Arthritis is a broad topic that is an umbrella term for many variations of
joint conditions. Depending on the type, it can be acute or chronic joint
inflammation that usually involves structural changes in the joint with or
without pain present. While physical therapy does not *cure* arthritis– a
physical therapist will play a crucial role in implementing exercise into
your daily routine that can help in minimize flare ups and maximizing
function. Most forms of arthritis respond well to movement of the joint
and strengthening of muscles around the joint. However, you’ve got to
find movements that are tolerable and can be progressed to
strengthening activities. Physical therapists are trained to be movement
experts and can provide modifications and gradual progressions until
you find a level that is able to maintained with home exercises.
As with most inflammatory processes, it can be managed with good
habits and some changes to your lifestyle. Your physical therapist will
work with your other healthcare providers to keep you moving and
strong!
TREATMENT TYPE NOT CONDITION
Here at PT Clinic of Paris, our therapists utilize a variety of treatment
techniques to optimize your outcomes. By keeping our patient to therapist
ratio low -it provides the therapist time to provide individualized care using
hands on treatment if required. Manual therapy is a version of hands-on
therapy that can work in a variety of ways.
Research shows that manual therapy can work by:
– facilitating tissue repair and remodeling with increase in blood flow to the
region
– reducing pain which improves the psychological state of the patient
– movement of joints into restricted ranges that would otherwise be difficult
to achieve independently
There are times that conservative care and non-operative rehab are not
successful in achieving the patient’s needs. When a region of the body
undergoes surgery, there are changes of tissue quality, strength, muscle
coordination, joint stiffness, and more. A physical therapist can be a great
addition to your healthcare team to address these changes to the region
that underwent surgery.
Most surgeries have specific protocols (i.e. shoulder surgery) or understood
progressions based on tissue healing timelines (i.e. total knee
replacement). Physical Therapists are trained to attend to these deficits
and address as appropriate based on healing timelines and research based
protocols.
PT Clinic of Paris has orthopedic therapists able to
handle all surgery rehab programs such as total joint replacements,
meniscus repairs, rotator cuff repair, spine laminectomy and fusion. We
also have a Womens and Pelvic Health therapist that is trained to address other specialty surgeries including: prolapse
repair, hysterectomy, thoracotomy, mastectomy, tummy tuck, prostate
surgery, etc.
If you had a specialized surgery and want to make sure physical therapy
clinic of paris can adequately take care of your post-op needs, please call
or come by the clinic to speak to one of our providers.
Headed back to work after an injury and unsure if you’ll be able to tolerate
the work load? This is a great option for you! PT Clinic of Paris provides
work rediness testing that can assess your safety and mechanics with
lifting. If needed, your clinician can create a plan to help you strengthen
and get to a safe place to return to work! This is also a great option if you
have pain with work related tasks- your PT can assess the movement and
create a treatment plan to decrease risk of injury.
Neck pain can have several different causes such as: bulging discs, muscle
tightness, postural changes, whiplash, weakness, etc. Your PT will perform
an evaluation to figure out what deficits you have and your treatment plan
will change depending on what could be contributing to your symptoms!
The neck functions very similarly to the lumbar spine but can also be
related to headaches. If you have chronic headaches and neck pain,
consider coming to see us to see if your spine pain and headaches are
related!
Research and information regarding treatment and management of
pelvic conditions has grown exponentially over the past decade. One
of our physical therapists, Avery, has undergone post-doctorate
education and training to provide treatment to this population of
patients.
Pelvic health encompasses the assessment and treatment of both
male and female pelvic conditions that may include but are not limited
to: abdominal complaints, bowel and bladder function, sexual
function, low back pain, pelvic girdle pain, SI joint pain, management of pregnancy complaints, postpartum management and return to
function, rehabilitation after prolonged pushing or tearing during
labor, surgeries in the abdomen or pelvis, and c-section. Check out
these links to a great website that gives information on possible
pelvic conditions for either sex.
Low back pain is a condition that most people will experience at least once
in their lifetime! Many patients come to physical therapy already having
imaging and feeling defeated by the findings. Research studies have
shown that degenerative spine findings on MRI’s increase as you age even
in patients that have no symptoms. If you took a large population of 60 year
olds that reported no back pain, studies anticipate that 69% of those people
would show bulging discs on their MRI despite having NO symptoms. This
should give you hope that if you have degenerative changes of the spine, it
doesn’t mean your symptoms cannot improve or resolve. Our physical
therapists will work within your pain tolerance to improve mobility, strength
and function to get you back to moving!
