Manhattan Physical Therapy and Pain Center is a leader in pain relief and injury recovery located in
Midtown New York City. The four specialized physical therapists on staff go beyond standard physical
therapy by challenging their client???s bodies to build core strength, flexibility, and increase range of
motion.
Manhattan Physical Therapy and Pain Center has an excellent track record of success treating back pain
caused by strains, degenerative disc disease, piriformis syndrome, spondylolisthesis or whiplash
injuries.
Physical therapy is an increasingly common type of medical treatment. It is often recommended by a doctor for a variety of reasons, from injury to recovery from surgery. Some patients avoid physical therapy or don’t follow through with it because they don’t understand the importance. Physical therapy can be difficult and sometimes even painful, which is why many patients don’t complete their treatment. Some never even give it a chance, but there are many reasons why physical therapy is important. Continue reading “Why Physical Therapy is Important”
Not every physical therapy practice is the same. One of the major differences between physical therapists is that some are part of a larger corporate medical group and others are independent. An independent physical therapy group is owned and operated by the physical therapists themselves and their own in-house self-hired support staff.
Are you in search of a physical therapist? Whether you’re recovering from an injury, surgery, or you’re in need of pain management, physical therapy can be life changing, but only when you work with a great physical therapist. But how do you find one? What do you look for? What are the signs of a good physical therapist?
When you’re doing your research, look for these 10 Characteristics of a Great Physical Therapist. When you’ve found one that checks all the boxes, you know you’ve found the right one.
1. Qualified.
Start by looking at qualifications. A physical therapist must have completed a doctor of physical therapy program (DPT), which usually takes 3 years at an accredited educational institution. After the completion of the program they must also pass an exam to gain licensure in the state where they intend to practice. Physical therapists can also earn specializations within the field of PT, such as those in this list of physical therapy certifications.
2. Knowledgeable.
Make sure any physical therapist you consider has a good working knowledge of physical therapy strategies that pertain to your needs. This should be apparent when you meet with a PT to discuss your potential treatment.
3. Experienced.
Find out how many years the physical therapist has been practicing. A good physical therapy practice will most likely have staff with a varying range of experience so that newer PTs can learn from the experience of others. Don’t visit a brand new practice where all the PTs are fresh out of school.
4. Skilled.
With experience comes the skills needed to be a physical therapist. There is a specific skill set that a good physical therapist should start with and develop through experience. PTs need to be strong enough to help their patients, agile and dexterous as well. Physical therapy is a highly physical job that requires someone to be in excellent physical shape. There is also skill required to properly use physical therapy equipment so that it helps the patient without causing any further harm.
5. Patient.
Physical therapy is challenging, for both the patient and the physical therapist. It requires a gargantuan amount of effort from the patient and it can be painful. A good physical therapist understands this and knows they must exercise patience in every moment of treatment.
6. Positive.
A physical therapist must always have a positive attitude. This can be difficult when the patients they work with do not always mirror the same positive attitude. But staying positive helps the patient to work harder and believe that they can get better and achieve their goals.
7. Encouraging.
A physical therapist’s positive attitude allows them to be encouraging to their patients. While the majority of the effort must come from the patient, encouragement from the physical therapist goes a long way toward helping them make progress. For some patients without a strong support system, encouragement from their physical therapist may be the only encouragement they receive.
8. Effective Communicator.
A good physical therapist is an effective communicator. A PT must be able to explain what the patient needs to do in order to make progress. But they must also be a good listener so that they understand the needs of the patient and the barriers that may be hindering progress. Interpersonal communication in physical therapy is absolutely crucial for effective treatment.
9. Realistic.
Above all, a good physical therapist must be realistic. Physical therapy can help people make miraculous recoveries from injuries and pain, but it doesn’t work like magic. A good physical therapist can help you set realistic goals in small increments that are reachable.
10. Excellent support staff.
A good physical therapist should also have good staff. Qualities of a physical therapist assistant are many of the same qualities listed above. Since you may also come in contact with PT assistants and other staff, you want to find a practice that employs excellent support staff.
Manhattan Physical Therapy Exhibits All 10 of These Characteristics
If you’re looking for a top notch physical therapist, Manhattan Physical Therapy checks all of the above boxes and more. A physical therapy program through Manhattan Physical Therapy can help relieve your pain, expand your range of motion, and improve your overall mobility. Still need more reassurance? Watch these testimonials from satisfied patients.
