Posts Tagged ‘Stretching Exercises’
Dec 30 2008
Methods of Physical Therapy for Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder is the condition of pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint accompanied by loss of motion. An inflammation in or around the shoulder may trigger the body’s normal defensive response of stiffness. When the shoulder becomes stiff, it becomes too painful too move. Someone with frozen shoulder may not be able to reach above and over the head or touch the back.
While there is no definite cause of frozen shoulder, over 90 percent of patients experience full recovery. Doctors recommend physical therapy for frozen shoulder as the best treatment.
Physical therapy for frozen shoulder starts with reducing the pain and stiffness of the shoulder and increasing blood circulation through heat. One effective way of the heating method is taking a 10-minute hot shower or bath. Alternatively, the physical therapist may apply heat to your shoulder locally with the use of heating pads, wraps or towels. Hot water bottles and heat creams and ointments may also be used.
Shoulder massage is also a good way to start physical therapy for frozen shoulder as it increases the flow of blood and oxygen into the area. Once pain is reduced either through heating or through massage, the therapist proceeds with a series of physical therapy exercises.
In physical therapy for frozen shoulder, you will first perform weight and non-weight stretching exercises to improve the flexibility of your shoulder joint. The common exercises include arm swing with weights, arm raise, overhead stretch, stretching your arms across your body, and towel stretch.
It is important to note that during these stretching exercises, you should feel tension but you should not overstretch your shoulder to the point where you feel pain or severe discomfort. These exercises are done once or twice daily until the shoulder restores its normal range of movement.
Your doctor will advise you should you need to perform other exercises to tone and strengthen your shoulder muscles such as rotation exercises. Remember not to force movement in your shoulder. This does not mean you should not move it at all but instead to limit activities that may further injure your shoulder.
If physical therapy for frozen shoulder does not work for you, your doctor may recommend surgical treatment. The good news is physical therapy for frozen shoulder is usually enough for patients to get effective results that improve with time. If you have frozen shoulder, consult a physical therapist and get the treatment that you need.
By: Milos
About the Author:
While there is no definite cause of frozen shoulder, over 90 percent of patients experience full recovery. Doctors recommend physical therapy for frozen shoulder as the best treatment.
Physical therapy for frozen shoulder starts with reducing the pain and stiffness of the shoulder and increasing blood circulation through heat. One effective way of the heating method is taking a 10-minute hot shower or bath. Alternatively, the physical therapist may apply heat to your shoulder locally with the use of heating pads, wraps or towels. Hot water bottles and heat creams and ointments may also be used.
Shoulder massage is also a good way to start physical therapy for frozen shoulder as it increases the flow of blood and oxygen into the area. Once pain is reduced either through heating or through massage, the therapist proceeds with a series of physical therapy exercises.
In physical therapy for frozen shoulder, you will first perform weight and non-weight stretching exercises to improve the flexibility of your shoulder joint. The common exercises include arm swing with weights, arm raise, overhead stretch, stretching your arms across your body, and towel stretch.
It is important to note that during these stretching exercises, you should feel tension but you should not overstretch your shoulder to the point where you feel pain or severe discomfort. These exercises are done once or twice daily until the shoulder restores its normal range of movement.
Your doctor will advise you should you need to perform other exercises to tone and strengthen your shoulder muscles such as rotation exercises. Remember not to force movement in your shoulder. This does not mean you should not move it at all but instead to limit activities that may further injure your shoulder.
If physical therapy for frozen shoulder does not work for you, your doctor may recommend surgical treatment. The good news is physical therapy for frozen shoulder is usually enough for patients to get effective results that improve with time. If you have frozen shoulder, consult a physical therapist and get the treatment that you need.
By: Milos
About the Author:
Milos Pesic is a successful webmaster and owner of popular and comprehensive Physical Therapy web site. For more articles and resources on Physical Therapy related topics, Physical Therapy exercises and much more visit his site at:
Sep 03 2008
Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Services
Physical therapy and rehabilitation services are healthcare specialties which are usually employed together for treating disorders of the musculoskeletal system and physical movement. Their main function is to relieve pain, limit or prevent permanent disabilities of the patient, return injured persons to self sufficiency and productivity. Physical therapy and rehabilitation services involve evaluating, diagnosing and treating disorders of the musculoskeletal system so that patients can resume an active and healthy lifestyle.
Physical therapy is required to help victims of accidents or patients suffering from devastating conditions - to help them regain mobility, acquire flexibility and achieve balance and co-ordination. Conditions treated through physical therapy and rehabilitation services include permanent disabilities caused by accidents, strokes, traumatic brain injuries, birth defects, development delays, muscle weakness, brain injuries, post operative problems, spinal cord injuries, musculoskeletal disorders and neuromuscular disorders.
A physical therapist will use techniques such as strength training, stretching exercises, balance and coordination activities, hot packs and cold compresses, electrical stimulation, and ultrasound therapies to help the patient resume normal function. Physical therapy can be broadly classified into specialized areas such as orthopedic physical therapy, geriatric physical therapy, neurological physical therapy, cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation physical therapy, sports medicine and pediatric physical therapy.
Orthopedic physical therapy deals with disorders and injuries of the musculoskeletal system and rehabilitation of patients after orthopedic surgery. Geriatric physical therapy covers issues that affect people as they grow older and neurological physical therapy is focused on neurological disorders. Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation physical therapy is ideal for patients with cardiopulmonary disorders or those who have had cardiac or pulmonary surgery, while pediatric physical therapy assists in early detection of health problems in children.
Physical therapy and rehabilitation services often succeed in bringing out miraculous recoveries in cases where modern medicine alone may not. The physical therapy and rehabilitation service map can be created for each patient according to his individual needs. Thus through a combination of medication, exercises and rehabilitative training, physical therapy and rehabilitation services can help a patient to improve his daily function.
By: Igor Stiler
About the Author:
Physical therapy is required to help victims of accidents or patients suffering from devastating conditions - to help them regain mobility, acquire flexibility and achieve balance and co-ordination. Conditions treated through physical therapy and rehabilitation services include permanent disabilities caused by accidents, strokes, traumatic brain injuries, birth defects, development delays, muscle weakness, brain injuries, post operative problems, spinal cord injuries, musculoskeletal disorders and neuromuscular disorders.
A physical therapist will use techniques such as strength training, stretching exercises, balance and coordination activities, hot packs and cold compresses, electrical stimulation, and ultrasound therapies to help the patient resume normal function. Physical therapy can be broadly classified into specialized areas such as orthopedic physical therapy, geriatric physical therapy, neurological physical therapy, cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation physical therapy, sports medicine and pediatric physical therapy.
Orthopedic physical therapy deals with disorders and injuries of the musculoskeletal system and rehabilitation of patients after orthopedic surgery. Geriatric physical therapy covers issues that affect people as they grow older and neurological physical therapy is focused on neurological disorders. Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation physical therapy is ideal for patients with cardiopulmonary disorders or those who have had cardiac or pulmonary surgery, while pediatric physical therapy assists in early detection of health problems in children.
Physical therapy and rehabilitation services often succeed in bringing out miraculous recoveries in cases where modern medicine alone may not. The physical therapy and rehabilitation service map can be created for each patient according to his individual needs. Thus through a combination of medication, exercises and rehabilitative training, physical therapy and rehabilitation services can help a patient to improve his daily function.
By: Igor Stiler
About the Author:
Igor Stiler is a medical consultant at HealthQuest, an established multi-specialty center based in Brooklyn, New York. Ours is a facility where we combine neurology, chiropractic care, physical therapy and rehabilitation to provide excellent care and services to our patients.
