While women represent most of the physical therapy workforce, they are not evenly represented as leaders in the field.The profession of physical therapy is a unique outlier in the field of health science, having been female-dominated for most of its existence. Today, nearly 70% of all physical therapists in the United States are female.   Physical therapy practice in the United States began with the poliomyelitis epidemic and evolved as the need for … [Read more...]
Physical Therapy
Mirror Therapy for Stroke Hemiplegia and Phantom Limb Pain
Mirror therapy for stroke rehab helps improve hand and arm movement. Mirror therapy for stroke rehab is utilized to trick the brain that the affected arm is moving like the unaffected arm by using a reflective illusion. It is a form of motor imagery technique. A visual stimulus of an unaffected area (mainly the arm or hand) is provided to the brain in order to stimulate movement to the affected area.Mirror therapy can be used in the treatment of hemiplegia or phantom limb … [Read more...]
Sensory Reeducation Exercises: Effective or Not?
Sensory reeducation exercises are a vital aspect of the rehabilitation process following an injury or condition where nerves have been damaged such as stroke or brain injury. Sensory reeducation exercises consist of stimulating different senses including tactile, olfactory, auditory, visual, orofacial, and proprioception. Use of this rehabilitative approach is very common after nerve injuries (especially of the hand) where an impairment has occurred affecting the way the … [Read more...]
Who Can Perform Dry Needling?
There is hot debate among healthcare professionals and legislative bodies over who can perform dry needling and who should perform dry needling. Learn the APTA’s stance on the issue here. In our previous blog, we addressed the safety and efficacy of dry needling technique for treating a wide variety of acute and chronic pain conditions. But, exactly who can perform dry needling? That is, is dry needling within the scope of practice for all physical therapists or is special … [Read more...]
Proper Positioning for Stroke Patients
Use the guide below to educate family members and caregivers on the proper positioning for stroke patients. Proper anatomical positioning for stroke patients is important not only to reduce the chances of shoulder subluxation, but also to promote body awareness. As a result, proper positioning encourages the use of the neglected extremity after the stroke. Furthermore, extremities positioned correctly in supine as well as in sitting position will enhance stroke recovery and … [Read more...]
Sleep Apnea Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment
With more than 18 million American adults affected, it’s important allied health professionals know the sleep apnea risk factors, symptoms, and treatment. Anyone can develop sleep apnea, but certain conditions put a patient at higher risk. The most common sleep apnea risk factors include: Sleep Apnea Risk FactorsHypertension Coronary artery disease Heart failure Atrial arrhythmias Stroke Obesity Metabolic Syndrome Excessive alcohol use Sedative … [Read more...]
PTs and OTs: How to Choose Orthotics
Physical and occupational therapists play a critical role in identifying the need for orthotics, and must know how to choose orthotics properly for improving a patient’s function. The orthotics market is wide-ranging; PTs and OTs must know how to choose orthotics properly to enable patients to continue their activities without pain or discomfort and with minimal safety risks. First, the type of orthotic should be considered.There are two main categories of orthotic … [Read more...]
Therapeutic Ultrasound in Physiotherapy
Ultrasound is most often associated with those cute baby pictures in a mother’s tummy, but therapeutic ultrasound in physiotherapy practice is an effective modality used to treat pain and other symptoms. Therapeutic ultrasound in physiotherapy practice induces ultrasonic waves in the tissue to gain various biological effects. The waves produce mechanical energy through vibration or oscillation at fixed points.How Does Ultrasound Work?Ultrasound produces soundwaves … [Read more...]
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