Physical Therapy Specialist

What physical therapy services are available?

Physical therapists at Be Well Primary Health Care Center look at your needs and guide your therapy.

Their goal is to relieve any pain you’re experiencing and to restore your mobility by using either hands-on treatments for your symptoms or by teaching you special exercises to help you move and function better. They will work with you to create a treatment plan that will include your personal short-term and long-term goals. Some of the physical therapy treatment methods available at Be Well are::

• Massage
• Ultrasound
• Electrical stimulation
• Therapeutic exercises
• Paraffin
• Gait training
• Manual therapy
• Heat or cold therapy

What is massage therapy?

Massage therapy can successfully manage your pain by relaxing your muscles and tendons, and restoring blood flow to your injured area.  Massage therapy is a type of treatment in which a trained and certified medical professional manipulates the soft tissues of your body — muscle, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and skin — using varying degrees of pressure and movement. Studies of the benefits of massage therapy demonstrate that it is an effective treatment for reducing stress, pain and muscle tension.

What is ultrasound therapy?

Therapeutic ultrasound is a treatment modality commonly used in physical therapy. It is used to provide deep heating to soft tissues in the body. These tissues include muscles, tendons, joints, and ligaments. Ultrasound therapy helps your body’s natural healing process by increasing blood flow and reducing inflammation. It also improves tissue elasticity and increases range of motion, which ultimately leads to pain reduction.

How is electrical stimulation used in physical therapy?

Electrical stimulation or neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a technique used by physical therapists to elicit a muscle contraction using electrical impulses. Electrodes, controlled by a unit, are placed on the skin over a predetermined area. It’s used to effectively treat muscle spasms and pain.

It works by mimicking the way your body naturally moves your muscles, confusing the pain-causing signals sent between your nerves and brain.

Additional benefits include increased circulation and reduced inflammation.

What therapeutic exercises are used in physical therapy?

Therapeutic exercises refer to a range of physical activities that help restore and build physical strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and stability. The goal of therapeutic exercise is to return an injured person to a pain-free, fully functioning state.

Therapeutic exercises are classified according to the aim and purpose of the exercises into many types:

Range of motion exercises

These exercises aim to maintain and increase range of motion as traditional ROM exercises (passive, active and active assisted ROM exercises) and techniques of joint mobilization and soft tissue stretching.

Muscle performance exercises

Aim to increase muscle strength, power and endurance as resisted exercises and endurance exercises

Postural exercises

These exercises are performed to improve posture and correct faulty posture

• Balance and coordination exercises to improve balance and coordination
• Relaxation exercises to induce relaxation
• Area specific exercises as breathing exercises and circulatory exercises

To learn more about how physical therapy can help you lead a pain-free life, schedule an evaluation at Be Well Primary Care Center either online or by calling the office directly.