South Valley PT_Ask Your Doctor About PT

South Valley PT_Ask Your Doctor About PT

Health & Fitness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN RELIVE YOUR PAIN

Health & Fitness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

ASK YOUR DOCTOR IF PHYSICAL THERAPY IS RIGHT FOR YOU

INSIDE:

• Physical Therapy Modalities • Healthy Recipe

• Patient Success Spotlight • Relieve Neck Pain In Minutes

You have been referred to a physical therapist. Now what? If you are one of the millions of Americans every year that suffers from the aftermath of an accident or is trying to "come back" after surgery, you likely expected this referral. If you are one of the millions of Americans who suffer from chronic or recurrent pain, including migraines, you might be wondering what the connection is between physical therapy and long-term pain relief. Fortunately, we're here to help. What is physical therapy? Physical therapists are part health care professionals and part teachers. Highly trained in human anatomy and physiology, physical therapists use a variety of techniques to diagnose movement and function problems, prescribe therapy and teach a person how to continue improving and avoid injury long after they leave the office. Physical therapy is often prescribed after an injury or surgery, but it can also be an important part of the treatment plan for neurologic disorders, disabilities, cardiac conditions, pulmonary problems, and developmental disorders. Diagnosis and Therapeutic Exercise Physical therapists are adept at diagnosing the root problem of a person's functional problem. Rather than looking at the symptoms (pain, discomfort, stiffness),

these professionals look at what is causing the symptoms. As a result, physical therapists perform the type, frequency and duration of therapy based on goals beyond the superficial symptom. For instance, someone who comes to a physical therapist with pain in their knee may begin therapy with goals to strengthen the muscles in their leg, reduce their weight, and improve their posture. Exercises that are targeted at improving mobility, function or strength in a particular part of the body are called therapeutic exercises. This key component to rehabilitation is the crux to any physical therapy program. In fact, the American Physical Therapy Association has said that physical therapy is not physical therapy without some form of therapeutic exercise. The goal of any exercise of this type is to restore movement, improve strength and function, and promote overall wellness. Specific exercises may be prescribed to restore strength, endurance or range of motion. Additionally, therapeutic exercise may address balance, pain, or proprioception (the sense of how much effort is being used in movement). While many physicians believe in the power of exercise to restore function, physical therapy adds a level of supervision that makes therapeutic exercise more effective.

www.svpt.net

PHYSICAL THERAPY MODALITIES

While therapeutic exercise is the crux of physical therapy, it is by no means the only technique. Physical therapy modalities, or complementary therapies, are used to relieve pain, improve movement and aid in the healing process. While many people are familiar with the diagnostic capability of ultrasound, few have had experience with therapeutic ultrasound. Two types are primarily used in physical therapy - continuous ultrasound and pulsed ultrasound. Continuous, or thermal ultrasound heats the tissue it targets while pulsed, or nonthermal ultrasound, has been shown to accelerate healing on a cellular level. Beyond whether the sonic waves are continuous or pulsed, an ultrasound's intensity, wave length and frequency can be adjusted to treat soft tissue injuries, bone fractures, ulcers, incisions, or tendon injuries. Ultrasound Therapy

pain relief and wound healing. Electrodes are placed on the body and an electrical current is run between them, forcing the muscle below to contract. This contraction can have one or more effects. It can strengthen a muscle that has atrophied, stop a muscle spasm, promote healing, reduce swelling, or enhance the effectiveness of medications. Electrical Stimulation has also been shown to aid in wound healing, depending on where the electrodes are placed and how they are spaced. Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) uses a low-intensity light to trigger changes within the cells below. Rather than using heat to create a thermal reaction the way some ultrasound therapy does, LLLT uses light to create a photochemical reaction, much like photosynthesis in plants. LLLT is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat hand and wrist pain that is common in carpal tunnel syndrome, and to treat pain in the muscles and joints associated with arthritis, muscle strains and sprains. Low-Level Laser Therapy

Since LLLT uses light instead of heat, it carries virtually no side effects and can be used in combination with other modalities for pain relief. It is important to remember that no two people's physical therapy experiences will be the same since no two people's goals, commitment, pain and fitness levels, and needs are the same. Your physical therapist will create customized goals, therapeutic exercises and series of modalities that will address your individual needs. For more information on what physical therapy is or to find out what physical therapy can do for you, contact us for a consultation and to discuss your needs. http://www.apta.org/AboutPTs/ h t t p s : // w w w . n c b i . n l m . n i h . g o v / pubmed/18198783 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC4743666/ Sources

Electrical Stimulation

Also known as E-Stim, electrical stimulation is commonly used in physical therapy for

Make sure to follow us on Facebook for our daily thread of Monday Meatless Menus, Tuesday Tasty Treats, Wednesday Workouts, Thirsty Thursday Smoothies and Fit Fact Fridays!

