Category: Physical Therapy

Can anxiety really be causing my arm pain?
The short answer is yes. Anxiety can cause pain and other symptoms in the arm.

Arm pain is widespread and affects many people daily. Some people may experience sudden sharp pain that comes on suddenly and doesn’t last very long, while others have a more chronic condition that’s more persistent.

In addition to arm pain, Harvard University links pain to other parts of the body due to anxiety and depression. The shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand are all areas where you can feel arm pain when experiencing stress for several reasons.

How can anxiety cause arm pain?

Anxiety puts stress on your body. It can even cause physical symptoms, including muscle tension and aches. Here are three reasons why anxiety can cause arm pain:
1. Muscle tension — When you feel anxious, your muscles will tense up. Muscle tension is a natural response for the body when it feels threatened. The problem with muscle tension is that it can result in cramps and pain.
2. Numbness — Sometimes, when you suffer from muscle tension, blood flow to the area decreases, leading to numbness and a pins-and-needles sensation. Numbness is usually temporary, but if you have anxiety for a prolonged time, it can become more permanent due to chronic tension.
3. Panic attacks — Panic attacks can cause symptoms, including chest pain and shortness of breath. The pain from a panic attack is often related to muscle tension — the chest and arm muscles tighten up when you’re in the middle of a panic attack.
3 physical therapy techniques to reduce arm pain caused by anxiety

Anxiety, pain and stress can make daily living difficult for many. However, physical therapy techniques can help you to manage them and help improve your overall well-being. Here are three methods that can be used during or after your visit to see a physical therapist:
1. Diaphragmatic breathing — This kind of breathing exercise is a powerful way to help you relax and reduce muscle tension, which reduces pain.
2. Using heat to increase blood flow — Heat is therapeutic because it increases blood flow to an area, which helps relax tense muscles, improve flexibility, and relieve pain. Heat also releases endorphins, which help you feel better mentally. Heat should not be used immediately following an injury because it increases the inflammatory response by increasing blood flow.
3. Using aquatic therapy — This form of rehabilitation is carried out in swimming pools or other aquatic environments. Pain can be reduced by using aquatic therapy (also known as hydrotherapy). Hydrotherapy relies on natural resistance and support, reduced strain, and better blood flow to reduce arm pain.
Peak Performance can help treat your arm pain and anxiety

As the plethora of options available can be pretty overwhelming to a new patient, your physical therapist can use many safe and effective therapies to relieve pain, treat injuries, and help you manage your anxiety. Our physical therapists will construct an individualized treatment plan designed to reduce your pain and anxiety. We can perform a free screening on you to pinpoint specifics about your arm pain.

Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
April 9, 2022
Explore 3 exercises PT experts can use to cut biceps tendinitis pain
Biceps tendinitis is a disorder that affects the upper arm between the shoulder and elbow. The main symptom of biceps tendinitis is pain when moving the arm or shoulder. It occurs when the biceps tendon becomes inflamed or irritated.

You can develop biceps tendinitis from activities that require repetitive arm movements or from lifting heavy weights. Biceps tendinitis can limit your arm’s range of motion and cause pain, especially when you’re moving your arm above your head. Thankfully, physical therapists can help you reduce biceps tendinitis pain and increase mobility with exercises and other PT methods.

Help biceps tendinitis pain with these 3 recommended exercises

Certain exercises can help with reducing the pain of biceps tendinitis. You can do them on your own or as part of a physical therapy program. The following three exercises are ones that a physical therapist may have biceps tendinitis patients do:
1. Vertical shoulder flexion — Do this exercise slowly with a weight of 3 to 5 pounds. Stand against a wall and raise your arms upward, keeping them close to the wall. Slowly extend your arms overhead; then return them to their original position. Repeat 15 times.
2. Forearm twists — Twisting your forearms keeps your arm flexible and makes the biceps tendon glide smoothly. Start by letting your injured arm hang by your side; then bend your elbow to 90 degrees. Hold the position for five seconds; then turn your palm upward. Hold the position for five seconds; then rotate your palm to face downward. Do this three times a day and 10 times per set.
3. Internal rotation stretch — Your arm rotates internally in the shoulder socket when you turn your hands from front to back, and this movement also relies heavily on your biceps. Practicing the internal rotation stretch can help maintain your ability to perform internal rotation. Put a yardstick or broom behind your back and hold it with your knuckles facing down. You’re going to feel it in your arm when you raise the stick up your back slowly with both hands. You’ll want to continue this movement for 30 seconds and then let your arms fall back down toward your butt. Make sure you do this twice a day and do four reps each time.
A physical therapist can help make sure you’re doing these and other biceps tendinitis exercises optimally. They can also offer other techniques to help reduce your pain.

