Physical Therapy

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Why Doing Rotator Cuff Physical Therapy Exercises Correctly is Important

January 26, 2012 in Physical Therapy by admin | No comments



Rotator cuff physical therapy exercises done correctly can play a major role in restoring your injured shoulder back to its original form. These exercises will also shorten the time it takes for your shoulder to recover and possibly help to avoid a surgery procedure. For cases where surgery was done, these physical exercises can help strengthen the shoulder to alleviate the pain, prevent any relapses, and also to heal much faster.

There is a big difference between generic shoulder exercises and rotator cuff physical therapy exercises. Shoulder exercises like the military press are used to strengthen the deltoid, which is the large muscle in the shoulder and doesn’t strengthen the rotator cuff that is located beneath it. Actually, when dealing with an injury to the area beneath the deltoid, lifting things overhead should be avoided and can damage the muscle more. However, proper physical therapy exercises will only require very little weight or no weight at all. The weight of the arm and its natural resistance is enough in the beginning, and works well to strengthen the four muscles that are connected to the arm and the bones in the shoulder to prevent further injury.

The shoulder plays an important role in our everyday life. You don’t realize how often the shoulder is used until it is injured. And unfortunately, everyday use of it can make an injured shoulder worse. Drugs can be used to reduce the pain. But the problem with drugs are that they only mask the injury, can be expensive, and don’t take care of the actual cause. This is one reason why it is important to implement rotator cuff physical therapy exercises since without them, shoulder injuries can linger on for weeks, months, or even years before recovering.

When doing rotator cuff physical therapy exercises, it is best to do ones that are designed or recommended by a doctor or physical therapist. Doing the wrong exercises can make your injury worse. The shoulder and its parts is a very complex muscle and bone structure. It’s important to follow the directions of someone who’s knowledgeable in this area for a safe and quick recovery.

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Physical Therapy For Herniated Disc – Invigorate Spine Wellness

December 3, 2011 in Physical Therapy by admin | No comments



It is not uncommon to hear anything like a slipped disc or a ruptured disc. In fact, most have the misconception of back pains associated to this illness. A ruptured nucleus pulposus is more common among middle-aged people. It rarely happens in children. Degenerative changes of the spine are one of the contributing factors that cause a herniated disc. It is when the insides of the disc bulges out or stick through its outing covering.

Discs get ruptured after some pressure that is too much to handle, like bending, sitting down or standing up and other spine related injuries. If a strong force is exerted in the spine area or back, a vertebra may break or a disc can rupture. A damaged disc will not be made known by the condition alone, but the irritating effect it has on the nearby nerves will generate the symptoms. The protruding disc can irritate the sciatic nerve and its nerve roots sending through a shooting pain down to the leg area, and then foot. Other symptoms include weakness, numbness and loss control of bladder and bowel.

Because of the painful effects of a herniated disc, comforting methods and techniques were formulated to ease the pain and for an individual to breeze through the ordeal. Medications and treatments come in two forms: surgical and non-surgical. There are also several ways in which the treatments were conducted, either conservative or aggressive. Treatments and pain relievers include prescribed drugs, massage, chiropractic care and physical therapies or inversion therapies. Each of this is applied depending on the person, and his or her condition and the degree of the herniated disc.

Physical therapy for herniated disc is mostly recommended on most patients. A rehabilitation program is prepared to serve persons with the condition. The program helps in calming the pain and the inflammation, therefore, improving strength and mobility. This way, you may return to your normal function and physical activities in no time.

Physical therapy for herniated disc aims to guide in enabling you to resume to your normal activities, and helps in controlling the symptoms. Exercises work on improving coordination and strength of the abdominal and low back muscles. The goal there is to abide you in taking care of your back by practicing safe exercises and knowing how to manage symptoms when they arise. Physical therapy for herniated disc sessions may be done twice or thrice every week for approximately six weeks.

