Dr. Ivan Edwards, D.O.

Yes, physical therapy can be very effective in treating sports injuries, including back injuries. Physical therapists use a combination of exercises, manual therapy, and education to help reduce pain, improve function, and prevent future injuries. Here are some ways physical therapy can help with sports injuries:

- Pain Management: Techniques such as manual therapy, stretching, and modalities like ultrasound or electrical stimulation can help alleviate pain.

- Restoring Mobility and Strength: Exercises to improve flexibility, joint mobility, and muscle strength are essential for recovery.

- Preventing Re-Injury: Physical therapists teach proper movement patterns and techniques to protect vulnerable areas and reduce the risk of future injuries.

- Customized Rehabilitation Plans: Each injury is unique, and physical therapists create personalized plans tailored to the specific needs of the patient.

- Supporting Mental Recovery: Physical therapy provides a structured environment that helps build confidence and trust in the body's ability to heal.

Here are some types of physical therapy that are commonly used after a stroke. Depending on the unique injuries of a stroke - treatment using PT multi-layered:

- Motor-Skill Exercises: These exercises help improve muscle strength and coordination. They can include activities like walking, sitting, standing, and getting out of a chair.

- Mobility Training: This involves learning to use mobility aids such as walkers, canes, or wheelchairs to improve movement and independence.

- Constraint-Induced Therapy: This therapy involves restraining the unaffected limb to encourage the use of the affected limb, helping to improve its function.

- Range-of-Motion Therapy: Exercises and treatments that help ease muscle tension and improve the range of motion in the affected limbs.

- Functional Electrical Stimulation: This technique uses electrical impulses to stimulate weakened muscles, helping them contract and regain strength.

- Robotic Technology: Robotic devices can assist with repetitive motions, helping to strengthen and improve the function of impaired limbs.

- Virtual Reality: Interactive video games and computer-based therapies can provide a simulated environment for practicing movements and improving coordination.

Managing ankle arthritis involves avoiding certain activities and habits that can exacerbate symptoms. Here are some things to avoid:

1. High-Impact Activities: Avoid activities that put excessive stress on your ankles, such as running, jumping, and high-impact sports.

2. Improper Footwear: Avoid wearing shoes that lack proper support or cushioning. Opt for shoes with good arch support and shock absorption.

3. Prolonged Standing or Walking: Try to limit the amount of time you spend standing or walking, especially on hard surfaces.

4. Excess Weight: Carrying extra weight can put additional stress on your ankles. Maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce the burden/strain.

5. Ignoring Pain: Don't ignore pain or discomfort in your ankles. Rest and seek medical advice if you experience persistent pain.

6. Inactivity: While high-impact activities should be avoided, it's also important not to be completely inactive. Gentle exercises and physical therapy can help maintain joint flexibility and strength - key elements.

Yes, physical therapy is generally very effective after shoulder surgery. It helps restore mobility, reduce stiffness and pain, and strengthen the shoulder. However, results can vary based on the type of surgery, injury severity, and how diligently you follow your rehab program.

The duration of physical therapy after a hip fracture can vary depending on the severity of the fracture, the type of surgery (if any), your overall health, and how well you progress. Generally, most people undergo physical therapy for about 3 to 6 months. Some may need shorter or longer periods of rehabilitation to regain full strength and mobility.

Yes, physical therapy is often very effective for managing a frozen shoulder. It uses targeted exercises, stretching, and manual techniques to help improve range of motion and reduce pain. However, recovery can take time, and staying consistent with your therapy plan is key. Always consult your doctor first for a tailored approach suited to your condition.

For knee arthritis, a mix of low-impact aerobic exercise, muscle strengthening, and gentle stretching is often most beneficial. For example:
- Low-Impact Aerobics: Walking, cycling, or swimming.
- Strengthening: Exercises like straight leg raises and quad sets to support the knee.
- Flexibility: Gentle stretches to improve range of motion.

Yes, in many cases—especially mild to moderate sprains—physical therapy can help your ankle heal by reducing pain, improving mobility, and strengthening the area. However, it's important to have your injury properly assessed by a doctor first to ensure that PT is the right approach for your specific situation.