Can physical therapy help my biceps tendinitis?

If you want to reduce the pain caused by biceps tendinitis, Armor Physical Therapy is ready and willing to help. Our team of licensed physical therapy specialists can work with you to create a physical therapy plan that is specifically tailored to your recovery needs. The plan we create for you will be designed to help reduce your pain and increase your mobility.

Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
April 9, 2022
Telltale Signs That You Should Find a New Physical Therapist

Whether you’re looking to recover from a recent injury or simply want to take substantial strides forward in your physical health, physical therapy is the number one resource. With the guidance of a qualified professional, these appointments help you learn more about your body’s capabilities and how to strategically push them to improve performance. However, like any other type of treatment, the quality of your physical therapy sessions depends heavily on the expertise of your chosen professional.

The qualified individuals at Therapydia are among the many brilliant physical therapists in this field. They specialize in one-on-one patient care, longer visits with patients, and focus strongly on education. Therapydia supports patients through a lifetime relationship that supports them even when they are not currently dealing with an injury. If the physical therapist you are currently working with does not do these things, it may be time to look elsewhere. Be on the lookout for these telltale signs that you should find a new physical therapist so that you can ensure you get the treatment you rightfully deserve.

Making an Appointment Is Difficult

Believe it or not, you can tell whether a physical therapy practitioner is worth your time by how difficult it is to get an appointment with them. Those working in this industry understand that immediate care is the key to relieving potentially painful symptoms and, therefore, go the extra mile to make this process as smooth as possible. You shouldn’t need to call several times in a week to find a time slot, nor should you need to accommodate their schedule. After all, you’re the one in need of assistance following an injury or surgery. So, if your current practice is telling you to wait a couple weeks or more for availability, you’re better off going elsewhere.

Improper Billing and Claims Filing

You should also consider moving to a different physical therapy practice if you experience any issues with your billing or claims filing after your appointment. Since many physical therapists receive payment from third-party insurance companies, it’s vital that the documents describing your treatment depict your appointments accurately. Otherwise, either your insurance provider or you could end up spending more than necessary for your care. While mistakes like these can happen, consistent discrepancies could suggest wrongdoing, making it vital that you seek out a more trustworthy team of professionals. Luckily, Therapydia accepts most major insurance policies, making it easy for you to receive the care you need.

Lack of Personal Attention to Your Needs

Physical therapy looks slightly different to every person who walks into a clinic. While some are there to manage their pain following an injury or surgery, others might simply need help with improving their body’s overall physical health. Either way, you’ll need a customized plan and a physical therapist that’s willing to take these needs into account. As such, if your current physical therapist doesn’t want to adjust their core practices to suit your requirements, you won’t gain much by staying with them.

No Rapport With Your Therapist

Likewise, you want a physical therapist who’s willing to develop a professional rapport with their clients. The process of strengthening your body and improving balance doesn’t happen overnight. Because of this, you’ll have a lasting relationship with your physical therapy professional as you work towards your goals. This means they should go the extra mile to get to know you and understand how you think. This way, you’ll feel as comfortable as possible when working with them. So, if you can’t communicate your needs and ideas to them without rejection, or you simply can’t get along with them in general, it’s time for a change.

Therapist Isn’t Professionally Licensed

One of the biggest red flags you should be on the lookout for is the lack of a professional license. The human body is a complex machine, and only those sufficiently educated in its inner workings can provide the proper treatment. Working with unqualified individuals can stunt your improvement, or even make your symptoms worse in the long run. For this reason, you should always ask to see a physical therapist’s qualifications prior to booking an appointment with them.

