What Is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy’s unique contribution to health care stems from its advanced understanding of how the body moves, what ailments prevent it from moving properly, and how to restore mobility.

Physical therapy is dedicated to:

• Preventing and managing pain, physical impairments, disabilities and limits to physical activity.
• Improving and maintaining functional independence and physical performance.
• Promoting fitness, health and wellness.

What Can Treatment Involve?

Some treatment options:

• Strengthening and therapeutic exercise programs
• Mobility and flexibility improvement
• Improvements in muscle imbalances and alignment
• Balance retraining and movement coordination
• Manual therapy: intervention to reduce pain and stiffness and improve circulation
• Electrical modalities such as TENS (electrical nerve stimulation) or ultrasound
• Gait retraining and general conditioning regimes

Physical therapists are primary care practitioners for musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders, and they offer direct access to physical therapy services without the need for a physician’s referral. It is important to note, however, that some health insurance plans require a physician’s referral in order to reimburse you for claims.

What Should I Expect At Physical Therapy?

Initially, your physical therapist will undertake an assessment of your injury. This will include taking a detailed history of your problem and what symptoms it produces. Once your physical therapist has a full subjective history of your injury, they will begin a physical exam including assessment of your movement, strength, flexibility, and joint/soft tissue integrity. Furthermore, they will examine any relevant scans, laboratory tests and medical records necessary to aid diagnosis.

After diagnosis and explanation of your injury, your physical therapist will formulate a treatment plan to address patient-focused goals. Depending on your diagnosis, several treatment approaches may be used:

• Strengthening and therapeutic exercise programs
• Mobility and flexibility improvement
• Improvements in muscle imbalances and alignment
• Balance retraining and movement coordination
• Manual therapy: intervention to reduce pain and stiffness and improve circulation
• Electrical modalities such as TENS (electrical nerve stimulation) or ultrasound
• Gait retraining and general conditioning regimen

Greendale Physical Therapy, offers a team highly skilled and experienced physical therapists. With these treatment approaches along with education about your problem and how to manage it, our physical therapists will improve your quality of life and promote independence for individuals with even the most chronic conditions.

How Does Physical Therapy Work?

Physical therapy involves a variety of techniques to help your muscles, joints, heart and lungs work to their full potential. Physical therapists work in partnership with individuals of all ages to break down barriers impeding physical function.

Physical therapy can help individuals living with many debilitating conditions, such as congenital or chronic diseases. But it can also assist in the recovery of traumatic events: surgery, illness; neurological conditions; injury; industrial or motor vehicle accidents; or age related conditions. The practice of physical therapy is drug-free.

Fundamental to a physical therapist’s approach is an appreciation of their patient’s role in his or her own care. Physical therapists work with you to integrate your care into your lifestyle. They are skilled in providing treatment, preventative advice, rehabilitation and care for people with long-term or terminal illness. Physical therapists develop a full treatment plan to suit your unique needs.

Physical therapists are university-educated, regulated health professionals that play an important role within your health care team.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Physical therapists assess a patient’s level of mobility, strength, endurance and other physical abilities to determine the impact of their illness or injury on their physical function. After diagnosing the condition, physical therapists design a treatment plan to restore movement, reduce pain, and to return a patient to healthy mobility. In addition to treating the condition, they help their patients understand its effect on their function.

They measure their patient’s progress regularly and adjust the treatment accordingly. They also advise the patient on how to manage their condition independently, with the intention of preventing avoidable recurrences and complications. Physical therapists can also advise you on ways to prevent potential health problems from occurring before they arise.

• Orthopedics
• Back and neck pain
• Sports injuries
• Repetitive strain injuries (carpal tunnel, tennis elbow)
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Post surgical rehabilitation (i.e.: hip or knee replacement)
• Neurology
• Stroke
• Balance and Dizziness
• Spinal cord injury
• Cerebral palsy
• Head injuries
• Parkinson’s
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Post-surgical rehabilitation (i.e.: cardiac, thoracic or abdominal)

Physical therapists also work in areas that span all three practice, such as women’s health (including pre and post natal care, and other women’s health issues), incontinence, pediatric and senior care. They also help manage the physical complications of cancer and its treatment, and care for physical symptoms associated with arthritic conditions.