ORTHOPEDIC PHYSICAL THERAPY
Although chiropractors’ main method of treatment typically consists of spinal adjustment (spinal manipulation), chiropractors also employ many adjunctive therapies and applications in order to provide the most effective and efficient relief from neuromusculoskeletal disorders.
How does physical therapy promote healing?
Whether you sustain a spinal injury or develop a back problem, physical therapy relieves pain and serves as a central component of your rehabilitation.
Physical therapists choose among many types of passive and active treatments to customize your therapy. As a group, these therapies promote healing by:
- Increasing blood flow
- Reducing inflammation and pain
- Improving range of motion and flexibility
- Strengthening muscles
- Improving body mechanics
- Restoring balance
The overall goal of physical therapy is to restore full function and alleviate the pain caused by spine conditions.
What types of treatment will I receive during physical therapy?
The experienced physical therapists at TriMed Spine & Joint are highly trained in a wide variety of therapeutic techniques. The treatment you’ll receive may be passive or active.
Passive physical therapy
Immediately following an injury or surgery, your therapist may focus on decreasing your pain using passing physical therapy modalities such as:
- Heat and ice: physical therapists use heat before manual therapy to relax muscles, and then they apply ice after your treatment to reduce inflammation
- Therapeutic ultrasound: uses heat to increase blood flow and promote healing of your muscles, tendons, joints, and ligaments
- Therapeutic massage: relaxes muscles, improves circulation, and relieves pain
- Iontophoresis: uses electrical stimulation to administer medication through your skin
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS): uses low-voltage electric currents to block pain signals
Active physical therapy
This type of physical therapy includes exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles and soft tissues that support your spine. Your treatment may also include exercises to help you regain balance, endurance, range of motion, and coordination.
What specialized therapies might I receive?
The team at TriMed Spine & Joint offers many specialized therapies that may be included in your treatment, such as:
Spinal traction: Traction gently stretches and decompresses your spine, which promotes healing and relieves pain.
Functional neuromuscular rehabilitation: This therapy improves muscle function using low-level electrical current to stimulate contraction.
Wii-Hab: This is a form of rehabilitation that restores your balance, and it can be fun when using the Nintendo Wii® balance board.
Pilates: Certified Pilates therapists offer mat Pilates and the state-of-the-art Pilates Clinical Reformer® to preserve spinal alignment and correct postural problems.
If you’d like to schedule physical therapy, call TriMed Spine & Joint or use the online booking feature.
More Questions Patients Ask
How is orthopedic physical therapy different from exercising on my own?
The difference is diagnosis and progression. Therapy starts from what your examination found, targets the specific tissue and movement fault involved, and increases load on a schedule that respects healing. General exercise is valuable but does not distinguish between a joint that needs mobilizing and a tendon that needs graded loading, and the wrong choice at the wrong stage can prolong the problem.
How many sessions will I need?
That depends on the diagnosis, how long it has been present and how much of the work you do at home. Simple, recent problems often resolve in a handful of visits, while post-surgical rehabilitation and long-standing conditions take longer. You should be re-examined periodically and told whether continuing is still producing measurable change.
Should therapy hurt?
Some discomfort during and shortly after a session is normal, particularly when a stiff joint is being mobilized or a tendon is being loaded. What is not normal is pain that is sharp, that lingers well into the next day, or that is accompanied by new numbness, swelling or weakness. Tell your therapist, because the program should be adjusted rather than pushed through.
Can physical therapy be combined with chiropractic care or injections?
Yes, and it often is. Because chiropractic, orthopedic and pain management are all part of TriMed Spine and Joint, therapy is regularly paired with adjustment, laser or shockwave therapy, injections, or post-surgical care. Call 1 (855) 4-TRIMED to arrange an evaluation.