They Only Perform Passive Treatments

Another telltale sign that you should find a new physical therapist is the preference of passive treatments over more active practices. Procedures such as ultrasound, traction, or massage are incredibly beneficial for gathering information and relieving discomfort in the moment. However, they don’t help with improving your mobility, flexibility, or the root of your initial condition. For you to get the most out of your treatment, you want a professional that performs active treatment in the form of exercise and deliberate movement. This way, your body is working and expanding its capabilities with each practice.

Appointments Led by Less Qualified Staff

Make sure you consider moving on as well if the bulk of your treatment doesn’t involve a trained physical therapist. When practices overbook their professionals, you may only receive 15 minutes of direct interaction with them before getting passed along to someone else. This is very harmful to your progress as it’s much harder for your physical therapist to get to know you and your specific needs. Additionally, less-trained staff don’t have the ability to perform the higher-level exercises you might need. Therefore, it’s impossible to get the maximum amount of care out of these sessions.

You Aren’t Making Any Progress

Above all, you might want to switch to a different physical therapist if you aren’t noticing any progress. Even if your treatment plan takes several months or years to finish, you want to see some level of progression along the way. This could mean the easing of your previous pain or a change in how well you can move when performing everyday tasks. If you’ve been working with a physical therapist for some time now and haven’t seen any noteworthy improvements in your performance or comfort, you might benefit more from another opinion.

If you’re interested in working with a physical therapist that will work with you according to your unique goals and needs, we at Therapydia are the team for you. Our Saratoga physical therapy professionals don’t just want to treat your discomfort in the moment. The team at Therapydia cares about your long-term health, and we pride ourselves on providing our clients with resources they can use in any phase of their lives. Our physical therapists are highly-trained, doctorate-level physical therapists who focus on personalize treatments and in-depth one-on-one care. Contact us today to gain not only a qualified physical therapy professional, but a partner that’ll help you navigate this journey to peak physical health.

March 7, 2022
8 ways soft tissue mobilization can truly help with your injury recovery

Soft tissue mobilization is one of the essential rehabilitation tools. Physical therapists use it to help you recover from an injury faster. Unfortunately, most people are unfamiliar with what it actually entails.

There are several types of soft tissue mobilization techniques and approaches. Each one can make a significant difference in your recovery from an injury.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways soft tissue mobilization can help with your injury recovery.

What kind of soft tissue injuries does it help?

Soft tissue mobilization can help with almost any soft tissue injury. It’s helpful for injuries such as tendinitis, bursitis, pinched nerves and ligament sprains. It can even help relieve muscle soreness after a workout.

As we age, our bodies tend to stiffen up more than they used to, making soft tissue mobilization very beneficial later in life.

8 ways this technique can help your soft tissue injury

1. It gets the tissue moving again.

Soft tissue mobilization can help break up adhesions, or areas of scar tissue. The idea is to break down these adhesions so that your soft tissue can move freely again. Whether the adhesions are from repetitive strain or an acute injury, this technique can help.

Breaking up the adhesions makes it easier for your muscles and joints to move, improving range of motion, flexibility and mobility.

2. It stimulates the recovery process.

There’s some evidence soft tissue work can even help you recover faster after an injury or surgery. Soft tissue mobilization aims to get fluid flowing through those tight muscles and tendons. When your physical therapist manipulates those areas, they’re encouraging blood flow. The technique can also help your body produce collagen (one of your body’s main healing agents). In addition, the treatment may reduce inflammation and pain.

3. It can reduce swelling and edema.

When you’re dealing with inflammation, swelling and edema — the buildup of fluid in tissue — soft tissue mobilization can help. Its main effect is reducing inflammation in soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments) through mechanical disruption.

This type of therapy also loosens joints by improving circulation, thus increasing nutrition to healthy cells and speeding recovery after injury.

4. It can play a key role in pain reduction.

One of soft tissue mobilization’s most significant benefits is pain reduction. Trigger points are associated with pain, and research has shown that mobilization helps break up these spots to reduce symptoms. Muscle tension can also cause stress on your spine, which can cause irritation or inflammation of bones and muscles. That’s why keeping your muscles free from pressure (and trigger points) is so important.

