Traditionally, osteopenia is considered by most physicians as a type of early bone health complications that can lead to bone cancer. In more recent medical service, physicians are more inclined to label this type of bone disorder as a type of health condition that can lead to osteoporosis and may not be life threatening. Because osteopenia is reversible, doctors are less inclined to label the condition as a cancer risk. For patients who may need to undergo a bone marrow transplant in breast cancer treatment, this type of condition should be taken even more seriously as reversing disease is essential to long term health.

If you have been diagnosed with osteopenia, it is important to consider how physical therapy may not only boost your bone health but also reverse the indicating factors of this disease. A physician should first confirm that you are, indeed, suffering from osteopenia at which time a prescription for therapy can be written, outlining the goals, frequency and duration. Once treating in the structured physical therapy setting, your physical therapist and physician can then work on extending your therapy for osteopenia by working with your insurance company directly. Once treatment with the supervised setting is finished, then transition to a home-based exercise program is always recommended.

No matter how your doctor views the long term health issues of osteopenia, if you have been diagnosed with the condition it is important to take the diagnosis seriously and seek out medical treatment accordingly. Whether you have a case risk or simply a bone density and risk for bone breaks, physical therapy may hold the key to slowing progression of the disease and, in some cases, mitigating long term complications. Always consider physical therapy for osteopenia even when it does not seem logical as a primary source of healthcare.

How can a Women’s Health Physical Therapist help?

Women of all ages suffer, sometimes silently, embarrassed by painful conditions that have a major impact on quality of life.  A Women’s Health Physical Therapist can help with a thorough assessment and treatment program.

1. 1.      Urinary Incontinence can take two forms.  Urge urinary incontinence is signified by sudden urges to urinate and frequent trips to the restroom with or without urine leakage.  Stress urinary incontinence is signified by the involuntary loss of urine with coughing, laughing, and sudden movements.  Both conditions are treatable and Reddy-Care Physical Therapy’s Women’s Health Physical Therapists work with patients suffering from these conditions on a regular basis.  Several treatment sessions may be enough to change your life significantly.

1. 2.      Musculoskeletal Pain during and following Pregnancy can be debilitating for a new Mom.  Our Women’s Health Physical Therapists are uniquely qualified to evaluate and treat those suffering with upper and lower back pain, hip pain and shoulder and arm pain, just to name a few.  Your therapist will evaluate your condition and provide treatment that will make you and baby happier.

1. 3.      Chronic Pelvic Pain is a common complaint for many women.  Pelvic pain can limit your ability to sit for prolonged periods, cause difficulty going to the bathroom or result in pain during sexual intercourse.  It is often characterized by associated symptoms such as pain and numbness and tingling in the groin, low back and hip.  This condition is not normal and a Women’s Health Physical Therapist is here to help.

How do I get a referral to a Redd-Care Phyiscal Therapy Women’s Health therapist?

Talk to your Physician, Women’s Health Nurse Practioner or Physician Assistant and start the dialogue regarding your condition.  Let them know that you are interested in physical therapy as a treatment option and would like a referral.

All muscles have a starting point on a bone (origin) and an ending point on a bone (insertion). Muscles are attached to the bone by a tendon. Think of a chicken drumstick, when you pull the meat away from the bone, it is adhered at the end by a clear or whitish tough cord. This is the tendon. A therapist can move a muscle into a lengthened position (stretch) or shortened position by knowing the origin and insertion of that particular muscle. By moving the bones, muscles can be put into a fully lengthened position, a shortened position or anywhere in between.

Sensory Input and Motor Output:

All muscles communicate to the spinal cord and brain (central nervous system) via sensory nerves and receptors located in the tendon. These receptors called golgi tendon organs and muscle spindle fibers, relay information about the length of the muscles and how fast and in what direction the muscle is moving the bones and joints. They also communicate what state of contraction the muscle is in at rest (muscle tone). This is a part of our sensory feedback system which the nervous system uses to decide how to instruct the muscle what to do next (motor output). Our sensory system is highly sophisticated and sensitive. It provides our nervous system with the information to make rapid decisions and to plot a course of action based on the desired activity of the brain while also avoiding injury.

