Get Help Through Manual Physical Therapy in Napa County, CA

At Focus Forward Wellness & Physical Therapy, our specialty is manual physical therapy in Napa County, CA. The rehabilitation approach combines traditional and modern techniques that offer a whole-body approach to rehabilitation. Rather than just focusing on the areas that hurt or suffered injury, we take into account the whole, so you are less likely to experience pain in the future. The following are some of the techniques we use at our clinic:

• Strain/counter-strain: This approach addresses tender points where a patient feels the most pain. The therapist first asks the patient to get comfortable at the point where the pain diminishes. Patients hold that position for 90 seconds then slowly stretch to the point where the discomfort starts. The process allows the body to restore its original range of motion and reduce the pain response. We also stretch the surrounding muscles to encourage full flexibility.
• Joint mobilization: After pulling muscles, patients are often sent home with painkillers and instructed to rest, ice and massage. This may feel good, but it does not always address the underlying cause. Pain often returns due to the injury, causing joint restriction. It is joint mobilization that restores the original range of motion, or gets close to it. The technique works by applying slow velocity and increasing amplitude (distance of movement) to the barrier of the joint, moving the actual bony surfaces. While it sounds intense, it is actually painless and many people enjoy the benefits of it.
• Muscle energy techniques: Like joint mobilization, this restores range of motion to restricted joints. It works not through direct manipulation of the joint, but through movement of the muscles surrounding it. Following three- to five-second contractions, the therapist moves the joint to its new barrier and forms a new contraction. This is repeated two or three times. It is an active procedure, as opposed to the passive procedure involved with joint mobilization.
• Soft tissue mobilization: Joint motion will reverse muscle tension, but often, the spasm remains. That continues to restrict range of motion and cause pain. Soft tissue mobilization addresses the connective tissue to break up inelastic or fibrous muscle tissue, including scar tissue. This is common with spinal injuries and conditions and involves stretching and deep pressure. Therapists assess limitations on a layer-by-layer basis and then choose techniques using that information.
• Myofascial release: This is another technique that focuses on connective tissue. This safe, hands-on treatment adds pressure to the myofascial connective tissue restrictions to reduce pain and restore range of motion. It allows the viscoelastic medium to elongate, which helps reduce pain. Patients who have suffered traumatic injury or started surgical recovery benefit well from this therapy.

We believe that the benefits of manual physical therapy and our whole-body approach will make a big difference in your recovery. If you recently suffered an injury or find post-surgical recovery is going slower than you would prefer, contact Focus Forward Wellness & Physical Therapy today. We will find the types of manual physical therapy in Napa County, CA that work well for you.

Categorised in: Physical Therapy

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