Call (212) 213-3480 today to schedule a consultation or contact us. We look forward to guiding you through your physical therapy transformation.
Relationship Between Physical Therapy and Opioid Crisis
The United States is the home to a serious opioid crisis. The National Institute of Drug Abuse estimates that 130 people die every day after overdosing on opioids. An estimated 10 million American adults misuse opioids each year. This number is on the rise.
The vast majority of people who abuse opioids started using the drugs as prescribed to manage acute pain after an injury or surgery. The highly addictive prescriptions start a cycle of opioid misuse that can be difficult to stop. The best way to avoid possible opioid prescription misuse is to not prescribe it and to rely on alternative ways to manage pain. If the medication is necessary, taking the lowest possible effective dose for the shortest amount of time can help to minimize addiction risk.
Pain management and physical therapy can go hand in hand. Research shows how early physical therapy can reduce dependence on opioids for patients in pain. It can be an important strategy to reduce drug dependency and fight the opioid crisis. Here are some things to know about pain management in physical therapy.
Impact of Early Physical Therapy
Researchers highlighted how patients with neck, back, shoulder, and knee pain were less likely to take opioids the year after their injury if they started physical therapy early. The research shows that the non-pharmacological approach of physical therapy for pain relief can have significant impacts. Despite a lack of a generalized definition, early physical therapy typically takes place in the first 90 days of the start of the pain.
Reduced Opioid Usage
Patients who started early physical therapy to control pain also took smaller dosages of opioids if they continued to take them. This is good news for reducing the possibility that a patient will become dependent on opioids or develop a tolerance for their current dosage.
Initial Prescription Dose
There is no doubt that physical therapy can be an effective pain management strategy for many patients. However, its effectiveness relative to reducing dose sizes for opioids depends on a variety of factors. This includes the initial prescription dose recommended by the doctor and the type of injury. For instance, larger doses of opioids tend to be prescribed for neck injuries. This could be necessary for the level of pain from a neck injury, even though the amount of opioid exposure is increased. This might make physical therapy slightly less effective for neck injury patients.
The need for referrals for physical therapy from primary care doctors and other specialists can slow down a patient’s access to starting PT early. This process will vary based on a patient’s insurance plan and the state they live in. Starting physical therapy as quickly as possible can have a significant impact on the need for long-term opioid usage.
Range of motion is an important part of physical therapy, from measuring the extent of an injury to understanding how physical therapy exercises can help you work toward improving range of motion after an injury. You may hear your physical therapist or doctor refer to it. Here is what you need to know about range of motion during physical therapy.
What is Range of Motion?
Range of motion is the term for the measurement of movement for a joint or body part. It is one of the primary assessments that physical therapists use to evaluate the condition of a joint, create a treatment plan, and to measure treatment success. Based on established criteria for range of motion (and other tests that measure strength, flexibility, and balance), your physical therapist will be able to see the severity of your condition.
How Physical Therapists Measure Range of Motion
Physical therapists measure range of motion using a goniometer. This device looks a bit like a school math protractor that has two arms that the physical therapist places on specific parts of your body. By moving your body in specific ways, the physical therapist can measure how much motion is possible.
Generally, using a goniometer to measure range of motion doesn’t cause clients any pain. It is possible that some clients may experience some immediate pain during the measurement process if they recently underwent surgery or injured that specific joint or limb. However, the pain will go away immediately after the measurement is taken.
3 Range of Motion Measurements
There are three different types of measurements that physical therapists utilize when it comes to range of motion. Active ROM is when you move your own body part. This is typically measured only when it is safe for you to move independently without assistance after you have fully recovered from surgery or injury.
Active-Assistive ROM, sometimes referred to by the acronym AAROM, is measured when you’re able to move your body part with assistance. This might be assistance from a person, assistive device or machine. Passive ROM is when someone else or a machine moves your body for you. This is often measured at the beginning of physical therapy treatment after an injury or surgery.
Suspension Therapy and Range of Motion
One tool that your physical therapist might utilize to improve your range of motion is suspension therapy, an innovative treatment option that is unique to Manhattan Physical Therapy and Pain Center. Suspension therapy can help to suspend and relax parts of your body to provide better treatment. It is an ideal way to perform traditionally weight bearing exercises in a non-weight bearing position. This can speed up healing.