Muscle Tone:

Our central nervous system supplies a certain amount of constant output to each of our muscles. This is called the muscles’ tone. Without any input the muscle is flaccid (abnormal state) as seen in a stroke. With too much output a muscle is spastic and can make lengthening movement of a muscle nearly impossible. In between flaccid and spastic is a resting state for normal that varies with the individual.
Muscle spasm – A vicious cycle:

A protective mechanism of the body based on these principles is called a muscle spasm. When the body perceives danger to a joint, the nervous system instructs the muscle to contract strongly to prevent movement that may cause damage. The muscle can stay in this state for a few minutes or a few days. It can become chronic and then this mechanism rarely serves to help or protect the body any longer and can become detrimental.

A vicious cycle is developed with pain, muscle guarding and muscle spasm.

A muscle in spasm is constantly sending signals to the nervous system, much like listening to music that is too loud. The nervous system reacts by sending strong signals right back. This is how a muscle can get into a vicious circle with the nervous system.

How it works – the technique

* The therapist identifies the muscle in spasm.
* The muscle can be in visible or palpable spasm or can be identified by “tender points”.
* The therapist positions the body so the muscle is in a shortened position and holds the position for at least 90 seconds. At times, the position is held greater that 5 minutes waiting for changes in muscle and fascia (tissues surrounding muscles and organs).
* The therapist monitors tissue change and waits for optimum improvement to occur.

The shortened position of a muscle is a non-threatening position for a muscle in spasm. The communication from the muscle to the nervous system at this time is one of relaxation. The nervous system no longer receives the excessive feedback from the muscle and instructs the muscle tone to change from spasm to a resting tone. Relief and restoration of motion is often immediate. By disarming muscle spasm in major muscle groups the body is able to return to pain free function and pain free movement can be restored and built upon with exercise.

This technique lays the groundwork for rehabilitation of any painful condition.
This technique is best used for:

* Spasm in any area of the body
* Post surgery in any area of the body
* Restoring more upright posture (tightened muscles can pull you into poor posture)
* Chronic pain

To revolutionize your rehabilitation experience Reddy-Care now has the new Kinesis circuit
training system. This wall of specialized exercise equipment allows the therapist to work with the patient in unique exercises to strengthen specific muscle groups to achieve even better results. This includes the ability to perform free range of motion in all planes.

If you are experiencing back pain, Reddy-Care now has sophisticated new equipment to help give you the edge in treatment for your back pain. Call us today to experience the difference of Reddy-Care Physical Therapy.

In addition to exercise, physical therapy utilizes a variety of gentle modalities such as ultrasound, electric stimulation, massage, and thermal therapy to help relieve muscular spasms. Physical therapy excels in the use of muscular strengthening exercises to build stability.

Coming to Reddy-Care Physical Therapy instead of lying in bed at home will help relieve your pain faster, which means fewer repeat visits to your doctor with the same complaint. A physical therapy program that is active in nature and geared toward instructing you in self care techniques and back injury prevention are key ingredients in returning you to a pain-free, active and healthy lifestyle.

In the old days, when you hurt your back, your doctor told you to go on bed rest until it felt better. However a lot has been learned since those days about treating back pain and gone are the days of prolonged bed rest. Most often, engaging in proper movements and postures as well as a gradual return to activities has been found to be much more successful in terms of controlling pain and allowing you to return to normal activities more quickly.

Consistent findings show that bed rest is not an effective treatment for pain but may actually delay you from recovering. Advice to stay active and to continue modified activities results in a faster return to work, less chronic disability, and fewer recurrent problems. It has also been found that exercise and aerobic activity, like walking, assists in bringing nutrients to structures in the spine. Some of these structures, like the discs between your vertebrae, have a relatively poor blood supply and rely on body movements and aerobic activity to circulate nutrients. When a person is inactive, less of these nutrients are able to get to the structures in the spine to keep them healthy.

Poor mechanics of movement in your feet and weakness in your legs can also cause back pain. As you walk, and your foot hits the ground, your heel swings from side to side. When moving properly, the foot is supposed to flatten and regain its arch during walking. If the heel is swinging too much, because of loose ligaments, the foot may flatten more than it should. In addition, if you have very stiff muscles and joints in the feet and lower leg, this can have the same result. If this happens, some of the joints further up the leg and even into your back are forced to support too much weight. The muscles then pull harder on these areas, making it more difficult for the tendons and ligaments to hold the bones and joints in place. This causes abnormal strain and results in inflammation and pain in these areas.

