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What is the Difference Between Physiotherapy and Physical Therapy

You’ve probably heard the terms physiotherapy and physical therapy used interchangeably. Some individuals mistakenly believe they are synonyms for the same thing. Despite the fact that these two disciplines are extremely similar, there are several significant variances that can make a big impact for a patient. Understanding these nuances can help you choose the best treatment for you and have educated conversations with your doctor.

What is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is a type of health care that aims to reduce pain, increase mobility, and enhance a person’s ability to function in daily life. Physical therapy is most commonly used to recuperate from injuries or surgeries, but it can also be used to manage any uncomfortable condition or simply to improve things.

Physical therapists are trained and certified medical professionals that perform physical therapy. They have extensive experience in identifying physical anomalies, restoring physical function and mobility, preserving physical functions, and encouraging physical activity. A physical therapist in the United States must earn a doctorate in physical therapy from an authorized program and pass a state licensure exam.

What is Physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy is described as the treatment of disease, injury, or deformity without the use of medications or surgery, using physical therapies such as massage, joint manipulation, and other approaches. A physiotherapist provides exercise routines, manual therapy, education, and advice to persons who have been injured, ill, or disabled.

The purpose of physiotherapy is to assist people in being as self-sufficient and active members of society as possible.

What is the Difference Between Physiotherapy and Physical Therapy

Physical therapy and physiotherapy both use movement and hands-on techniques to enhance the body’s condition, but they approach it differently. In a nutshell, physiotherapy focuses on manual remedies, whereas physical therapy emphasizes exercise. They are able to get similar outcomes by utilizing various therapy methods.

Physiotherapy is also employed in a variety of situations outside than physical therapy. Physiotherapy is frequently seen in hospitals, where it is used for post-operative care and other critical conditions. Physical therapy, on the other hand, is more commonly employed for non-life threatening injuries. A physical therapist will assess and treat difficulties such as muscle aches and pains, strains, injuries, and chronic movement impairments such as arthritis.

To find out more contact our Foothill Ranch Physical Therapy , Placentia Physical Therapy, or Lake Forest Physical Therapy locations

Properly Training And Exercising Your Core

Exercising your core is essential in achieving optimal health as well as reducing the risk of injury while working out. Core strength is frequently promoted as an important component of fitness in popular workout routines. In the medical community, the core is frequently blamed for common ailments including low back discomfort and bad posture.

Physical therapists are usually entrusted with increasing core strength in order to reduce pain, improve posture, prevent injury, and promote wellness. However, with so many core exercises to choose from, it can be tough to know which ones are best for a quick workout.

The Core’s Anatomy

From the diaphragm to the pelvis, the core stretches from the mid-thorax to the lower abdomen, encircling the body’s internal organs. The muscles shown are generally referred to as the core muscles, however several other muscles also contribute to core strength.

The rectus abdominis is in charge of forward trunk bending, while the erector spinae is in charge of backward trunk bending. The trunk is rotated by the internal and external obliques. The lower abdomen, or the area below the belly button, is pulled toward the spine by the transverse abdominis, which acts as an internal “belt” that holds this area firmly in place.

These are the core muscles that are most widely identified. To build a well-rounded core workout, they must be trained individually.

The attachment of the latissimus dorsi  and gluteus maximus, or buttocks muscle, to the connective tissue of the low back is a lesser known structure for core support. The thoracolumbar fascia is a connective tissue that connects the lumbar spine to the surrounding supporting muscles, allowing the lumbar spine to move freely.

Reducing Risk of Injury

Core strength is an important component of fitness and injury prevention, and it should be included in nearly every personal training program. Core training, on the other hand, can be difficult, and if pain persists while attempting to strengthen these muscles, it’s better to seek the advice of a certified specialist to check the form and physical limits. Physical therapists are experts in bodily movement and are specially qualified to assist patients in improving their abilities in these areas.

How Feet Support Helps Your Posture and Overall Health

Walking takes up a significant amount of time for many people each day, which is why proper feet support is so important. Your feet and ankles are put under a lot of strain to maintain your weight, and you have to work extra hard to do so.

It’s critical to pay special attention to your feet. They are, after all, the foundation of the body, allowing us to stand, exercise, and even walk the dog! To strengthen your feet and ease the pressure, you won’t have to change your entire routine. It can sometimes be as simple as making tiny lifestyle modifications.

Continue reading to learn more about how to support your feet, improve posture, and promote overall wellness.

