Dr. Adam Brewer
Why do I have to do the exercises at home if I already go to PT?
According to research, home exercises are crucial to achieving maximum benefits from Physical Therapy. Home exercises prescribed by a PT are selected based on the specific deficits that were found during the initial evaluation. These prescribed home exercises are chosen to help in the correction of underlying impairments such as muscle imbalances or flexibility limitations. Most patients come to PT 2-3 times per week, which is only about 3-4 hours depending on the length of their visit. This is such a small percentage of time to help correct deficits that have often taken years to develop into dysfunction and pain. Home Exercise Programs (HEPs) allow for gains from each treatment session to be carried over and maintained until the next session.
How can Laser Therapy accelerate the benefits of traditional Physical Therapy?
Patients receiving Class-IV Laser treatments frequently report a rapid decrease in pain most often during the first treatment and this relief is usually long-lasting. Laser Therapy is FDA-cleared for reducing pain, inflammation, muscle spasms and symptoms related to arthritis. By rapidly decreasing pain and increasing range of motion to a joint, Laser Therapy Treatments allow the patient to more effectively participate in their therapeutic and functional exercise prescriptions often leading to a progression of their program and achieving completion of their plan of care more quickly. Laser Therapy is a great adjunct to your physical therapy plan of care when combined with traditional therapies of exercise prescription, patient education, and hands-on soft tissue and joint mobilization techniques.
What is Trigger Point Dry Needling?
Dry Needling is a drug-free, technique for the treatment of pain and movement impairments. Physical Therapists use a very thin needle to stimulate the underlying muscular and connective tissues with the goal of releasing or inactivating tight, painful knots (trigger points) or to improve range of motion. Research supports that dry needling improves pain control, reduces muscle tension and can help speed up the patient’s return to active rehabilitation and functional abilities. Following the initial treatment utilizing dry needling, many of our patients continue to request this technique due to the immediate and noticeable abatement of their symptoms.
How can a Physical Therapist specializing in Pelvic Health assist with treating painful intercourse?
Dyspareunia is a fancy name for “painful intercourse,” and it can happen to women AND men. The reasons why you may be experiencing pain can vary but the simple fact is that intercourse is painful. Tight muscles, fear, a bad experience and childbirth (even if you had a C-section!) are just a few of the reasons that intercourse may be uncomfortable, painful or not even possible. Pelvic Health PTs can develop a treatment plan to address your pain. They will help you learn how to identify and then relax and retrain any muscles or groups of muscles that are short, tight, in spasm or otherwise not behaving nicely.
What can you tell me about the 4th Trimester?
This is a term being used to describe the 12 weeks after delivery when health care involvement remains vitally important to ensure optimal recovery from pregnancy for the mother. An OBGYN group task force recently endorsed the 4th trimester care concept—a development that includes physical therapists who have a key role to play in postpartum care. PTs who specialize in pelvic health are uniquely skilled to provide ongoing care to postpartum patients. Rather than one 6-week postpartum check-up with your OBGYN provider, Pelvic Health PTs are able to provide evaluation and care for things like urinary leaking, painful intercourse, and abdominal separation among others, which are common postpartum complaints but are certainly not normal for new mothers to be experiencing.
Do I need a doctor’s prescription for Physical Therapy?
Louisiana is now a “DIRECT ACCESS” state. This means that physical therapists are able to evaluate and treat patients without first seeing a medical provider or physician. As a “Direct Access” patient, you do not need a prescription from your physician to receive outpatient physical therapy. You may start treatment the minute you feel pain! Research has shown that “Direct Access” PT patients have 86% fewer visits on average than referred patients and no unnecessary co-pays or imaging costs thereby reducing healthcare costs for patients and for Louisiana. “Direct Access” to PT reduces opioid use through the use of mechanics, not pain pills. Louisiana is one of 13 states with the highest number of painkiller prescriptions. “Direct Access” to PT strengthens the collaborative and innovative health care system in Louisiana, allows for prompt attention and service and allows you to choose your physical therapy provider.
Sponsored by Brewer Physical Therapy.