The best treatment for heel spur pain depends on the severity of the condition and may include the following options:
- Rest and Activity Modification: avoid activities that put direct pressure on the heel. For instance, swimming and cycling can be better alternatives than jogging.
- Different Footwear: wearing well cushioned shoes with arch support can decrease pain.
- Orthotic Shoe Inserts: inserts can provide additional support and cushioning.
- Physical Therapy: calf and arch stretches can help relieve pain and effect appropriate ligament repair.
- Medications: over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications or pain relievers (like Ibuprofen) can help modulate pain.
- Weight Management: losing weight can reduce the stress of extra weight bearing down on your heel.
If these non-surgical treatments fail, then seeing a physician (like a PM&R specialist) can perform a corticosteroid injection.
For last resort, if all fails - then surgery becomes the last option to consider.

Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21965-heel-spurs

Stroke rehabilitation is an important part of recovery after a stroke. It involves a program of different therapies designed to help patients relearn skills lost after a stroke. Here are some of the treatments that can help stroke patients recover:
a) Motor-skill exercises: These exercises can help improve muscle strengthening in areas of mobility, gait, and swallowing - areas in which strokes impair those functions.
b) Mobility training/facilitation: Patients could require aids, such as canes, wheelchairs and braces to effect functional mobility.
c) Constraint-induced therapy: Patients could be compelled to use the paretic side versus the non-paretic side in order to promote recovery.
d) Range-of-motion therapy: Patients would move the affected parts of the body to counter the risks of getting contractures due to immobility.
e) Functional electrical stimulation: Electricity is applied to weakened muscles, causing them to contract, part of "reawakening the affected muscles."
f) Robotic technology: Robotic devices can assist impaired limbs with performing repetitive motions, helping the limbs regain strength and function.
g) Virtual reality: The use of video games and other computer-based therapies to improve coordination, gross and fine motor skills.
h) Therapy for cognitive symptoms: Occupational therapy and speech therapy to help with affected memory, thought-processing, problem-solving, social skills, judgment, and safety awareness - which can be impacted by a stroke.
i) Antidepressant medications: To help with patients' thoughts that "all is over and that there is no hope."
j) Nutritional supplementation: Proper nutrition can support the body’s healing process, tissue renewal, and new cell formation.

It’s important to note that the specific treatments used can depend on the parts of the brain affected by the stroke and the type of abilities affected. Rehabilitation is not pigeon-holed. Therefore, each patient’s rehabilitation plan will be unique to their needs. It’s also been found that people who participate in a focused stroke rehabilitation program perform better than most people who don’t have stroke rehabilitation. Thus, stroke rehabilitation is recommended for all people affected by stroke.

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/in-depth/stroke-rehabilitation/art-20045172

Occupational therapy would be better suited for chronic wrist pain.

Yes, it can.

For a hip replacement, most patients can begin walking on the day they have had surgery.

Recovery following hip surgery varies. On average, hip replacement recovery can take around 2-4 weeks. Some experts quote a recovery time of 3-6 weeks. But, more importantly, you should remember that everyone is different, and the recovery time can vary--depending on the individual's health status, comorbidities and previous activity level.

Yes, if you choose the right therapist who has worked with knees. Ask first before you commit working with one.

Depending on the severity of the condition, yes. If the condition becomes recurrent or develops into a chronic pathology - you might then need to have an injection (a corticosteroid injection or PRP) to improve your symptoms.

Physiotherapy is helpful in treating some of the underlying causes of tennis elbow.

A chiropractor and a physical therapist have unique approaches to treating posture issues. Both can get the job done.

But there are some differences you should keep in mind.

Generally, a chiropractor is much more well versed in spinal issues than he/she is in the intricacies of posture, mobility and gait. Similarly, a physical therapist is much more well versed in the issues of posture, mobility and gait than he/she is in the intricacies of the spine.

Short answer: a physical therapist would be better for bad posture if spinal issues are not central to the issue. You can also utilize the services of both if your spine is part of the problem in your bad posture.

Most certainly, yes--and this depends largely on the extent of surgery.

It doesn't make any difference physiologically. It depends on your sense of wellbeing.

Typically, postpartum massage is recommended within the first 12 weeks following delivery.

Having someone, like a trained therapist, do it (after getting your OB-GYN doctor to bless it--is highly recommended. Do not do it alone.

Yes, you can. Physiotherapy is meant to increase quality of life in patients on hospice. One can request it.