by Matt Midkiff, PT, DPT, CSCS | Gilbert-Mesa Location
It can be frustrating to feel limited by pain from a sports injury. When you can’t participate in the game or sports activity you love, stress makes it easy to wonder if recovery is possible. Physical therapy treatments performed by a licensed and board-certified physical therapist are performed to alleviate pain, improve range of motion, and prevent future injury.
Physical therapists are experts in managing acute musculoskeletal injuries and use techniques and treatments to help you get back in the game and get out of pain. Using cutting-edge physical therapy techniques, we can identify the root causes of your injury and provide a tailored treatment plan for healing that works. With the professional guidance of a physical therapist, our focus is to get you back to the point where you can perform physical activities without difficulty or pain.
7 common physical therapy treatments
1. Dry Needling
Dry Needling is a technique that stimulates healing by inserting needles into trigger points and areas of pain, limiting movement. While this technique is performed on 10-15% of our patients, when necessary, it is highly effective in helping painful and dysfunctional muscles return to their normal length so they can get strong again.
Related Content >> Dry Needling: Benefits and What to Expect
2. Restricted Blood Flow Therapy
It is a must for post-operative patients and patients with weakness, as we use a calibrated blood pressure cuff to make exercises challenging while using lighter loads. For those who can’t, the result is a similar gain in muscle size and strength as lifting heavy weights.
Related Content >> Blood Flow Restriction Therapy
3. Tool-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization
Some body areas have decreased blood flow and superficial soft tissue restrictions. A tool-assisted cross-friction massage can help facilitate healing.
Related Content >> What is Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization?
4. Joint Mobilization
Joints can become stiff, limit the body’s movement, and make that movement painful. Skilled mobilization removes that restriction and allows for pain-free movement.
5. Soft Tissue Mobilization
Tight muscles can limit function, and aggressive soft tissue mobilization can restore normal function.
6. A Functional Exercise Program
The body is often asymmetrical in posture, strength, and mobility. Assessing and finding those limitations and providing a program that helps restore pain-free function is a special skill that is extremely difficult and one an experienced and highly skilled physical therapist will provide their patients.
Related Content >> The Importance of the Home Exercise Program
7. Cupping
Cupping is another soft tissue technique involving suction cups to tighten soft tissue structures. Exercising with the cups can improve blood flow and decrease restrictions.
Related Content >> Cupping Therapy: What Is It and What Are the Benefits?
Has a sports injury required physical therapy treatment? A licensed physical therapist from Foothills Sports Medicine can assess the problem with a free injury assessment and develop a treatment plan to prevent severe future damage. Please schedule an appointment at one of our Valley-wide locations. We’re ready to get you back on the field and show you how to avoid future injuries.
