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Tag: Therapy

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By Admin Physio, Studies, Therapy , ,

Therapy Found Effective for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Diagnosis

Your doctor may ask you questions and conduct one or more of the following tests to determine whether you have carpal tunnel syndrome:

  • History of symptoms. Your doctor will review the pattern of your symptoms. For example, because the median nerve doesn’t provide sensation to your little finger, symptoms in that finger may indicate a problem other than carpal tunnel syndrome.

     

    Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms usually occur include while holding a phone or a newspaper, gripping a steering wheel, or waking up during the night.

  • Physical examination. Your doctor will conduct a physical examination. He or she will test the feeling in your fingers and the strength of the muscles in your hand.

    Bending the wrist, tapping on the nerve or simply pressing on the nerve can trigger symptoms in many people.

  • X-ray. Some doctors recommend an X-ray of the affected wrist to exclude other causes of wrist pain, such as arthritis or a fracture.
  • Electromyogram. This test measures the tiny electrical discharges produced in muscles. During this test, your doctor inserts a thin-needle electrode into specific muscles to evaluate the electrical activity when muscles contract and rest. This test can identify muscle damage and also may rule out other conditions.
  • Nerve conduction study. In a variation of electromyography, two electrodes are taped to your skin. A small shock is passed through the median nerve to see if electrical impulses are slowed in the carpal tunnel. This test may be used to diagnose your condition and rule out other conditions.

    Surgery

    • Carpal tunnel release procedure

      Carpal tunnel release

       

    Surgery may be appropriate if your symptoms are severe or don’t respond to other treatments.

    The goal of carpal tunnel surgery is to relieve pressure by cutting the ligament pressing on the median nerve.

    The surgery may be performed with two different techniques:

    • Endoscopic surgery. Your surgeon uses a telescope-like device with a tiny camera attached to it (endoscope) to see inside your carpal tunnel. Your surgeon cuts the ligament through one or two small incisions in your hand or wrist.

      Endoscopic surgery may result in less pain than does open surgery in the first few days or weeks after surgery.

    • Open surgery. Your surgeon makes an incision in the palm of your hand over the carpal tunnel and cuts through the ligament to free the nerve.

    Discuss the risks and benefits of each technique with your surgeon before surgery. Surgery risks may include:

    • Incomplete release of the ligament
    • Wound infections
    • Scar formation
    • Nerve or vascular injuries

    During the healing process after the surgery, the ligament tissues gradually grow back together while allowing more room for the nerve. This internal healing process typically takes several months, but the skin heals in a few weeks.

By Admin Physio, Studies, Therapy ,

Myth: Physical Therapy is only for Injuries and Accidents

Physical therapists do a lot more than just stretch or strengthen weak muscles after an injury or surgery. They are skilled at evaluating and diagnosing potential problems before they lead to more-serious injuries or disabling conditions from carpal tunnel syndrome or a frozen shoulder to chronic headaches or lower-back

7 Myths About Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy Elastic Bands Arms

Physical therapists are movement experts who help people reduce pain, improve or restore mobility, and stay active throughout life. But there are some common misconceptions that often discourage people from seeking physical therapist treatment.

It’s time to debunk 7 common myths about physical therapy:

1. Myth: I need a referral to see a physical therapist.

Fact: A recent survey by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) revealed 70% of people think a referral or prescription is required for evaluation by a physical therapist. However, a physician’s referral is not required in order to be evaluated by a physical therapist. Some states have restrictions about the treatment a physical therapist can provide without a physician referral. Check out APTA’s direct access summary chart (.pdf) to see the restrictions in your state.

2. Myth: Physical therapy is painful.

Fact: Physical therapists seek to minimize your pain and discomfort—including chronic or long-term pain. They work within your pain threshold to help you heal, and restore movement and function. The survey found that although 71% of people who have never visited a physical therapist think physical therapy is painful, that number significantly decreases among patients who have seen a physical therapist in the past year.

3. Myth: Physical therapy is only for injuries and accidents.

Fact: Physical therapists do a lot more than just stretch or strengthen weak muscles after an injury or surgery. They are skilled at evaluating and diagnosing potential problems before they lead to more serious injuries or disabling conditions—from carpal tunnel syndrome and frozen shoulder, to chronic headaches and lower back pain, to name a few.

4. Myth: Any health care professional can perform physical therapy.

Fact: Although 42% of consumers know that physical therapy can only be performed by a licensed physical therapist, 37% still believe other health care professionals can also administer physical therapy. Many physical therapists also pursue board certification in specific areas such as neurology, orthopedics, sports, or women’s health, for example.