Range of motion is an important measurement in physical therapy, but also in terms of how you function in your daily life. Having adequate range of motion in each joint can help with flexibility and balance. If you feel that your range of motion is restricted in some way, even if you didn’t suffer from a recent injury or undergo surgery, it can be worth discussing with your concerns with a physical therapist or doctor.
Ready to Get Started?
Manhattan Physical Therapy and Pain Center is a leader in pain relief and injury recovery, and we look forward to helping you with all your physical therapy goals. Call us at (212) 213-3480 or contact us today to set an appointment.
Physical therapy is the key to making a strong and effective recovery. To make sure that you have the best physical therapy experience possible, you need to set goals ahead of time. Here is how to set physical therapy goals.
Establish Realistic Goals
Whatever goals you set, make sure that they are realistic. Your goals will help keep you motivated and focused during physical therapy. If you set unrealistic goals that you can’t achieve, you run the risk of losing motivation and making the process harder for yourself.
When you set your goals, base them on realistic timeframes and expectations. Many people expect to recover faster than they can or expect to make more progress than they should in a short amount of time. Work with your therapist to determine what your goals should be.
Consider Incremental Goals
One of the best ways to set your goals is to set incremental goals. That means breaking your end goal down into smaller, more achievable milestones. Large, long-term goals are hard to stay focused on because they take a long time to reach. Having milestones will let you make measurable gains, which will also help you stay motivated by feeling like you are making progress.
Determine Time Frame
Setting time frames for your goals is crucial to making them achievable. You can only progress so quickly in physical therapy since progressing too quickly or too slowly can be detrimental to your recovery. Your physical therapist and doctor can help you determine the appropriate rate that you should meet milestones. Each milestone takes a different length of time to get through and your times should be a range rather than a specific date. Everyone is different, and you will progress through your recovery at your own rate.
Discuss Goals with Physical Therapist
Work with your recovery team, including, your physical therapist to develop your goals. Physical therapists have extensive training and experience guiding patients through their recovery, and they are your best resource for developing achievable goals. Before beginning your physical therapy, schedule time to work through a plan with your physical therapist based on your needs. In some cases, you can meet with your physical therapist before a planned surgery. However, you need to reassess your needs after the surgery and make adjustments as necessary.
Ask for Advice
Aside from your medical team, you can ask for advice from other trained personnel. The administrators and nurses that work in physical therapy offices can give you advice on how to plan and get through physical therapy. They have extensive experience with patients and multiple treatment methods, so they have the experience to help you make better decisions about your physical therapy program.
Use a Team Approach
Alongside asking for advice, make sure you assemble a care team. Your team should include your doctor, physical therapists, and caregivers. By getting your team to work together, you can stand a better chance of staying on track and making a strong recovery. You will need multiple forms of support, and you can only get all of the care that you need from a team.
A leg or foot injury can be a painful event, but the proper care can help you fully heal in time. Most people that need a lower-body surgery are placed on leg injury weight restrictions or foot injury weight restrictions in order to let their affected parts heal properly. Different injuries and procedures need different post-surgery care methods, and can handle different amounts of weight. Here is a look at weight bearing restrictions and why they are important.
What are Weight Bearing Restrictions?
Leg injury weight restrictions and foot injury weight restrictions are limits on the amount of weight that your leg or foot can handle after a surgery. By limiting the amount of weight you carry on that body part, the less likely you are to experience problems down the line. There are several classes of weight bearing restrictions that you should be aware of.
No Weight
The “no weight” restriction is the most severe restriction and also the most important. If your doctor tells you that your leg cannot bear any weight, that means that you cannot put any weight on it at all for any reason. This is reserved for the most severe surgeries that need precise care in healing from a leg injury.
If you have a no weight restriction, you will need mobility assistance. A walker or various other types of mobility aids can help you keep the pressure off of your leg. It is very important that you follow the restriction to the letter since it can lead to serious and painful problems in the future if you don’t.
Toe-touch
A slightly less severe restriction is the toe-touch restriction. You can let your toes touch the ground, but you still cannot put any weight on that leg. This means that your leg can handle a little bit of pressure, just enough for you to be able to balance or give your leg a little relief from time to time. You will still need a mobility device like a walker to get around since your leg cannot handle your body weight.
