Physical Therapy

Laser Light Therapy for Wound Care

Laser Light Therapy has been around for 100’s of years. This modality is used to treat many acute, subacute and chronic conditions. Wound care is just one of the many conditions laser Light therapy can be used to help accelerate healing.

Laser Light Therapy is used at a low level of 10 to 15 watts for 3 to 5 min depending on the size of wound. Also, a non-contact laser head is used to avoid burns or contamination. The physiologic benefit of laser light is deep cellular changes, elastin production and increased circulation in the wound bed. The physiological benefit provides a faster healing process resulting in fewer visits, less pain and less money spent.

Many research articles have proven how laser light therapy improves healing time, including Journal of Nursing and International Wound Journal. These articles provide evidence base research.

Our clinic provides low and high laser light therapy for all types of wounds. We also provide same day services for our patients. Our clinic can be reaches at 4052652255 and fax 4052652215.

Laser Light Therapy for Wound Care2023-12-18T20:47:14+00:00

Laser Light and Lymphedema.

The lymph system is a network of vessels, tissue, and organs that pull lymph fluid through the body and back into the bloodstream. Lymphedema occurs when there is damage or a blockage to the lymph system allowing the fluid to fill the extremity resulting in increased size, pain and loss of function. The damage or blockage can be from a surgical procedure such as cancer tumor or lymph node removal, radiation to the lymph nodes, trauma such as a car wreck or excessive obesity. from Treatments consist of compression garments, sequential pumps, lymphatic massage and laser light therapy.

Laser light therapy use laser light heat to re-open the flow of the lymphatic system and increase the flow of the lymph fluid. It also increases blood flow to the area. If history of cancer, laser light can be utilized with oncologist approval. This treatment is FDA cleared and provides patients a non-invasive, non-pharmacological alternative.

Source: National Cancer Institute “Lymphedema-Patient Version”.

Laser Light and Lymphedema.2023-12-11T17:02:46+00:00

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) or Dizziness

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) or dizziness is loose calcium particles in the inner ear. The loose particles create an illusion of vertigo when changing head positions causing dysequilibrium and off balance feeling. BPPV can be very debilitating resulting in dizziness, nausea, vomiting and falls.

Benign Proximal Positional Vertigo can usually be treated and corrected in one to three visits allowing patients complete recovery. Our staff completes an evaluation including inner ear test to determine which ear is affected and your treatment with plan of care is quickly stated.

This picture of a patient with positive BPPV shows just how severe this condition can be. Please call our office at 4052652255 or fax referral 4052652251 for an appointment. Physician referral is not needed.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) or Dizziness2023-02-01T14:50:26+00:00

Foot and Ankle Therapy

Our feet are our foundation for most activities of life. They carry us through our daily life with walking, transfers, and
numerous leisure activities. Injuries and pain can limit those activities. Some injuries can include sprains, tendonitis and fractures, while other limiting factors can be arthritis, bone deformities or overall weakness. Treatment for a foot or ankle is determined after an evaluation of your pain, mobility, and strength. Hands on manual therapy for pain management and stretching are key components to understanding the issue and resolving the pain.
Overall skin and nail hygiene are observed to rule out painful callouses, corns, bunions, or ingrown toe nails as a contributing factor. As pain resolves, customized exercises, gait and agility training are utilized to strengthen the foot and ankle. Other treatment options can consist of shoe modifications, kinisesio taping, and support bracing. If needed, the physical therapist can recommend imaging such as an x-ray or MRI for furter diagnosis. Referral for further care with an orthopedic surgeon, podiatrist or specialist can be made. Returning to all activities is our primary goal! Self referral is always welcome and we will make direct contact with your primary care physician.
Foot and Ankle Therapy2022-01-20T16:31:31+00:00

Vertigo

Vertigo is complaints of feeling dizzy, lightheaded, nauseated or confused. It can come on suddenly after a night’s sleep for no reason, but can also flare after a Covid-19 vaccine or after a cold and /or sinus infection. Dizziness can be mild to severe making it difficult to turn over in bed, transitioning from lying to sitting, sitting to lying, sitting to standing and walking. Our team of professional therapist will evaluate your vertigo to determine which ear is affected and treat your condition appropriately and timely to get you back on track. Vertigo can usually be corrected in 1 to 3 visits with the right diagnosis and treatment. You do not need a physician’s referral, but we will contact your PCP to communicate for continuity of care and your safety.

