Health Blog

Aquatic therapy

Oct 25^th  2012 

Aquatic therapy or water therapy is a form of low-impact exercise performed in a pool or body of water.  It is used to treat and rehabilitate different medical conditions like arthritis.  It is also used for post-surgical recovery.

Aquatic therapy is a popular form of treatment because of the benefits it provides patients.  One important benefit of this therapy is its less impact to the joints.  The natural buoyancy of the water removes the pressure and stress from the affected muscles and joints.  By lowering the stress levels on the joints, pain is reduced.  Also, this therapy can help in releasing endorphins, the body’s pain killer.  It can greatly improve a patient’s breath control, lung capacity and overall fitness.

Foot Pain due to Foot Drop

Oct 11^th  2012 

Foot pain can be felt from different parts of the foot. It can start from the toes to the Achilles tendon at the heel. The pain might be minor or it can also be severe. It can also be serious as a result of an injury or due to certain chronic medical conditions.

For simple foot pain, a massage might do the trick. Massaging the foot is a great for keeping it loose.

Aquatic therapy

Oct 11^th  2012 

Aquatic therapy includes exercises and activities done in a pool with controlled temperature. It involves techniques that aim to apply proper rehabilitative methods for patients with specific injuries or disabilities.

Conditions that can be treated with aquatic therapy include joint-related problems like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and dislocations. It is also used to treat multiple sclerosis stroke as well as sports injuries like rotator cuff problems.

Walking as part of aquatic therapy is a good aerobic exercise.

Physical Therapy Rehabilitation

Oct 5^th  2012 

Patients who are recovering from a serious illness, injury or surgery will require physical therapy rehabilitation to regain their strength, for skills re-education or to find new ways to do normal things and activities.

Rehabilitation is a process of using physical therapy to help in regaining fitness, mobility and strength.  In some cases, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy can also be applied depending on the injury or illness.  Physical therapy rehabilitation can also be used to reduce and relieve pain.

Sports Injuries

Oct 4^th  2012 

Sports injuries can be classified as those injuries that occur during any organized sports events.  These events could include competitions, fitness activities and training sessions.  Physical therapy for sports injuries is a common treatment to ensure that the injured patient can get back to his or her normal life and to prevent any permanent damage.

There are two types of sports injuries.  The first type is classified as acute traumatic.  This type of injury normally results from a single and strong application of pressure or force.  Physical therapy for sports injuries treatment will depend on the type of injury and its severity.  Some injuries do not require physical therapy at all.

Arthritis and How Physical Therapy helps

Sep 27^th  2012 

Patients suffering from arthritis complain of stiff joints.  They normally avoid movements since it increases pain.  But the pain and stiffness will only worsen if the arthritic joints are not moved.  Physical therapy can help with the stiffness without adding damage to the joints.

The primary goal of a physical therapist is to help a patient with arthritis get back to doing daily normal activities pain free.  Maintaining a good range of motion is important so the patient can still have the ability to do his or her daily activities.  Building strength especially in the muscles around the affected joints is also important.  Stronger muscles are needed to stabilize the weakened joint better.

Shoulder Injury

Sep 27^th  2012 

The shoulder is a very flexible joint in the body.  It is made up of a ball and socket joint that allows the arm to move in a wide range of movement.  Shoulder instability can often lead to injury.  Any shoulder injury can affect your range of motion and physical therapy can help you with this condition.

The rotator cuff is the group of muscles that works to stabilize the shoulder.  The four muscles affected by the rotator cuff shoulder injury are supraspinatus, subscapularis, teres minor and infraspinatus.  The first two are called internal rotators and the last two are the external rotators.  Internal rotators are used to pull the arm towards the body and to rotate the arm with palms face in.  The external rotators are used to do the opposite action.