Partial Weight
The partial weight restriction means that your leg can support a fraction of your weight, but not all of it. The amount of weight that your leg can support depends on your injury. However, you should try to put as little pressure on it as needed. You won’t be able to walk on your leg yet for most of the time, but you may be able to walk normally for some time with a cane or crutches. While still difficult to move with, this weight restriction lets you be more active and slowly ease back into using your leg on a regular basis.
Full-Weight Bearing (No Restrictions)
Not all leg injuries and surgeries require weight bearing restrictions. You may be able to put your full weight down on your leg, which can make it much easier for you to move around. However, it is important to keep your walking devices available just in case you need them. While your leg can support the weight, it may need frequent breaks or assistance since it is still healing.
Physical Therapy Can Help
If you have a leg injury or surgery, then you will likely need physical therapy to make a full recovery. Having skilled physical therapists on your team makes it easier to strengthen your leg properly to get back to full functionality. Call Manhattan Physical Therapy at (212) 213-3480 to schedule an appointment so that we can help you recover.
If you have experienced a bone fracture after an accident or a fall, there are many things that you will need to take care of to ensure a quick recovery. This includes physical therapy, possible surgeries, pain management, and the use of a cast. Physical therapy for fractures is important to improve your range of motion, mobility, and strength. The type and duration of physical therapy will depend on a number of factors, such as which bone is fractured and the severity of the damage.
Difference Between a Bone Fracture and a Broken Bone
There really isn’t a difference between a bone fracture and a broken bone. Both terms are often used interchangeably. Sometimes doctors will use the term bone fracture for broken bones caused by excessive force. This can happen while playing sports, falling, or being in a car accident. The complexity of recovering from a bone fracture depends on the severity and whether surgery is required.
Hip Fracture
Physical and occupational therapy are particularly important for hip fractures. Many hip fractures require surgery because of how many months of bed rest would be required to allow hip fractures the time required to heal on its own. Physical therapy can provide pain relief from hip fracture, as well as help patients learn to walk again in a way that promotes healing after surgery.
Wrist Fracture
There are many physical therapy exercises for wrist fractures that don’t require any specialized equipment to perform. This includes exercises that stretch, extend, and bend your wrist and hands in specific ways that help to improve mobility and strengthen your wrist. Your physical therapist might also teach you specific exercises to improve the strength of your grip.
Collarbone Fracture
You may not even realize that you may need or benefit from physical therapy for a collarbone fractures. Typically, physical therapy can be started three to four weeks after you injured your clavicle. The physical therapist will create a customized plan of care that will address your condition and goals. Often, physical therapy for collarbone fractures requires that you perform static exercises at home each day.
Arm Fracture
There are many types of arm fractures. If you fracture one of the bones in your forearm, you could have fractured your radius or ulna. The bone in the upper arm is referred to as the humerus. After your injury is treated and your arm mobilized, a physical therapist might visit you in the hospital to teach you about pendulum exercises that can keep your shoulder mobile as your arm heals. You will likely need to start physical therapy four to six weeks after the initial injury.
Leg Fracture
Leg fractures very often require physical therapy to regain the same amount of function that you had before the injury. The actual physical therapy exercises will look different than you would expect from other types of bone fractures. This includes learning how to walk and put weight on your injured leg, gait training, and strength exercises.
Ready to Get Started?
Manhattan Physical Therapy and Pain Center is a leader in pain relief and injury recovery, and we look forward to helping you with all your physical therapy goals. Call us at (212) 213-3480 or contact us today to set an appointment.
What Is Functional Mobility And How Does Physical Therapy Help?
Functional mobility is how well people can move around (standing, bending, walking and climbing) in the environment in order to participate in the activities of daily living and moving from one place to another. Movement can also be actions that might not typically be thought of in this context, such as scooting along a bed or getting into and out of a chair. After having a period of injury or trauma, it will be important to work with a physical therapist to ensure your mobility level returns to where it was pre-injury.
Physical therapy is a branch of rehabilitative health that uses specifically designed exercises, equipment, and a treatment plan to help patients regain or improve their physical abilities. Physical therapy can be useful to many different types of patients; infants born with musculoskeletal birth defects, adults with sciatica or other injury/surgery issues, and patients who have had a stroke or other type of trauma. And because physical therapy treatment plans can be tailored and altered to the patient, if you have had any injury or illness that prevents you from leaving the house, a physical therapist can come to you until the time you’re able to leave the house again.
