Physical therapy in Riverview, MI, is designed to help those who have suffered injuries or have undergone surgeries to regain use of and strengthen the parts of their bodies affected by the injuries. Treatments are available for every extremity of the body and everything in between. Those who attend physical therapy may receive such treatments as stretching, lifting light weights, using exercise machines, and therapy using ice, water, or stimulating electrical pulses. Because of the wide range of treatments available through physical therapy, they can treat a number of different injuries. This article outlines some of the most common types of injuries that are treated by physical therapy. Ligament Tears This type of injury most often occurs in athletes, who will commonly tear the ligaments in their ankles, knees, or shoulders, depending on the sport they participate in. Depending on the severity of the tear, you may just need to ice and rest the joint for a few days, or you may need to have complex surgery. For everything from moderate to severe tears, however, physical therapy is often involved. Receiving guided therapy for this type of injury helps athletes to recover the strength and flexibility they once had in the joint. Treatments vary, but usually include light exercises, guided stretching, and icing the joint to reduce inflammation. Over time, the therapy will become more difficult in order to promote healing and improved strength. Spinal Injuries Many people who suffer an injury to their spine experience complications in other areas of the body. Often, this is manifested in either complete or partial paralysis of all or some portions of the body. However, for some people, the paralysis is a temporary side effect caused by inflammation in the spine, which presses on nerves and prevents proper communication to their limbs. As the inflammation subsides, however, movement often returns to the limbs that were affected. When this begins to happen, physical therapy becomes necessary in order to help the patient safely and effectively relearn simple tasks such as walking. Therapy begins simply and gently by helping the person point and flex their feet and move their legs on command. Electrical pulses may be used to help stimulate the nerves and ensure that feeling is returning to all the areas. As therapy progresses, the patient will move on to attempting to walk with assistance. Gradually, the assistance provided will lessen until the person is able to walk on their own once again. This can be a very long and frustrating process. If you or a loved one is going through this type of therapy, it's important to remember that results can be slow and that the therapy is designed to push you. If you stick to your assigned regimen of exercises, you should eventually regain your normal strength. Serious Surgery Whether the surgery is to remove a tumor, fix a seriously broken bone, or conduct any other kind of major repairs in the body, the patients who undergo such surgeries often need physical therapy to help them through their recovery. For example, consider someone who has a compound fracture in their leg, which required surgery. They will have a cast for several months, and when it is removed, the muscles in that leg will be weaker than they once were. There may also be some lingering pain from the surgery. Physical therapy will help them to slowly regain strength and mobility in the leg without endangering themselves or risking another injury. Whatever your reason for needing physical therapy in Riverview, MI, it can help you to heal and be able to return to a normal quality of life.
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