An appointment at Stafford Physiotherapy and Pilates may include one or more of the following physiotherapy treatments, based on what your physiotherapist believes will most assist you.
DRY NEEDLING THERAPY
As part of your treatment plan for musculoskeletal pain, our physiotherapists may recommend dry needling therapy.
Dry needling therapy involves inserting very fine filiform needles into the affected muscle. There is no fluid injected into the body, hence the name ‘Dry’ Needling Therapy. This technique is often associated with sports injuries treatment and conditions such as Osteoarthritis and Fibromyalgia.
Treatment – What to expect
Very fine needles are inserted into targeted trigger points of the affected muscle, (typically knotted or tight areas of the muscle) and may reduce pain and spasm.
The Benefits of Dry Needling Therapy:
- Relieves muscle tightness and pain
- Improvement in range of motion
- Improve blood flow and oxygen circulation
- Is more precise than other treatments
Please note. Dry needling therapy is not simply another name for ‘Acupuncture’ which focuses more on strategic points of the body related to energy flow. Dry needling is a direct treatment to the affected area.
Exercise Prescription Therapy
Exercise Prescription Therapy is an exercise program designed by your Physiotherapist to assist with both injury rehabilitation and injury prevention.
Exercise has obvious positive health benefits and when prescribed by a Physiotherapist specifically for a desired outcome or goal. Some examples might be rehabilitation from injury or injury prevention, such as increasing quadriceps strength to reduce the chances of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.
Treatment – What to expect
Our physiotherapists take two approaches to Exercise Prescription Therapy: Home Exercises and Physiotherapy Exercise Sessions. Both forms of exercise therapy are prescribed by the physiotherapist based on an individual assessment of the patient’s history, their injury, posture, muscle weakness, tightness or muscle imbalances. The exercises can be adjusted to suit the patient’s condition and progress.
In the Home Exercises, each patient is prescribed relevant exercises to do at home to assist in their treatment and recovery. This is particularly important for ACL rehabilitation, shoulder and ankle injuries and a prompt return to sport or work. These also help reduce recurrence of back and neck problems and are fundamental in reduction of pain for conditions such as Tendinopathy, Tennis elbow and Plantar Fasciitis.
The Physio Exercise Sessions run for an hour in a group setting (up to four people in a class) with primarily Pilates-inspired exercises, balance, core strengthening work using Pilates equipment and other physiotherapy equipment. These are fully supervised by a physiotherapist.
The Benefits of Exercise Prescription Therapy:
- Increases metabolic rate and fat loss
- Helps retains bone density
- Improves overall strength
- Improves flexibility and coordination
- Improves balance
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy (also referred to as Orthopedic Physiotherapy) is a treatment that takes into account the skeletal system as a whole and the restoration of muscle, tendon, ligament and joint function.
Injuries typically occur when the body is not working in unison. Imbalances may also develop during the injury recovery phase, causing the patient to alter their movement resulting in a higher incidence of injury.
An example of this is an altered walking style due to a previous knee or ankle injury which, in turn, can have a flow-on effect causing lower back pain.
Treatment – What to expect
Your physiotherapist will assess your condition and administer hands-on treatment, along with Exercise Prescription Therapy and stretching, and may offer advice on modifying activities impacting your body eg. how you sit at a computer or using correct form when lifting weights.
The Benefits of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy include:
- Posture and alignment correction
- Increase mobility
- Increased performance and strength
- Treatment of soft tissue injuries
- Preventing joint and ligament damage
Trigger Point Massage
A trigger point refers to a tight area of the muscle, typically referred to as a muscle knot that can cause pain in the muscle itself and/or other areas of the body in the form of referred pain.
Trigger Point Massage Therapy treats the source of the pain through massage and may alleviate referred pain.
Treatment – What to expect
Pressure is applied directly to the affected area and then released. The patient may be asked to incorporate breathing techniques in coordination with the treatment.
The Benefits of Trigger Point Massage:
- Relieves pain and mobility
- Reduces the incidence of headache
- Improves flexibility
- Reduces post-exercise recovery
For more information about our range of physiotherapy treatments please call us on (07) 3857 5815, book online or use our contact us page to book an appointment.