Category: Physical Therapy

Slips and Trips Can Cause More Damage Than You Think

Senior citizen slips on slick linoleum in Portland OR

Slips and Trips Can Cause More Damage Than You Think

Our bodies are incredibly resilient and can bounce back from all sorts of illnesses and injuries. While this resiliency is great for keeping us healthy, it often causes us to shrug off minor injuries like trips or falls. Many people will ignore aches and pains, hoping that they’ll go away on their own. But, failing to properly care for your body after falling can result in long-lasting or worsening problems.

The best way to avoid lingering pain from falling is to prevent accidents from happening in the first place. And, now that we’re in the midst of the rainy Pacific Northwest fall, it’s extra important to be careful around slippery surfaces to avoid slipping or falling. Here are our top tips for staying safe in slippery weather:

Use handrails when possible

Wear slip-resistant shoes

Wipe your feet when coming indoors

Avoid distractions like phones when walking

Stick to well-lit and maintained pathways
Store wet clothes and items away from walkways

While these tips can help you avoid becoming injured, what should you do if you are experiencing pain from a trip or fall? Our recommendation is to receive immediate medical attention for any acute injuries, and then to seek physical therapy so you can avoid long-lasting pain.

Signs Physical Therapy Can Help Relieve Your Pain

It is so common to disregard lingering pain from slips or falls that most people aren’t even aware that they can find relief. With the help of physical therapy, you can reduce or eliminate recurring pain from minor injuries rather than suffering for months or years on end. Here are some signs that you should seek treatment after a trip or fall:

You notice swelling or other visible changes.

Medications aren’t helping relieve the pain.

You are experiencing persisting, recurring, or sharp pain.

You have limited mobility or can’t perform some tasks.

You frequently suffer from headaches or traveling pain.

All of these are signs that your minor injury could have long-lasting effects if not properly treated. And, if you are still experiencing any of these signs from a trip or fall that happened a while ago, it isn’t too late to receive help! Physical therapy can help at any stage of the recovery process.

If you recently fell or are experiencing long-lasting pain from a previous injury, the specialists at New Heights Physical Therapy can help! Our highly trained therapists are dedicated to helping you recover in a safe and caring environment, so you can get back to your daily activities in no time. Call us today to schedule an appointment.

What to Do When You’re in an Accident

Woman in car accident getting help. Blog post from New Heights Physical Therapy in Portland, OR

What to Do After a Car Accident

With school opening back up and new drivers taking to the roads, there has been an increase of car accidents throughout Vancouver WA and Portland OR. And, these accidents aren’t just impacting other drivers; motorcyclists, bikers, and pedestrians are also at risk of experiencing a vehicle-related injury.

Even seemingly minor injuries from motor-related accidents can cause serious pain for months, years, or even a lifetime. Over 75% of people who sought immediate medical care after a car accident reported pain 4 weeks later, making these injuries a leading cause of chronic pain.

What Are Common Car Accident Injuries?

Even a small fender bender can cause injury, which may linger long after the accident is over. The jerking motions of coming to an abrupt stop or being hit can lead to whiplash, muscle tears, and more. Without proper attention, these injuries can cause residual pain for years.

Thankfully, physical therapy can help reduce pain and increase mobility after an accident. Some of the most common car-related injuries that physical therapy can help treat are:

Whiplash and headaches
Back or neck strains
Shoulder strains
Wrist injuries

What to Do When You’re in an Accident

If you have been in an accident and endured a severe injury or suspect head trauma, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. Some signs of head trauma include:

Loss of consciousness.
Sensory issues with light or sound.
Persistent or worsening headache.
Nausea and vomiting.
Loss of coordination or speech issues.
Fatigue or drowsiness.

If you do not suspect serious injury, it is still a good idea to see a physical therapist as soon as possible – even if you don’t immediately feel any pain. Car accidents are traumatic and often trigger a large release of adrenaline, which can make it difficult or impossible to notice an injury right away. Additionally, any damaged soft tissue may take several days or weeks to swell up and cause pain.

