rehabilitation

Breathe Easy

Chest Physical Therapy

Chest physical therapy (Chest PT) is a manual physical therapy technique used for airway passage clearance. It consist of percussion, vibration, deep breathing and coughing. The technique is used to create a productive cough to clear mucus and fluid from the five lobes of the lungs. Chest PT can be used for various diagnosis such as flu, cold, asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD), neurological disorders, or bed bound persons.

The two main techniques are percussion and vibration. Percussion is done by slightly cupping the hand and clapping against the chest wall. Having the hand cupped provides comfort and less of a slapping sensation. Vibration is performed by gently shaking the chest wall with a flattened hand to loosen the mucus from the lungs. Person is placed in various positions to allow postural drainage to assist with the production of mucus. Each technique is then followed by attempting a productive cough to expel the mucus.

Our clinic provides manual chest therapy for all ages and we highly recommend this treatment for cold and flu season to prevent pneumonia and other complications from congestion.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Chest Physical Therapy. Retrieved from https://www.cff.org/Life-With-CF/Treatments-and-Therapies/Airway-Clearance/Chest-Physical-Therapy/

Breathe Easy2022-01-12T14:38:45+00:00

Knee Rehab

Knee Rehabilitation is important for daily life! Having a pain free knee joint is important to maintaining daily life tasks, exercise routines, general function and mobility. Rehabilitation can be utilized for arthritic pain, strains, sprains and weakness. Therapist will listen to your complaints and descriptions of pain while palpating the area to feel for arthritic changes and muscular inflammation.

Treatment will then include strenghtening, plyometrics, stretching, taping and manual therapies to assist with the healing process. Manual therapy can consist of dry needling, soft tissue mobilization, and joint mobilization. A combonation of each treatment will be utilized to meet the patient’s goals. As goals are met, a home exercise program and self care instructions are given for long term needs. Strong pain-free knees make work and daily routines effortless! You may contact our clinic directly to schedule an appointment at any time. Direct access allows you to be seen 30 days without a signed prescription from your physican. We do stay in constant contact with your physican during your physical therapy.

 

Knee Rehab2022-01-12T14:58:36+00:00

Shoulder Pain

Many American’s suffer with shoulder pain for several different reasons. Shoulder pain can be the result of rotator cuff tear, bursitis, tendonitis, labrum tear, frozen shoulder, osteoarthritis and impingement. Physical therapy is usually the first line of care and the gold standard in treating shoulder pain. Physical therapy can restore active range of motion, reduce inflammation, pain and restore stability and strength.

Rotator cuff tear is either incomplete (partial) or complete tears (full thickness) (McKinnis, 2014). The cause of rotator cuff tear could be from traumatic injury or from progressive tendon tearing during overhead repetitive activities (McKinnis, 2014). The rotator cuff is made up of 4 muscles, subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus and teres minor. The most common tendon tear is the supraspinatus muscle. Imaging to diagnose a rotator cuff tear is MRI or US.

Shoulder bursitis is usually a gradual onset of pain caused by repetitive activities resulting in inflamed bursa. Shoulder pain is usually worse lying on affected side. The most cost effective and useful imaging modality to diagnose shoulder bursitis is US (McKinnis, 2014). Shoulder tendonitis also known as shoulder impingement is caused by repetitive overhead activities or trauma. Pain is usually gradual and worse with resistance. At initial injury (RICE) rest, ice, compression and elevation is useful in pain relief. Again US is the least expensive imaging modality to use to diagnosis shoulder tendonitis and / or impingement (McKinnis, 2014).

Labrum tear is usually from shoulder trauma injury causing pain with overhead activities, and instability. There are two types of labrum tears SLAP involving the superior labrum and Bankart involving the inferior labrum. Treatment is usually NSAID’s and RICE rest, ice, compression and elevation. If pain persist and shoulder is increasingly unstable surgery may be needed to restore stability. Imaging to diagnosis shoulder labrum tear is MRI (McKinnis, 2014). Frozen shoulder is a gradual increase in pain that cause loss of joint movement and can occur after shoulder injury or lifting something heavy. Physical therapy is the first and best treatment for pain and restoring joint mobility. Imaging for diagnosis is usually plain radiography and MRI (McKinnis,2014).

Osteoarthritis is the most common reason for shoulder pain in glenohumeral joint and acromioclavicular joint. Osteoarthritis of shoulder generally is gradual onset of pain and loss of mobility and responds to NSAID’s and physical therapy to resolve pain and  immobility. Imaging to diagnosis shoulder OA is plain radiography which is the least expensive, then MRI followed by CT (McKinnis, 2014). Shoulder pain is extremely common in both men and women of all ages. Surgery is usually the last resort and should be avoided if possible. Physical therapy is the gold standard of care and most effective treatment to restore range of motion, strength, function and resolve pain.

References
McKinnis, L. N. (2014). Fundamentals of musculoskeletal imaging.

 

Shoulder Pain2022-01-12T14:38:45+00:00
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