5. It can help restore functionality.

All injuries involve an impairment to movement in some form. Soft tissue mobilization is known to restore functionality following injury, so long as it’s performed by a professional. Improper or unskilled soft tissue work can make a recovery from injury harder. When dealing with an injury, be sure to get assistance from a physical therapist who understands soft tissue mobilization and is skilled at applying it to your specific needs.

6. It helps lengthen tendons and muscles.

Tightening and shortening of tendons can lead to muscle injuries, which can cause further issues with flexibility. A trained physical therapist can administer soft tissue mobilization to lengthen your tight muscles, tendons and fascia. The result can be improved mobility in your soft tissue.

7. It may increase lymph flow.

When we suffer an injury, our bodies respond by sending blood and lymphatic fluid to heal it. This results in swelling that can hinder recovery. Still, with regular soft tissue mobilization, you can encourage lymph flow and help your body dispose of excess fluids, decreasing swelling and promoting faster recovery.

8. It can help improve blood flow and oxygenation.

Even with your small joints, improving blood flow and oxygenation is possible. These two things can decrease aches and pains and help promote recovery and prevent future injuries. Having a physical therapist perform mobilization techniques that focus on your hips, shoulders, knees, elbows and ankles can go a long way toward improving blood flow to these areas. These movements are also highly effective at flushing out lactic acid buildup in soft tissue (which contributes to soreness) during exercise.

Find soft tissue mobilization that can help you at Continuum Wellness

Have you been struggling with a soft tissue injury? One of our expert physical therapists at Continuum Wellness is ready to treat you. If you suffer from a soft tissue injury, we offer free screenings that can identify the root injury cause. Furthermore, our therapists can formulate a physical therapy treatment plan customized to your needs that can decrease your pain and prevent it from occurring again.

Get in touch with our team and schedule an appointment if you suffer from a soft tissue injury.

February 14, 2022
How can physical therapists help with slip, trip and fall prevention?
Physical therapists play an important role in helping with slip, trip and fall prevention. One of those roles is identifying mobility issues.

Mobility issues are those that affect gait, balance and coordination. These conditions can make it difficult to navigate stairs, walkways, or uneven surfaces at home or at work. Physical therapists can also help workers and their employers address overlooked dangers in a work environment that can increase the risk of accidents.

Ways physical therapists can help with slip, trip and fall prevention at work

Physical therapists can help an individual worker or a whole company improve their slip, trip and fall prevention. Some of the ways physical therapists can help include:
- Helping companies follow OSHA rules — OSHA has certain requirements for employers. As an example, the working conditions must be free of known risks. Workers should receive training designed to reduce these risks. Physical therapists come into play to provide specific instructions on how to reduce risks. They may even partner with the employer to deliver training to the employees.
- Assessing workplace environments — Slippery surfaces and/or poor lighting can lead to a slip, trip or fall at work. Physical therapists can help assess your workspace and identify issues like these and more, and identifying issues is the first step toward improved slip, trip and fall prevention.
- Helping implement new prevention measures — A physical therapist can point out measures that need to be put in place. They might recommend protecting all floor holes that could be accidentally walked into by workers. They may suggest that each elevated platform, floor, or runway should have a guardrail and a toe board. Fixes like these can help companies stay compliant with OSHA.
- Train employees to spot problem areas — Physical therapists can train employees to spot potential trip hazards. This is important when people are walking up and down stairs. Whenever you see an area without a handrail, consider how someone might trip over it or slip on something wet. Getting these things taken care of as soon as possible is essential if there is any chance of them happening.
- Advice on ergonomics — Physical therapists can help companies decide on office furniture. A good ergonomic chair, for instance, can be adjusted to fit your body perfectly. Some chairs also have lumbar support cushions that support your lower back and eliminate the need to adjust your position throughout the day.
What if you injure yourself in a slip, trip or fall at work? Armor PT can help

Physical therapists can play a vital role in preventing injuries from falls by teaching workers and companies how to address these dangers. They can also help people after an accident has occurred. For instance, our Armor PT physical therapists can conduct tests to see how well someone moves after an injury. They can also help build you a personalized recovery plan for your specific injury and help you learn how to prevent similar injuries in the future.

