Types Of Physical Therapy Cambridge MA

By William Kelly


Physical therapy is a form of treatment that one may need when health problems make it hard for them to move around and do tasks that they should be doing. It helps to enhance movement and relieve pain in addition to ensuring there is restoration of physical function and fitness level. When considering physical therapy Cambridge MA residents should know the goal is to make daily activities easier.

It helps in recovery after one undergoes certain types of surgery. Doctors recommend this therapy for either injuries or long-term health issues like arthritis. It can be used alone or in conjunction with other modes of treatment. Therapists examine patients to be able to know what the cause of the problems are. This assists them to have a treatment plan. The main aim is to ensure joints move in a better way and also restore strength. The treatment also improves coordination, flexibility and endurance.

There are different forms of physical therapy. Among the commonest is exercise. This is a controlled physical stresses applied to the body so that there is enhancement of strength, flexibility and range of motion. Exercise can either be active or passive. When it comes to passive exercise, the affected person relaxes as the therapist applies the required stress. The hamstring stress exercise is an example and involves lifting the leg to ensure elongation of hamstring muscles around the thighs.

With the active exercises, they are performed under power of the person. Some of these exercises include straight leg raising, hip strengthening and walking on treadmills. There are home programs that are very effective and are recommended to be done by the individual. They come in handy for those who want to get back to normal functioning of the body fast. Exercising is is probably the most used form of physical therapy.

On rare occasions, electric stimulation is used to reduce pain around tissues that are injured. This theory can be explained in two ways, the opiate theory and gate theory. Other forms of this stimulation are used to contract muscles. This is used to help injured muscles relearn ways of functioning properly. The treatment might take time before normal operations are resumed.

Traction is used in treating low back pain and neck pain to help in minimizing pain and enhancing mobility of the spine. To make use of lumbar traction, one is strapped into a mechanical machine. A vest is used in helping to support ribs. In theory, traction is used in separating joints and disk spaces at the lower back and neck. This decreases spinal nerve pressure.

There can also be the use of laser and light therapy. Light therapies involve use of light at specific wavelength to help in improving healing process of tissues that are injured. It is painless treatment that lasts a maximum of three minutes. The therapist holds the light emitting wand directly over the injured part of the body before pressing a button to activate the light.

The other option is massage. This involves use of hands in kneading tissues that are injured and in the process decrease pains and enhance circulation. Muscle tensions also decrease. This will essentially reduce any pain an individual was feeling.




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