Facts About Physical Therapy Cambridge MA

By William Kelly


Physical therapy is treatment that is needed when one has health problems that are making it hard for them to move around or do tasks that they need to be doing. It assists in enhancement of movement and pain relief, plus it ensures the individual restores their physical function and level of fitness. In consideration of physical therapy Cambridge MA residents need to appreciate that the aim is to make it easier to perform daily activities.

It will help with recovery after one has undergone certain types of surgery. Physicians recommend physical therapy when one has long term injuries or such health problems as arthritis. The treatment is used on its own or with other forms of treatment. One of the first things is to undergo examination to be able to know what cause of the problem is.

There are different forms of these therapies. Among the commonest is exercising. Exercise is controlled physical stress applied to the body to assist in improving motion range, strength and flexibility. Exercises are classified as active or passive. The passive exercises are those in which you are required to relax as the therapist applies stress. One example is hamstring stress in which you lift your leg so that muscles are elongated on the bag of 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 some occasions, electric stimulation can be used to help in reducing pain around injured tissues. There are two main theories about the way the stimulation works. These are the gate theory and opiate theory. Other forms of electric stimulation can also be used for muscle contraction. This is normally used for helping injured muscles to relearn how to properly function.

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 is also use of light or laser therapy. Light therapies usually involve using light which is at specific wavelengths that help to improve healing of tissues that had injuries. The treatment is painless and lasts for three minutes maximum. Therapists will hold light emitting wands over the injured parts and then press a button that activate the light.

Massage is also an option. It involves using hands to knead injured tissues of the body and thus decrease pain and improve circulation. Muscle tension will also be decreased.




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