Please contact us today to schedule your first appointment if you have fallen at work and would like to be evaluated by one of our top-notch physical therapists.
January 3, 2022
Three ways a physical therapist can help cut how long whiplash lasts
Whiplash isn’t just an injury you developed during a car accident or while playing sports. It’s a problem that can bleed into every single task you do every day. And, this problem can last for quite some time.

Whiplash occurs when the head is whipped violently back and forth. It affects a significant number of people every year. Medical researchers have found that up to 1 million people develop whiplash annually. Anyone who develops whiplash may be wondering how long it can last. A physical therapist can supply the answer to this query.

How long does whiplash last?

Like most injuries, how long whiplash lasts can vary from person to person. In general, the symptoms of whiplash often affect people for three months or less. However, there is also a strong possibility that whiplash symptoms can become long-term. The Cleveland Clinic reports that up to 50% of whiplash patients still have persistent neck pain a year after they were injured. You may be more likely to develop chronic symptoms if you experience severe pain when you’re first injured. Not getting your injury addressed right away can also be a factor.

What can physical therapists do to minimize how long whiplash lasts?

Why turn to physical therapists for help with whiplash? Physical therapists can do a lot to help people with this injury. Many of the steps they can take are aimed at helping reduce how long whiplash lasts or easing its symptoms. A few of the steps your physical therapist can take to help you with whiplash include:

1. Providing education — Did you know that many whiplash sufferers end up dealing with their injury for a long time? You may not have before you started reading this blog post. Many whiplash sufferers are in exactly the same position when they first meet with a physical therapist. Fortunately, these professionals can help educate you about whiplash. They can even help you learn how significant the risk of chronic symptoms is.

2. Directly targeting injured structures — Whiplash typically injures neck, shoulder and back structures. Often, the structures that are injured include muscles, tendons and spinal discs. Yet many treatment options, like painkillers, just mask your symptoms and count on your body to naturally heal itself.

Physical therapists can help your body’s natural healing processes by directly addressing the injured structures. PT techniques like soft tissue mobilization can help ease soft tissue tension and boost blood flow to the injured tissue. Also, your physical therapist can use targeted exercises to help improve strength and flexibility in the injured area.

3. Making your whole life part of the treatment process — There’s only so much time you can spend working with a physical therapist. But the more time you spend rehabbing, the better. Physical therapists can help you spend more time on your recovery by making your whole life a part of your treatment process. Some ways they can do so are by:
- Showing you how to do normal daily tasks in ways that don’t aggravate your injury.
- Helping you learn how to sit, stand and move around with good posture.
- Providing ergonomic suggestions intended to help make your work and home environments safer and more beneficial to your healing.
Slash how long your whiplash lasts with help from Excel PT

Keen to minimize how long your whiplash symptoms last? Our Excel Sports & Physical Therapy clinics are places where this and other recovery goals can be met. Our physical therapists can evaluate the severity of your injury during a free screening. In addition, they can combine your needs, goals and multiple therapy techniques into a recovery plan designed to help you recover as fast as possible.

Contact our team today for more information about our whiplash treatment options or to schedule an initial appointment to begin treating your injury.
November 4, 2021
What is involved in an annual wellness exam at a physical therapy clinic?
For nearly two years now, health and wellness have been serious concerns for many Americans. It’s not too surprising then that a 2020 survey found that 57% of Americans claimed that they were prioritizing their health and wellness even over financial concerns.

One way to take a first step toward improving your wellness is to have an annual physical therapy exam. However, many people who read this might be wondering why they should turn to a physical therapist for an annual wellness exam. They might also be curious about what is involved in such an exam. Let’s answer these questions for you.

Why turn to a physical therapist for an annual wellness exam?

Most people would probably think they need to go to their doctor for an annual wellness exam. They don’t even consider going to a physical therapist for such a checkup. However, getting a yearly checkup from a physical therapist can be helpful for several reasons.

For one thing, physical therapists focus on different things than your primary care doctor would. They can take a closer look at the health and wellness of the bones, muscles and other structures that make up your musculoskeletal system. That can be helpful since it is this system that allows you to perform every movement and activity you do every day.

What is involved in an annual wellness exam from a physical therapist?

