ultrasound Archives - Washington Physical Therapy

Find Effective Relief for Your Hip and Knee Pains Today With Physical Therapy

Are You Living With Hip or Knee Pain? Physical Therapy Can Help

There are so many causes of hip and knee pain, from excess weight to sports injuries, advancing age to repetitive motion injuries. Whatever the cause of your hip and/or knee pain, if you are experiencing it regularly you need to find a way to manage it.

Many people use medications like anti-inflammatories to minimize their discomfort. However, these medications have potential side effects, so it can be helpful to find other ways to relieve your pain. Physical therapy may be the solution you are looking for.

The many benefits of physical therapy

Once our physical therapist has isolated the underlying cause of your hip or knee pain, we can prescribe techniques to help you start feeling - and moving - more like your old self.

Physical therapy for hip or knee pain may start with passive exercises, in which we move the afflicted joint for you to increase its pain-free range of motion.

Exercises that reduce the amount of weight on the joints can also be extremely helpful. For instance, we may recommend swimming or “water walking” as a way to exercise the hips and knees without also forcing them to bear your full weight.

Other types of exercises can also help you overcome your hip or knee pain while improving joint function. Strengthening exercises help by reinforcing the muscles and connective tissues that serve the joint. Corrective exercises and neuromuscular re-education can help you maintain a straighter, more symmetrical posture.

Last but not least, physical therapy offers a variety of helpful modalities beyond exercise. We may treat your joint pain with heat, ice, manual techniques, and more!

Physical therapy over prescription drugs

If your doctor has prescribed you pain relievers it is best to follow the guidance of your doctor.

However, you are welcome to discuss physical therapy with your doctor as well.

If you find that your pain level has decreased through physical therapy, you can discuss reducing your pain reliever usage with your primary physician.

Physical therapy for hip and knee pain relief

You may discover pain relief when you are going through your physical therapy treatments, but what about when you go home?

A major goal of physical therapy is to heal your injuries in the long-term. The various exercises and treatments physical therapist’s use with you will steadily improve your condition so that you experience less pain on a daily basis.

As your body gets stronger and more mobile, you are likely to experience less pain in your hips and knees.

What can I expect from my treatment plan?

If your doctor has told you to take pain relievers every day for your hip and/or knee pain, you should follow your doctor’s recommendations. But it also cannot hurt to ask about alternatives like physical therapy.

Working with a physical therapist can help reduce or eliminate your pain in a variety of ways, including:

Ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound is used by physical therapists to apply heat deeper in your soft tissues to provide pain relief. The heat can improve circulation and aid in healing, which can ultimately reduce the pain you experience day to day.
Heat and ice therapy. Heat can be used to improve your mobility and decrease the amount of pain you are experiencing so that you can move more freely. Ice can also be used to lessen pain from your hip and/or knee as well as to reduce inflammation.
Exercises to improve mobility and flexibility. Often hip and knee pain can lead to loss of mobility and flexibility – which then increases the wear on your joints and leads to even more pain. Physical therapists can take you through exercises to improve your mobility and flexibility so that you can move your limbs and joints in the fullest range of motion that is available based on your body and circumstances.
Exercises to increase your strength. Loss of muscular strength can contribute significantly to hip and knee pain because the weaker your muscles get, the more stress is put on your joints. Physical therapy centers around specific exercises designed to target various muscles and strengthen them so that they better support your joints.
Identify the causes of your hip and knee pain. There may be one or several reasons why you are experiencing hip and knee pain. A physical therapist can examine your movement to help identify things that are contributing to your pain, such as poor posture, unhealthy walking patterns, or unhealthy movement patterns at work. Once they identify these kinds of issues, physical therapists can tell you how to correct them.

Find relief today!

Please contact Washington Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation today to schedule an appointment with a physical therapist for your hip and knee pain.

We are standing by to assist you!

6 Ways Physical Therapy Can Help You Improve Your Physical Health

Physical therapy improves the physical health of people who have injuries, illnesses and medical conditions. An individualized physical therapy program is a conservative approach to managing these types of problems. It improves overall health and well-being.

Six Ways Physical Therapy Improves Health

Reduces or Eliminates Pain

Manual therapy treatments like soft tissue mobilization, ultrasound, electric stimulation and targeted exercises help relieve pain and restore joint and muscle function. These types of methods also help prevent pain from coming back.

Lessens the Need for Surgery

When physical therapy works to heal and reduce pain, the need for surgery is greatly decreased. “For some conditions, including meniscal tears and knee osteoarthritis, treatment by a PT has been found to be as effective as surgery.”

Improves Balance and Prevents Falls

With physical therapy, a physical therapist will screen your risk for falling. Exercises will be given to improve your balance in real-life situations. Assistive devices will be given to ensure safe walking. And if you have a problem with your vestibular system, a physical therapist will perform specific methods to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of vertigo and dizziness.

Improves Mobility

With both passive and active treatments, physical therapy improves mobility. Muscles are strengthened and flexibility is greatly improved. This way you can engage in activities and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Manages Age-Related Problems

With aging, the chances of developing osteoporosis or arthritis are increased. A physical therapist is a trained expert at helping patients recover and manage age-related health problems like osteoporosis and arthritis.

Manages Lung and Heart Disease

Physical therapy is a component of cardiac rehabilitation. To address pulmonary issues, a physical therapist will help improve your health and quality of life through breathing, strengthening and conditioning exercises. Physical therapy also helps clear fluid from the lungs.

Case Study of the Impact of Physical Therapy for Osteoporosis

Clinical studies support the benefits of physical therapy for health conditions like osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is one of the ten most common illnesses. "Patients were recruited from the osteoporosis outpatient clinics of Klinikum Südstadt hospital and the University hospital of Rostock to engage in physical therapy for osteoporosis. Over a period of 3 months, 44 patients with osteoporosis completed a twice-weekly 30-minute intensive exercise program. The conclusion was that physical therapy reduced pain and improved function, with the sling exercise patients benefiting most. The combination of functional improvement and pain mitigation resulted in improved health."This study is just one of the many proving the health benefits of physical therapy.

With physical therapy, you get an individualized treatment plan to address your challenges, needs and goals. A physical therapist will help you manage pain, improve chronic conditions, recover from an injury and prevent future chronic diseases. A physical therapist will also collaborate with other health professionals to ensure that you get the best of care. Patients are encouraged to be active participants in their treatment plan. All around, physical therapy is designed to improve your health and help you engage in your regular activities.