Physiotherapy is a branch of therapy that is specifically concerned with the treatment of an injury, disease, or disorder with physical approaches. These approaches include massage, exercise, and physical manipulation rather than invasive medical procedures or the use of medications.

While some people believe that physiotherapists work specifically with athletes on sports-related issues, their patient base is actually much broader. Physiotherapists also work with patients who are in different age groups or demographic categories. They help patients recover from injury, disease, illness, and even some of the effects of aging. Physiotherapists aim to help individuals achieve a higher quality of life through pain relief, increased range of motion, or recovery from damage to the body.

In order to achieve their desired results with a wide range of their patients, physiotherapists must employ a wide range of possible treatments.

There are three basic types of physiotherapy:

• Musculoskeletal – This therapy focuses on the treatment of sprains, strains, arthritis, incontinence, posture problems, workplace injuries, surgery recovery, and many other physical conditions.

• Neurological – This therapy works with issues associated with the brain. Potential injuries include stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal injuries, and Parkinson’s disease.

• Cardiothoracic – This branch of physiotherapy works with issues associated with breathing and can include emphysema, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other cardio-respiratory illnesses.
  
  

Treatment Options

Physiotherapists work with their patients to develop a personalized treatment plan that best suits their specific needs. Some patients may only require a single treatment style while other patients may require more intensive plans. There are three primary treatment options that physiotherapy uses. However, within those options, there are a variety of additional techniques that your medical professional may use to help you improve your quality of life.

• Manual Therapies – Manual therapies can include joint manipulation or adjustment, manual resistance training or stretching. These therapies are usually conducted in an office setting with hands-on work from your physiotherapist.

• Exercise Therapy – Exercise training focuses largely on strength training, cardiovascular stretching, and re-training proper posture.

• Electrotherapy – Electrotherapy isn’t the electrodes hooked up to your brain that deliver a painful shock anymore. Instead, electrotherapy is used to deliver a gentle current to your affected muscles in order to help promote healing and growth. This category also utilizes laser therapy and ultrasound to help heal and reduce pain.
  
  

Manual Therapies

Many patients’ treatment plans will include a core portion of manual therapy. This includes:

• Joint Mobilization – Joint mobilization is designed to relieve joints and get them moving freely again. Joint mobilization is also called the gentle glide technique.

• Physiotherapy Instrument Mobilization (PIM) – This technique utilizes a handheld spring-loaded tool and is used along the spine to help reduce pain and increase mobility.

• Stretching – Stretching exercises help to loosen muscles and tendons that are tight. In a therapy setting, this is to help reduce pain associated with overly tight or shortened tissues and train them into their proper position. Stretching also helps to increase your overall range of motion and can help with overall strength as well.

• Neurodynamics – This technique looks at the nerves and their pathways to identify any areas where the nerve may be damaged or impeded. Adjustments or corrective procedures can be performed to try to restore normal nerve function.
  
  

Overview

Physiotherapy is another option that patients should consider when developing a treatment plan. These plans can be used for a variety of conditions including disease, illness, traumatic injury, or even routine checkups. If you are considering using a physiotherapist or chiropractor, call today to schedule an initial consultation. It’s never too soon to start feeling better.

Massages have been used therapeutically for thousands of years, with styles and techniques evolving throughout the centuries. Today, there are more than 100 varieties of massage being used in countries all around the world, helping to relieve back pain and muscle stiffness in millions of patients.

Although chiropractic care is not the same as massage, an increasing number of chiropractors are offering massage therapy to help alleviate pain and rehabilitate injuries in patients suffering from problems with their musculoskeletal system. Most qualified and experienced chiropractors agree that while massage therapy can be beneficial as a standalone treatment, it is far superior when performed alongside conventional chiropractic adjustments.

What Is Massage Therapy?

Massage therapy refers to the manual manipulation of the soft tissues of the body, including the skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. There are many different techniques, with some of the most popular being:

Swedish Massage

A gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, deep circular movements, kneading, vibrations, and tapping to relax your body and help you feel revitalized.

Sports Massage

Similar to Swedish massage, but targeted at people heavily involved in sport, and used to treat or prevent injuries.

Deep Massage

With slower, more forceful strokes, this type of massage targets the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue with the aim of stimulating blood flow to the area so that they can heal.

Trigger Point Massage

Focused on specific areas of tight muscle, this massage helps to loosen and relax these areas that tend to tighten with overuse or injury.

Benefits Of Massage Therapy

Massage has been shown to have potential benefits in almost every system in the body and is increasingly accepted by general practitioners as a highly successful alternative therapy. In addition to treating the effects of musculoskeletal problems such as back, neck and shoulder pain, massage therapy has also been used to effectively treat:

• Carpal tunnel and connective tissue injuries

• Circulatory problems including Edema

• Headaches and migraines

• Neuropathy

• Pain (acute and chronic)

• Repetitive strain injuries

• Sports injuries

• Sprains and strains

• Stress and anxiety

• Tennis elbow
  
  

Am I A Good Candidate For Massage Therapy?

While massage is a non-invasive therapy that is suitable for a wide variety of patients, there are some people for whom it may not be appropriate. These include those who have:

• Bleeding disorders or who are taking blood thinners

• Burns

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

• Had recent surgery

• Fractured bones

• Severe osteoporosis

• Severe thrombocytopenia

• Wounds that are still healing
  
  

As such, before you can be approved for chiropractic massage therapy, you will be invited to attend a comprehensive consultation appointment with your practitioner. This meeting will be an opportunity to assess your general health and wellbeing as well as your musculoskeletal problems and will enable your chiropractor to decide if you are a suitable candidate for massage therapy.

