Health blog Category: surgery
How Physical Therapy can be an Alternative to Surgery
For many people, when a person suffers an injury, be it traumatic or have developed over time; surgery seems to be the first and foremost thought to correct things. The fact that many people do not consider is what the impact of recovering from a surgery is vs. going to a more conservative non invasive approach, ie. Physical Therapy.
The human body has an amazing ability to heal and recover more than a lot of people give credence to.
Read full blogMyth Busters – Physical Therapy Edition
Myth:
I need to see a doctor and get a script to go to physical therapy
Fact:
In the state of Virginia, you can be treated and seen for physical therapy for up to 30 days without a script from a doctor. After the 30 days is up, you will be required to have a signed script from your doctor to continue with your care if your PT provider has not already received one.
Read full blogWhat to Expect for Post-op Physical Therapy
After you have any type of surgery, chances are you will be referred to physical therapy for post-op treatment to restore your range of motion, strength and get back to the things you love!
Depending on your age, surgery and many other factors your physical therapy may be different. Meaning, you may need to spend a night or two in the hospital after surgery so the staff can keep an eye on you if there are possibilities of complications or infection.
Read full blogWhat to Expect for Pre-op Physical Therapy
Pre-op or what is also known as “prehab”, can be seen a couple of different ways. This can be before surgery is even scheduled to see if the help of physical therapy and exercise can reduce your risk of needing surgery or it can be a few weeks or days before your scheduled surgery to provide exercises to do leading up to the big day.
No matter what kind of prehab you have, going to these appointments is more important than you think!
Read full blogGrading a Muscle Strain
A muscle strain is a very common injury to muscle tissue that is often caused by overuse/fatigue or excessive tension put on the muscle.
What is actually happening in a muscle strain?
When you strain a muscle, you are essentially overloading the muscle cells capability to provide the force necessary to perform a certain movement. When this happens, the tiny muscle cells tear apart. There is also connective tissue in between the muscle cells that often gets torn as well.
Read full blogA Sprain or A Strain
I’m sure you’ve heard of someone that has had a sprain or a strain or even experienced one yourself. Sprains and strains are common injuries that affect the soft tissues of your body. You don’t have to be an athlete to experience one of these injuries.
People of all ages and activity levels are susceptible to sprains and strains. Sometimes these injuries can be confusing to keep straight, so what is the difference between a sprain and a strain?
Physical Therapy After Surgery
Do I need physical therapy after surgery?
After having surgery physical therapy can help improve your recovery time with better outcomes! All physical therapy treatments are designed based on each individual’s needs, but will be set around certain guidelines depending on the type of surgery.
Some surgeries such as ACL or rotator cuff repairs have set guidelines with goals that should be met before progressing to the next phase. All of these interventions are customized to fit an individual’s progress, qualities and needs.
Knee Ligament Injuries: Sprains & Tears
“Oh man, I think I just felt something pop in my knee!” This is a common statement made by those who have just experienced a ligamentous injury in their knee. The knee joint is made up of:
- Three bones
- Tibia
- Patella
- Femur
- Menisci
- Ligaments.
Ligaments in Our Knees:
There are four main ligaments that provide stability for the knee, as well as hold the joint together.
Read full blogHere’s What to Do If Surgery Is Coming Up!
Pre-op physical therapy can help prepare you for what is going to happen. It will help you establish your goals before and after surgery as well as determine what your expectations are.
What to expect?
- Examination to set a plan of care and determine a baseline
- Set goals for before and after surgery
- Plan and education of post op and recovery
- Progression of range of motion and strength to improve overall function
- Use of any assistive device currently using or that may be needed after surgery
- How to perform transfers and get around if weight bearing status will be different after surgery
The importance of exercises prior to surgery:
- Being able to set and target muscles around the surgical site before surgery will improve ability to perform after surgery
- Strengthen above and below the surgical area
- Range of motion of the area to enhance mobility
Why should you come to physical therapy before surgery?
Read full blogThe Why and Where of Arthritis
Pain due to arthritis is often chronic, and can cause very dull, achy and stiff feeling joints. Often times, the stiffness and achiness is worse after staying in one position for a prolonged period of time. For example:
- Sitting
- Sleeping
- Standing
Why does arthritis happen and where?
Arthritis commonly happens due to normal joint changes that occur from moving and being under gravity, but can also happen in people who have been sedentary.
Read full blog