Physical Therapy is the practice of helping people manage, reduce and, even eliminate pain from injuries, structural imbalances, or diseases. Physical therapists also help people improve their physical ability and help improve the strength and flexibility of muscles, joints, and ligaments and as a result help improve the integrity of the kinetic chain, which results in proper balance, agility and coordination. This can lead to a reduction in pain by taking stress away form an injured or overworked parts of the body.
Physical Therapists also employ a wide variety of tools and techniques and often work along side other specialists like, massage therapists or a chiropractor and medical doctors to better serve their patients.
A visit with a Physical Therapist usually starts with a few questions about the nature of your pain/ injury followed by assessments to the joints, and muscles near the site of the pain. Sometimes patients will have to get X-rays or an MRI to better assist the physician in prescribing and implementing a treatment plan. After an assessment the PT will help you better understand whats wrong and then prescribe exercises and stretching routines to help strengthen and mobilize an effected joint or muscle. Usually additional treatment protocols are also used to speed up the recovery process and help lymph drainage if there is swelling present.
Lisa Corey is a Physical Therapist at Living Well Medical and has been working with many different patients who have been suffering from a wide variety of painful conditions and injuries.
Techniques used to treat patients:
Stretching
Strengthening Exercises
Foam Rolling
Ice/ Heat Therapy
Ice/ Heat and STIM
Kinesio Taping
Graston Technique
Cold Laser Therapy
Exercises using the SpineForce
Here is a quick video of how Kinesio Taping is used to help a patient with a grade 3 hamstring tear.