It is important to consider the feet when determining the source of back pain. Fortunately, many of these problems can be improved by controlling foot and leg movement through proper physical therapy strengthening exercises. This can be done under the guidance and expertise of the therapists at Reddy-Care Physical Therapy. They provide therapeutic exercises as well as gentle hands on therapy preventative measures in helping to alleviate pain while improving your walking and posture.

The feet often play a major role in the comfort of your whole body. The old adage is often true, when your feet hurt, you hurt all over! Call us today to get back to enjoying life without back pain.

The joint capsule of the shoulder encases the entire ball and socket articulation, and is attached to the socket at the labrum (bumper of tissue surrounding the rim of the socket).

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE SHOULDER DISLOCATES?

When the shoulder dislocates, the ball comes off the plate or socket. In many cases the person cannot get the ball back in by themselves, and medical attention is required. The shoulder typically dislocates when the elbow is away from the body and the arm is rotated in a way that the humeral head rolls over the front edge of the socket. Less commonly, the humeral head can be driven off the back of the socket with the arm in front of the body. In either case, the capsule and/or labrum typically tear away from the socket side of the joint when the ball dislocates. In some cases, the capsule and labrum may pull off a piece of bone from the edge of the socket as the ball dislocates. In some cases the shoulder does not dislocate completely, and the ball spontaneously returns to its normal location after being perched on the rim of the socket. This is called shoulder subluxation. Although the ball does not completely come out of the socket in these cases, capsule and/or labral tears may still occur. Other tissues around the shoulder may be injured at the time of dislocation, including the rotator cuff tendons, the biceps tendon, the deltoid muscle and its accompanying nerve, and the cartilage surfaces of the ball and socket joint.

WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR ACUTE SHOULDER DISLOCATION?

Typically, shoulder dislocations are not subtle and can be diagnosed clinically. In some cases the direction of dislocation is not obvious. If the dislocation is recognized immediately, it is possible for the person to “pull the shoulder back in” using their own muscles. After several seconds, however, the pain and muscle spasm from the dislocation typically prevents a person from getting their own ball back in their socket. In the majority of cases, the person seeks medical attention, X-rays are taken to identify the nature of the dislocation, and the shoulder is “reduced” (put back in) by a medical professional.

Many different methods of reducing dislocated shoulders have been proposed and proven effective. Regardless of method, the goal is to obtain an adequate
reduction of the joint without causing further damage. Pain medicine and sedation may be necessary to get the shoulder back into place. In some cases where the shoulder cannot be put back in, the patient may be taken to the operating room for surgical relocation of the joint. Immediately following successful reduction of the joint, X-rays are obtained to confirm the reduction and the patient is placed in an immobilizing device to prevent re-dislocation.

HOW CAN I PREVENT MY SHOULDER FROM DISLOCATING AGAIN?

By increasing the strength of the rotator cuff muscles and avoiding activities which place the shoulder at risk, the likelihood of re-dislocation diminishes. The rotator cuff muscles help squeeze the humeral head into the glenoid socket, thereby increasing the stability.

Rehabilitation commonly focuses on the strengthening of these muscles using resistance weights, rubber bands and cables. If surgical management is undertaken, post-operative rehabilitation begins in the first few days or weeks after surgery.

The goal of physical therapy is to restore the range of motion and subsequent muscle strength to the shoulder without jeopardizing the stability of the recently repaired tissue. Generally, early exercises are limited to range of motion only, followed several weeks later by strengthening of the
rotator cuff after the repaired tissue has had a chance to complete the early healing process. Generally, several months are required for the shoulder to return to normal range of motion and strength, and a subsequent return to full activity.

Causes and Symptoms of Shoulder Sprain

Shoulder sprain results from an injury to the soft tissues or ligaments that connect with the bones around the joint. In most cases, a fall, a direct blow to the region or a forced twist of the arm beyond its normal range of motion causes this condition. Other possibilities can be a poor posture maintained by the stressed arm for a prolonged period.

Apart from decreased ability to move the affected arm, one experiences significant pain with tenderness and swelling. The treatment for shoulder sprain involves sufficient rest, cold compresses, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications for pain and most importantly – physical therapy.