A physical therapist can help you avoid or reduce pain after a car accident. With over 24 years of experience serving the Vancouver WA and Portland OR area, the experts at New Heights Physical Therapy can help. Our highly-trained specialists can identify and treat accident-related injuries to help keep you pain free – both immediately and weeks or months later. Call us today if you are facing an accident-related injury!

Tips for Properly Fitting a Bike

Person riding a mountain bike. New Heights provides professional bike fittings.

We don’t have to tell you this; bike riding is big in the Portland OR and Vancouver WA area. Cyclists ride bikes for recreation as well as transportation to work and school regardless of the weather. But did you know simply hopping on a bike and taking off may cause you to suffer pain later? In this article, we’ll talk about how to properly fit a bike so you can ride in comfort.

What is a Bike Fitting?

Before we dig into bike fitting, it’s important to know what a bike fitting is in the first place. A bike fitting is a process performed by a professional. Because everyone is different, they may ask how you use your bike and what your goals are. Then they’ll have you sit on the bike and adjust things like the frame and saddle so you and the bike work in synchronization.

Adjusting Your Bike For You

Cycling should be pain-free. Here are a few ways you can change your experience, so you can ride longer and harder.

Adjust the Saddle Height

This step is probably the easiest and most important one to set. You want the saddle to be at a height that when your leg is extended during a pedal stroke, your heel barely touches the pedal, and is not above your toes.

Adjust the Saddle Setback

To avoid pain in your pelvis, your saddle setback should be adjusted as well. This involves moving the saddle forward and backward until your knee is over the pedal spindle.

Change Bike Stems

The bike stem is the piece that bridges your handlebars to your steerer. It shouldn’t be too long or too short because your reach to the handlebars is important for weight distribution. When reaching for your handlebars, your elbows should have a slight bend.

If you travel and take your bike apart often it’s a good idea to measure and record these adjustments. Keep them somewhere handy so you can use them for a quick and easy reference.

Signs Your Bike is Not Properly Fitted

If your bike is not properly fitted, your body will tell you. Below are some of the common symptoms you may experience.

Knee, hip, and ankle pain: if you’re experiencing pain in these lower extremities, it is likely due to your saddle’s position.
Shoulder and neck pain: if you suffer pain in these areas this is likely from your stem or handlebar position.

Your Local Source for Bike Fitting

Want help with your bike fit? At New Heights Physical Therapy, our highly-experienced therapists provide professional bike fitting for patients whether it’s a road bike, mountain bike or hybrid bike, we can help. So contact New Heights Physical Therapy today for your professional bike fitting in the Portland OR and Vancouver WA area!

Negative Effects of Inactivity

Physical activity, anything from doing chores to running, is key to improving health. But what happens to your body when it’s sedentary? In this blog post, we’ll dig deeper into the effects caused by inactivity.

Health Risks of Inactivity

According to The Department of Health and Human Services, 80% of all Americans are not meeting current physical activity recommendations. They say this contributes to several chronic health conditions and that physical activity, especially moderate-to-vigorous activity, can help offset these risks.

Short Term Effects

Health experts say people who lead an inactive lifestyle put themselves at more risk of:

Anxiety
Depression
Weight Gain
Weakened immune system
Hormonal imbalance
Poor blood circulation
A decrease in skeletal muscle mass
High cholesterol levels

Long Term Effects

Lack of inactivity also has long term effects. Over time, a sedentary lifestyle can lead to more serious health conditions including:

Coronary Heart Disease
Stroke
Type-2 Diabetes
Certain cancers which can lead to death

Physical Activity Guidelines

To acquire the most health benefits from physical activity, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends.

