Tag Archives: spinal stenosis physical therapy

5 REASONS TO CHOOSE PHYSICAL THERAPY AFTER SURGERY

After surgery, rehabilitation speeds the healing process, and it helps you learn the best way to care for yourself and return to daily activities.

Some of the patients are quite hesitant and might delay the Physical Therapy. Delay can be a challenge for patient and a big problem later down the line. Loss of Strength, muscle stiffness, Regaining proper movements of surgical part are the complications must face by patient after the delay after surgery, A physical Therapist helps to improve health with quality of care, in order to the things they want to do again. By choosing Physical Therapy at right time you can avoid surgery. In the Physical Therapy variety of techniques used to attempt for the injured part or surgical part. Before you go to the surgery must get PT visit first, after surgery you will have get to the Rehab area, why not to try it first. Physical therapist believes in the statement- any discomfort on the body can be cure and should be treated. No matter what king of surgery you are undertaking but the physical therapy after surgery will help you to know the best way to care for yourself and restart your daily routine. Following are the Reasons:-

1. Boost up Mobility, Strength and Balance-May be an image of one or more people

Loss of Mobility can have a devastating effect on your quality of life. Surgery can restrict your range of motion. Physical Therapy helps to improve mobility through movement, strength techniques; they help to improve muscle tone. Depending upon the severity of surgery, PTs would improve your balance. Physical Therapy is a vital part of healing for any type of surgery. Without ability to move freely and without pain a person may experience depression, weight gain and other health consequences. Even people lose the self- confidence. The goal of physical therapist is to get back to independent life and confidence. Ultimately Physical therapist will do whatever is necessary for your health. Physical Therapy can provide a safe and gradual plan to get you confidently back on your feet. And if the surgery took place in the arm, wrist, or hand, therapists can help you sharpen your fine motor skills again.

2. Reduce Pain & Swelling-

May be an image of one or more people and text that says 'REDUCE SWELLING & PAIN'

Physical Therapy never hurt, that’s why it is best choice when you have long term pain after surgery. Physical therapists are experts not only in treating pain, but also a source. Swelling after surgery is another basic step of healing. Electric nerve stimulation is short term relieve given through skin helps to improve strength and relieves muscles spasms. Heat Therapy is given for pain and inflammation and increase range of motion. Ice packs are recommended for 3-4 times a day and for swelling your physical therapist may provide massages and rehabilitation can help to decrease swelling and restrict the surgical pain from becoming chronic.

3. Reduce Scare Tissue Formation

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After surgery scar formation is a natural occurrence as scars helps to strength the tissues. Your immune system respond against the injury and scars arise over your skin due to collection of new cells that cover the site of injury. Some scars can be large and painful or tender. Excess scar of tissue can reduce function and movement for months after procedure. Many massage techniques, Pressure therapy, and Ultrasound therapy to reduce the thickness of scar, simply bending and extending the joints close to scar will also reduce tissue formation. By treating your pain with, you can reduce your dependency on taking medications for stiffness and pain of tough scar tissue.

4. Reduce development of Secondary Issues: 

Loss of Mobility can have a devastating effect on your quality of life. Surgery can restrict your range of motion. Physical Therapy helps to improve mobility through movement, strength techniques; they help to improve muscle tone. Depending upon the severity of surgery, PTs would improve your balance. Physical Therapy is a vital part of healing for any type of surgery. Without ability to move freely and without pain a person may experience depression, weight gain and other health consequences. Even people lose the self- confidence. The goal of physical therapist is to get back to independent life and confidence. Ultimately Physical therapist will do whatever is necessary for your health. Physical Therapy can provide a safe and gradual plan to get you confidently back on your feet. And if the surgery took place in the arm, wrist, or hand, therapists can help you sharpen your fine motor skills again.

5. Improves Flexibility-

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A fractured bone or rehabilitation after surgery requires weeks o rest were the muscles are not used at all. To prevent from injury increasing your flexibility is crucial step. Loss of flexibility leads to weekend muscles that easily become stiff, that effect jumping, running, walking bending and stretching movements. Restoring normal range of motion after surgery stretching techniques helps to maintain flexibility by reducing resistance in muscle tissue. Contracting and stretching of muscle by planned exercise during rehabilitation improve performance and enable to do everyday activity. Such training allows you to easier and deeper movements by increasing flexibility that must provide wide range of physical benefits.

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Physical Therapy Treatment for Spinal Stenosis

According to a study made, as many as 75% of us suffer from back pain or neck pain at some point of our lifetime. Spinal Stenosis is also one of such causes of back pain that affects the bones of your back by narrowing the openings within the bones.

