Physical Therapy

What is physical therapy?

Physical therapy is a type of treatment that Dr. Bulczynski recommends to patients who suffer from pain, hindered mobility, or a disability that impacts their day-to-day lives. It’s typically recommended for those who have:

• Acute or chronic pain
• Undergone surgery recently
• Suffered a stroke or sports injury
• Given birth
• Lost control of their bowels or bladder
• Recently been fitted for an artificial limb or brace
• Received an assistive device, such as a cane or walker
• A chronic illness like arthritis, diabetes, or heart disease

For patients who have chronic pain, physical therapy may be a viable treatment option to prevent future surgery or disability complications.

What can I expect from physical therapy?

Your individualized treatment plan depends entirely on your condition, lifestyle, and where you’re at in your recovery. Some of the treatments that Dr. Bulczynski may recommend to reduce pain and improve your overall mobility include:

Manual therapy

If you’ve suffered an injury that impacts your movement, hands-on physical therapy such as strengthening exercises, stretching, and massages can help retrain your body by eliminating those movement restrictions. This type of physical therapy is popular among sports injury patients.

Ice and heat

Ice and heat often go hand in hand to treat both inflammation and muscle soreness or tightness. Cold therapy can dramatically reduce muscle and tissue swelling, while applying heat relieves tightness and provides your tendons and ligaments with the flexibility they need to function properly.

Traction

Traction allows doctors to separate the vertebrae in your spine to relieve disc cartilage compression. It is most commonly recommended to patients suffering from a herniated disc. Designed to relieve pain, traction is an effective treatment option for those hoping to avoid surgery.

Exercise

Believe it or not, your chronic pain can actually worsen if you lead a sedentary life and avoid staying active. Regular low-impact exercise, such as swimming, walking, or working out on an elliptical machine, can help relieve joint pain and strengthen your muscles over time.

Functional electrical stimulation (E-stim)

Physical therapists use E-stim to restore muscle function following a serious injury. With the help of E-stim, Dr. Bulczynski can stimulate contractions in muscles that otherwise remain dormant. It has been known to dramatically improve the recovery process for patients suffering from an ACL injury or total knee replacement.

Dr. Bulczynski and his team can help create an individualized treatment plan that works perfectly for you and meets your recovery goals. To learn more about the physical therapy services available at Andrew Bulczynski, MD, call or book an appointment online today.