What is included in an annual wellness exam performed by a physical therapist can vary. Each person is different, after all. They may also be dealing with different musculoskeletal issues. However, there are several general steps that are typically included in the annual wellness exam your physical therapist will perform. Some of these include:
1. A joint mobility check — Determining how mobile your joints are is a vital part of an annual wellness assessment. Why? Your joints are the sites where many of the movements you do every day take place.
Pain in your knees when walking up and down the stairs. Difficulty opening doors. Trouble grasping cups or phones. These are just a few of the consequences of poor joint mobility. Your physical therapist can measure your joints’ mobility and range of motion (ROM). They can then take steps to help you if your joint mobility is poor.
1. A spinal mobility check — A mobile spine is necessary for all the bending and twisting movements you do daily — often, without thinking much about them. Physical therapists can assess your spinal mobility during your annual wellness exam. This typically involves your therapist asking you to move your spine in various ways and recording any difficulties you have. The information can then be used both for tracking your future mobility and as the basis for a physical therapy plan to improve your spinal mobility.
1. A muscle strength and flexibility check — Your joints and spine both require help from soft tissue to move. Your muscles are the most important of these soft tissue structures. However, they can often become weak or stiff in their own right. Your physical therapist can determine your muscle strength and flexibility levels during your annual wellness exam. They can also make recommendations about how to improve them.
Have a beneficial annual wellness exam at Rehab Access

Keen to learn more about what an annual wellness exam is able to do for you? Our Rehab Access Physical Therapy clinicians are eager to help you. Our physical therapists are well versed in the human musculoskeletal system and its disorders. This knowledge allows them to assess various parts of your body effectively either when you’re in pain or as part of an annual wellness checkup.

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help improve your health and wellness or to schedule an initial appointment with us.
November 2, 2021
Four ways physical therapy can help with workplace injury prevention
There are over 2.9 million workplace injuries each year. If you work a physically intensive job, then your body sustains daily wear and tear that may lead to an injury. If you are worried about getting hurt on the job, physical therapy can help you prevent an injury. Workplace injury prevention can be achieved with specific physical therapy techniques.

Do you want to avoid sustaining an injury at work? Here are four ways physical therapy can help you with preventing workplace injuries.

How physical therapy can help with workplace injury prevention

If you are worried about getting injured on the job, here are four ways a physical therapist can help you get to work with confidence:
- Physical therapy for workplace injury prevention — Every job has unique demands. A physical therapist can recommend specific therapeutic exercises to help strengthen your muscles; this can reduce daily strain at work. Strength training can also help reduce tension in the joints that are put under a lot of stress during high-intensity jobs. A physical therapist can also show you effective stretching techniques. By stretching daily, you can remain flexible while working.
- Functional capacity evaluations — Are you worried about performing specific tasks at work? A physical therapist can perform a functional capacity evaluation. This tests for the presence of any musculoskeletal issues. You may have an injury or underlying condition that is causing you pain at work, in which case you and your employer need to know about it.
- Work hardening programs — If you have already injured yourself at work, then physical therapy can still help. Work hardening programs can simulate your normal work environment. In this controlled environment, you can perform the same actions that you might at work with professional guidance. Here you can strengthen your muscles in a controlled manner. Your physical therapist may also evaluate your working posture to ensure that you’re operating with proper form. This is meant to reduce the strain on your joints caused by poor posture while working.
- Ergonomic assessment and training — A physical therapist can assess posture, body mechanics, and positioning of your workspace to address issues from chronic postural deficits and help you to move in a more efficient way that reduces your risk of injury.
Advent Physical Therapy is ready to help you return to work with confidence

Injuring yourself on the job can pose serious problems if it makes getting back to work difficult. Our physical therapists at Advent Physical Therapy are experts in workplace injury prevention. However, if you have already hurt yourself at work, we have you covered. We are prepared to build you a personalized work hardening program that treats your injury and helps you get back to work sooner.

Contact our team today for more information about workplace injury prevention or to schedule an initial appointment.
October 11, 2021
Is physical therapy the same thing as physical rehab?
Physical therapy, physical rehab or rehabilitation, and physiotherapy. There are a lot of terms that are thrown around when people talk about treating musculoskeletal injuries or medical conditions, but do they all mean the same thing exactly? In the case of physical therapy and physical rehab, the answer is they aren’t exactly the same.

