Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy is a medical specialty that includes evaluation and treatment of physical dysfunction or injury using education, manual techniques, exercise and modalities to relieve pain, restore maximum function and prevent disability and/or re-injury. It provides a hands-on component which can partner with physicians who have various medical expertise such as Orthopaedics, Neurology, Internal Medicine or Sports Medicine to name a few.
A patient will work with a licensed health care professional, including a Physical Therapist, Physical Therapy Assistant, Occupational Therapist and/or Certified Athletic Trainer throughout your treatment. Some therapists have participated in extensive training to learn a specialty program which is outlined below.
Integrity Physical Therapy specialty programs include:
- Aquatic Therapy
- Foot Orthotics
- Industrial Rehabilitation
- Running Assessments
- Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
- Vestibular and Balance Rehabilitation
- Wellness Programs
- Women's Health
Other common conditions offered by a Physical Therapy facility:
Sports Medicine
Integrity's Sports Injury Therapy program focuses on treatment plans to help promote the recovery and repair of injured tissues, health and fitness, and return to your prior performance level. Treatment emphasizes the reduction of swelling, guidance on appropriate exercises, education on the balance between strength, flexibility, and endurance, and general well being.
Pre/post Surgical Conditions
Whether you are about to have surgery, or shortly thereafter, your physician will prescribe physical therapy to help eliminate pain, improve strength, increase range of motion, and educate you on ways to avoid problems in the future. Coming to therapy prior to surgery, prehab if you will, can significantly improve outcomes after surgery, which often leads to a shortened time spent in therapy, decreased pain, a faster recovery and return to previous activities.
Core Stabilization
Core stabilization is the new buzz word in the fitness world. Physical therapy has been using this concept for a long time. Learning how to properly recruit the core muscles can assist in alignment and reduction of pain in the back, knees, hips and even neck. Postural education, pilates, and balance training makes up a significant portion of core stabilization. Core strengthening addresses the importance of looking at the body from a centered point and not only from the area of pain. These concepts are simple and easy to integrate into your daily activities from work to sport, and require little equipment.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a disease process that is still not fully understood. It affects a large population, usually women, and is difficult to control without exercise. Physical therapy uses many tools to help treat this disease, including aquatic therapy, education, postural awareness and myofascial techniques to help reduce trigger points, to decrease pain complaints, increase energy levels, and to increases level of daily activity.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Integrity Physical Therapy offers treatments for patients who present with symptoms that relate to thoracic outlet syndrome. Our clinicians work closely with vascular surgeons and neurosurgeons to improve tissue and joint mobility, postural awareness, and reduce symptoms that are associated with TOS.
Aquatic Therapy
Aquatic therapy provides many therapeutic benefits. The most important is unloading of body weight. When an individual is immersed to
- Waist level, 50% of their bodyweight has been eliminated.
- Chest or shoulder level, 80% of their bodyweight has been eliminated.
This makes water the perfect environment to provide therapy early in the rehabilitation process, when weight bearing is not appropriate or is painful. The temperature of water (warm or cold) can facilitate stretching and generally reduces the sensation of pain. If the water is at a therapeutic temperature (92-96 degrees), it also has the benefits of heat, including increased circulation. The increased buoyancy caused by the water decreases stress on the joints, enhances movement and range of motion, and relaxes the surrounding musculature.
Aquatic therapy uses the properties of water, along with the principals of physical therapy to provide an environment for the body to heal and exercise without pain. Aquatic therapy may be used alone, or it may be combined with a land-based program. It can be used for many different dysfunctions including:
- Arthritis
- Chronic pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Fractures
- Sprain/strains
- Total joint replacements
- Sports enhancement training
- Spine rehabilitation.
Foot Orthotics
Integrity Physical Therapy clinicians will evaluate the need for custom orthotics to improve lower extremity Biomechanics. Patients experiencing foot, ankle, knee, hip, and low back pain may benefit from a custom orthotic device. Our therapists use the latest materials and technology to provide a cost-effective orthotic that will restore function and allow return to sport and recreational activities.
Industrial Rehabilitation
Go To Industrial Rehabilitation
Running Assessments
A running assessment is a tool used to analyze the cause of pain or injury for both casual runners and elite athletes. Our therapists will evaluate a patient's gait pattern and biomechanics utilizing treadmill running and video analysis to assess the relationship between physical findings and a patient's complaints of pain. The information obtained in the running evaluation helps our therapists treat the cause of dysfunction instead of treating the symptoms. Patients will receive recommendations for adjustments either in stretching, strengthening, core stabilization, appropriate footwear or custom orthotics. These recommendations will allow the patient to return to their desired training or exercise program with decreased risk of injury.
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
Integrity Physical Therapy offers services for patients with TMJ dysfunction and associated myofascial pain syndromes. Our clinicians work closely with dentists and oral surgeons to evaluate and treat the symptoms of the head, neck, or facial pain associated with TMJ.
The evaluation will include postural alignment, TMJ mobility, tongue positioning and swallowing habits and cervical spine mobility.
Vestibular & Balance Rehabilitation
Thousands of individuals have balance disorders each year. The symptoms of a vestibular disorder can be frightening. You may start to limit your activities because of:
- Dizziness,
- Nausea or motion sickness
- A sensation of falling or spinning
- And these may lead to an actual injury or fall!
What can physical therapy do to help? Your therapist, in conjunction with your physician, will design a program to improve your quality of living, and to diminish the symptoms noted above. This program may include
- Balance re-training
- Gait training
- Vestibular and/or occulomotor exercises
- Strengthening and flexibility exercises
- Other activities as appropriate
Balance is a complicated process, which is dependant on 3 sources, the inner ear, the eyes, and the extremities of the body. Information is received from all of these sources, and the brain processes it into a useful form to allow us to walk, balance, change directions, etc. In therapy, the patient may perform activities to desensitize the brain so normal function can be performed. At times, during the initial stages of therapy, the symptoms may actually increase as the brain adapts. However, this diminishes over time.
Wellness Programs
Integrity Physical Therapy can assist you with your fitness questions. Whether you are looking to update your existing exercise program, continue with your program after discharge from therapy or begin a new program.
We offer:
- Injury assessment
- Personal training
- Custom designed fitness and exercise programs
- Instruction/recommendation in types of exercise equipment
- Sports enhancement training
- Strength training instruction by Certified weight trainers