What treatment techniques should you expect at PTI?
Hands-On Manual Therapy is a specialized technique done by Physical Therapists using their hands to put pressure on muscle or connective tissue and manipulate joints in an attempt to decrease pain caused by muscle spasm, muscle tension and joint dysfunction. Manual physical therapy techniques include the following types of movement:
- Soft tissue work, including massage, which applies pressure to the soft tissues of the body such as the muscles. This pressure can help relax muscles, increase circulation, break up scar tissue, and ease pain in the soft tissues.
- Mobilization/manipulation, which uses measured movements of varying speed (from slow to fast), force (gentle to forceful), and distances (called ‘amplitude’) to twist, pull, or push bones and joints into position. This can help loosen tight tissues around a joint, reduce pain in a joint and surrounding tissue.
Exercises are also used to aid in your recovery. Our goal is to help you strengthen and stretch your muscles so that they will stabilize and support your body correctly. In doing so, you will be able to get back to your daily activity and restore your quality of life at home or work. Strong and flexible muscles also protect you from further injury and pain. Your therapist will design an exercise program that will work for you and accomplish all the benefits you need. We have land-based, aquatic physical therapy as well as a home based exercise program.
Modalities (the use of heat, cold, electricity, ultra sound etc.) may be used to help decrease the pain you are experiencing, improve your circulation and help the muscles relax. This is usually done as a preparation for doing exercises or activities to improve your strength and flexibility.
Posture and Body Mechanics: We help you use safer positioning of your body during daily activities. This can not only reduce pain and aid you in your recovery but also protect you from further injury.