What is the difference between physical therapy and physical rehab?

Physical therapy is a medical discipline that’s designed to do several specific things: It is designed to help people address impairments caused by injuries or medical conditions. Additionally, it is intended to help improve a patient’s functional ability and movement. For instance, physical therapy can help address the pain and reduced range of motion caused by a shoulder injury.

Physical rehab is the process of restoring your body to its original condition after an injury. Physical therapy is a major part of this process, but rehabilitation can also include other services such as:
- Occupational therapists.
- Speech therapists.
- Psychologists.
- Clinical social workers.
- Psychiatrists.
Three benefits that physical therapy can offer

Physical therapy can offer people a wide range of benefits. This is one reason why it’s so often included in the physical rehabilitation process. Let’s go back to our example of shoulder injuries. A few of the benefits physical therapy can bring to the rehab process for a shoulder injury include:
1. Educating you about your injury — Rehabilitating a shoulder injury tends to be more effective when you know more about your injury. Physical therapists can help you gain knowledge about your injury and the techniques they use to address it. This increased understanding can help you become a more active participant in your rehabilitation, which can improve its effectiveness.
1. Reducing your pain — Pain reduction is one of the primary goals of physical therapy. Pain tends to make it harder for you to give your whole attention to rehabilitation. Physical therapists can use soft tissue mobilization (STM) and other techniques to help reduce shoulder injury pain. One medical study found that patients who had a shoulder impingement had a 2.4-point drop in visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for pain after STM.
1. Decreasing your total time in rehab — Steady progress in treating your physical symptoms and movement deficits can be heartening. The positive feelings that physical therapy may lead to can increase your ability to tackle other aspects of your rehab. As a result, you may find that your total time rehabilitating is minimized.
Rehab Access offers physical therapy that can help your physical rehab process

Are you looking for a team that can help you get the most out of the physical therapy portion of your physical rehab? Look no further than our team of physical therapists at Rehab Access Physical Therapy. Our team is ready to work closely with your other rehab professionals to address your injury or medical condition. Still not sure if we can help you? Let’s find out together during a free screening.

Contact our team today for more information about all the services we offer or to schedule your initial appointment with us.
October 8, 2021
Can physical therapy influence how long concussion recovery takes?

A concussion is a kind of traumatic brain injury caused by an impact resulting in the brain colliding with the skull. A concussion can cause bruising and swelling to the brain. However, most concussions are mild and can be resolved in a few weeks. One of the most common causes of concussions is participation in sports. Another common incident causing concussions is a car accident. If you’ve had an accident, then you’re probably wondering how long it takes to recover from a concussion.

Are you curious if physical therapy can influence how long a concussion recovery takes? Discover how physical therapy can also help reduce the risk for concussions.

Physical therapy for concussions

Since a concussion is damage to the brain, physical therapy cannot treat a brain injury directly. However, if you are an athlete, then you’re probably wondering how to prevent future concussions from occurring. Neck strength has been linked to risk for concussions. This means that a stronger neck should be able to prevent future concussions.

Therapeutic exercise can be a safe and effective way to strengthen your neck to prevent another concussion. Physical therapists can show you targeted exercises for increasing your neck strength.

Panther Physical Therapy is ready to help you recover from or lower your chances of getting a concussion

If you’re wondering how long it takes to recover from a concussion, then you probably want to know what to do to prevent a future concussion from occurring. This can be a priority for you especially if you are an athlete. Our team at Panther Physical Therapy has years of experience in treating athletes recovering from an injury. We are prepared to build you a personalized treatment plan that meets your needs and gets you back on the field.

Contact our team today for more information on recovering from or preventing a concussion or to schedule an initial appointment.

September 20, 2021
What can a physical therapy clinic in the Bay Area do for you?
There’s a common misconception that physical therapy, or physiotherapy, is as simple as doing a bunch of exercises. While therapeutic exercises are an important tool for physical therapists, there are many other ways that physical therapy in the Bay Area can help people.

