Physical Therapy

Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more of joints in the body and decreased range of motion. There are more than 100 types and related conditions. Arthritis does not discriminate among gender, age or race. It is the leading cause of disability in America. Arthritis can cause permanent joint changes. These changes may be visible, such as knobby finger joints, but often the damage can only be seen on X-Ray.

Many people experience occasional back and neck pain or stiffness. In many cases, it's due to poor posture or overuse. Sometimes, neck pain is caused by injury from a fall, contact sports or whiplash.

A brain injury is an injury to the brain that occurs after birth and is not congenital, degenerative or hereditary. There are two types of brain injury: Traumatic Brain Injury and Acquired Brain Injury.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is an umbrella term referring to a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. Cerebral is a reference to the brain and palsy means weakness or muscular problems. CP is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain that affects a person’s ability to control his or her muscles. The symptoms of CP vary from person to person. CP is not a progressive condition; it does not get worse over time, though the exact symptoms can change over a person’s lifetime.

Chronic or persistent pain is pain that carries on for longer than 12 weeks despite medication or other treatment. Most people get back to normal after pain following an injury or operation. But sometimes the pain carries on for longer or comes on without any history of an injury or operation.

Falls are a threat to the health and continued mobility of older adults; it can reduce or eliminate the ability to remain independent. However, falls don’t have to be inevitable with aging. There are preventative measures available including physical therapy.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain, sleep problems, fatigue, and often emotional and mental distress. People with fibromyalgia may be more sensitive to pain than others, referred to as abnormal pain perception processing. Symptoms may include pain and stiffness all over the body, fatigue, depression and or anxiety, problems sleeping, cognitive issues with memory, thinking and focus, and headaches.

Fractures are synonymous with broken bones.

Joints form the connections between bones to provide support and allow mobility. Any damage to the joints from disease or injury can interfere with movement and cause pain. Many different conditions can lead to painful joints, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, gout, strains, sprains, and other injuries. With age, joint pain becomes more common.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that impacts the brain and spinal cord – which collectively comprise the central nervous system. The disease occurs when the immune system attacks nerve fibers and the fatty sheathing which surrounds and insulates healthy nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. This attack causes inflammation, altering electrical messages in the brain. MS is erratic and the effect on individual patients may range from mild to the total loss of ability to write, speak or walk.

Obesity occurs with an excessive amount of body fat. More than a cosmetic issue, it increases the risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers. Obesity may stem from heredity or be combined with personal diet and other lifestyle choices. Obesity is diagnosed when body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher. Body mass index is established by dividing weight in pounds by height in inches squared and multiplied by 703.

A disease of the bones, osteoporosis occurs when the quality of bone changes, or bone mineral density and bone mass decreases. This results in compromised bone strength and increases the likelihood of broken bones. Typically, there are no symptoms, and the disease may not be discovered until a bone is broken. It is the primary cause of fractures in postmenopausal women and in older men. Fractures can occur in any bone but are most frequent the hip, vertebrae and wrist.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive, incurable nervous system disorder that affects movement. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. The most common symptom is tremors, but the condition also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement, slurred speech, and decreased facial expression. Parkinson’s disease symptoms worsen over time. Medications and surgery may significantly improve symptoms.

The pelvic organs include the vagina, cervix, uterus, bladder, urethra, and rectum. Several types of diseases and conditions can cause pelvic pain involving digestive, reproductive or urinary system, and muscles and ligaments in the structures of the pelvic floor.

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot and connects the heel bone to the toes. It often causes stabbing pain that usually occurs with the first steps of the day. Pain normally decreases, but it might return after long periods of standing or first standing after sitting. Plantar fasciitis is more common in runners, those overweight, as well as people who wear shoes with inadequate support.

The term rotator cuff refers to a group of muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint, keeping the top of the upper arm bone firmly within the shallow socket of the shoulder. A rotator cuff injury can cause a dull ache in the shoulder, which often worsens with use of the arm away from the body. Rotator cuff injuries are common and increase with age. These may occur earlier in people who have jobs that require repeatedly performing overhead motions. Many people with a rotator cuff injury can manage their symptoms and return to activities with physical therapy exercises that improve flexibility and strength of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint.

Located within the backbone, the spinal cord is tube-like and contains a bundle of nerves from the base of the brain down the back. The spinal cord serves to carry messages from the brain to the rest of the body. Spinal cord injury is any disorder or condition causing damage and deterioration to the spinal cord.

Sports injuries are bodily damages that occur when engaging in sports or exercise. Sports injuries can occur due to trauma, overtraining, lack of conditioning, and improper form or technique. Failing to warm up increases the risk of sports injuries.