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Peak Physical Therapy
Helping you every step of the way

Greetings

We have recently added over 70 new articles to our patient resource library including the following new patient guides: 

Our featured article in this newsletter provides you with information on what we do at Peak Physical Therapy to keep people moving!

How Physiotherapy keeps people moving

These days, people are constantly on the go.  Most of us don’t have time for aches, pains or injuries.  Unfortunately, the amount of people that are in pain is increasing partly because of our busy lifestyles but often sedentary jobs.  The amount of people with back pain, for example, has risen from 3.9% of the population in 1992 to 10.2% in 2006 [1].  Some of these pains are due to injuries but most are from medical problems.  As people age, they experience more health issues like arthritis, COPD, heart problems, stroke, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, which cause pain and reduce mobility. This is a part of aging that is no fun.

Most people trust physiotherapists to help them fully recover from an injury.  The injury could be sports related, age related or an accident.  Whether you were in a big car crash or you just tripped over the dog, your physiotherapist can tailor a rehabilitation program for you based on your injury and lifestyle.  With the physiotherapist’s guidance you will regain strength, range of motion and pain-free functioning [2, 3].

What most people don’t realize though is that physiotherapists can also improve many long-term or age-related health problems.  Here are some of the short- and long-term conditions your physiotherapist can help with [4-10]:

●     Stroke
●     Breast cancer
●     Muscular dystrophy
●     Cerebral palsy
●     Parkinson’s disease
●     Cystic fibrosis
●     Degenerative ataxia
●     Facial nerve palsy
●     Lymphedema
●     Carpel tunnel syndrome
●     Down Syndrome
●     Arthritis
●     Neck and back pain
●     COPD
●     Spinal stenosis
●     Torticollis

The physiotherapy techniques used with these conditions include walking, balance exercises, strength training, manual therapy or massage, practicing proper posture, using heat, ice or electrical stimulation for muscle repair, education on the proper use of walking aids such as canes or walkers and/or suggestions of lifestyle changes.  The many physiotherapy techniques can really help.  For example, skin care, external pressure and isotonic exercise can all be effective for reducing lymphedema, depending on the patient’s situation [5].

Some of the effects of aging pop up when least expected.  A heart attack or stroke can leave people unable to perform many of life’s daily tasks.  Fortunately, physiotherapy can make a big difference [11].  For stroke patients, the physiotherapist will help them regain balance, walk and perform as many of their daily tasks as possible.  The physiotherapist can also address any accompanying pain and muscle weakness.  Proper exercise after a heart attack or stroke is critical to recovery [12].  The physiotherapist will help with proper exercise, education on lifestyle changes and other areas of recovery.

Children with injuries or long-term diseases have unique needs that can be helped by a trained physiotherapist.  Because they are still growing, the physiotherapist deals with the injury or disease while keeping in mind the special requirements of their growing body.  Leaving a child’s healing up to chance may lead to more issues later.  In the case of long-term diseases, it is known that children with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and arthritis greatly benefit from working with a physiotherapist [7].  Working with a professional who can help your child heal and improve will give you peace of mind.

The right physiotherapy program can help get you back on your feet and keep you there.  Working with a trained, licensed physiotherapist can reduce or eliminate many of the aches and pains of everyday life and can even help with more serious conditions.  If you have pain or other medical conditions, call the professional physiotherapists at Peak Physical Therapy.  They will be happy to answer any questions you have.

References

1.   Freburger JK, Holmes GM, Agans RP, Jackman AM, Darter JD, Wallace AS, Castel LD, Kalsbeek WD, Carey TS. The rising prevalence of chronic low back pain. Arch Intern Med. 2009 Feb 9;169(3):251-8.

2.  Ryterband, S. Case study: Treating an ankle sprain with integrative manual therapy techniques: The role of bone bruise and disruption of membrane techniques. CenterIMT. 2000. http://www.centerimt.com/e-journal/sarah_r.html

3.  Lunn, L. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A clinical profile. CenterIMT. 2001. http://www.centerimt.com/e-journal/articles/ej00021.htm

4. McNeely ML. Early physiotherapy after surgery for breast cancer can reduce the incidence of lymphoedema in the following 12 months. J Physiother. 2010;56(2):134

5. Greene R, Fowler R. Physical therapy management of primary lymphedema in the lower extremities: A case report. Physiother Theory Pract. 2010 Jan;26(1):62-8.

6. Recob MT. Physical therapy for the stroke patient. Nurs Homes. 1966 Jul;15(7):21-6.

7. Cup EH, Pieterse AJ, Ten Broek-Pastoor JM, Munneke M, van Engelen BG, Hendricks HT, van der Wilt GJ, Oostendorp RA. Exercise therapy and other types of physical therapy for patients with neuromuscular diseases: a systematic review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2007 Nov;88(11):1452-64.

8.  Steier J, Petro W. Physical therapy in COPD--Evidence based medicine? Pneumologie. 2002 Jun;56(6):388-96.

9.  Goren A, Yildiz N, Topuz O, Findikoglu G, Ardic F. Efficacy of exercise and ultrasound in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: a prospective randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil. 2010 Jul;24(7):623-31.

10.  Crizzle AM, Newhouse IJ. Is physical exercise beneficial for persons with Parkinson's disease? Clin J Sport Med. 2006 Sep;16(5):422-5.

11. Van Peppen RP, Kwakkel G, Wood-Dauphinee S, Hendriks HJ, Van der Wees PJ, Dekker J. The impact of physical therapy on functional outcomes after stroke: what's the evidence? Clin Rehabil. 2004 Dec;18(8):833-62.

12.  Coke LA, Fletcher GF. Exercise and the cardiac patient-success is just steps away. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2010 May-Jun;25(3):238-40.

Peak Physical Therapy provides services for physiotherapy in Lethbridge.

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