Call our office for an immediate appointment at 405-265-2255.

 

References

Vertigo-associated disorders. (n.d.). MedlinePlus – Health Information from the National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001432.htm

 

 

Vertigo2022-01-12T16:27:10+00:00

Shoulder Pain after Covid-19 Vaccine

Many patients and providers are calling physical therapy clinics throughout the United States including Oklahoma for shoulder pain at the site of the injection. Doctors and physical therapist are unsure of the cause, but speculate an inflammatory response in the soft tissue from vaccine. Patients complain of point of site deep pain that limits shoulder active range of motion, weakness and loss of function and/or sleep.

Physical therapy treatment to resolve pain might include soft tissue mobilization, cupping, range of motion, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, dry needling and strengthening. Physical therapy visits to resolve pain and restore function is usually 3 to 6 visits. You do not need a physician’s referral to see a physical therapist, but we always send evaluation notes and / or contact your physician to communicate on your behalf and safety.  Please contact our clinic at 405-265-2255 for immediate scheduling and treatment.

 

Shoulder Pain after Covid-19 Vaccine2022-01-10T22:12:51+00:00

Manual Chest PT and Vibration

Manual chest physical therapy and vibration is an aggressive patting to the chest with cupping hands followed by forced shaking of the chest. This technique helps relieve chest congestion and or bronchial blockage. Our clinic is highly trained in this type of therapy. At each visit we will evaluate your breath sounds, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and oxygen level. Manual chest PT and vibration is so successful most patients only require 1 to 3 visits to achieve 100% in breathing tolerance and capacity.

Diagnoses appropriate for chest PT are:

  • Post Covid-19
  • Pneumonia
  • Asthma
  • Allergies
  • Bronchial blood clots
  • Emphysema
  • COPD
  • Bronchitis
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Bacterial infections
  • Viral infections
  • Fungal infections
  • Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis
  • Pulmonary edema
  • Atelectasis

In addition to chest PT our clinic provides deep breathing exercise and cardio exercise to build strength and breathing tolerance allowing out patients to regain full function. You do not need a physician referral to get an appointment with us. However, we will attempt to email and / or call your primary care provider. Please call our office for an appointment 405-265-2255.

 

References

Frownfelter, D. L., Dean, E., & Dean, E. W. (2006). Cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy: Evidence and practice. Mosby.

 

 

Manual Chest PT and Vibration2021-01-20T23:33:42+00:00

Achilles Tendinitis

Achilles tendinitis is an overuse injury of the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon is the thick band of tissue that connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. Types of overuse includes increasing speed or running long distances too quickly, suddenly adding hills or stair climbing to an exercise routine, stressing the calf muscle too soon after taking time off from exercising, or putting stress on the calf muscles when they are not yet ready for stress.

Achilles tendinitis can be common in all ages but is more common in older adult men due to the fact that the tendon weakens as we age, and also in young athletes due to repetitive stress and strain from intensive training. Other risk factors include poor flexibility, lack of range of motion, inverted foot structure, obesity/diabetes, poor exercise training program, poor footwear, or increased use of corticosteroids. There are two types of Achilles tendonitis:

  • Insertional Achilles tendonitis which affects the lower portion of your tendon where it attaches to your heel bone.
  • Noninsertional Achilles tendonitis which involves fibers in the middle portion of the tendon and tends to affect younger people who are active.

The pain associated with Achilles tendinitis typically begins as a mild ache in the back of the leg or above the heel after increased activity. Stiffness and tenderness can also occur with decreased use of the extremity. For example, an individual may experience stiffness with weight bearing when getting out of bed due to inactivity. People may also have difficulty wearing shoes due to increased swelling around the tendon site.

