Manual therapy is a hands-on treatment by clinicians to treat muscle aches, joint pain, and limited range of motion. It encompasses a variety of techniques including soft tissue mobilization of muscles, specific joint mobilization, and joint manipulation.

The three most notable forms of manual therapy are:

• Manipulation is the application of a rapid force into a joint(s). Manipulation is often associated with an audible popping sound called cavitation.
• Mobilization is a slower, more controlled process of articular and soft-tissue stretching intended to improve joint mobility.
• Massage is typically the repetitive rubbing, stripping or kneading of muscle and fascia tissues to facilitate healing.

Manual therapy has been proven to be an important part of an overall conservative treatment plan for a variety of conditions including:

• Adhesive capsulitis
• Shoulder impingement
• Shoulder stiffness/limited range of motion
• Tennis elbow
• Golfers elbow
• Pinched nerves
• Limited joint range of motion
• Capsule tightness
• Postsurgical stiffness
• Much more.

Manual therapy is typically part of a complete treatment plan that is customized for your specific needs. Give us a call to learn how we can incorporate manual therapy into your rehabilitation program.

If you are a youth, collegiate, elite, or professional athlete, when you are injured, you need a physical therapist with experience rehabilitating sports-related injuries.

Athletes place higher demands on the muscles and joints and also require sport-specific training to recover speed, power, and agility. This is the specific training that our therapists provide.

Our physical therapists have years of experience rehabilitating athletes with:

• Postsurgical rehabilitation of the knee, shoulder, ankle, hip, and spine
• Shoulder & rotator cuff injuries
• Ligament sprains
• Muscle strains
• ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL rehab
• Tendonitis/bursitis
• Post-fracture rehab
• Tennis elbow
• Overhead sports injuries (throwing, swimming, etc.)
• Running & cycling injuries

A Personalized Recovery Process

The process starts with a thorough evaluation of your condition and your personal goals. We then provide a custom program including the following:

• Control of Pain & Inflammation
• Recovery of Range of Motion
• Hands-on Techniques
• Neuromuscular Retraining
• Core & Extremity Strengthening
• Balance & Proprioceptive Activities
• Speed, Endurance, & Power Training
• Sport-specific Retraining

Optimizing the Recovery Process

Injuries are an unfortunate side effect of sports but they don’t have to sideline you indefinitely. With the application of the latest clinical research, we can work hand-in-hand with your referring physician/surgeon to optimize the recover process so you can reach your full potential.

Give us a call today to learn more about our sports rehabilitation program.

Recent Blog Posts From Our Office Of Physical Therapy Utica MI

Should I Consider Physical Therapy Utica MI Before Surgery?

Are you or a loved one planning on having surgery shortly? At Empower Physical Therapy and Fitness, our expert trained physical therapists are ready to consult with you and discuss further options before and after your surgery. Whether you are recovering from an injury, want to improve your sports performance, lose weight, or just want a better quality of life, our quality Physical Therapy Utica MI, will have you feeling better than you ever have before!

Physical Therapy Before Surgery

In retrospect, seeking help and assistance from a physical therapist before your surgery is not necessarily required. However, studies have shown that physical therapy before a procedure is beneficial. 

Physical Therapy, before having surgery, is also called prehabilitation. The goal of prehabilitation is to strengthen the muscle groups in the affected area to increase the chance of regaining normal function in that area. 

In a study taken to see if prehabilitation is beneficial in the recovery of surgery, doctors carefully monitored individuals about to undergo ACL surgery. One portion of the participants took part in a physical therapy program, while the other did not. This study showed substantial results in the group who completed the physical therapy program, outperforming the other group in the physical evaluation. 

The study also found that there was an exponential difference between the two groups returning back to sports activities. The group who participated in physical therapy before their surgery returned back to normal activities almost ten weeks before the group who did not participate in the physical therapy program. 

What Services Can We Offer You at Empower PT and Fitness?

