Types Of Physical Therapy Cambridge MA

By William Kelly


Physical therapy is treatment that is recommended when one experiences health problems that make it hard to move around and perform tasks they need to be doing. It comes in handy in enhancement of motion and relief of pain besides the fact that it ensures restoration of fitness levels and physical functions. In consideration of physical therapy Cambridge MA residents can benefit from some useful information.

It can help with recovery after some surgeries. Doctors will normally recommend it for injuries or long-term health problems like arthritis. It is either used alone or with other forms of treatment. The therapist examines you to know the various symptoms you are experiencing. This helps to come up with a treatment plan. The main goal is to make joints move better and restoration of flexibility and strength. It will also enhance strength, flexibility, coordination and endurance.

There are different forms of physical therapy. Among the commonest is exercise. This is a controlled physical stresses applied to the body so that there is enhancement of strength, flexibility and range of motion. Exercise can either be active or passive. When it comes to passive exercise, the affected person relaxes as the therapist applies the required stress. The hamstring stress exercise is an example and involves lifting the leg to ensure elongation of hamstring muscles around the thighs.

Active exercises are performed under the power of the individual. Examples include walking on treadmills, straight leg raising and hip strengthening exercises. Home exercise programs are recommended. These are exercises that are supposed to be performed individually. They are very important when one wants to return to normal function. In general, exercising is one of the main techniques used by therapists.

On rare occasions, electric stimulation is used to reduce pain around tissues that are injured. This theory can be explained in two ways, the opiate theory and gate theory. Other forms of this stimulation are used to contract muscles. This is used to help injured muscles relearn ways of functioning properly. The treatment might take time before normal operations are resumed.

Traction is used to treat neck pain and low back pain and thus helps to minimize pain and improve spine mobility. In order to use lumber traction, you get strapped into some mechanical machine. There is a vest used for supporting the ribs. Theoretically, traction is used to separate joints and disk spaces found at the lower neck and back. This will decrease pressure in the nerves.

There can also be the use of laser and light therapy. Light therapies involve use of light at specific wavelength to help in improving healing process of tissues that are injured. It is painless treatment that lasts a maximum of three minutes. The therapist holds the light emitting wand directly over the injured part of the body before pressing a button to activate the light.

The other option is massage. This involves use of hands in kneading tissues that are injured and in the process decrease pains and enhance circulation. Muscle tensions also decrease. This will essentially reduce any pain an individual was feeling.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment