Physical Therapy

Physical therapy (PT) is a form of health care that identifies, corrects and alleviates an acute or prolonged musculoskeletal or neurological dysfunction. The physical therapist at Quality of Life Medical Center achieve this by designing an individualized program for each patient following an extensive evaluation. Our physical therapy program includes a variety of exercises, functional activities, and treatment modalities to achieve strength, flexibility, and independence. A specially designed home exercise program, along with education in self-care, is also provided.

Physical therapy can benefit patients with:

• Degenerative, arthritic conditions
• Difficulty walking or instability
• Post fractures/post joint replacements
• Osteoporosis
• Amputations
• Musculoskeletal injuries: sprains, strains, bursitis, tendonitis
• Back/neck injuries and sport-related injuries
• Post mastectomy
• Lymphedema
• Balance disorders
• Neurological disorders: stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease
• Fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndromes
• Wound and minor burn care
• Weakness from medical conditions

Trigger Point Therapy

What is a Trigger Point? A Trigger Point is an area of hyper-irritability within soft tissue structures, characterized by local tenderness and sometimes referred phenomena. These referred sensations can include pain, tingling, numbness burning, or itching.

• Not all trigger points refer pain. Some are just localized.

• The origin of the trigger point is thought to be changes in the chemical balance in a local area, irritating the sensory systems.

• Trigger Points may form anywhere in the body, but are most commonly found at the sites of the greatest mechanical and postural stress.

Possible Causes:

1. Acute overload, overwork, fatigue, direct trauma, chilling.
2. Skeletal asymmetry such as a shorter leg or pelvic imbalances.
3. Other trigger points can cause new points to occur.
4. Arthritic joints.
5. B-6, magnesium, vitamin C, folic acid deficiencies, which are common after injuries
6. Hypoglycemia.

Treatment of Trigger Points:

• Pain management clinicians and medical researchers have found that trigger point pain often responds to non-invasive, firm, physical pressure, deep in the muscle tissue.

• This treatment approach may be referred to as "ischemic compression," “myofascial release" "neuromuscular therapy," "acupressure", "myotherapy" and deep tissue massage among many other terms.

• All of these and related disciplines typically involve deep, sustained pressure directly on trigger points. Such pressure usually causes the muscle to relax, making it possible to stretch and eventually exercise back to pain-free fitness and health.



Motor Vehicle Accidents and Physical Therapy
By: Lisa M. Oberstar, P.T.

“Whiplash” has become one of the most commonly used terms to describe neck pain, especially if it is the result of a motor vehicle accident (MVA). Whiplash is an acceleration-deceleration mechanism of energy transfer to the neck, which may result from a rear end or side impact of a motor vehicle collision. Whiplash related pain may be local in the neck, or it may radiate into the head, shoulders, or upper extremities.

Therapy generally encompasses pain relief, strength and flexibility training, proper postural alignment, regaining movement or range of motion, improving and correcting posture, endurance training, relaxation and stress relieving techniques, balance and coordination training, proper walking, education, safety awareness, and development, and implementation of a home exercise program.

Many and all can benefit from physical therapy. The most appropriate patients are those who have been in accidents (work-related, automobile, or falls), athletes with overstress injuries, arthritic patients, pre and post-operative patients, and those with general deconditioning, or strains.

Frequently Asked Questions