The objectives of physical therapy for herniated disc are: maximize energy and stamina; learn proper posture and bodily movements to put off any back strain; begin again normal activities; and learn how to handle the condition and its symptoms.

Spine injuries or any back-related conditions and problems might be improved by muscle strengthening exercises and therapies. A licensed physical therapist can guide you and teach you the correct techniques to minimize, if not eliminate, your anguish. Your full cooperation is then vital and of great importance. In a physical therapy for herniated disc session, you tell your therapist or doctor anything related to your condition, where you hurt, how long have you been into the pain or thing like, when did the pain start?

A careful consideration of the condition will be made. To undergo physical therapy for herniated disc, expect to be asked about your overall health condition. After some thorough evaluation, the doctor may order some series of tests to ensure your condition and what other exams you need to take. You may be asked for posture check, range of motion (ROM), nerve tests, palpation, ergonomics, manual exam, and nerve tests.

A physical therapy for herniated disc is one good way to deal with spine problems, in the present or even in the future. You will be carefully guided how to handle yourself should the pain persists, and in the long run, you will be greatly benefited from the good causes and effects that physical therapies offer. Your pain will be alleviated and comfort will be more dominant. Continuous therapy treatments may be advised for more added benefits.

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Kids and Physical Therapy

April 19, 2010 in Physical Therapy by admin | No comments



There are many reasons as to why children may need physical therapy. It could be because they have cerebral palsy and they need physical therapy to help them move their bodies easier or perhaps they broke a leg, or they may have weak muscles somewhere in their body. Even those with brain injuries may need to see a physical therapist since the brain has a lot to do with the functioning of muscles and knowing how to do things such as sit, walk, and roll.

There are a number of different conditions and injuries that require physical therapy in children. There is even one such condition called Jumper’s knee that becomes a problem for a lot of children and adolescents. If the child complains of tenderness and pain around the bottom of the kneecap, then this might be the problem. Kids who are involved in sports tend to have this problem during growth spurts. A physical therapist may use heat and ice as well as ultrasound to gain control over the pain and any inflammation. The physical therapist also works on strengthening the knee and creating a balance through exercises such as posture exercises.

However, children are always severely spraining ankles, breaking legs, arms, hands, and feet. They may pull something somewhere or tear a muscle during physical activity. All of these incidents call for some kind of physical therapy whether short-term or long-term. Physical therapy is important in children who have injured a part of their body because an injury can actually stunt growth, so it is important to make sure proper growth is inhibited by creating proper alignments and balances within the body.

Equipment

There are different types of equipment that may be used with children who are going through physical therapy. An example is a safety belt that prevents the child from falling down or stumbling when they are learning how to walk. Crutches may also be used and the child and parents will be instructed on how to use them when the child encounters such obstacles as stairs. Children may also be required to wear a safety belt while learning how to walk on crutches so they do not injure themselves further.

Other types of equipment include:

o Walkers made just for children that help them learn to walk.

o Toys such as balls, swings, benches, and slides. Toys are an important tool because it encourages the child to work their muscles through fun.

o Ultrasound devices that are used in controlling pain and inflammation.

o Therapy balls are kind of like exercise balls, but they are made in smaller sizes for children

o Therapy rolls are like long noodle type objects that the child can lean on, roll on, and simply have fun with.

o Steps, incline mats, and hurdles can create a great physical environment for a child because these objects encourage them to climb and jump.

Many of the different types of physical therapy equipment that is used promotes physical activity in some way. Then there are others types of equipment that is used in reducing pain and inflammation and helps restore a balance within the injured area. There seems to be a little something for every situation for every single age, whether it be devices to help a child walk or to rehabilitate a muscle that has been torn. With sports becoming so intense nowadays, sports injuries are very prevalent and a physical therapist is required for the healing process. Then again, children are born with conditions that physical therapy equipment can provide relief for. That is why it is important that the proper equipment be available to help these children.

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