Exercising and Stretching Your Feet

Exercising and stretching your feet and ankles on a regular basis ensures that those muscles are providing the best support possible. Because they’re used so frequently – and so thoroughly – you need to make sure they’re not prone to overuse damage. Even though you can’t always avoid these things from happening, progressively increasing your strength and endurance reduces your chances of suffering a setback.

The exercises below may help you maintain a greater range of motion in your feet, improve feet support, and allow you to stay active for longer.

• Toe raise, point, and curl
• Big toe stretch
• Toe splays and curls
• Marble pickup
• Sand walking
• Toe extension
• Golf ball roll
• Achilles stretch

Physical Therapy Can Benefit Foot and Ankle Function

Physical therapy can be useful to relieve pain and improve function if you are suffering from a foot condition.

When you see a physical therapist, the goal isn’t only to treat pain and promote injury healing, though. These professionals also focus on overall health.

Some physical therapy services that are used to treat foot pain are as follows.

• Manual therapy
• Ultrasound
• Electrical stimulation
• Laser therapy
• Heat and cold treatment

To find out more contact our Foothill Ranch Physical Therapy , Placentia Physical Therapy, or Lake Forest Physical Therapy locations

The Effects of Exercise on Your Mood

Exercising has the ability to improve your health in a variety of ways. Strength, stability, and endurance are among the most well-known advantages.

However, we know very little about the psychological effects of exercise. Exercise, according to some studies, helps alleviate stress and even sadness and anxiety.

People frequently claim that physical activity “releases endorphins.” This helps to explain why you feel so terrific after running a mile or doing a set of squats. But what exactly does that imply, and how does exercise contribute to these long-term mood improvements?

Exercise and Happiness

Happiness is created by a long list of hormones. Those most commonly recognized are:

• Serotonin
• Dopamine
• Oxytocin
• Beta-endorphins

Fortunately for you, some of those compounds are also released during exercise. Serotonin and dopamine, popularly known as “happy hormones,” are among them.

What are the functions of these hormones? Dopamine works with your brain’s “motivational salience” system. This controls the intensity with which you behave in order to achieve or avoid a goal. Serotonin has the ability to counteract the dopamine-induced impulse and is the source of consistent drive. They increase your mood by balancing and complementing each other.

Endorphins also help you push through discomfort when you’re exercising. This is accomplished by numbing the body. However, neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin are responsible for the feel-good euphoria of “runner’s high,” as well as the enhanced drive you experience during and after your run. It may not feel great the whole time you exercise, but once you hit your stride, you’ll feel those “happy hormones.”

It makes little difference if your preferred form of exercise is a brisk walk, a long bike ride, or a trip to the gym. Physical activity has the ability to make you feel wonderful on the inside and out. All you have to do now is get going.

Why not hire a professional instead of trying to come up with an exercise regimen on your own? Contacting a local physical therapist is a good first step to take, and you should do so by calling or texting us at 949.716.5050

What is Torticollis and How Can it be Treated?

Have you ever woke up and felt a severe tightness or kink in your neck? If so then you probably have experienced Torticollis. Torticollis, also known as cervical dystonia, is essentially when a muscle is contracting when really it should be resting.

Adults experience three types of torticollis:

• The mildest form is the sensation described above, in which the vertebral bodies or neck joints stack on top of each other and become “stuck” from being in one position for too long. Sometimes this condition will go away on its own. However, seeing a physical therapist early is recommended, because early treatment can improve outcomes.
• Torticollis can result from a traumatic event, such as a car accident or fall. After a car accident, a person might experience whiplash (head being thrown forwards or backwards due to excessive force) and then several days later might have significant onset of pain and stiffness. Much more severe than the first example, this one requires skilled care to resolve. A family doctor might refer a patient to an orthopedic doctor, who could prescribe additional imaging, medications or injections, or to a physical therapist, who will identify which muscles and joints are involved to resolve the patient’s symptoms.
• The third type of adult torticollis is idiopathic cervical dystonia, which is thought to be neurologic in nature. Researchers have linked it to chromosome 18p, which is believed to generate involuntary contractions or tightness of the neck muscles in people who have not experienced sustained postures or trauma. Although this condition is not curable, treatments for pain relief include botox injections, surgery and pharmacological therapy, each of which helps manage symptoms.

If Torticollis is causing you significant disability and disruption of daily lifestyle, contact one of our highly trained and experienced Physical Therapists for treatment options.

