At Utica Physical Therapy, there are many treatment options for our therapists to utilize when treating your issues. These are some of the more common treatments, but not all of them. Many people do not understand exactly what they are in for when their doctor prescribes Physical Therapy, but

Evaluation

Ultrasound

Home Health Programs

Pregnancy and Post Partum Rehabilitation

Physioball

Massage Therapy

Pain Management 

Medicine Ball

Resisted Training

Free Weights

Core Strengthening

Spanish Interpretation

Electrical Stimulation

Physical Therapy Evaluation

An evaluation at Utica Physical Therapy is conducted by a physical therapist, who will assess your flexibility, muscle strength, gait, mobility, and function.  During this evaluation, a brief medical history will be taken, followed by a detailed  analysis of your muscle strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, and mobility. You will be asked to perform a variety of movements and assume different positions throughout this evaluation. Hands on evaluation of the joint areas that may have been affected by your injury or condition may also be performed by a Physical Therapist. An evaluation at Utica Physical Therapy will not only measure  the extent of your injury, but will also determine which therapies you would benefit the most from.

Ultrasound

   Ultrasound, also called "deep tissue heating" can be used prior to stretching of muscle or connective tissue, and for relief of pain and muscle spasm.  The therapeutic benefits of ultrasound have been recognized for many years.  At Utica City Physical Therapy we have found that ultrasound is a very potent modality when used properly.  There are two basic effects of ultrasound:  thermal and non-thermal.

The thermal effects include:

• Increased extensibility of collagen-rich structures

• Decreased joint stiffness

• Decreased pain and spasm

• Increased venous blood flow

• Increased nerve conduction velocity

• Production of a mild inflammatory reaction

 The non-thermal effects are:

• Stimulation of tissue regeneration

• Soft tissue and bone repair

• Increased blood flow

• Changes in cell metabolism

• Promotion of pain relief ¹

Depending upon the goal of treatment, the effects of ultrasound can be controlled  through manipulation of frequency, by varying duration, intensity, and also through the use of pulsed or continuous ultrasound.

For promotion of tissue healing and in the presence of inflammatory conditions, non-thermal effects would be more desirable. 

For adequate heating (40-45^oC), the target tissue must be treated for at least five minutes.  To promote wound healing, five minutes or less is indicated, depending on the size of the area to be treated.

Ultrasound is a valuable adjunct to a well-rounded program including patient education, exercise, soft tissue and/or joint mobilization, and massage, to name a few procedures.  It is almost never used on its own.

Electrical Stimulation

       Electrical stimulation therapy is used for pain control, muscle relaxation and nerve re-education, and is used by many health care fields. It helps to reduce pain and inflammation associated with low back pain, muscle spasms, carpal tunnel syndrome, TMJ, joint stiffness, and recovery from surgery. Electrical stimulation is also used as "passive exercise" to strengthen atrophied muscles (muscles that may have shrank due to under use) in those with paralysis, or who live sedentary lives (whether due to injury or condition)

      Electrical stimulation therapy stimulates affected muscles, as "passive exercise", using an electrical current similar to the electrical impulses produced by the brain to stimulate muscle tissue during "active exercise". Two or more electrode-containing pads are placed on the affected muscles, and are stimulated by the signals to contract and relax in a rhythm you and the physical therapist determine using the device's settings. The more normal contractions achieved with use of EMS units cause chemical changes in the muscle tissue which can restore normal use nutrients stored there. Circulation of blood and removal of cell wastes in the area are also improved.

      Different types of electrical stimulation therapies can be used, according to the depth of muscle tissue being worked with. Lower voltage therapies such as those using TENS devices, are used to reduce the pain sensation by blocking the pain signal and increasing production of the body's natural pain-fighting substances, and can be done at home as needed. Those involving practitioner application of higher voltage stimulation, as from Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) devices, used to treat the causes of the pain, require a series of clinic visits to gain long-term improvement. EMS is used to treat muscle atrophy, post-surgically to prevent blood clots in the lower legs, in intense muscle spasm situations, to potentially increase the range of motion of a joint, and for circulation problems in specific areas. 

