Areas of Expertise
- Back and Neck Pain
- Hip and Knee Pain
- Foot and Ankle Pain
- Shoulder/Elbow/Wrist Pain
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain
- Acute Musculoskeletal Pain
- Motor Vehicle Injuries
- Arthritis
- Headaches
- Work Injury Rehabilitation
- Stroke
- Would Care
- Orthopedic Problems
- Neuromuscular Problems
- Post-Operative Rehabilitation
- Spine Rehabilitation
- Aquatic Therapy
Professional Services Provided in:
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech Therapy
- Pain Management
- Stress Management
- Sports Medicine
- General Orthopedics
- Industrial Programs
- Hydro Therapy
Therapy Services Provided at:
- Outpatient Clinics
- Nursing Homes
- Assisted Living Facilities
- Supportive Living Facilities
- Day Care Centers
- Patient Homes
- Physician Groups
- Industrial Centers
Physical Therapy Skills
Physical therapists use a variety of modalities to help treat their patients. There are a variety of treatment modalities that can help strengthen, relax, and heal muscles. Below are a few of the treatment modalities physical therapists used daily in the practice.
Hot Packs:
Physical therapists wrap moist hot packs in several layers of towels and place them on the area that needs treatment. The heat provided by the hot packs has several important benefits. It relaxes tight muscles causing tissues to relax. This decreases pain caused by muscle tension or spasms. It also causes vasodilatation of the blood vessels which increases circulation to the area. Patients with muscle strains, spasms, or arthritis often benefit from treatment with moist hot packs.
Cold Packs:
Cold packs are a frozen gel substance used by physical therapists to treat areas of pain and inflammation. The cold packs are wrapped in wet towels and applied directly to the area in need of treatment. The cold transferred to the patient’s skin, muscle, and tissue has several beneficial effects. The cold temperature causes vasoconstriction of the blood vessels in the area. This decreases the inflammation in the area. By decreasing inflammation, pain and swelling are decreased.
Ultrasound:
Ultrasound machines are a treatment modality used by physical therapists that utilize high or low frequency sound waves. These sound waves are transmitted to the surrounding tissue and vasculature. They penetrate the muscles to cause deep tissue/muscle warming. This promotes tissue relaxation and therefore is useful in treating muscle tightness and spasms. The warming effect of the sound waves also cause vessel vasodilatation and increase circulation to the area that assists in healing. The physical therapist can also adjust the frequency on the machine to use waves that will decrease inflammation.
TENS
A “TENS” unit stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. It is a small battery operated machine that uses electrical transmission to decrease pain. Electrodes are applied to the affected area. The machine is turned on and an electrical current is sent through the electrodes. A tingling sensation is felt in the underlying skin and muscle. This signal disrupts the pain signal that is being sent from the affected area to the surrounding nerves. By breaking this signal, the patient experiences less pain.
Electrical Stimulation
Electrical stimulation uses an electrical current to cause a single muscle or a group of muscles to contract. By placing electrodes on the skin in various locations, the physical therapist can recruit the appropriate muscle fibers. Contracting the muscle via electrical stimulation helps strengthen the affected muscle. The physical therapist can change the current setting to allow for a forceful or gentle muscle contraction. Along with increasing muscle strength, the contraction of muscle also promotes blood supply to the area that assists in healing.
Anodyne Therapy
Patients who have poor circulation; or if you have pain due to a chronic circulatory impairment, Anodyne Therapy may be beneficial for you.
Anodyne Therapy is an infrared therapy device that is applied in direct skin contact to any area of the body. Nearly 6,000 Anodyne Providers provide Anodyne Therapy as part of their care plan for conditions that would benefit from increasing circulation and reducing pain. Exceptional clinical outcomes have been documented.