What are the goals of physical therapy?

The basic goals of physical therapy are fairly universal, whether you live in the Bay Area or another part of the country. First, physical therapy seeks to help people reduce their pain. Typically, this is done using techniques that help improve movement and flexibility. The second basic physical therapy goal is prevention. This can mean helping people avoid injuries, or it can mean working to help people avoid surgery for a specific issue. Thirdly, physical therapists work to help people with recovery, which can mean recovering from a sports or car accident injury or even recovering from a surgery.

What are some physical therapy services you’ll find in the Bay Area?

If you’ve never used them before, you might not be aware that there are many in-person and virtual physical therapy services available in the Bay Area. A few of these services include:
1. Functional capacity evaluations — Have you ever wondered if an illness or injury has affected your ability to work? Physical therapists can help you answer this question using a functional capacity evaluation (FCE). An FCE will start with a physical therapist interviewing you and asking about your medical history. They will then have you go through a battery of physical testing to assess your strength, mobility and ability to do normal work-related activities. In total, an FCE tends to take four to five hours.
1. COVID recovery — Physical therapists probably aren’t the first medical professionals people think of in relation to COVID recovery. However, they can be more helpful than you may think. Physical therapists can help you deal with many of the lingering effects people may experience after recovering from COVID-19. Some of the effects a COVID recovery program can help you address include:
- Fatigue.
- Difficulty doing normal daily tasks.
- Difficulty getting back to your regular exercise routines.
- Shortness of breath.
- Chest pain.
- Physical limitations that are keeping you from returning to work.
- Changes in your balance or frequent dizziness.
- New joint pains or muscle weaknesses from inactivity or periods of bed rest.
SOL PT offers top-notch physical therapy services in the Bay Area

Our team at SOL Physical Therapy is proud to offer effective physical therapy services to the Bay Area. We offer a wide range of services at our physical clinic locations and virtually, and we can help you address pain, improve your ability to move and much more!

Contact our team today for more information about all the services we offer or to schedule an initial appointment with one of our experienced physical therapists.
September 10, 2021
Three reasons you may be looking for physical therapy in Portland, ME
There are many advantages to living in Portland, Maine, but you might not have thought about one specific benefit that living in this city can offer: easy access to effective physical therapy.

Physical therapy is a treatment type that can be used to treat many musculoskeletal disorders. The reason? Physical therapists spend years training to treat the muscles, ligaments and other structures that make up your musculoskeletal system. Some of the reasons why you might be looking for physical therapy in Portland are:
1. You recently experienced a fall.
Many of us have fallen down at some point, and you might also have injured yourself as a result of falling. Falls are notorious for causing everything from bruises to broken bones. It’s especially common for older people to injure themselves when they fall. Research also reveals that older people who fall once are twice as likely to fall again. A physical therapist in Portland can help you recover from fall-related injuries, and they can help you improve your balance and strength, which can help reduce your risk of future falls.
1. You just had or are about to have surgery.
You have probably heard about how helpful post-surgical physical therapy can be. It’s even likely that you or someone you know has done post-surgery PT, but you might not know that many physical therapy clinics also offer pre-surgical rehab or pre-hab. Pre-hab is designed to help reduce pain before your surgery. It can also help build muscle strength and flexibility and take other steps to prepare your body for surgery, and you could spend less time in recovery after your procedure as a result.
1. You’re feeling pain.
Americans are no strangers to many forms of pain, and physical therapy can be instrumental in addressing many of the types of pain you might experience. A physical therapist near you can offer effective treatment options for:
- Back pain.
- Neck pain.
- Knee pain.
- Hip pain.
- Ankle pain.
- Foot pain.
- Arthritis pain.
- Wrist pain.
- Hand pain.
Find the physical therapy that you need at Back in Motion PT in Portland

You don’t have to scramble to find top-notch physical therapy in Portland. You just have to get in touch with our team at Back in Motion Physical Therapy. We’re proud to offer treatment for many musculoskeletal issues at our Portland and South Portland clinics. Even better, you can get started with your PT by scheduling a free screening at one of our clinics.

Contact us today for more information about the services we offer or to schedule an initial appointment to start getting our help.
August 26, 2021