The phases of Physical Therapy Utica MI, intend to work on increased flexibility, range of motion, and strength before moving on to an evaluation of your progress of the program. At Empower Physical Therapy and Fitness, we are experts in the arts and sciences of evaluating and treatment of any dysfunctions in human movement. 

Some of the conditions we have successfully rehabilitated include: 

• Total hip, shoulder, and knee replacements. 
• Neck Fusion.
• Arthroscopic Surgical Repairs. 
• Rotator Cuff Repairs. 
• Subacromial Decompression. 
• ACL/PCL Reconstruction. 

Our Physical Therapists also understand the importance of communicating with your surgeon pre and post your surgery. We strive to follow the number of proper pre-surgical and post-surgical protocols and ensure their patient is taking the necessary steps to ensure they are on the proper route to recovery. 

Our Physical Therapists also will keep in close contact with the patient’s referring physician in regards to any precautions or recommendations based on the condition of the patient. Our goal of the rehabilitation process of Physical Therapy Utica MI, is to: 

• Recover the patient’s joint mobilization. 
• Recover the patient’s strength in the affected area. 
• Pain relief in the affected area. 
• Improved function of the patient’s affected area. 
• Educate the patient on at-home care following physical therapy. 

Physical Therapy Utica MI

It is important for the patient to keep in mind that the recovery process will vary, regardless of whether or not you decide to participate in a physical therapy program before or after your procedure. The patient may be required to have more than one visit or an extended care plan for several weeks, depending on the severity of the patient’s procedure.

Although physical therapy before your surgery is not necessarily required, it is incredibly beneficial for the recovery process. For more information about Physical Therapy Utica MI, please visit our website. 

How Can Manual Therapy Help Ease Chronic Pain?

Those suffering from chronic pain often chalk it up to just being a normal part of the aging process and view it as something to be managed rather than eliminated. However, it is never normal to be living in a state of constant pain. Luckily for you, manual therapy can help.  If you or a loved one is suffering from chronic pain and is interested in beginning Physical Therapy Utica MI, look no further than Empower Physical Therapy. Our skilled team has the experience and resources to make your pain a thing of the past!

What is Physical Therapy Utica MI?

The term manual therapy refers to hands-on treatment that can be used to treat both aches and pains and restore range of motion. Manual therapy is typically divided into the following three subsections:

• Manipulation
• Mobilization
• Massage

Manipulation refers to the rapid movement of a joint that often produces a loud popping sound (cavitation). When manipulating the joint moves to its anatomical limit in an effort to restore its full range of motion. Mobilization often consists of slower movements that stretch soft tissue to improve the mobility of the joint. It also involves movements of varying speeds. Lastly, a massage is the repetitive hands-on manipulation of a muscle through rubbing or kneading, designed to reduce tension and promote healing. 

Why Should Manual Therapy Interest Me?

Perhaps the biggest strength of manual therapy as a treatment method is that it is widely customizable and is incredibly specific to your condition. No two manual therapy patients have the same exact problem, and manual therapists are trained to be able to tailor treatment to your unique circumstance. Aside from its ability to match your exact condition, here are some of the other proven benefits of manual therapy.

• Muscle relaxation
• Breaks up scar tissue
• Improves Flexibility
• Improves range of motion
• Reduces muscle spasms 

Seeking Physical Therapy Utica MI?

If you or someone you know is looking to start Physical Therapy Utica MI, our team at Empower Physical Therapy has it under control. Our two convenient locations are filled with state of the art equipment and staff of experts that will help you return to full health as quickly as possible. Contact us today to set up an appointment!

How Can I Prepare My Body for the Winter Sports Season?

We at Empower Physical Therapy can help you get your body on track for a successful season with tips on what exercises would work for you and physical therapy services. If you’re looking for Physical Therapy Utica MI to prepare your body for the sports season, then you’ve come to the right place with us!

With the winter season approaching, many athletes like you are surely looking forward to playing your sport this year. However, whether you play hockey, ski, or participate in any other winter sport, an important question may come to mind: “How can I prepare for the winter season?” How can you keep your body in prime physical condition for the winter? Our team will tell you how. 

