Overcome Knee and Hip Pain for Good with Physical Therapy

Hip pain and knee pain are a part of life for many people. Cartilage in the knees, hip or lower back can wear down due to overuse and lead to discomfort or arthritis. Sometimes just a straight-up injury can cause pain. While some cases are so severe that they could require surgery to repair an injury, there are many situations in which working with a physical therapist can help overcome these pains. Our Lewiston clinic has helped many patients overcome knee or hip pain, and we’d be happy to work with you to help you achieve pain relief and get back to a normal routine.

How a Physical Therapist Can Help Disc Herniation

A physical therapist will begin with passive treatments for herniated discs. Passive physical treatments include deep tissue massage, cold therapy, hydrotherapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and traction. Deep tissue massage utilizes pressure to relieve muscle tension and spasms. Hot therapy may be used to increase blood flow to the target area to accelerate healing. Cold therapy helps reduce inflammation. Hydrotherapy relaxes muscles and brings pain relief. The TENS machine uses an electrical current that triggers the release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers. Traction may be implemented to reduce pressure on the spine.

Physical Therapy and Effective Pain Relief- Part Five

Participating in physical therapy is an engaging process that can inspire you to take a more active role in your pain management. As important as primary care physicians are, they generally don’t get to spend very much face-to-face time with their patients. But the typical physical therapy session lasts anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, and your physical therapist gets the opportunity to work closely with you and include you in in-depth discussions about progress, goals and needs.

Physical Therapy and Effective Pain Relief- Part Four

A physical therapist can implement individualized exercise programs that are specifically tailored to your stage of recovery. Everybody (and every body) is intended to move, but when you’re in pain, it may seem counterintuitive to say that exercise can help you feel better. The truth is, physical activity can significantly reduce your pain, and physical therapists are experts at designing individualized exercise programs that can promote tissue healing, swelling reduction, improved range of motion, and increased strength and endurance.

Physical Therapy and Effective Pain Relief- Part Three
A physical therapist provides pain relief by addressing pain at its root, rather than simply masking it. The problem with pills is that if they are at all effective at relieving your pain, it’s usually only a temporary relief at best — stop taking the medication, and the pain will return. This is because most pain medications don’t fully address the specific underlying reason for your pain to be there in the first place. On the other hand, a physical therapist carefully evaluates your body and identifies the underlying reasons for your pain. By addressing the underlying cause (like scar tissue or muscle length imbalances), your therapist can help you relieve and even prevent pain.

Physical Therapy and Effective Pain Relief- Part Two

Physical therapy techniques have minimal-to-no side effects. Treatments frequently used by your physical therapist — including joint mobilizations, massage, and modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation and diathermy — have a very low risk of side effects, significantly lower than those imposed by other methods of pain relief (including invasive procedures and medications).

Physical Therapy and Effective Pain Relief- Part One

A physical therapist uses techniques and services that have been rigorously studied and supported by scientific research. Strong research shows that physical therapy services can significantly reduce back pain, post-operative pain and a variety of other pain-related conditions. By implementing a plan of care using techniques vetted by scientific research, therapists are truly able to improve patient outcomes.

LEWIS-CLARK VALLEY

This Morning Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.

Physical Therapy- A Non-Invasive and Safe Pain Relief Strategy

In recent years, physicians have been prescribing more and more prescription pain medications, including opioids. In the year 2013 alone, physicians prescribed nearly a quarter of a billion opioid prescriptions— enough for one bottle of pills per American! This over-prescription has contributed to the significant abuse and overdose epidemic going on this country.

In the face of this public health problem, there’s been a push for a return to more non-invasive and safer pain relief strategies, including physical therapy. So whether your pain is acute or chronic in nature, we encourage you to get in touch with Dynamic Physical Therapy for natural pain relief.

LEWIS-CLARK VALLEY

This Morning Sunny, with a high near 61.

Dynamic Physical Therapist Can Prescribe the Perfect Massage Routine.

Your soft tissues work hard for you – so give them what they need to optimize their health and function. Contact our Lewiston physical therapy facility to ask our physical therapist whether therapeutic massage makes sense for you. You may end up feeling – and playing – a lot better!

LEWIS-CLARK VALLEY

This Morning Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. Light east wind.

Athletes and Therapeutic Massage

Therapeutic massage can be an athlete’s best friend, both before and after training or competition. Our physical therapist might recommend different types of massage to accompany different forms (and intents) of your physical therapy program. For instance:

• Swedish massage may be indicated to relax tense muscles, increase the flow of blood to soothe pain, and boost fluid drainage for swelling reduction.
• Deep-tissue massage may be necessary to loosen muscles and connective tissues located near their corresponding bones.
• A technique called myofascial release can help free tissues trapped by fascial adhesions or distortions.

LEWIS-CLARK VALLEY

This Morning Sunny, with a high near 47. Calm wind.

Why Athletes Utilize A Physical Therapist

If you’re an athlete at any level of training or competition, you’re already familiar with the cycle of preparation, participation and recovery that seems to accompany just about any strenuous activity. First, you must prepare your muscles and connective tissues to do their job optimally well. You must then get them into their loosest, easiest form for the event itself. Finally, you must tend to the inevitable damage and soreness following your event. That’s why you should call Dynamic Physical Therapy today to ask our physical therapist about therapeutic massage. This natural complement to physical therapy can make all stages of training and recovery cycle much easier – even to the point of minimizing future sports injuries.