The most common treatment for acute tendinitis would be supportive care with rest and ice. This means stopping the activities that make pain worse and placing ice on the area that is inflamed and painful multiple times a day. Ankle taping to support the tendon has also been shown to be a helpful at home remedy. If pain persists and lingers, another option would be non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication to assist with reducing pain and swelling. Physical therapy is a common route to take with both acute and chronic cases of Achilles tendinitis. Soft tissue mobilization and calf stretching are common treatments in physical therapy. There are also methods that have been proven helpful like cupping and dry needling. These can be performed on the tendon site if other conservative methods haven’t done the job.

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy can be used to stimulate healing. This is not a very common procedure and it has not shown consistent results. This is normally implemented on chronic cases of tendonitis when all conservative methods listed above have failed. ESWT uses high energy shockwave impulses to stimulate the healing process in damaged tendon tissue. It is a non-invasive procedure and is occasionally tried before surgery is considered.

If pain persists for more than 6 months after all conservative treatments, then surgery should be considered. The specific type of surgery will depend on the location of the tendinitis and the amount of damage to the tendon. Physical therapy is recommended after an Achilles tendon surgery and is an important part of recovery. Many patients require a year of rehab from start to finish before they are pain free.

Prevention of Achilles tendinitis can be taken in many ways. First, by wearing proper footwear that allows cushioning and arch support. Second, by slowly increasing activities and easing into new routines. And lastly, making it a priority to stretch and strengthen your calf muscles daily to improve agility and make the tendon less prone to injury.

Achilles Tendinitis2022-01-12T14:38:45+00:00

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine (backbone). The curvature can either be S shaped or C shaped. Currently there is no cure or cause for scoliosis. The curvature can either be right, which is most common in the thoracic region or left most common in the lumbar region.

Scoliosis is categorized into groups known as idiopathic or unknown cause (80% of all cases). Osteopathic is a bony spinal disease or abnormality cause. Myopathic is related to a disease causing muscle weakness.  Neuropathic is the result of CNS or central nervous system causing the scoliosis. Age of scoliosis diagnosis varies from infant to adulthood because the curvature can be very mild and not progress for years.

Scoliosis can be diagnosed using plain radiography and using the Cobb method to measure the degree of scoliosis (Goodman & Fuller). Also, an Adams test or forward bend test can be used with or without scoliometer (Goodman & Fuller). Having a base line degree of curvature can help monitor the progression and rate of change.

Scoliosis treatment in most cases involves strengthening, stretching and posture awareness to prevent progressive and severe spinal deformity. Further treatment might involve the Schroth method that uses exercises specific to each patient to return the curved spine to a more straight alignment. The exercise intent is to de-rotate, elongate and stabilize the spine (Gerard).

In cases that are more severe, spinal braces might be used and possibly even surgery using a rod to correct the spinal curve. Our clinic diagnosis scoliosis and provides individualized exercise programs to restore strength, improve alignment and reduce pain.

References

Gerard, A. (2020, April/May). When Life Throws You Curves. PI in Motion, 4.

Goodman, C. C., & Fuller, K. S. (2009). Pathology Implications for the Physical Therapist.

Scoliosis. (2020, April 29). MedlinePlus – Health Information from the National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/scoliosis.html#

Scoliosis2022-01-12T14:38:45+00:00

Benign Proximal Positional Vertigo

Sporadic severe vertigo usually related to head positioning. Benign means the vertigo is not the sign of a disease process. In most cases of BPPV a person will complain of dizziness after quick or rapid head movements, such as getting into bed, rolling over, bending over, tilting head to shave and leaning backward.

BPPV occurs because otoconia (crystals) in the inner ear become displaced. BPPV will not resolve itself and this condition should not be treated by Dr. Google. In most cases home remedies cause this condition to worsen because there are 3 canals the otoconia can be displaced in. Seeking a specialist trained in BPPV is the best care to prevent long term dizziness. Medical management is usually quick and easy. However, your provider will need to determine which canal the otoconia is in and which maneuver is best for that canal.

Our clinic specializes in BPPV and other vertigo utilizing the latest research and continuing education provided by University of Pittsburgh.

References

Goodman, C. C., & Fuller, K. S. (2014). Pathology – E-book: Implications for the physical therapist. Elsevier Health Sciences.

 

 

Benign Proximal Positional Vertigo2020-05-08T21:32:25+00:00
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