Orthopedic Physical Therapy
Orthopedic Physical Therapy is the most common type of physical therapy. It basically tackles anything that has something to do with your musculoskeletal system. Your musculoskeletal system consists of your bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons - almost everything that makes up a human body. When do you need to see a physical therapist for an orthopedic condition?
Most conditions are curable with conservative treatment. This means exercise is the number one treatment so surgery or added medications are avoided. Here are some conditions that work well with PT!
Low back pain and Sacroiliac joint pain - this condition is almost always present everyday. Most of the time it is due to sitting around too much and being sedentary. Other causes is poor body mechanics, like when a person tries to carry a heavy box without doing a proper squat.
Neck and Shoulder pain - there are numerous conditions that cause shoulder pain. Among them are frozen shoulder, tendinitis and impingement. Most of these are due to poor posture. The same is true with neck pain. Sometimes, we assume a position called a forward head posture in which our head and neck are a bit far forward than the shoulders, and our shoulders have this rounded or sort of hunchbacked appearance. Treatment of neck and shoulder conditions include stretching and strengthening exercises.
Wrist and finger problems - conditions involving these structures are sometimes related to your neck and shoulder, so in treatment, your physical therapist will probably include them. A common wrist or finger condition is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome where a person has weakness in grip and feels tingling sensations on their fingers.
Knee and Ankle injuries - some of the most common diagnoses are ACL tears, meniscal tears (found in the knee) and ankle ligament sprains. These injuries are mostly sports related. A Physical therapist can surely help you manage these types of injuries to avoid surgery.
Arthritis - there are different types of arthritis but they all almost have the same presentation. There is pain in the joints, difficulty in movement and difficulty in functioning or performing activities of daily living. Arthritic symptoms improve with exercise, and treatment modalities such as electric stimulation help with managing pain.
If you are diagnosed with any orthopedic condition, your doctor will typically refer you for physical therapy and rehabilitation. Your therapist will start by getting all pertinent medical information. He will then have an assessment and evaluation of your current status. Based on what your PT gathered, he will formulate a treatment plan with specific goals in mind. These goals are based on what you want and what you need.
Your treatment may consist of the following:
Therapeutic modalities - these include electrical stimulation, ultrasound and hot or cold compresses. They are used for pain relief, reduce inflammation and promote healing.
Manual Therapy - not all treatment sessions have manual therapy. This will be based on your therapist’s assessment. This technique is used to realign anatomical segments, joints or even muscles that are affected by your condition
Stretching and flexibility exercises - after an injury, your skin and muscles tend to be scarred (on the inside) which results to tightness. Flexibility exercises are taught to patients to promote healing and to prepare the muscles for more challenging exercises
Strengthening exercises - your muscles will typically lose some strength after an injury. That’s why it’s painful, because your muscles are unable to support your body. Your PT will teach you techniques that are suitable for your current status. He will also progress the exercises and make it more challenging as you gain back your strength.
Home exercise program - a session with your therapist lasts about an hour or two, but exercises should not stop from there. Your PT will give some homework and instructions you can and should perform at home.
You can get a referral from a doctor to see a physical therapist, but there is also a thing called direct access, in which you can find a therapist yourself!
Common Conditions in Orthopedic Physical Therapy
Low back pain and Sacroiliac joint pain - this condition is almost always present everyday. Most of the time it is due to sitting around too much and being sedentary. Other causes is poor body mechanics, like when a person tries to carry a heavy box without doing a proper squat.
Neck and Shoulder pain - there are numerous conditions that cause shoulder pain. Among them are frozen shoulder, tendinitis and impingement. Most of these are due to poor posture. The same is true with neck pain. Sometimes, we assume a position called a forward head posture in which our head and neck are a bit far forward than the shoulders, and our shoulders have this rounded or sort of hunchbacked appearance. Treatment of neck and shoulder conditions include stretching and strengthening exercises.
Wrist and finger problems - conditions involving these structures are sometimes related to your neck and shoulder, so in treatment, your physical therapist will probably include them. A common wrist or finger condition is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome where a person has weakness in grip and feels tingling sensations on their fingers.
Knee and Ankle injuries - some of the most common diagnoses are ACL tears, meniscal tears (found in the knee) and ankle ligament sprains. These injuries are mostly sports related. A Physical therapist can surely help you manage these types of injuries to avoid surgery.
Arthritis - there are different types of arthritis but they all almost have the same presentation. There is pain in the joints, difficulty in movement and difficulty in functioning or performing activities of daily living. Arthritic symptoms improve with exercise, and treatment modalities such as electric stimulation help with managing pain.
How Orthopedic Physical Therapy works
Therapeutic modalities - these include electrical stimulation, ultrasound and hot or cold compresses. They are used for pain relief, reduce inflammation and promote healing.
Manual Therapy - not all treatment sessions have manual therapy. This will be based on your therapist’s assessment. This technique is used to realign anatomical segments, joints or even muscles that are affected by your condition
Stretching and flexibility exercises - after an injury, your skin and muscles tend to be scarred (on the inside) which results to tightness. Flexibility exercises are taught to patients to promote healing and to prepare the muscles for more challenging exercises
Strengthening exercises - your muscles will typically lose some strength after an injury. That’s why it’s painful, because your muscles are unable to support your body. Your PT will teach you techniques that are suitable for your current status. He will also progress the exercises and make it more challenging as you gain back your strength.
Home exercise program - a session with your therapist lasts about an hour or two, but exercises should not stop from there. Your PT will give some homework and instructions you can and should perform at home.
You can get a referral from a doctor to see a physical therapist, but there is also a thing called direct access, in which you can find a therapist yourself!
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