PATIENT SUCCESS STORY

"Because of SVPT, I was able to ride a camel in the Sahara Desert! Not many people can claim that kind of Success. In April, while on a night tour of Washington DC monuments, I missed a curb behind the White House, went splat, and broke my shoulder in two places. Although in terrible pain, I didn't think it was broken so I continued to tour for six more days. South Valley had helped me heal twice before (another broken shoulder and knee surgery). When my doctor confirmed the fracture, I immediately called the office of my favorite physical therapist, Tom Sawhill. I had two trips planned, which I did have to cancel, and a family trip to Morocco with my husband, daughter, son-in-law and two teenage grandsons in June. I announced, "If I can't go, you can't go!" I didn't want to disappoint them so I was very motivated to heal. My doctor thought I'd be up for the trip but said "No camel rides!" However, after less than two months of therapy, not only did I travel without pain, but I also easily managed to control my camel. Tom cleared me to ride but with the warning, "Just don't fall off!" - Shirley Lee

• Track weight loss • Track muscle mass gains/losses • Measure caloric intake levels Only $25 Full Body Composition Analysis GET THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO FEEL AND LOOK YOUR BEST!

CALL TODAY! 408-365-8400 Fax: 408-365-8417

For scheduling and pricing questions please email [email protected]

We want to not only help our patients, but we love to give back to our community. Discover our events, recipes and goings on.

Patient Referral Program Do you want to take advantage of our Patient Referral Program but don’t have a card handy? Just clip this card from the newsletter, add YOUR name and phone number and give it to a friend or family member. For every new patient you refer we will give you your choice of a gift card to the movies (good for 2 admissions), $20.00 for coffee or tea at Peet’s or a $25.00 gift card for Le Boulanger. Remember--each patient you refer must bring in a referral card and be a NEW patient to the clinic. South Valley Physical Therapy Would Like To Say Thank You! Thank You!

CALL TODAY! 408-365-8400 Fax: 408-365-8417

Name: Phone: Clinic News

For scheduling and pricing questions please email [email protected]

Dear Patients, Physicians, Family and Friends...

On August 11, 2019 South Valley Physical Therapy was broken in to. We have been in business since 1985 and nothing like this has ever happened before. We arrived Monday morning to find our clinic in shambles. Thieves had broken open our front door, pried open file cabinets and thrown desk contents all over. It seemed apparent that they were looking for either money or drugs, neither of which we keep in the clinic. They did take all 7 of our clinic laptops and broke one of our desktop computers. Needless to say business was impacted for several days. They did not gain access to our locked server room. We do want to assure all of our patients that no personal information is kept on the hard drives of the laptops that were stolen. All patient protected information is stored

on our server. AGAIN… NO PATIENT CHARTS WERE COMPROMISED. The San Jose police department did come out and survey the site and dust for fingerprints that were left at the scene when the thieves pulled the side panel of one of our desktops and pulled out the hard drive but then left it on the desk…. Our feelings are that the people that did this were young and obviously upset that they didn’t find cash or drugs which explains them just throwing things all over , that coupled with the fact that they took the time to steal SVPT’s entire stock of candy. It has been an eye-opener for us and changes have been implemented to the way in which we secure our business belongings.

Relieve Neck Pain In Minutes

Try this movement if you are experiencing neck pain.

LEVATOR SCAPULAE STRETCH

Grasp your arm on the affected side and tilt your head downward into the armpit. Use your opposite hand to guide your head further into the stretch. Good stretch if you sit at a computer all day

Exercises copyright of

www.simpleset.net

Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.

Does Your Friend or Family Member Need Physical Therapy? Tell Them to Check Us Out!

Do You Have Friends Or Family Unable To Do The Following? • Climb stairs without pain • Bend and move freely

If you know someone suffering with aches and pains give the gift of health. Refer them to South Valley Physical Therapy today. Pass along this newsletter or have them call us directly for a Pain Relief Consultation.

CALL TODAY! 408-365-8400 Fax: 408-365-8417

• Balance confidently and securely • Sit for long periods comfortably • Walk for long distances • Live an active and healthy lifestyle