Is Icing Beneficial for Pain or Injuries?

“Is Icing Beneficial for Pain or Injuries?” is a common question that is asked when treating pain. The two worst and often common responses to pain following an injury are complete inactivity and seeking any external means — medication and ice for example — to eliminate the pain. Athletes may need to miss a few games and gardeners may need to take a weekend off from weeding, but they do not need to rush to pain medication and ice. Instead, let the pain guide your activity level, understand the body will heal, and continue to live your life. Use the PEACE & LOVE principle to help alleviate pain.

P = PROTECT
Let pain guide you. Avoid heavy loading and restrict movement for a couple of days. Don’t become inactive, though.

E = ELEVATE
Not necessary but could provide some benefit if swelling is present

A = AVOID ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MODALITIES
For all of the reasons mentioned above. This includes ice and NSAIDs (e.g. Advil)

C = COMPRESS
Like elevation, this can limit swelling. You may speed up the waste removal, allowing you to return to activity sooner.

E = EDUCATE
This applies to healthcare providers. It includes educating on proper load management (see next point) and pain (see above). Education is the most powerful treatment at my disposal as a physical therapist.

L = LOAD (STARTS A FEW DAYS AFTER THE INJURY)
Loading should follow the healing process. As the tissue strengthens, more load is tolerated. Immature muscle, ligaments, tendons, and bone, require loading to strengthen. Inactivity will not restore tissue strength.

O = OPTIMISM
Our emotions and expectations greatly influence our pain experience. The primary drivers of transitioning from acute to chronic pain are depression, anxiety, and fear of movement. No one likes being injured. But understand your body will recover if you take the right approach.

V = VASCULARIZATION
Early activity, particularly aerobic exercise, improves blood flow and assists with the healing process.

E = EXERCISE
Exercise is necessary to fully restore lost muscle, strength, and tissue integrity.

PEACE & LOVE is a long-term strategy that can help you recover from injury and reduce your risk of reinjury. If you have a question or would like to work with a physical therapist to design a personalized rehabilitation plan, schedule an appointment by calling or texting us at 949.716.5050.

Avoid and Overcome the Negative Effects of Working from Home

If you are part of the large group of people that have still not gone back to the office as a result of COVID-19 and are still working from home, it is important to understand how to optimize your workspace environment for your health and wellness.

Tips For Your Home Workspace

• Alternate between sitting and standing
  • Prolonged sitting has been shown to increase body discomfort, particularly low back pain. Research has shown that prolonged sitting is adversely associated with type 2 diabetes and premature mortality and has a negative effect on mental state.
  • Standing for at least five minutes each hour can reduce your risk of back pain. Set a timer on your phone or computer to remind you to stand.
• When sitting, use a sturdy, supportive chair instead of the couch. Adding a lumbar support pillow to a kitchen chair can be a great temporary alternative to an ergonomic office chair. Sitting on a stability ball for part of the day also can promote core muscle engagement, which is important for your low back; however, it should not be your primary chair because of the limited back support.

Ergonomic Set-up Guidance

• Your eyes should be level with the top one-third of your computer screen to prevent excessive strain on your neck.
• With your elbows bent to 90 degrees, your hands should rest comfortably on your work surface. You may need to adjust the height of your chair/seat or work surface to achieve this position.
• Your feet should be planted on the floor, with your knees and hips bent to 90-100 degrees.
• When standing, place your computer on an elevated surface to avoid strain on your neck and back.

Physical Therapy

If you are experiencing pain, whether in your neck, back or elsewhere, we are here to help through in-person physical therapy or telehealth options.

After a thorough assessment, our therapists will perform manual therapy techniques to reduce your pain and guide you through therapeutic exercises to help improve your strength and overall function. Your therapist can help improve your posture and ergonomic workstation setup and work with you to develop a personalized plan to prevent future discomfort.

Contact either our Foothill Ranch Physical Therapy or Lake Forest Physical Therapy locations for an assessment. 

What Are the Benefits of Exercise for Osteoarthritis?

As more people spend time at home rather than going out, sedentary habits mean an increased risk of developing or aggravating osteoarthritis within the joints of the body. An estimated 23 percent of American adults suffer from arthritis, making it a leading cause of work pain and disability.

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the progressive breakdown of the cartilage (or cushion) that lines the surfaces of the bones that ultimately form the joints of the body, such as the knee, shoulder and hip. This breakdown can make joint movement painful and can result in reduced mobility necessary for daily activities.

