Manual Therapy
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT) Description of Advanced Specialty Practice (DASP), orthopaedic manual physical therapy (OMPT) is defined as any “hands-on” treatment provided by the physiotherapist. Treatment may include moving joints in specific directions and at different speeds to regain movement (joint mobilization and manipulation), muscle stretching, passive movements of the affected body part, or having the patient move the body part against the therapist’s resistance to improve muscle activation and timing. Selected specific soft tissue techniques may also be used to improve the mobility and function of tissue and muscles.
At our practice we use different manual therapy modalities including but not limited to:
• Maitland mobilizations
• Mulligan mobilizations: SNAG’s, MWM; NAG’s
• McKenzie mobilizations
Soft Tissue Therapy
Soft tissue mobilisation is a general term used to describe different forms of massage therapy. Your physiotherapist will use manual techniques to affect muscles and other soft tissues. Soft tissue mobilisation is used to relax muscles, promote healing and breakdown scar tissue. Additionally, it also helps to remove waste products from the damaged area which increases the speed of the healing process. Soft tissue mobilisation may also help to release the tension in the muscle which increases flexibility and range of movement.
Dry Needling
Dry Needling is a very successful medical treatment, which uses very thin needles without any medication (a dry needle) to achieve its aim. Dry Needling’s aim is to treat pain and dysfunction caused by muscle problems, headaches, and some nerve problems. Dry Needling works by changing the way your body senses pain (neurological effects), and by helping the body heal stubborn muscle spasm associated with trigger points (myofascial effects). There are additional electrical and chemical changes associated with dry needling therapy, which assist, in the healing process.
Taping
Different types of taping are done at Lumé Brits Physiotherapists Inc:
Kinesiology tape is an improved version of elastic sports tape that acts to dynamically assist your muscle function. The aims of kinesio tape include:
o Stabilize or support an injury
o Relieve pain by de-loading vulnerable or painful structures
o Facilitate normal movement, muscle action, or postural patterns.
Dynamic tape: The aim of the tape is to absorb energy in the lengthening action of the muscle similar to that of a bungee cord. The elastic characteristic of dynamic tape allows for a controlled deceleration followed by an assisted shortening action.
Sports tape including EAB (Elastic Adhesive Bandage), co-adhesive and rigid tape: Highly versatile it can be used for compression, as a bandage, strong joint support, or relief dressing for contusions. Specifically designed to support a weak joint and used as a compression bandage.
Concussion Baseline Testing and Rehabilitation
“A complex diagnosis such as concussion requires a multidisciplinary patient-centered approach to maximize health outcomes. A baseline computerised screening is a brain function assessment that is routinely used to establish normal thinking ability in an athlete or player. The results of a baseline screening can be compared to the results of an after-injury computerized brain function test to assist in the diagnosis of concussion and plan recovery.
A computerised baseline screening typically evaluates the athlete or player: • Simple reaction time • Learning and memory skills • Ability to pay attention or concentrate • Problem solving capacity Baseline computerised brain function testing is important for the following reasons: • Is readily available and cost effective • Can be done in the quiet of your own home (remote administration) • Detects when impaired brain function lasts longer than the athlete has symptoms • Precisely measures reaction time • Provides objective information about the player’s recovery • Has in built sophisticated software checks that detect when a player is purposefully performing poorly, especially on baseline testing • Provides extra information in players with multiple concussions • Helps to find those players with delayed brain function recovery who need more detailed testing with a neuropsychologist • Is a useful add-on to clinical assessment and judgement • Provides added assurance for fast tracking return to play decisions in professional sport • Is easy to administer and takes a short time • Helps when athletes under reports their symptoms in order to keep playing • Younger players may not recognise the symptoms of concussion • Athletes may be overly anxious • Liability mitigation benefit for schools and clubs
There is growing evidence to support the role of the Physical Therapist as a key member of the team of healthcare professionals managing children and adolescents with a protracted recovery following concussion. Symptoms such as headache, dizziness, neck pain, gaze instability, balance dysfunction, and fatigue can be addressed through a multimodel approach. Physiotherapists do an examination and provide treatment for individuals with concussion through vestibular rehabilitation, cervicogenic rehabilitation, exertional training, and patient education.” https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spen.2019.03.011
Deep Oscillation Therapy
Faster generation after surgery, trauma, and neurological indications – for pain, swelling, inflammation, and wound healing.
