What is Physical Therapy Really Like?

When you experience injury or pain it is a situation that is no fun. Many patients tell us that they held off seeing a physical therapist for a substantial amount of time because it seemed like an insurmountable task. They also usually think that the injury will subside on its own over time.

 

An experienced physical therapist in Pinecrest will help you understand the root issue causing your pain. This normally isn’t where you feel the pain, often far aware from where you think the issue resides. The specialist can also cultivate a unique, customized treatment plan to help you feel better than ever.

Your First Visit with an Experienced Physical Therapist in Pinecrest

The first visit with any physical therapist involves an injury assessment, as well as treatment strategy session. This plan will aim to not only reduce your pain but additionally improve the functionality regarding the area where your injury occurred.

Physical therapy treatments also correct any damaging movement patterns as well as muscular imbalances that possibly caused the injury. Your unique treatment will often combine passive techniques that include manual therapy with accompanying exercise regimens.

Common Physical Therapy Treatment Methods

The treatments that your experienced physical therapist in Pinecrest will use largely depends on your condition. In every visit with their practice, the physical therapist will explain each method they use as well as how they restore your range of motion.

Your friends from Progressive Therapy Center want to impart some information on the different treatment methods we use to help patients as a part of their recovery plan:

Manual Therapy

Manual therapy represents a foundational tenet of physical therapy as a whole. It involves an experienced physical therapist in Pinecrest manually kneading and manipulating soft tissues using their hands. This helps to alleviate pain as well as restore mobility.

Manual therapy can additionally include some joint mobilization techniques that help to loosen tight tissues around joints while improving flexibility, mobility, and lessening pain.

Ultrasound

Many people think about ultrasounds for imaging. However, specialists also employ them in physical therapy. The device emits sound waves to safely generate heat deep in the tissues of the body to relieve pain.

Laser

Physical therapy uses low powered lasers that cause no pain, or any feeling at all. The light emitted from lasers helps stimulate healing naturally while reducing inflammation as well as pain.

Electrical Stimulation

Electrical stimulation or ESTIM is a minor electric stimulation that contracts muscles that otherwise stay at rest. This constant signal restores effective movement and function in the sensitive tissues.

Dry Needling

Dry needling releases toxic chemicals that form as a result of trauma to the body. These toxins cause pain, dysfunctional movement, headaches, and joint movement issues. Dry needling involves using very thin needles to induce twitch responses. This releases the chemicals and relaxes muscles while restoring blood flow.

Dry needling is not a therapy that Progressive Therapy Centers provides as it is only available in certain states that allow physical therapists to practice the method.

Heat and Ice

An experienced physical therapist in Pinecrest may use heat to decrease pain due to inflammation. It also improves mobility in the soft tissues. This makes them more pliable, a beneficial facet of manual therapy.

Ice also relieves inflammation. This reduces overall pain and makes physical therapy easier for a specialist and their patient.

Exercise

Exercise serves as an essential aspect of physical therapy treatment. Our physical therapist will often prescribe a specific exercise program that patients can perform at home. This type of regimen will strengthen core muscles, improve both range of motion and strength, as well as treat muscular imbalances that could lead to injury.

Patients perform these exercises in between treatments to help improve physical therapy at home. Our specialists will often update these methods to help with the healing progress. An experienced physical therapist in Pinecrest may also incorporate techniques like Pilates into your treatment plan as well.

Your Last Visit with an Experienced Physical Therapist in Pinecrest

During your last visit, an experienced physical therapist in Pinecrest might employ the techniques featured above depending on the current stage of your recovery. They will often provide a finalized exercise program as well to help you continue your recovery after the physical therapy treatment has ceased.

This is a part of an ongoing wellness propagation, and might also include yoga or other low-stress options to help carry you beyond recovery.

An Experienced Physical Therapist in Pinecrest from Progressive Therapy Center

Progressive Therapy Center is an outpatient physical therapy practice located in the heart of Pinecrest, a neighborhood of the greater Miami area. Our professional team dedicates their careers to helping the South Florida community with patient-centric physical therapy care.

We utilize modern manual therapy techniques, in addition to modern technologically assisted methods to provide our patients with the best care possible. Progressive Therapy Center also analyzes evidence-based research to help maximize the final outcomes of our physical therapy programs.

Our staff believes that a patient must take an active role in their own recovery. With an emphasis on overall treatment, our regimen is cultivated to achieve the best possible outcomes with minimal steps and impact. We hope that our patients continue committing to their exercises as time goes on.

For more information on an experienced physical therapist in Pinecrest from Progressive Therapy Center, contact our team of caring and concerned professionals today!