Symptoms include:

• Pain with daily activities
• Pain at night
• Decreased range of motion
• Decreased strength
• Swelling/inflammation
• Tenderness to touch

Osteoarthritis can cause people who were once active to begin living a sedentary lifestyle in an attempt to avoid pain. Yet not only does inactivity increase pain, but it also negatively affects the health of the other major systems of the body and their health including the lungs, heart and brain.

How to Treat Osteoarthritis

As a result, osteoarthritis can damage one’s overall health and well-being. The good news is that you can take action to treat this disease and get back to doing the activities you love in your daily life.

Though it seems counterintuitive, studies have shown that one of the best treatments for osteoarthritis is exercise. As we look toward society reopening, it is important that we have maintained an appropriate level of activity during quarantine to reduce the risk of developing or aggravating osteoarthritis upon returning to work.

Some of the evidence-based reasons why exercise is so important to fighting the effects include the following:

• Exercise helps act as a natural “lubricant” to help joints move more efficiently and smoothly.
• Strengthened muscles surrounding the joint allow for more support and promote pain-free movement.
• Exercise helps with weight loss and fitness. Obesity increases the load and stress on joints exponentially. Maintaining a healthy weight reduces load to joints, thus reducing the risk for osteoarthritis.
• Exercise and activity move the joints through a variety of ranges of motion, which helps counteract stiffness.

To find out more about our physical therapy services that help with osteoarthritis, call or text us at 949.716.5050

Choose Physical Therapy Instead of Opioids for Safe Pain Management

There are multiple options in choosing to deal with pain, some safer and more effective than others. Since 1999, Americans have increasingly been prescribed opioids- painkillers like Vicodin, OxyContin, Opana, and methadone, and combination drugs like Percocet. In some situations, prescription opioids are an appropriate part of medical treatment. However, some risks to opioid use include depression, overdose, addiction and withdrawal symptoms. In addition, people addicted to prescription opioids are 40 times more likely to become addicted to heroin.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging healthcare providers to reduce the use of opioids in favor of safe alternatives like physical therapy. The American Physical Therapy Association cites these four ways that physical therapists help patients manage pain.

To find out more about the benefits of Physical Therapy, contact our Foothill Ranch Physical Therapy , Placentia Physical Therapy, or Lake Forest Physical Therapy locations

Source: moveforwardpt.com

Tips on Preventing Injury When Returning to Physical Activity

Whether you are coming off an injury, or have taken time off from working out and the gym due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it is important to be cautious when returning to physical activity. when we return to the physical activity we might be rushing into our old routines too quickly and trying to start where we left off, which is not always the best idea. Research has found that a rapid loss of muscle mass occurs within the first one to two weeks of disuse. Then the rate of loss slows and each muscle group atrophies at a different rate.

The bottom line is that our muscles are not as strong as they were the last time we left the gym. Therefore, our workouts need to be modified to reduce injury risk.

Return to Cardiovascular Training

Whether you are a runner, swimmer or cyclist, returning to cardiovascular exercise can be a challenge after time off. The key is the begin at a lower level than when training ceased. Exercise physiologists offer the guidelines in this chart for returning to running; they can be applied to all cardiovascular exercises.

The below chart gives a rough idea of the appropriate method of returning back to cardiovasular activity:

From this beginning, you may progress either your pace or your mileage by 10 percent each week but not both to reduce injury risk.

When choosing a running course, look for one that is mostly flat to avoid the additional challenges of hills. Hills can be added as your cardiovascular endurance improves. It is important to ensure proper warm-ups and cool downs before and after cardiovascular endurance. OC Sports and Rehab’s team of experts in Run Mechanics can greatly help you get back to normal cardiovascular activity without injurty.

Return to Weightlifting

Similar to returning to cardio, this requires a decrease in initial weights and a slow progression to return. Initially with returning to strength training, you will see improvements with less weight. To determine your initial weight for return, focus on a challenging weight when you reach repetition seven or eight of a 10-repetition exercise. This indicates an appropriate challenge while being able to maintain good form throughout the exercise.

As you progress, you will require more weight to continue to achieve strength gains. Most studies recommend 80-85 percent of your one-rep maximum for the most effective strength training.

As you return to working out, whether after the lifting of a stay-at-home order or other extended period on the sidelines, the most important thing is to you listen to your body. If you are having aches or pains as you return, please reach out to one of our physical therapists for an evaluation to ensure a safe, individual return.