Adults: perform at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week. This can include anything from a brisk walk to vacuuming, and mopping.
Older Adults: if possible, perform 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity including balance training and muscle-strengthening exercises.
Children and adolescents (6 to 17 years old): get at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity both aerobic, and muscle-strengthening exercises like walking, running, playing basketball, and jumping rope.
Preschool-aged Children (3 to 5 years old): be active throughout the day to enhance growth and development for at least three hours a day. HHS recommends adults encourage active play that’s light, moderate or vigorous intensity.

Simple Activities You Can Do to Prevent Issues in the Future

If you’ve been inactive, you may want to start slow to prevent injuries. Here are some simple activities you can do in your daily lives:

At home

Housework, cleaning, yard work, and gardening.
Stand up while on the phone
Stretch or lift hand weights while watching TV
Go on a walk around the neighborhood
Exercise using a workout video

At work

If you sit, get up and move around at least once an hour
See if your company can get you a stand-up desk
Take the stairs
Use your break to walk around the building

Monitored physical exercise and activity can help inactive patients. At New Heights Physical Therapy, we help our patients lead a healthier life through movement and education. You owe it to your body to lead a healthier life! If you’re interested in learning more ways to get active, give the professionals at New Heights Physical Therapy a call today!

Benefits of Pelvic Floor Therapy

Over the years, women may notice that their pelvic muscles are just not as strong as they once were. They may feel pain in the pelvis, overall weakness, decrease in sexual pleasure, or leaking of urine during normal daily activities. Other symptoms could include the following:

Painful urination
Constipation
Back pain
Pelvic muscle spasms
Pelvic pressure

If you have been suffering with symptoms like these, you may benefit from pelvic floor therapy.

Is Pelvic Floor Therapy Right for You?

When pelvic floor therapy is used with the guidance of a physical therapist, you may feel more comfortable, eliminate some symptoms and get back to the activities that you love. There are specific circumstances when a woman can really benefit from pelvic floor therapy.

Pelvic Floor and Postpartum Therapy

This therapy is perhaps best known for being used in women who have given birth. The pressure that occurs as you push a child through your vaginal canal can stretch and even tear pelvic muscles, leading to weakness. The pelvic muscles, which are meant to hold up the bladder and uterus, soften and sink. Therapy tightens and lifts these muscles again.

Post-Abdominal Surgery and Pelvic Exercises

Therapy is also very beneficial after pelvic surgery. When the muscles are cut, it takes a while for them to grow back together correctly and to regain their former strength. Healing from surgery can also involve scar tissue and flexibility issues, and pelvic floor therapy can help to address these issues. Physical therapy is an excellent choice after a hysterectomy, episiotomy, colorectal surgery, or C-section.

Pelvic Floor Therapy and Incontinence

If you are aging, you may be noticing some bladder weakness. Instead of turning to an incontinence pad, assuming that this is a normal part of aging, choose pelvic therapy. It can strengthen and lift your pelvic muscles, providing better support for the bladder and ureters.

Therapy for General Pelvic Health

Women may also need physical therapy for the pelvic muscles for a variety of other generalized concerns, including the following:

Pelvic pain
Pain with intercourse
Abnormally tight pelvic floor muscles
Obesity
Nerve damage

While you may need months of therapy, and will continue pelvic muscle strengthening exercises at home, you can turn around the health of your pelvic floor and experience great muscle tone in the area. At New Heights Physical Therapy, we believe in taking care of your total health and well-being. If you think you could benefit from pelvic floor therapy, give us a call today!

Physical Therapy for Heart Disease

After suffering a cardiac event, it can feel difficult to start the journey toward recovery. Healing from such a distressing incident takes time, and physical therapy can aid the rehabilitation process as well as improve your overall heart health. At New Heights Physical Therapy, we’re dedicated to helping our patients recover and gain back strength after any injury or disease-related complication. If you’ve recently suffered from or have ongoing heart-related issues, we’re here to support you and stand by your side in the recovery period.

