Will Physical Therapy Help My Injury?

Often times the question "Can you fix this?" comes up. The answer to that question depends on many factors, such as:

• What is your injury?
• How long have you had it?
• What kinds of activities do you need to be able to do?
• How committed are you to the process? 

When you enter into Physical Therapy, you are committing to a partnership with your care team (Physical Therapists, Athletic Trainers, Physical Therapy Assistants, Doctors, and others).

Here is a self-quiz to help you clarify your commitment to getting better. Try rating each one of these questions on a scale of 1-3.

1 = I don't see myself doing that regularly at this time
2 = I think I will commit to doing that most of the time
3 = I am 100% committed to the plan

Items to rate:

1. I will make time in my schedule to attend and actively participate in my rehab as my Physical Therapist prescribes. 

• (Many injuries are 2-3x/week for 5-6 weeks. This varies based off of your injury, so ask your PT what your prescription is).

2. I will make time to do my home exercises as prescribed.

• (Many injuries take about 30 minutes/day of home exercise or self care such as ice. This varies based off of your injury. Ask your PT what you should be doing). 

3. I will consistently avoid performing movements that can make my injury worst.

• See last week's article on questions to ask your PT regarding your activity capacity

4. With the help of my rehab team, I will change daily habits or athletic techniques that may be contributing to my injury.  

Scoring:
11-12 = You are likely to see quite a bit of improvement
8-10   = You are likely to see some improvement
<8      = Your plan would benefit from revision so that you can start to see results

Have you ever had an injury? Do you have one now? Give this quiz a try and share your thoughts!

*This article is designed to help increase awareness of factors that determine successful outcomes when rehabilitating an injury. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace professional medical advice or care.This article was written by Meredith Butulis, DPT, MSPT, ACSM HFS, CPT.

Activity Capacity?

What is your capacity for activity? Many people come to Physical Therapy becuase their capacity to perform their activities has been limited by injury. Physical Therapists work on guiding the progression back to these activity goals.

Achieving these goals depends on knowing what to do and when to do it, just as much as it depends on knowing what NOT to do at particular times.

You can think of your capacity for a particular activity like a bucket of water. The inside of the bucket is the pain free zone. You can do X amount of activities before your overflow the bucket. Once you exceed the capacity, pain and further injury can result. You and your Physical Therapist can work together to identify the limits.

Here are some questions to ask your Physical Therapist to help you get back on your feet as quickly as possible:

1. What should I do for home exercise?
2. What should I avoid?
3. How long will it take to reach my goals?
4. How many times/week do I need to come to Physical Therapy?
5. What activities do I need to modify? (This may include daily activities like sleeping and driving, as well as more advanced activities like running, kicking, or throwing). 
5. If you are in a sport: How should I modify my practices and conditioning?
6. If you are in-season in a sport:

• Can I play or compete? 
• What are the conditions of participation? 
• Will I injure myself further if I play?
• Can I have a note/email/call to help communicate with my coach?

Understanding your capacity for your activities, as well as its changes as you progress through your rehabilitation will help lead to optimal outcomes. 

Benefits of Foam Rolling

Have you seen people using foam cylinders to roll on muscles? Do you wonder if you should be doing that too?

This practice is commonly referred to as foam rolling or self myofascial release. It used used to decrease muscle "knots".

Where do "knots" come from? As the National Academy of Sports Medicine (1) describes it, inflammation activates pain receptors; this leads to heightened activity in particular areas of the muscle. These areas of the muscle become less elastic so that they do not stretch. Holding pressure on these areas can decrease this tension, which can then be followed with stretching techniques. Additionally, a muscle that does not have optimal length does not have optimal strength. Releasing these "knots," can be beneficial prior to your strength training.

If you feel muscle tension, want to improve your posture, want to get more out of your strength training, or are involved in sports or activities that require range of motion, you may want to consider trying this technique as part of your regular practice. If you are new to this technique, try holding about 30 seconds or until the spot is 20-30% less tender. If you are experienced, try 90 seconds or until the spot is about 70% less tender.

Here are a few of my favorite techniques. Stay tuned, as we will share more in weeks to come! have a question or want to share ideas? Leave us a reply!

Please be sure to consult with a medical professional prior to trying this if you have any possible contraindications including but not limited to: osteoporosis, active infections, bursitis, bleeding disorders, eczema/skin conditions, healing fractures, poor sensation or circulation, organ failure, blood clot, or are taking anticoagulants. 

(1) Clark, MA, Lucett, SC. NASM Essentials of Corrective Exercise Training. Wolters Kluwer Health: Philadelphia. 2011.

Foam Rolling

Have you ever been curious about those foam rollers?  If so here is an introduction to foam rolling and the what's, why's and some how's.

We will have more videos in the future with even more foam rolling exercises!

Enjoy