Physical Therapy

Whether you are recovering from surgery, wanting to prevent having surgery, working out an injury or have persistent pain, physical therapy can help you feel better. 

I believe in a functional approach to treatment. Pain is commonly caused by a dysfunction in posture and movement patterns. I look at the whole body and connections with pain to solve the problem not just treat the symptoms.

I offer a one on one in-depth evaluation and an individual treatment plan for every patient to optimize rehabilitation and recovery, all in a comfortable environment. 

The majority of the time spent on physical therapy will be manual therapy, a hands-on treatment, as opposed to a device or machine. This involves using hands to put pressure on muscle tissues, mobilizing and manipulating joints, nerve glides and manual traction in an attempt to decrease pain caused by muscle spasm, muscle tension and joint dysfunction. Manual therapy has been shown through research to produce a superior result than exercise alone. Your time is valuable so I do not have you performing exercises in the clinic that could be done at home. If indicated, you will be given a set of exercises for strengthening and stretching that are custom designed for your specific needs. I can also teach you how to prevent or manage a health condition and help motivate you during your treatment so you can function optimally and achieve long-term health benefits.

Many types of pain and inflammation can be reduced with the help of a physical therapist, including low back pain, which affects up to 80 percent of Americans during their lifetime. Physical therapy that mobilizes the spine along with specific exercises can help alleviate the pain and can have long-lasting effects. In conjunction with acupuncture, it is a great alternative to medication and surgery for musculoskeletal pain. 

Here is a list of some of the more common conditions I treat using physical therapy (and acupuncture):

  • Headaches
  • Temporo-mandibular joint pain and dysfunction (TMJ, TMD)
  • Whiplash, neck and arm pain
  • Shoulder impingement, rotator cuff tendonitis and frozen shoulder
  • Tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow
  • Carpal tunnel
  • Cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine issues
  • Sciatica
  • Hip arthritis, labral tears and impingement
  • Knee ligament injuries, acute and chronic; patello-femoral syndrome; tendonitis
  • Shin splints
  • Ankle sprains, acute and chronic
  • Plantar fasciitis and heel pain
  • Contusions and muscle tears
  • Arthritis
  • Pre and post surgical issues
  • Nerve entrapments

As a physical therapist, I am trained in differential diagnosis of musculoskeletal and movement impairment conditions that enables me to recognize potential signs and symptoms that may be outside the scope of physical therapy. If I suspect this is the case I will make appropriate referrals to other medical providers where indicated to prevent delay of more appropriate and valuable treatment.