Physical Therapy Treatments for Various Conditions
Maintaining a full range of motion is key to leading a healthy, quality life. Patients might sustain an injury or develop a condition that limits their mobility, preventing them from performing daily activities. Patients in central Alabama can find physical therapy treatments that help them achieve less pain and more living at Southlake Orthopaedics. The team offers physical therapy, alongside other orthopedic and sports medicine services, with locations in Hoover and Birmingham-Grandview, AL.
Physical therapy is a viable treatment for those with various orthopedic conditions. Physicians might recommend physical therapy alongside other treatments, such as surgery, to relieve pain. It might also serve as an alternative treatment to other methods. Reasons a patient may receive physical therapy include:
Arthritis refers to inflammation of the joints. It can affect one or multiple joints in different parts of the body. Physical therapy helps patients build strength in the muscles surrounding the joints.
As one of the most complex parts of the body, the elbow is responsible for movements of the arm and hand. This hinged joint connects the upper arm bone and forearm bones and might sustain injury or condition. Orthopedic doctors often recommend physical therapy as part of treatment for elbow concerns.
Active people may consider physical therapy as a preventive measure. It can offer exercises to help prevent injuries and improve performance.
Healthy feet and ankles are essential for an active lifestyle. Responsible for carrying the body’s weight and absorbing shock, the foot and ankle experience significant impact, making them susceptible to injury and conditions. Physical therapy can help rebuild strength, balance, and flexibility.
Everyone uses their hands every day, whether for gripping, typing, or virtually any task. As some of the most frequently used body parts, the hand and wrist often experience injury. Some patients also develop conditions that affect these parts. Physical therapy helps patients regain functionality and strength.
The hands and wrists are some of the most frequently used parts of the body. They play a crucial role in our interaction with the environment through touch. Due to their high usage, the hands and wrists are prone to injuries that may require care from dedicated hand and wrist doctors.
The hips play an important role in virtually all activities involving the legs and lower torso, from walking to running to sitting. When patients sustain injuries or experience symptoms in the hips, it significantly reduces their movement and quality of life. Often used to supplement surgery, physical therapy helps patients regain mobility in their hips for a full recovery so they can get back to their active lifestyles.
As the largest joint in the body, the knee bears most of a person’s weight when walking, squatting, or making similar movements. Several injuries and illnesses can cause knee pain. Physical therapy helps reduce this pain so patients can move without discomfort.
Osteoporosis decreases bone density, leaving a patient more susceptible to fractures. Physical therapy is one of several treatments a physician might recommend for osteoporosis.
Individuals who perform repetitive tasks for work-related or recreational purposes might develop overuse injuries. These injuries can damage tissue. Physical therapy is often part of the treatment plan for these injuries.
The shoulder consists of several bones and joints to provide a wide range of mobility. It is also one of the more unstable areas of the body, leaving it vulnerable to injury. Patients might also experience shoulder conditions that cause pain. Physical therapy can alleviate pain and build strength to restore range of motion.
As the body’s central support structure, the spine is vital to a healthy, active lifestyle. In addition to carrying the body’s weight, it enables a range of motion and protects the spinal cord. When the spine sustains an injury or a patient develops a condition, back pain and other symptoms can be debilitating. Whatever the reason a patient experiences back pain, physical therapy offers techniques to relieve pain and rebuild strength and mobility.
Falls, overuse, and other injuries might cause muscle sprains and strains. Physical therapy offers exercise to stretch and strengthen the muscles, plus techniques to increase joint mobility. It also helps relieve muscle pain.
Fractures and dislocations can happen in various areas of the body, like the hands, wrists, elbows, hips, knees, and shoulders. Build strength and mobility and experience relief from pain with physical therapy.
Some conditions might impact a patient’s ability to walk. Balance and gait training is an approach to physical therapy that helps a patient improve their mobility.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when swelling develops in the tissues around the flexor tendons in the wrist. This puts pressure on the median nerve, which enables sensation and controls muscles in the fingers. Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome might experience pain, numbness, or other symptoms. Physical therapy can help relieve these symptoms.
The physical therapists at Southlake Orthopaedics understand that each patient is unique and requires a personalized treatment plan. Whether patients are recovering from surgery, building strength for athletic pursuits, or improving balance, physical therapy at Southlake Orthopaedics supports greater functionality for a higher quality of life. Physical therapy treatments include:
Dry needling focuses on sensitive areas of muscle that feel painful to the touch. The physical therapist inserts thin needles into these trigger points, stimulating the muscles to alleviate pain and enhance one’s range of motion.
Instead of using instruments or devices, physical therapists manipulate the body with their hands to relieve pain.
The Kinesio Taping® Method is a research-based technique that uses special tape to lift the skin. It can reduce pain and inflammation and encourage lymphatic drainage. Physical therapists might also use it to help patients recover from surgery or optimize athletic performance.
Certified hand therapists create custom splints made of thermoplastic material. Splints protect affected joints to reduce pain and can also increase functionality.
The physical therapists at Southlake Orthopaedics work closely with physicians to guide patients through rehabilitation. Sports medicine physicians might recommend athletes undergo physical therapy as part of their treatment following an injury. It can rebuild their strength to achieve better performance following recovery.
Spine decompression is a non-surgical physical therapy method that gently stretches the spine. It can take pressure off the spinal discs and nerves, helping relieve pain from different spine conditions.
Southlake Orthopaedics offers specialized occupational hand therapy for people with conditions of the hand or upper extremities. Certified hand therapists use several techniques to relieve pain and improve function.
Experience less pain and more living with physical therapy from Southlake Orthopaedics. With an in-house physical therapy clinic, physical therapists can coordinate care with other board-certified, multi-specialty physicians to guide treatment. Contact us today to schedule an appointment at the Hoover or Birmingham-Grandview locations in central Alabama.