Beginning the Rehabilitation Process

Whether you’ve experienced a heart attack, heart failure, angioplasty, or heart surgery, cardiac rehab is essential to properly healing both mentally and physically. Your doctor will work with you to develop a plan that is best suited for your health and may consult a physical therapist in evaluating any impairments that need to be taken into consideration. Once you are approved to participate in a cardiac rehab program, it’s time to take the next step toward recovery!

Recovery Through Education

When you begin your rehabilitation, one of the most important steps is education. Your physical therapist is dedicated to helping you better understand your own heart health and will work with you every step of the way. Education methods include:

Understanding the current state of your heart and why you are experiencing heart-related issues.
Learning about proper exercise procedures and how to safely practice them.
Being taught how to monitor your own heart rate and asses your exertion levels during exercise.
Knowing what to avoid in the healing process and understanding what will help you achieve success.
Identifying stressors that hurt your heart and learning how to tackle sources of stress.
Setting goals for your heart health that will give you something to work toward.

Through education, patients are often more confident in their ability to heal and have a smoother recovery period. By getting familiar with your own heart health, you can make better lifestyle choices post-recovery.

Cardiac Physical Therapy Exercises

Because your heart is still in recovery mode, it is crucial not to overdo your exercise regime. This is why physical therapy plays such an important role in cardiac rehabilitation. Working together with your physical therapist enables you to be monitored and learn about what exercises are best for your particular situation. Independent and group exercise can help you gain confidence, and the presence of a physical therapist ensures you are increasing your exercise tolerance safely. An array of activities may be included in your rehab program including flexibility, strengthening, and aerobic exercises. Once you feel confident enough, at-home exercises will continue to help you get back to normal and decrease the risk of future heart disease complications.

Physical Therapy for a Better Heart

Even if you haven’t suffered from a serious heart-related issue, physical therapy and monitored exercise is essential to adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle. Physical therapists are committed to helping patients lead a healthier life through education and exercise. At New Heights Therapy, we know how life-changing heart disease is and love helping our patients improve their heart health and confidence after a traumatic experience. You owe it to your heart to be committed to anything that helps you live a long and healthy life!

Exercise to Recover from Concussions

If you have suffered from a concussion, you know the immediate effects it can have on your ability to function physically, cognitively, and behaviorally. Concussions are traumatic brain injuries caused by direct force or a blow to the head that severely rattles the brain. It has been estimated that more than two million people suffer from concussions in the United States each year. If you have or think you have a concussion, it’s urgent to seek immediate help from a medical professional. At New Heights Physical Therapy, we take concussions very seriously and encourage all patients to consult their doctor before we can help you recover.

What Causes Concussions?

Concussions can occur during rapid movement changes or, most commonly, when there is a direct blow to the head. Because the brain is affected by this, there is immediate or delayed changes in the brain’s chemistry and function. There are a number of incidents that are known to cause concussions:

Motor vehicle accidents or collisions
Sports-related injuries to the head or neck
Falling or tripping (the leading cause)
Accidents at hard-labor jobs
Violent assault or abuse

Signs of a Concussion

Because concussions can cause long-term damage, it’s important to recognize the signs and symptoms of a concussion and seek professional help immediately. It’s also essential to note that symptoms can show immediately or even months after the incident. A few of the symptoms of a concussion include:

Physical symptoms: Nausea/vomiting, difficulty balancing, headache, difficulty sleeping or increased sleepiness, blurred vision, exercise intolerance, sensitivity to light and sound, slurred speech, dazed and confused staring, etc.
Emotional symptoms: Irritability, anxiety or depression, aggression, restlessness, inability to handle stress, mood swings, or a noticeable change in personality or behavior.
Cognitive symptoms: Worsened long-term or short-term memory, confusion, difficulty concentrating/focusing, slower processing, difficulty with decision-making, etc.
Long-term symptoms: Fatigue, weight gain, muscle weakness, chronic headaches, loss of libido, developmental problems in children, low blood pressure, etc.

If you are experiencing any number of these symptoms, you need to contact a medical professional. If symptoms are ignored, the problem can become worse and lead to long-term brain defects.