What do we mean by Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal Stenosis is a condition causing the narrowing of spinal canal which in turn puts too much pressure either on the spinal cord or the nerve roots. Staying active and exercising regularly is the most efficient way to treat Spinal Stenosis. This condition can occur both in the neck or the lower back.

What are the most common causes of Spinal Stenosis?

Most of the major causes of Spinal Stenosis are related with the ageing process of spine. It may occur due to:

  • Gradual degenerative ageing process of spine
  • Thickening and calcifying of spinal ligaments
  • Bone spurs due to the enlargement of bones and joints that occurs due bone stress
  • Dehydration of spinal discs between the vertebrae due to age
  • Spinal osteoarthritis that is accompanied by the overgrowth of bone formation or bone spurs
  • Flattening of discs due to normal ageing and wear and tear
  • Spinal injuries, tumors and bone diseases like (Paget Disease) may also lead to Spinal Stenosis

What are the signs and symptoms of Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal Stenosis may cause the following symptoms including:

  • Weakness, pain, tingling or numbness in the arms, legs, trunk or shoulders
  • Muscle weakness
  • Diminished reflex cramping in the arms or legs
  • If your Lumbar Spine is stenotic, you may feel pain radiating from the low back and into the buttocks and legs
  • If a nerve root is being pushed on due to the narrowing of space within the spine, you may feel pain radiating to nerve which reduces with sitting

What are the Physical Therapy treatment options opted to treat Spinal Stenosis?

Your physical therapist will design treatment program for you depending upon the evaluations’ and your personal goals as well. He will suggest a treatment program that will be a combination of different exercises:

  • Stretching exercises may be suggested to eliminate stress on joints and to improve flexibility as well
  • Work ergonomics to improve your posture at work
  • Strengthening exercises may be recommended to support your spinal joints for strong arms’ and legs’ muscle
  • Manual therapy may be administered to improvise joint mobility
  • Deep tissue massage therapy may be used to release tension in the soft tissues
  • Hot and cold therapies may be applied alternatively to eliminate inflammation, muscle spasms, pain and swelling
  • TENS and Ultrasound therapy may be used to treat muscle cramping, stiffness and pain
  • Aquatic exercises may be suggested to help your body to exercise without putting pressure on the spine

Contact Alliance Physical Therapy for the state-of-art and efficient treatment of any of your musculoskeletal problems or diseases. Our professional and diligent Physical Therapists use patient-proven methods and top-notch techniques to treat your problems and help you to get back to your work as early as possible.

Piriformis Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Piriformis muscle is a flat and band like muscle that is located in buttocks near the top of the hip joint. This muscle helps in the movement of the lower body as it makes the hip joint stable and as well lifts and rotates the thigh.

What do we mean by Piriformis Syndrome?

Piriformis Syndrome is an uncommon neuromuscular pathology which occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed by the piriformis muscle. This compression causes pain, tingling and numbness in the buttocks and along the sciatic nerve path going down the thigh into the leg.

What are the potential signs and symptoms of Piriformis Syndrome?

  • Pain in lower back or buttocks
  • Painful to sit on the affected buttock
  • Pain or tingling sensation down the back of legs
  • Pain down the back of calf & foot
  • Pain while mounting and inclining stairs
  • Pain increases with prolonged sitting
  • Reduced range of motion of the hip joint

What are causes of Piriformis Syndrome?

Piriformis Syndrome usually develops in the athletes who are engaged in forward-moving activities like runners or bicyclists. This syndrome generally occurs due to:

  • combination of weak abductors with the tight abductors
  • Stiffness or hypo-mobility of the sacroiliac joints
  • Overporonation of the foot
  • Overworking of Piriformis muscle
  • Dysfunctioning of the adjacent SIJ or hip joints
  • Work hip stability muscles

What are the Physical Therapy treatments suggested to cure Piriformis Syndrome?

Depending upon the severity of condition, pain and other symptoms, number of physical therapy treatments may be suggested:

  • Stretching exercises are prescribed to relieve sciatic nerve irritation.
  • Heat treatment is suggested to relax the piriformis muscle.
  • Ultrasound treatment is advised for the deep heating in buttock area.
  • Hands-on treatment like deep-tissue massage or soft-tissue mobilization is administered to relax nerve signals to the piriformis.
  • Strengthening of abductors and abductor muscles may be suggested.
  • Myofascial release and thrust techniques may be suggested to address the somatic dysfunction in the patients.
  • Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) may be advised to restore patients’ normal range of motion.
  • Pelvic and spine re-alignment techniques are suggested.
  • Foot orthotics or exercises are advised to restore foot and lower extremity alignment.

Contact Alliance Physical Therapy for the state-of-art and efficient treatment of any of your neuromusculoskeletal problems or deformities. We use patient proven methods and techniques to get you back to your daily routine as soon as possible and make you as sturdy and healthy as before.