Deep Oscillation® is a unique, internationally patented treatment method. Its special structure allows you to create biologically effective oscillations in the treated tissue using electrostatic attraction and friction. In contrast to other therapies, these pleasant oscillations have a gentle and deep-acting effect on all tissue components (skin, connective tissue, subcutaneous fat, muscles, blood & lymph vessels).
· Highly effective in reducing pain
· Anti-inflammatory
· Effective in reducing oedema/swelling
· Promotes wound healing
· Anti-fibrotic
· Improves the trophicity
· Rubor reduction
· Detoxification
· Improves the quality of the tissue
For the treatment, the patient holds the titanium neutral element loosely between the fingers. This is a pleasant therapy that the patient experiences when the applicator/glove is moved in a circular motion above the tissue.
Laser
Physiolaser 500 accelerates the inflamed tissue recovery, regenerates cells, and improves microcirculation. Physiolaser 500 is especially effective in all the situations where the muscle/ articular tissue is inflamed. Inflammation is usually due to a reduced micro circulation.
Physiolaser 500 accelerates the healing and the pain elimination both used alone and together with other therapeutic modalities. It allows in this way to reduce the use of analgesics and anti-inflammatory.
Tens
A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) sends electrical pulses through the skin to start your body’s own pain killers. The electrical pulses can release endorphins and other substances to stop pain signals in the brain. TENS can reduce pain.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound therapy is the use of sound waves to treat medical problems, especially musculoskeletal problems like inflammation from injuries (sprains, tendinitis, bursitis) by increasing the blood flow to the area of injury.
EMG (Electromyography) and electrical stimulation
EMG
Biofeedback or electromyography (EMG) is a non-invasive technique used for measuring muscle electrical activity that occurs during muscle contraction and relaxation.
Electrical Stimulation
Electrical stimulation or neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a technique used to elicit a muscle contraction using electrical impulses. Electrical current is then sent from the unit to the electrodes and delivered into the muscle causing a contraction.
EMG-Triggered Stimulation
EMG-Triggered Stimulation is based on the user’s voluntary movement, or intent to move. Electrodes, controlled by a unit, are placed on the skin over a specific area. Once the user attempts to contract his or her muscles and reaches the prescribed threshold, stimulation is triggered (delivered) to the same muscles. Various visual and auditory feedback options monitor the progress.
BioFET
BioFET, delivers accurate and evidence-based treatments. Hand-held Precision Muscle Tester Technology. The BioFET is the renewed Handheld Dynamometer for muscular testing, evaluating and analyses.
The BioFET Dynamometer is an exceptionally accurate measuring device providing quantifiable measurements to diagnose, analyse, prognosticate and treat neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders. The device measures a patient’s maximum muscle force, as well as the time period for which that force is maintained.
In simple terms this device helps us to see how strong your muscles are in an objective way. This way we can accurately focus on rehabilitation and see your progress.
DigitSole
Developed for & with healthcare practitioners, Digitsole Pro improves patient assessments by measuring objective biomechanical data that cannot be observed by the naked eye. The results are translated through an exclusive AI algorithm into relevant clinical data to propose the most appropriate treatment.
The Digitsole Pro case allows you to analyze your patients’ walking or running wherever you are.
Thanks to the data scanned directly beneath your feet, Digitsole Pro connected insoles analyse your stride and your activity, taking into account the 3D position of your feet: contact zones, balance, pronation/supination, flight/contact ratio, stride length and stability, propulsion level. Digitsole Pro assesses your movement biomarkers and allows you to make long-term changes for greater enjoyment.
This gives us guidance in injury assessment and guides our rehabilitation for your injury. It can be used for any one: from someone post-surgery to your elite runner.
Exercise Rehabilitation
“Exercise can replace any drug, but no drug can replace exercise”. A very important modality is exercise. Rehabilitation exercise aims to bring back full function following injury through restoring muscle strength, endurance, power, and improving flexibility. At Lumé Brits Physiotherapists Inc, we achieve these results by carefully selecting and planning various exercises and drills for INDIVIDUALISED to each patient from initial stage of rehabilitation to final phase and return to sport.
We make use of an app/website-based exercise program software give individualised programs to patients electronically conveniently on their smartphone. It can still be printed out as well where a patient prefers a paper program or do not have access to a smartphone.
Please contact the practice for more information on the services provided.