How Can Exercise Help Treat Concussions?

At New Heights Physical Therapy, we know how distressing a concussion is and are dedicated to helping our patients recover from their traumatic injury. Because we are specialists in sports medicine, we are accustomed to treating athletes that have suffered a sports-related concussion (SRC). No two concussions are the same and we will work hard with you to determine the best course of treatment. There is extensive data suggesting that exercise, especially aerobic exercise, may help patients recovering from a concussion. Some of the ways physical therapy may help treat concussion include:

Determining the appropriate amount of time to rest and recover before treatment.
Restoring strength and endurance through closely monitored exercises, and overcoming exercise intolerance.
Improving balance and confidence through specific monitored exercises.
Improving headaches and pain through stretching and strengthening exercises.
Helping patients return to normal activity or sport through renewed confidence in endurance and strength.

Professional Physical Therapy for Concussion

Rest and monitored physical exercise or activity can help patients recover from a concussion. We know the trauma and life-altering changes a concussion can bring, and are dedicated to helping those who are suffering from the symptoms. If you are interested in learning more about how exercise and physical therapy can help treat the effects of a concussion, give the professionals at New Heights Physical Therapy a call today to set up a consultation today!

How Kinesiology Tape Works

You’ve undoubtedly seen brightly colored kinesiology tape on athletes, but how is it used in physical therapy and how can it help you? Kinesiology taping involves placing strips of this special tape on areas of the body to help improve mobility and support the joints, muscles, and tendons. The tape is light and flexible, non-restrictive, allows normal movement, improves lymph transport, and increases circulation. At New Heights Physical Therapy, we want to help our patients better understand how kinesiology tape can play a crucial role in their physical therapy routines.

What Kinesiology Tape Does

While there are several theories about precisely how kinesiology tape works, it is generally believed to create balance in the neural circuitry in muscles, tendons, joints, and skin. In effect, this can work to reduce pain, decrease swelling, and improve muscle performance and function.

Kinesiology tape serves several functions that have made it so popular in the past decade:

Offers structural or muscle support
Corrects postural problems
Increases blood flow and lymphatic drainage

When applied directly, kinesiology tape can achieve the above effects as it lifts the skin to create a small space between the muscle and dermis layers. Even within that very small space, pressure is taken off any swelling or injured muscles, allowing for smoother movement.

Using Kinesiology Tape in Physical Therapy

People use this special tape for a variety of reasons. When you meet with your physical therapist, they will assess your current situation to decide on the best use of the kinesiology tape. They can also show you how to properly apply the tape yourself. It is especially helpful in accordance with our sports medicine and dance medicine treatments.

Common uses of kinesiology tape include:

Inhibition and pain management. This tape can help decrease pain and muscle spasms that may occur after injury.
Facilitation. Using this tape helps improve muscular firing and contraction patterns, which is often helpful in improving athletic performance.
Swelling management. As mentioned before, kinesiology tape helps with swelling by decreasing pressure between the skin and underlying tissues.
Scar tissue management. If you’ve developed scar tissue after surgery or trauma, this tape can be used to gently pull on scar tissue to provide a low-intensity stretch that may help properly align collagen cells.

Could You Benefit from Using Kinesiology Tape?

When you visit your physical therapist at New Heights Physical Therapy, we’d be happy to discuss how kinesiology tape may be beneficial to your physical therapy routine. Not only can we provide you with vital information on how it works, we can also show you the various ways to apply it that will best serve your unique situation. Give us a call today to set up your next appointment!

Manual Therapy: Scar Tissue Massage

scar tissue massage in Portland OR - New Heights Physical Therapy

Surgery, fractures, sprains, and even cuts can lead to injured tissues that cause scar tissue. While this is part of the normal healing process, it can become an issue if the scar develops improperly and is left untreated. Many people are unaware of the problems associated with scar tissue and are led to believe they will have to live with the lumpy, unattractive scar for the rest of their lives. This is where physical therapy can help! At New Heights Therapy, we’re dedicated to providing our patients with helpful information and compassionate service that will aid the healing of scar tissue.