Build Up Your Body

Training for the winter means exercising more than one part of your body and increasing your stamina & endurance. Athletes use different types of training to build up their bodies, such as:

• Stability: This type of training can mean training on uneven ground so that you can keep your balance, but it also means different exercises that put your body in uneven positions to improve your balance. This is especially important for sports like snowboarding and skiing, but stability training can apply for any winter sport.
• Coordination: This type of training involves working multiple parts of your body to make them move together. These exercises increase your endurance, as well as power and balance. Athletes often incorporate this kind of training into their running routines.

Also, there are different kinds of conditioning that make up a session of Physical Therapy Utica MI that our athletes use to prepare for the upcoming winter season. These may include:

• Alignment: This type of conditioning means properly aligning the shoulders, spine, and hips to ensure that your body can move around more easily. Not being properly aligned can increase your risk of injury and cause general discomfort.
• Balance: Preparing your balance is arguably important for any sports season because it means you will be less likely to lose your balance and fall while participating in your sport. Different stability training exercises apply to this type of conditioning.
• Core Training: This type of training is important because your core is an anchor that keeps the rest of your body stable with it, especially your legs. You can strengthen your core by doing exercises that require your body to twist or bend forward, such as planks.

Remember that it is best to contact Empower Physical Therapy Utica MI if you are trying to develop an exercise program or have questions about your current exercise program. We will be able to determine what kinds of exercises will best fit your needs as a winter athlete. We will work with you to ensure that you are getting into optimal condition for the sports season with our expert care.

Empower Physical Therapy Utica MI

When thinking about preparing for the winter sports season, you will want to create an exercise plan that works for you. Utilizing different kinds of conditioning and exercises that will strengthen your body is important for athletic success. Here at Empower PT, we offer Physical Therapy Utica MI that you can trust! Please visit our website to learn more about us and our services. We know how important your winter sport is to you, and we look forward to helping your body reach peak physical condition!

Physical Therapy for Lacrosse Injuries

Lacrosse is an aggressive sport. With aggressive sports comes injury. Women’s and men’s rules are vastly different and injuries will vary based on position so it is important that as an athlete you receive individualized training and conditioning to lessen injury risk. However, if you do run into injury,  here at Empower Physical Therapy we can provide you with the necessary care to get you back on the field. At Physical Therapy Utica MI, we offer a variety of therapies and rehabilitation to suit the many complex needs of lacrosse athletes. 

 

Common Lacrosse Injuries

• Hip Flexor Strain- muscle allows you to perform high knee kicks

• Wrist Fracture- overextended wrist results in tears in the ligaments.

• Ankle Sprain- sprain occurs when ligaments in the ankle tear. 

• Knee Sprain (MCL, ACL)- injury occurs at the ligaments that connect your lower bones and upper leg bone at the knee. 

 

If you’ve suffered any of these injuries, we highly recommend that you contact a member of our team at Empower Physical Therapy & Fitness. You can schedule an appointment online via our website by clicking here. Continue reading for more information regarding injury prevention for lacrosse players.

 

How To Prevent Injuries

Lacrosse is a free-flowing game that is played at a very fast pace. Injuries are bound to happen. However, you can still take precautions and limit them. 

 

To reduce your risk of sustaining an injury while playing lacrosse:

 

• Always use proper equipment.
• Don’t skip warming up before games and practices.
• Maintain a training regimen in the off-season to help keep your muscles and other soft tissues conditioned.
• Keep hydrated.
• Allow your body to rest and recover and avoid year-round sports.
• Understand the rules of the game.

 

Physical Therapy Utica MI

Lacrosse is one of the most rapidly growing sports in the United States today. It is a physical sport and injuries are bound to occur. If you need training advice or want to know more about how to protect your body, you should seek out a professional. Empower Physical Therapy Utica MI is here to help you before and after your injury. We are here to help you stay on the lacrosse field and maintain peak performance in your playing career. 

Contact Us For Physical Therapy Utica MI