Pain, Tightness, Injury, Poor Posture?

Pain, Tightness, Injury, Poor Posture?

 

Do not go through the physical therapy process unless

the cause for your situation is addressed!

 

Evaluations at Athletic Advantage investigate the cause of your pain, tightness and complaints, and then determine "why" you have your pain.  If we don't investigate the "why" behind your pain, tightness or injury, any treatment performed will be ineffective in changing those underlying conditions.  To demonstrate an exercise without knowing the "why" is like replacing a worn front tire when you know there’s an alignment problem with your car.  At Athletic Advantage Physical Therapy, we have over 26-years of evaluating the "why" behind poor posture, pain, tightness and various complaints.  A comprehensive PT (physical therapy) observes and assesses posture and changes through the entire system, evaluating structure and the methods your physical body uses to compensate and function.

Your opinion towards PT probably depends on who you ask or have personally experienced!  In traditional PT, the therapist will help you understand your diagnosis in terms of your structure and the impact on daily activities.  The therapist will perform an evaluation of your flexibility, strength and nervous system, then explain the results of the evaluation and devise a treatment plan.  The therapist will demonstrate the exercises they believe to be of benefit.  Following this instruction, they will schedule a follow-up visit with an assistant or PT to assist you on your next visit.  Subsequent visits will follow a pattern of more exercise and stretching with the expectation of your condition improving.

 

... But what has changed your underlying condition?  What is the cause of your symptoms?

 

Our treatment plan is based on the relationship between the muscular and skeletal system.  A quote by Fred Mitchell, Sr, D.O., sums it up perfectly, "Bone is slave to muscle."  Therefore, a change in the muscular condition will create a change in your skeletal posture.  Treating only one condition, whether it be the muscular or skeletal system, is unlikely to significantly change your symptoms. 

 

Our method of muscle energy technique (MET) and myofascial release are manual techniques that have potential to create change in both the muscular and skeletal systems simultaneously.  We hope this provides insight to how you can effectively alter your current physical condition.

 

We will not show you an exercise unless it will enhance the manual changes we have made in your muscular and skeletal systems.  Our treatment and reputation is built on changing the system and minimizing those variables responsible for your symptoms.  There are specific changes we expect to happen when determining if our treatment will be effective for you.  Your symptoms and flexibility change because the system changes.  As your system changes your posture and exercise performance can improve.

 

To learn more about our practice check us out on Facebook, Athletic Advantage Physical Therapy, or visit our website at ptadvantage.com.  Phone inquiries are always welcome at 740-549-7041 if you would prefer to discuss your concerns with one of our therapists, Mark Read PT, or Michael Reuter PT, DPT.