The Three Areas of Functional Mobility
Anywhere you can move around can be considered a physical therapy space for designating levels of functional mobility. There are three main areas of functional mobility that your physical therapist may evaluate.
Functional Bed Mobility
Your ability to move around in bed, including activities like scooting, rolling, or moving from a lying to a sitting position (and vice versa). Your ability to move around in bed may be limited and you may need assistance. This is why you have your physical therapist.
Functional Transfers
The act of moving from one surface to another. You may need assistance when moving from a bed to a chair or when moving from one chair to another.
Ambulation
Your ability to walk. You may require assistance from another person or an assistive device (cane, walker) to walk. Your physical therapist may also perform a gait evaluation to analyze the way you walk and to provide strategies to improve ambulation.
Your Level Of Therapy Needed Depends On The Severity Of Your Injury
Depending on how severe your injury is, you may need different levels of assistance to help with functional mobility. Your physical therapist can help to educate your family members or friends on how to provide assistance for you too, if needed. The different levels of potential assistance needed are listed below.
Completely Physically Dependent
You are unable to help at all. Your physical therapist or another healthcare worker will do all the work
Needing Maximal Assist
Physical therapist does about 75% of the work during mobility, while you do the remaining 25%
Needing Moderate Assist
You perform about half of the work necessary to move and the physical therapist fills in the rest
Needing Minimal Assist
You perform 75% of the work to move while your physical therapist does the other 25%
Contact Guard Assist
Physical therapist only needs to have one or both hands on you to support you while performing the task but doesn’t actually do any assisting.
Stand-By Assist
Physical therapist does nothing to help except to stay close by in case you need to adjust your footing, or you lose your balance
Completely Independent
Every physical therapist dream for their clients. You can perform the functional task with no help and do so safely
Finding a place to do physical therapy where you feel heard and respected will help immensely in the healing process. Here at Manhattan Physical Therapy & Pain Center our goal is torelieve pain & increase mobility, while also making sure that you feel part of the rehabilitation process.
Ready to Get Started?
Manhattan Physical Therapy and Pain Center is a leader in pain relief and injury recovery, and we look forward to helping you with all your physical therapy goals. Call us at (212) 213-3480 orcontact us today to set an appointment.
Athletic trainers and physical therapists are both important healthcare providers for anyone who plays a sport. While these roles are similar, there are some very important differences that will help you decide who to seek out, and under what circumstances.
The Basics: What Are the Differences?
Athletic trainers work with athletes at all stages of their training and development to prevent injuries from happening, and to speed recovery from minor injuries when they do occur. They are healthcare professionals that coordinate with physicians, urgent care, and physical therapists to help athletes prevent, diagnose, and recover from athletic injury.
Physical therapists are doctors who specialize in movement therapy. They work with the elderly, athletes, and anyone with a movement-related injury, in order to help them regain mobility and function. Physical therapists usually address more serious injuries and chronic conditions, such as complications from a stroke, major accident, or degenerative illness.
Athletic trainers and physical therapists also have different training and certifications, to help you with a wide variety of health and wellness goals.
When You Should See an Athletic Trainer
Athletic trainers work with athletes and entire sports teams, to increase physical fitness and reduce the risk of injury while playing sports. If you are active and play sports recreationally or professionally, an athletic trainer will work with you to create a comprehensive training program.
An athletic trainer works with you both before and after an injury. Training focuses on increasing physical fitness so that an athlete can be competitive and stay safe. If an athlete is injured, the athletic trainer will provide immediate care until emergency services arrive. Following an injury, they provide continuing care to make sure the injury heals properly, and to reduce the chance of further damage.
When You Should See a Physical Therapist
A physical therapist is a doctor who specializes in movement, mobility, and pain. You should see a physical therapist if you have an injury or chronic illness that negatively impacts your movement or causes lingering pain. Physical therapists will work with you over a longer period of time following an injury, building an effective program of recovery.
Physical therapists work with athletes, but they also work with senior citizens and anyone with a movement related injury, to help them regain muscle strength, reduce pain and inflammation, and restore a better overall quality of life.
Physical therapists teach patients how to manage their condition in order to restore mobility and prevent long term disability. They may also work with pain management doctors to find medications and other interventions that further help manage pain and inflammation.
Athletic trainers and physical therapists are both healthcare professionals who help athletes remain healthy, and recover from injuries. However, each specializes in different parts of the health and recovery process and deals with different levels of injury and wellness.
