Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy (physiotherapy in many English speaking countries) is a health care profession which provides services to individuals and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout life.  This includes providing services in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by aging, injury, disease, or environmental factors.  Functional movement is a central element in what it means to be healthy.

Physical therapy is a health care specialty involved with evaluating, diagnosing, and treating disorders of the musculoskeletal system.  The ultimate goal of physical therapy is to restore maximal functional independence to each individual patient.  To achieve this goal, physical such as exercise, heat, cold, electricity, and massage are utilized.

Electrical Muscle Stimulation

Electrical muscle stimulation is electrical current that effects the myo-neural or the area the nerve intervates or goes into the muscle. As the electrical current is increased there will be an involuntary contraction of the muscular area being treated. Exercise is needed for injured or spastic muscles or areas of muscle spasm to heal properly. However, forced exercise can be injurious to the muscles.

Passive exercise (contraction and movement involuntarily done while the muscle is at rest) will exercise and thereby strengthen the muscle without injuring it. The area of involvement will then heal stronger and will be much more stable. Using the electrical muscle stimulator will also help to over-ride the established reflex pattern which causing muscle spasm, restricting motion and producing pain.

The passive contraction or exercise of the muscle will help re-establish the normal reflex pattern, thereby reducing the muscle spasm and also the pain reflex pattern.

The contraction produced by the electrical current also helps to increase the circulation in the area through exercise also promoting healing and strengthening the area of muscles involved.

Inactivity during an injured or spastic state while the muscle is healing causes the tissue to heal in a weakened state. The application of electrical muscle stimulation promotes healing and especially strengthening of the involved area.

Ultra Sound

Ultra sound is high frequency sound waves. It is a therapeutic device that is widely used by all health fields-hospitals, medical doctors, dentists, osteopaths, podiatrists, chiropractors, and physical therapists. Ultra sound waves penetrate the tissue and the sound causes a vibration from the sound in the tissue-“micro massage”.

Microscopic massage-the vibration of each individual cell causes the cell to greatly increase its metabolic rate or throw off its waste products. This is very helpful because injured or malfunctioning tissue can not metabolize or throw off its waste products due to congestion. This causes more congestion, slows down the recovery rate and causes the involved area to heal with that congestion which can cause a weakened state, malfunction, scar tissue, and calcification.

By the use of ultra sound, the sound vibrates the cells causing them to increase their metabolic rate which in turn “cleans” the tissue so the injured or malfunctioning tissue heals much faster and more completely.

Ultra sound is used by dentist to clean teeth. It is used by doctors in the musculoskeletal area to clean the injured tissue to speed up proper healing. Use of ultra sound will shorten the treatment time and usually the treatment frequency.

 Mechanical/ Intersegmental Traction

Inter segmental traction is used to improve mobility and circulation in the joints of the spine.  In spinal injuries or mechanical problem of the spine, the articulations or joints of the spine lose their mobility.  Traction stretches the joints causing a suction which helps the pliability or flexibility of the intervertebral disc.  Traction also opens up the joint articulations and increases the circulation flow in the spine.

As the spine heals, it must heal mobile and strong to assure that there will be the maximum recovery in strength as well as flexibility or mobility of the spine.  Stretching the spine improves the elasticity of the tissue and strengthens the disc.  Inter segmental traction also relaxes due to its soothing effect on the spine and spinal nerves to help reduce tension and nervousness as well as helps the spine to heal more mobile and much stronger which helps prevent subsequent re-occurring spinal injuries.