Causes of Scar Tissue

When an injury to a muscle, tendon, skin, or ligament in the body occurs, the inflammatory system will begin to heal the injury site. During this process, old debris in the injured area is cleaned up before new cells are brought in that will eventually become healthy tissue. Some of the new cells are collagen cells, which is what causes scar tissue. Normally, collagen is aligned in specific ways that promote strength in the tissues. However, the body does not know how to arrange collagen cells after surgery or injury, causing them to clump together, lose their natural structure, and cause scar tissue. The good news is that this newly developed scar tissue is not inherently permanent and can be remodeled to look like normal, healthy tissue once more.

3 Reasons Why Scar Tissue Management is Important

Once scar tissue develops, it’s essential to work on promoting healthy tissue as soon as possible before possible problems arise. Remodeling the scar makes it so the injured tissue can tolerate the stress and forces the body encounters every day from regular activity. Tissue remodeling can help in three ways:

Decrease pain
Improve range of motion in surrounding joints and muscles
Restore normal mobility and function

Using Physical Therapy to Promote Healthy Tissue

Before undergoing treatment, it is necessary to consult with your both your doctor and your physical therapist before proceeding with any treatment. In cases where scars are not fully healed, massage could delay healing or even open and expose the scar to bacteria or infection. If you have scar tissue that has fully healed, a physical therapist may perform scar tissue massage to help with the remodeling process. Massage promotes the gentle stretching of the scar tissue, helping align the collagen fibers

Scar Tissue Massage Techniques

When you start physical therapy for scar tissue management, there are several procedures your therapist will perform to help heal scar tissue:

Lubrication. A small amount of baby oil, lotion, or vitamin E oil may be used to keep the scar and surrounding skin pliable during massage.
Cross friction massage. This involves using one of two fingers to massage the scar in a direction perpendicular to the line of the scar. Performed for 5–10 minutes, this technique ensures proper alignment of collagen fibers.
Myofascial release. In this technique, the hands are used to slowly and lightly massage the skin and underlying tissues around the scar. Your physical therapist can feel for restrictions of tissue, also known as fascia, and work to improve movement in those areas.
Instrument assisted massage. A relatively new technique, instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (ISATM) involves using specialty stainless steel instruments of various sizes to massage and mobilize tissues, helping break up the built-up collagen cells.

Along with these massage techniques, stretching and flexibility exercises may also be implemented to help elongate and improve the mobility of injured tissues.

Professional Help for Scar Tissue Management

Physical therapy can play a vital role in properly treating and healing scar tissue. Whether you’ve developed scar tissue after a surgery, a car accident, or a cut, fracture, or burn, it’s important to talk to a physical therapist to learn how scar tissue massage can help promote remodeled tissue. At New Heights Physical Therapy, we are trained in helping patients treating their scar tissue through a variety of techniques. Give us a call today to start healing your scar tissue!

FAQs About Scar Tissue Massage

Can PT help scar tissue?
Yes, physical therapy will help improve movement and the healing of scar tissue.

Can you massage away scar tissue?
Yes if the scar is no more than two-years-old. We perform three different massage techniques to help heal scar tissue including, cross friction massage, myofascial release, and instrument-assisted massage.Is it good to massage scar tissue?
Yes, there are different massage techniques physical therapists use to break down scar tissue and collagen cells. This helps align the collagen fibers.

Can massage break down scar tissue?
Yes. the body does not know how to arrange collagen cells after surgery or injury, causing them to clump together and lose their natural structure. Massage breaks them down and helps align the collagen fibers.

How long does it take scar tissue to heal after surgery?
Every patient and surgery is different but it typically takes about 6-8 weeks for scar tissue to heal.