•       Interferential Electrical Stimulation

      Interferential Electrical Stimulation is used on deep tissues like the pelvic floor muscles, which with standard (faradic) stimulation methods would require a high and often painful stimulation intensity to reach. Interferential Stimulation increases the frequency, which reduces the body impedance and lowers the stimulation intensity needed to affect deep tissues. Interferential stimulation often involves placement of more electrodes and therefore can take more time.

•      Micro current

      Micro current therapy uses weak electrical currents, similar to those produced by the body's nervous system, to directly stimulate painful or atrophied muscles. This works to relax muscles, calm the nervous system, and improve circulation in painful areas. It is often used to improve wound healing. Micro current devices produce a steady, low voltage pulse which causes little sensation as it works. Because of the relative freedom from sensation during the treatment, the patient must work with their Physical Therapist and rely on measured improvement to know that it is working.
 

•       Russian Stimulation

"Russian Stim" is electrical muscle stimulation of 2500 Hertz pulsed at 50 pulses/second, providing deep penetration and intense contraction. This method is most often used by doctors in rehabilitation, spinal cord injury, treatment of scoliosis and chronic muscular pain conditions. The therapy may be used in muscle paralysis, where greater stimulation can be tolerated and where intense therapy may be needed to gain improvement.

       Physioball

Physical Therapy on a physioball is excellent for strengthening the core muscle areas (the abdominals, the back, and the muscles of the  trunk) that may have been compromised due to an injury or condition. In addition to strengthening, physioball workouts teach and improve posture, balance, coordination, and flexibility.  Strong core muscles are important because they stabilizes the spine during movement. Attention to these areas can prevent low back pain as well as improve dynamic balance, which can promote healthy movement and may lead to a more active lifestyle.

      Therapeutic Exercise

This is the physical therapist's "drug" of choice. Utica Physical Therapists can instruct you in which exercises to use, how to safely perform them, how to modify them and how to progress to your pre condition physical level.

The value in an individualized exercise program is that it specifically addresses the causes of dysfunction, such as decreased strength or flexibility. By maintaining an exercise routine  and following to the completion of therapy, you should be able to take control of your improved functional ability.

     Medicine Ball

Medicine balls can be employed in your physical therapy treatments at Utica Physical Therapy because your therapy is designed to strengthen your "core muscle" areas (the abdominals, the back, and the muscles of the  trunk).  Besides strengthening your core, you can rehabilitate your condition, and also become more resistant to injury. Muscle sensory balance (also known as proprioception) and range of motion are the fundamental abilities which enable any vigorous motion from running, jumping, or lunging. Unlike weight machines which limit and restrict natural movement, medicine ball training provides weight resistance through all planes of movement. You can gain the strength and flexibility necessary for movements from a powerful golf swing to a normal range of motion in the shoulder or hip.

     Home Health Programs

If your doctor deems it necessary for you to receive Physical Therapy services at home, the Therapists at Utica Physical Therapy will do our best to accommodate you. Our intention is for you to get to the physical level that you were before the incident that compromised your activity, or to a physical level that you can adjust to, depending on your individual situation. Home health programs also can be for after your series of visits in the clinic. To all of the staff at Utica Physical Therapy, exercise is medicine, and when you get to a point where you can physically tolerate stretching and constructive movement, our Physical Therapists may give you exercises and directed movement drills to continue to improve your condition at home.

Massage Therapy

Massage Therapy at Utica Physical Therapy is one of the best complimentary treatments that we offer. We have massage therapy available to our patients, and with Manual Therapy Inc., you can take the initiative to schedule with Christopher Deery, NCTMB or Xerlan Geiser, NCTMB to continue your treatment with them.

Massage is useful in the rehabilitative realm by acting in as a compliment to the many services that you receive with physical therapy. Physical Therapy focuses on healthy movement