Our PT, Chris Carter, has additional education and
certifications for treatment of spine pain. He works with many patients who
have “failed” PT elsewhere but respond well to his techniques.
Americans spend a lot of hours in the workplace every year, and
sometimes, things happen. If you’ve been injured while at work and are
utilizing workman’s compensation insurance, you will likely be prescribed
physical therapy to optimize your recovery process. We accept most work
comp insurances and would love the opportunity to work with you!
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a skilled intervention utilizing a thin monofilament needle (like an acupuncture needle) that doesn’t inject anything into the skin. The needle is used to penetrate skin and underlying tissues to treat muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia, scar tissue, and peripheral nerves to manage pain and encourage recovery from injuries.
What are the benefits?
Research supports 3 main benefits of dry needling, as well as, a few other benefits that are still being investigated. The 3 research supported benefits include:
1. Start or re-start the inflammatory response: Our body is great about healing itself but sometimes the process can get “stuck”. The natural process would be INFLAMMATION PHASE>
REPAIR PHASE> REMODEL PHASE. For a variety of reasons, the process can get chronically stuck in the REPAIR PHASE and never complete the cycle. Dry needling causes micro trauma to the tissues, increases blood flow, and brings inflammatory cells to the area of treatment to help the body restart the healing process. While the body is busy healing on a cellular level, the physical
therapist will encourage healing with your physical therapy exercises and other interventions.
2. Reset the muscle: It’s a complicated chemical process that occurs in your body that allows your brain to talk to your muscles and create a muscle contraction. For example, every time you lift your arm to take a drink- hundreds of these processes are occurring. Naturally, with so many reactions occurring, there can be errors sometimes and a tiny part of the muscle contracts but is unable to relax. It gets stuck in the contracted position and causes what many people refer to as
“knots in the muscle”. Dry needling triggers that process to reset and allows the muscle to relax.
3. Natural opioid release: The micro trauma to the tissues around the needle placement activates the body’s natural process to produce pain relieving chemicals in the body. Imagine taking a pill for pain- but instead of the pain relieving effects going throughout your body, it is specific to the area being treated.
What conditions does it work for?
Dry needling works best for conditions lasting greater than 1 month. This includes but is not limited to:
Chronic Low Back Pain
Scar Tissue
Pain from Muscle Tightness
Muscle Strain
IT Band Syndrome (Runners’ Knee)
Chronic Hip Pain
Pelvic Pain
Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis
Sciatica
Hamstring Dysfunction
Plantar Fasciitis
Achilles Tendonosis
BLOGS
Welcome to the Physical Therapy Clinic of Paris, your trusted partner in health and wellness, conveniently located in Paris, TX. At our clinic, we understand the unique needs of women during pregnancy and after childbirth. That's why we're proud to offer specialized services tailored to support mothers through every stage of their journey, from pregnancy to post-partum recovery. Pregnancy Care: Pregnancy is a beautiful and transformative experience, but it can also bring about various physical challenges. From back pain to pelvic floor dysfunction, expectant mothers often face discomfort
Prostate cancer affects millions of men worldwide, and for many, treatment involves prostatectomy, the surgical removal of the prostate gland. While this procedure is often necessary for managing cancer, it can lead to various physical challenges, including urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. At the Physical Therapy Clinic of Paris in Paris, TX, we recognize the importance of tailored rehabilitation to address these issues and support men in regaining their quality of life post-prostatectomy. In this blog, we’ll explore the specialized services we offer to facilitate recovery
Step into a world of healing and restoration at the Physical Therapy Clinic of Paris, where we redefine rehabilitation with a focus on specialized care, particularly in the realm of pelvic health. In this blog, we’ll explore the transformative impact of our rehabilitation services and delve into the expertise we offer to enhance pelvic health. At the Physical Therapy Clinic of Paris, our dedicated team of therapists focuses on the interconnectedness of physical, emotional, and lifestyle factors, fostering an environment where our patients can reclaim their
Low back pain is one of the most common ailments that people face. It can range from mild discomfort to a debilitating condition so severe that it interferes with daily life. The good news is that there are effective treatments available for low back pain. This blog will take you through everything you need to know about low back pain – from understanding what it is, recognizing its symptoms, and diagnosing its causes and risk
Arthritis is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is a term used to describe inflammation in the joints, which can cause pain, stiffness, and limited mobility. In this blog post, we will discuss everything you need to know about arthritis – from understanding this condition to identifying different types of arthritis, recognizing its symptoms, and exploring the causes behind it. We will also look at various treatment options available for arthritis