What Physical Therapy Procedures Are Used for Recovery?

Physical therapy is a natural treatment used by physical therapists to treat bone breaks, physical bruises, and bursitis. They have a special knack when it comes to assessing the body and restoring it back to its optimal performance. Equipped with sophisticated equipment and a vast background of knowledge and experience, physical therapists can effectively diagnose, manage, and treat different types of ailments as well as movement disorders.

First, get physical — The Assessment

Evaluation is the first step as far as the treatment process is concerned. The therapists should ask very detailed questions regarding the cause of your injury and the prevailing condition of your injury. Physical therapists can help lessen the pain quickly; however, this is only temporary. Therefore, your physical therapy can only be effective if the root cause of your problem is addressed first.

Physical therapy can help treat a number of conditions including low back pain, knee pain, as well as overuse injuries. Your therapist will make a detailed investigation in devising an effective treatment plan. This treatment plan will normally comprise of passive modalities like ice, controlled heat, laser therapy, and electrical stimulation. However, in most cases, manual therapy — a combination of methods for restoring normal tissue functioning such as massage, exercising, plus stretching, stands out as the foundation for assessing and treating an injury.

Consolidating the pieces together — The Actual Treatment

Before rushing to your physical therapist, get to know some of the most effective treatment options for a range of conditions, whether big, medium, or small. This covers general assessments depending on a case-to-case basis.

Manual Therapy

Manual therapy works best for all injuries. This is a hands-on approach that separates physical therapists from health practitioners. Common tricks such as stretching, hands-on stretching, plus massage are employed by physical therapists to re-educate the body into normal movement. Remember, manual therapy is the backbone of all treatment plans.

Ice

Ice is best for those injuries that involve inflammation and swelling. Ice works by constricting the blood vessels to effectively reduce or prevent inflammation following an injury. Moreover, cold therapy is used to make the patient's joints more mobile; therefore, enhancing manual therapy. Research shows that the application of cold packs to swollen areas can significantly reduce inflammation of the affected areas.

Heat

Heat, as an effective physical therapy option, is excellent for those injuries that involve muscular spasms as well as tightness. The application of heat can alleviate pain and enhance mobility after injuries, especially those relating to soft tissue such as muscles, ligaments, as well as tendons. Heat makes tissues more pliable, making it easy to stretch the affected areas.

Ultrasound

Known for its effectiveness in treating connective tissue injuries, the ultrasound has gained a huge attention due to its efficacy. It utilizes sound waves in generating heat deep in the human body to loosen up the affected tissues before applying manual therapy. Ultrasound involves the use of a wand to directly but safely apply ultrasound waves on the skin. Ultrasound can also be used to enhance ligament-healing speed.

Other physical therapy procedures

• Traction: This is very effective in treating disk herniation.

• Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES): is a physical therapy that works best for restoring body muscular strength.

• Exercise: Physical exercises are the best when it comes to reviving the body's mobility after treatment.

• Low-Level Laser Therapy: It is a special physical therapy procedure that utilizes specific wavelengths of light to stimulating healing. It is also best known for treating connective and muscular tissue injuries. This therapeutic procedure can help reduce inflammation, pain, as well as muscle fatigue.