The Necessity of Physical Therapy for Recovery

Physical Therapy plays a vital role in treating a sprained shoulder. It helps to ease stiffness and pain which arises from the growth of new tissues. Physical therapists help patients perform gentle exercises that speed up the healing process by restoring flexibility, range of motion and strength to the injured shoulder. They monitor the exercise program to make sure that the exercises are carried out in a safe manner so as to avoid stress or injury that could delay the healing process. Some of the exercises that help patients with shoulder sprain are:

• Stretching exercises – relieves muscle tension and maintains flexibility
• Rotator cuff exercises – strengthens the rotator cuff muscles and stabilizes the shoulder

Therapeutic exercises are not recommended soon after the onset of the injury as it can cause further damage. Hence, it is delayed until the shoulder has healed. Some of the exercises can be performed at home.

Why Physical Therapy is recommended for Shoulder Sprain

• Prevents further injuries to the shoulder
• Increases blood circulation for fast healing
• Enhances flexibility to gradually restore full range of motion
• Helps in pain management

Most patients with mild to moderate shoulder sprains show improvement in a few weeks time. If the pain is severe, it would require a more intensive physical therapy rehabilitation program with advanced forms of exercise to promote faster healing.

If shoulder sprain is neglected, the condition aggravates and hampers day-to-day activities. In some cases, the lack of strength in the ligaments and muscles could lead to connective tissue disorders that cause loose joints or connective tissue disorders.

Less than 3 Yes: You’re doing fine. Exercising may help keep your shoulder in check.

Between 3 and 6 Yes: Physical Therapy is an option for you.

Between 6 and 10 Yes: We would advise you to see a doctor to get a better diagnosis. PT is definitely an option.

QUESTIONS-

1. Do you have pain when you raise your arm above your head?

2. Does it hurt to reach?

3. Do you have pain while sleeping at night?

4. Does it hurt to lie on your shoulder?

5. Do you have pain over the outside of your shoulder in the area of the upper arm?

6. Are you unable to raise your arm?

7. Are you unable to carry objects or lift something?

8. Do you have pain in the front of your shoulder?

9. Does your shoulder feel loose and unstable?

10. Does your shoulder feel stiff and tight?

11. Are you able unable to reach into your back pocket?

12. Are you unable to touch the back of your neck?

14. Are you unable to reach the back of your bra?

15. Do you have pain that radiates down your arm?

16. Does your arm feel achy and weak?

17. Does your shoulder hurt after working out?

The shoulder is a complex joint and used all day as we go about our busy lives. Because of this it is often injured or overused. By the time an individual feels pain or experiences any loss of function the problem has progressed.

Shoulder conditions present themselves in various forms of inflammation and are caused by irritations of one sort or another. Some common types are:

1. Tendonitis (inflammation of the tendon)

2. Bursitis (inflammation of the “bursa” or a fluid-filled sack protecting the joint)

3. Arthritis (inflammation of the joint itself)

The causes are primarily overuse, strain or injury. Painting a ceiling, playing too many tennis matches or lifting overhead too much can lead to this type of inflammation of the rotator cuff (the main muscles of the shoulder that control the motions of that joint).

Impingement (“pinching or putting pressure on”) develops when chronic or long term inflammation persists. This causes the tendon and other tissues to thicken narrowing the space under the tip of the shoulder. The more inflamed the tissue becomes and the narrower the space, the more pinching occurs causing significant pain especially when reaching the arm across the body. Left untreated an impingement can progress to a “Frozen Shoulder” where an individual loses some or all shoulder motion.

Chronic wear and tear or an injury can lead to breakdown of the tissue. A rotator cuff tear occurs when the tendons of the rotator cuff muscles separate from the bone. Surgery is often needed to fix this condition. Traumatic injuries can lead to shoulder instability, shoulder dislocation or shoulder separation.

Finally, there are traumatic injuries and fractures that often require immediate surgery. Falling on an outstretched arm, getting slammed into during a football game or being involved in a motor vehicle accident are common causes of traumatic shoulder injuries.

As you can see there are a lot of different causes of shoulder pain and the treatment depends on the cause of the problem. For this reason it is important to seek medical advice before beginning any treatment. Physical Therapy is almost always recommended in the management of shoulder problems. In fact many Orthopedic Surgeons now recommend that patients try physical therapy first. The reason for this is that studies show that rest and medication alone are not nearly effective as physical therapy intervention where the skilled provider identifies the faulty moving components, weak or tight muscles and restores normal function. The longer your wait to start treating the harder it is to fully recover in minimum time.

Seeking proper medical attention with a physical therapist will help you regain proper mobility and stability of your spine, reducing aches, and teaching your how to take care of your spine. Talk to your doctor or give us a call today about getting the proper treatment at Reddy-Care Physical Therapy.