Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a form of treatment that addresses a variety of physical concerns that interfere with everyday performance. It is common to utilize physical therapy for diagnoses such as brain injury, spinal cord injury, orthopedic injuries, or developmental disabilities.
At Hope Network Rehabilitation Services, our physical therapists are specially trained in motor learning, a unique treatment modality designed to recover motor skills (ie: walking, climbing stairs) that are the result of impairment to the brain. For example, an individual may have no physical damage to his or her legs, but has lost the ability to walk due to illness or injury. The inability to walk is a result of damage or obstruction in the area of the brain that communicates to the legs to walk. Motor learning helps reconnect the message pathway from the brain to the body and is a treatment commonly used when treating brain injury or spinal cord injury.
Some other treatment techniques physical therapy offers are:
Exercise and stretching programs: Designed specifically to address pain, range of motion, strength, posture, balance, and other elements impacting mobility.
Manual therapy: hands-on treatment that increases range of motion, reduces soft tissue inflammation, promotes relaxation, facilitates movement, and improves overall functioning.
Ultrasound: A wand is placed on the skin that radiates sound waves, which can encourage muscle relaxation, blood flow, and scar tissue breakdown.
Electrical stimulation: Electrodes are placed on the skin, which create an electrical current that can produce a muscle contraction. This can improve muscle strength and increase blood flow to an area to promote healing.
Hot and cold therapy: Heat draws blood to target tissues while heat reduces muscle spasms, relaxes tense muscles, relieves pain, and improves range of motion.
Michigan requires that all physical therapists be licensed by the state and have graduated from educational institutions accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.