuries and after exercise has been performed.

*Electrical Stimulation: Better know as E-STIM is a form of low dose electricity used to help promote muscle relaxation, muscle re-education and pain relief.

*Ultrasound: Ultrasound is a form of deep heat that uses sound waves to help loosen muscles and promote pain relief for acute injuries. Best results typically seen with ligament injuries.

*Manual Therapy: Manual therapy is a treatment method that involves your Physical Therapist using a variety of techniques with a hands on approach to regain mobility and achieve pain relief. Most common types of manual therapy include: Soft Tissue

Mobilizations, Joint Mobilizations, Passive Range of Motion & Contract/Relax techniques.

*Exercise: Is the bread & butter of your treatment program. Your Physical Therapist will design an exact exercise program to address muscular imbalances, Range of Motion deficits & muscle weakness that you may have as a result of your injury. Patients will be given a home exercise program to be performed daily in-between their physical therapy appointments.

The Final Visit:

Your Physical Therapist will assess your progress towards your long and short term goals and prescribe a final Exercise program for you to utilize once your Physical Therapy is completed.

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