How do you break down scar tissue?
To break down scar tissue we first lubricate the affected area with baby oil, lotion, or vitamin E oil. Then we’ll perform different massage techniques including cross friction massage and myofascial release which help improve the alignment of collagen fibers and improve movement. We may also use a steel instrument to break up the built-up collagen cells.

Can you stretch out scar tissue?
We often use kinesiology tape on an injury as it provides a low-intensity stretch to help properly align collagen cells.

Does physical therapy help with scar tissue?
Yes, a physical therapist will massage the scar tissue to promote healing and help align the collagen fibers. A physical therapist will also help improve your range of motion and help alleviate any pain.

Ultrasound Imaging of Musculoskeletal Disorders

Ultrasound Imaging for Musculoskeletal Disorders with tips provided by New Heights Physical Therapy

Ultrasound imaging is a safe and standard procedure that has been used for decades, but is becoming more widely available. This noninvasive approach helps physicians and physiatrists diagnose and treat medical conditions, including musculoskeletal disorders. In addition to a clinical exam, using ultrasound imaging to help diagnose issues is a low-cost, reliable, and painless medical procedure that can aid in managing musculoskeletal disorders. Here at New Heights Therapy, we’re dedicated to aiding our patients and that begins with accurate, reliable diagnoses. Here’s how ultrasound imaging helps us do just that and more!

How Does Ultrasound Imaging Work?

An ultrasound imaging device is made up of a transducer, a transmitter, a receiver, a monitor display, and often a digital storage medium for collecting the images or videos. Ultrasound imaging involves the use of a transducer and ultrasound gel to collect high-frequency sound waves, which travel through the body and encounter acoustic interfaces. These interactions are then reflected back to the transducer and finally formed into images by use of a computer. These images can show the structure and movement of the internal organs as well as blood flowing through blood vessels.

What Can Ultrasound Imaging Help Diagnose?

While no single imaging method can diagnose all musculoskeletal disorders, ultrasound imaging can aid physiatrists in the first steps of diagnosing a variety of problems, including but not limited to the following:

Tendon tears or tendonitis of the rotator cuff, patellar tendon, Achilles tendon, and more
Ligament sprains or tears
Masses or fluid collections and inflammation or effusions in the joints
Nerve entrapments, including carpal/tarsal tunnel syndrome
Chronic or acute muscle injury

What are the Advantages and Limitations of Ultrasound Imaging?

The benefits of using ultrasound imaging in diagnosing musculoskeletal disorders are plentiful.

Ultrasound examinations do not use ionizing radiation (as used in x-rays), so patients are not exposed to any radiation.
An ultrasound exam is noninvasive and not painful to patients, and patient comfort is of the utmost importance to any physical therapist carrying out the exam.
The procedure yields high-resolution imaging, which in some cases is even more productive than MRI or CT in assessing soft tissue structures (tendons and nerves).
Ultrasound imaging is a faster procedure than taking an MRI and allows for quicker, real-time examinations.

As with all procedures, there are a few limitations to ultrasound imaging, such as its inability to penetrate bone/intra-articular structures or deeper structures inside some patients. However, ultrasound imaging is a great procedure for physical therapists in treating their patients due to its ability to diagnose musculoskeletal disorders.

How Can Physical Therapists Use Ultrasound Imaging?

With ultrasound imaging becoming more readily available for physical therapists to use in helping their patients, it is becoming very common in the practice of physical therapy. That said, some special training is required for physiatrists to incorporate it into their practice. Not all ultrasonographic transducers yield high enough resolution for musculoskeletal evaluation, and not all physical therapists or physicians are as familiar with specialized techniques necessary for this type of imaging. At New Heights Therapy, we’re dedicated to ensuring physical therapists are as knowledgeable as possible when it comes to diagnosing patients. Our upcoming two-day seminar on medical imaging will cover the basics of ultrasound imaging for local physical therapists interested in this innovative practice.

Feel Better Today.

Our Physical Therapists are dedicated to helping you feel well.