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What is done in physical therapy?
So your doctor says to you, "You need to go to physical therapy." What are the images that go through your head at that moment? Do you picture a hospital setting with people in white lab coats causing you pain? Or maybe a boring time of doing meaningless exercises that don't seem to be helping you at all? Some people just picture getting a relaxing massage, much like a spa. Physical therapy can be very different depending on where you go and who is working with you. So what exactly is physical thearpy? Some refer to is as the art and science of healing. Physical therapy is the process of giving your body all the essential components to let it heal the way it was made to. There are several different methods to this goal. Physical therapy interventions can be broken down into a few different components. Here is an explanation of what is involved in some common interventions used in physical therapy:
Therapeutic Exercise: These are all different kinds of exercises specifically targeted at addressing your primary limitations. The purpose of these exercises can range from stretching muscles and/or joints, stabilizing a joint, strengthening a particular muscle to give your body correct motion, re-training your body's interaction between the nervous system and the muscular system, relieving spasm, returning to sport activity, an more... There are so many different types of exercises and purposes for them.
For some examples of exercises for your back click here.
Manual Therapy: Just as there are many different types of exercises and reasons for them, there are equally numerous manual therapy techniques and theories behind them. This can be a powerful intervention to stimulate your healing and recovery. Different techniques that physcial therapists use can range from: joint mobilization, stretching, soft tissue mobilization, joint and/or soft tissue mobilization with your body's movement, neuromuecular re-education, and more... Some techniques have been developed by certain persons or groups and therefore have a specific names for the techniques. These include: Mulligan, Active Release, Strain-counter strain, muscle energy, and more.
Modalities: Modalities are agents used to promote healing. This can be as simple as a cold or hot pack. Other agents commonly used in physical therapy are: electrical stimulation (there are different types of these- ie.TENS, IFC), ultrasound, infrared (cold laser), pneumatic compression devices, traction units for the spine and parafin wax (for heating the hands).
Taping: There are different taping techniques that may be applied by a physical therapist to promote comfort, healing and/or correct positioning. Depending on the type of tape used and the condition invovled the purpose will vary. Some tape is designed to be very rigid and restrict movement. An example of this type of tape is Leukotape. This is often used on the knee to tape the knee cap and prevent it from tracking wrong on the femur. This type of taping has been named patellofemoral McConnell taping. Other tape, like Kinesio Tape, is desinged to be flexible and always gives a little pull on the skin. The purposes for using this type of tape are many as well. It can be used to help decrease swelling, increase proprioception (your brain's awareness of how your body is moving), give a mild pull to remind the patient about not moving in a certain direction, or to help increase or decrease the activity in a muscle. Taping usually is most beneficial when dealing with some types of knee and shoulder pains, but can also be used in other areas of the body.
Patient Education: This is one area that I believe generally separates physical therapy from other professions involved in healing and recovery from injuries. The main goal of a physical therapist is to get the patient out of pain and move them towards independently being able to care for themselves. The goal is not to keep the patient coming back for life, if this happens the therapist has failed. The goal is to equip the patient with the tools and knowledge to be able to finish their recovery and prevent it from happening again. This is an empowering proffession. We are here to empower the patient to reach their own potential and take an active roll in their body's health.
This explanation of physical therapy is notably incomplete. Physcial therapy encompasses so many aspects of health and wellness. If you are near Orange County, CA and in need of top of the line physical therapy, our doors are open to you.
Call today (714)902-9349
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7076 Edinger Ave
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Tel. 714.902.9349 Fax 714.362.3147