What can a Physical Therapist Treat?

BY: Jeffrey Blanchard PT, MS, OCS
Valley Physical Therapy - South

I have been practicing physical therapy for 15 years and have been encouraged by the growth in the profession.  Today, physical therapists are better prepared to be a first point of care than ever before and more and more people are recognizing this fact.  Now more than ever we get calls from patients who are choosing to come see us for injuries and pain before seeing their primary care physician.

However, I have been surprised at times when patients don’t realize that we treat other body parts than what they are being seen for.  For example, I was treating a patient for his knee injury and then he thought he had to go see someone in a different profession to have his back pain treated.

To sum it up in a few words, our physical therapists specialize in treating PAIN.  We are able to help determine the following:

1. What is your diagnosis?
2. How did you become painful?
3. How can you “fix” the problem and actually become more pain free?
4. How can you prevent future injury?

We at Therapeutic Associates specialize in treating “musculoskeletal pain”.  This means that we know how to treat pain that comes from muscles, joints, nerves, and soft tissue.  We specialize in treating symptoms in the following regions:

• Neck
• Jaw
• Head ache
• Shoulder
• Elbow
• Wrist / Hand
• Back
• Hip
• Knee
• Foot / Ankle

We specialize in treating injuries and pain which occur in the following ways:

• Overuse syndromes
• Workplace injuries
• Pain for unknown reasons
• Whiplash from car accidents
• Sports or exercise injuries
• Degenerative conditions related to arthritis
• Post-operative rehabilitation
• Balance and fall prevention

Even if you are pain free, there are muscle imbalances and abnormal movement patterns that can eventually lead to painful conditions.  During our initial evaluation we will identify these imbalances and make sure they are addressed.

We will continue to strive to educate the public about physical therapy.  Look for our digital billboards soon!  Whatever the injury, you will find that the best place to start your CONSERVATIVE care is with one of our physical therapists.
 

Click on the links below to view videos and for more info about the most common diagnoses that we treat for that body part.
 

NECK | SHOULDER | MID BACK | ELBOW | HAND / WRIST
LOW BACK | HIP | KNEE | ANKLE / FOOT
 

Low Back Pain (LBP) - By The Numbers

If you have ever experienced low back pain, you certainly are not alone. Low back pain is so common that 80% of individuals will experience it sometime in their lives. At any given point in time, 1 in 4 people are experiencing low back pain.

Low back pain can be broken up into 3 different categories; acute, recurrent, and chronic. Acute low back pain is the most common and comes on suddenly, typically lasting less than 3 months. Recurrent low back pain occurs with frequent episodes of acute low back pain. Chronic low back pain typically lasts longer than 3 months.

Low back pain often occurs due to overuse, strain,or injury. Overuse can be caused by too much bending, twisting, or lifting, and sometimes by too much sitting. Strains are caused by either too much force or the use of improper body mechanics. Just as often, however, the actual cause of low back pain isn’t known.

Low back pain doesn’t have to affect your daily life. In fact, people who see a physical therapist for their low back pain are less likely to miss out on the things they love to do in life.

Our current issue of Therapeutic Outlook magazine is designed to help you understand low back pain and provide the strategies you need to manage and even prevent it. You will also see how evidence-based physical therapy treatment can reduce pain and return you to normal activity without the need of painful surgery and without the side effects of prescription medication.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD OUR THERAPEUTIC OUTLOOK MAGAZINE
LOW PACK PAIN REVOLUTION - SPECIAL EDITION (PDF)

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