5. Myth: Physical therapy isn’t covered by insurance.

Fact: Most insurance policies cover some form of physical therapy. Beyond insurance coverage, physical therapy has proven to reduce costs by helping people avoid unnecessary imaging scans, surgery, or prescription drugs. Physical therapy can also lower costs by helping patients avoid falls or by addressing conditions before they become chronic.

6. Myth: Surgery is my only option.

Fact: In many cases, physical therapy has been shown to be as effective as surgery in treating a wide range of conditions—from rotator cuff tears and degenerative disk disease, to meniscal tears and some forms of knee osteoarthritis. Those who have recently seen a physical therapist know this to be true, with 79% believing physical therapy can provide an alternative to surgery.

7. Myth: I can do physical therapy myself.

Fact: Your participation is key to a successful treatment plan, but every patient still needs the expert care and guidance of a licensed physical therapist. Your therapist will leverage his or her specialized education, clinical expertise, and the latest available evidence to evaluate your needs and make a diagnosis before creating an individualized plan of care.

By Admin Exercises, Physio ,

How Physical Therapy Can Prevent Injuries

Customized physical therapy may be a useful way to ease low back pain, which affects an estimated 31 million Americans a new study says. Researchers from La Trobe University observed that ‘many patients with low-back disorders persisting beyond 6 weeks do not recover.

Yearly PT check-ups?

While most people don’t have “physical therapy” on their list of check-ups each year (such as the doctor, dentist, etc.), many physical therapists see patients regularly – even when they’re not injured. Physical therapist Karen Joubert, DPT stated that, “People come see us [after] surgery or sprained ankles or prehab before surgery, but the more interesting thing is that I have patients who are getting into their 30s and 40s and are realizing, ‘Wow, I want to live longer, maybe have a family. And I don’t want to have to be hunched over or have back surgery. How can I prevent that?'”

The idea of using physical therapy as a regular, preventive measure against aches, pains, and serious injuries down the road is something our team has always advocated, as well. Many of our patients are regular visitors who prefer physical therapy to other forms of pain management like massage, prescription drugs, chiropractic visits, or injections.

The article goes on to explain that “Physical therapists often work with people who are healing from an injury to help them restore proper movement patterns in the body and avoid future injury. They do this by teaching them how to do exercises that will strengthen important muscles, and work on improving mobility and alignment required for optimal physical function.”

For those that hit the gym hard

“Seeing a physical therapist when you feel perfectly fine can be beneficial for some people—especially those who hit the gym hard,” says Marturana. “Most preventive patients are looking for ways to keep their bodies functioning properly and avoid injury.” If you’re at the gym with the intention of changing the way your body looks, it’s common that you’ll encounter minor injuries along the way. Most people won’t even consider them injuries – just little tweaks or strains. Many push right past these warning signs not considering the more permanent damage that can come down the road.

The counterarguments

The article also speaks to the counterarguments about physical therapy as a preventive measure. The two major points brought up are: a) if you’re already cured; and b) if it’s too costly. If you visited a physical therapist in the past for pain in your arm and that pain was completely resolved, the article suggests that there is no need to go back to “tune up” your arm. In many instances, this is right – if an issue is completely resolved, physical therapy for that exact same issue may not help all that much. However, in our experience we find that patients rarely are 100% healthy in every part of their body. Just because your arm pain has been resolved, the point of a regular check-up is to make sure everything else is functioning correctly and address other issues before they lead to another major incident.

As for the cost argument, the article says, “Seeing a physical therapist before training for an Ironman or joining a recreational adult soccer league is a smart idea to avoid injury and learn what your body needs (in terms of alignment and mobility and stability) during training. When it comes to just seeing a physical therapist on the regular to check in, it’s definitely not going to hurt, but it also might not be worth your money. It’s a pretty personal decision, though—if it seems beneficial to you and your health and fitness goals, then it probably is worth it.” It goes on to state that while seeing a physical therapist once a week or month may not be cheap, neither is getting injured. Ultimately, it comes down to how much you value your wellbeing (and how good your insurance is).

What you may not know

What many people don’t know is that nearly every state allows you to visit a physical therapist without a referral from your doctor or approval from your insurance company. To be sure, all you have to do is call a physical therapy clinic and ask them to verify your insurance before you come in. The front desk team will let you know what your co-pay will be (if any) and how many visits you can come in for without any kind of referral or prescription.

We’ll leave you with one last nugget of wisdom from this article: “If something hurts, stop doing it. If you think you injured yourself, see your doctor or a physical therapist to address it before it gets worse. You only get one body, so it’s always worth giving it the TLC it deserves.”

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