Your chiropractor will then recommend a schedule of massage appointments, adjustment appointments or a combination of the two. This is just a guideline, and your exact program of treatment will depend on how well you respond to each of the appointments.

If you would like to know more about the benefits of chiropractic massage therapy, please contact our offices where our friendly, experienced team are waiting for your call.

We use techniques to regain your mobility, decrease pain and improve your stability and strength. We use manual techniques and hypervolt to the paraspinals to decrease muscle tension and reduce pain. Pain can also radiate into the hips and hamstrings, where active release techniques are used to improve symptoms. We teach patients how to stretch their hips, hamstrings and other parts of the lower extremity as well as being mindful of engaging their core when they are in the more acute stages of pain. We focus on teaching patients how to control their body, hinge properly and move better.

We use active release techniques and hypervolt to the glute max, glute med, glute min, piriformis and hamstrings, especially if the patient is complaining of sciatic pain related symptoms. Patients are taught how to stretch their hips and also strengthening the hips and core as well as encouraging them to move their legs more if they are sedentary.

We treat post-op knee patients and weekend warriors with knee pain. Manual techniques and stretches are shown for the quads, hamstrings as well as the lower extremity. Patients will learn how to strengthen and control their knees and lower extremities bilaterally and unilaterally. Plyometrics and improving the lower leg (calves/ankles) are also an important part in patients returning to running activities.

Neck pain can stem for a multitude of reasons. We check to make sure the upper extremities and mid back are working and moving the way they are supposed to. We have a lot of patients with neck pain given the nature of most of our jobs and the time we spend sitting. Joint mobs and manual traction are some manual techniques we use in the clinic to decrease pain and improve mobility. Stretches and exercises to regain motion and decrease pain are given to patients. Strengthening the arms and the core can also help decrease neck pain and allow us to move the way we want to.

We treat rotator cuff strains, labral tears, dislocated shoulders, and throwing injuries. We work on regaining a patient's range of motion and improving their shoulder and rotator cuff strength. We place a lot of focus on improving stability of the shoulder girdle. Manual techniques are used mainly in the posterior cuff of the shoulder to improve motion and decrease pain.

Anybody who has experienced back pain knows that they will do just about anything to relieve their discomfort and fortunately, there are many options available for patients suffering from back ailments.

If you have been experiencing lower back pain, you should schedule an appointment with a chiropractor. Your chiropractor will want to interview you and do an examination first to ensure that they fully understand your condition as well as any limitations that you may be having. After this assessment is complete, one treatment that they may suggest is a therapeutic adjustment.

What Is A Therapeutic Adjustment?

Therapeutic adjustments are also called spinal or chiropractic manipulation and is a conventional technique that chiropractors use to treat lower back pain. An adjustment involves moving vertebrae that are not moving properly or have abnormal movement. These changes to your spine can move the vertebrae back into place or help to correct the movement that is causing you discomfort.

What Can I Expect To Feel During An Adjustment?

Adjustments typically involve short and fast arm thrusts along the vertebrae. These thrusts may cause an audible cracking sound when gas is released from the joint. These gases can include oxygen, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide. The release of these gases can also be accompanied by the reduction of pressure within the spine.

Patients often feel an immediate improvement in their pain levels and ability to move. Some minor discomfort has been reported, but it is typically associated with back muscles that are tense and is usually short-lived.

While you may expect your joints to “crack,” it doesn’t always happen, which can be due to a tense patient. Your chiropractor may suggest using ice, having you rest, or using electrical stimulation and massage in order to reduce the tension in your back.

What Can I Expect After A Therapeutic Adjustment?

Most patients feel reduced pain or tension levels in their back and spinal column immediately following treatment. When patients feel pain, it is usually associated with muscle pain and when appropriately treated, the effects of muscle pain can be reduced in a matter of hours.

Several studies have shown that chiropractic patients experience mild to moderate pain relief following an adjustment. In fact, chiropractors have been shown to be as effective as many other methods of pain relief for the back, such as sleeping on a firm mattress, taking pain medication, or applying heat therapies.

Therapeutic Adjustments And Your Insurance

If you are considering a chiropractic visit to help alleviate your back pain, it is a good idea to check with your chiropractic office as well as your insurance to make sure that it is a covered expense. Chiropractic care is considered a complementary and alternative medicine and while most health insurances (Medicare, workers’ compensation, some Medicaid plans, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, much active duty and veteran military facilities) cover chiropractic adjustments, the qualifications or limitations of your treatment can vary greatly. So, before you get stuck with an unexpected bill, be sure to get clarification.

Overview

Chiropractic adjustments can be a significant and effective form of treatment for lower back pain. While there may be many causes of a sore back, chiropractic care can help to diagnose these issues and offer some possible remedies. If your chiropractor can fix your pain, the adjustments are usually quick office visits that can be completed during a lunch break.

Additionally, the side effects of a chiropractic adjustment are much smaller than alternative medications. Therapeutic adjustments also cost less than some of the other alternative treatment options, especially if your insurance considers it a covered option. If you are experiencing back pain, it is a good idea to schedule an appointment with your chiropractor as soon as possible since receiving rapid care can help reduce the amount of time it takes to return to a pain-free lifestyle.