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Physical Therapy Effective in the Treatment of Lymphedema |
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Physical therapy effective in the treatment of lymphedema
Lymphedema is a condition where part of the body, such as a limb, becomes excessively swollen for an extended period of time, typically following an injury or surgery. This happens when the body is unable to rid itself of the excessive lymph fluid that builds up in a healing area. This can lead to limited mobility, discomfort, difficulty dressing, and sometimes pain.
In cases such as this, physical therapy may be the answer to relieve your symptoms. In a recent article published in the November 2011 Journal of Physical Therapy, a case study described the recovery process for one such patient following an ankle fracture whom developed lymphedema 4 months after corrective surgery. This patient attended physical therapy for 8 sessions with a focus on manual techniques performed by a licensed physical therapist, in addition to a home exercise program and compressive bandaging to reduce his lower extremity swelling. After 3 months, the patient was able to wear casual shoes and participate in his normal daily routine with the help of compression stockings.
The physical therapy department at Foot & Ankle Specialists of West Michigan has the skills and interventions to help. Ask your doctor if physical therapy may be appropriate for you.
You can find an abstract of this article here:
http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/91/11/1618.abstract |
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Physical Therapy Proves Effective for Treating Heel Pain |
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Suffering from heel pain? You’re not alone! It’s estimated that more than 2 million Americans develop heel pain every year, and 10% or more of the general population will develop heel pain in their lifetime. This is often the result of a condition known as “plantar fasciitis.”
If you search the web, you can find all sorts of self-treatments and home remedies that claim to cure plantar fasciitis; some of which will recommend stretching of the calf muscles and heel cord to relieve symptoms. However, very few of these self-treatment techniques have been evaluated in clinical trials to find if they really work. Here at Foot & Ankle Specialists of West Michigan, our physical therapy department strives to find the latest clinical studies to incorporate evidence-based practice into the treatment of patients.
One such article appeared in the February 2011 issue of the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT). In this article, 60 patients suffering from heel pain were placed randomly into two different groups: one performed self-stretches on their own while the other group performed the same stretches as well as receiving hands-on manual therapy from physical therapists focusing on sore points known as “trigger points.” The research demonstrates that the group receiving the treatment from physical therapists achieved better results than the self-treating group. This shows that seeking treatment will yield better results than those who try to “go it alone.”
When you see your doctor, ask if physical therapy could be right for you. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff can put you on the road to recovery. Refer to the link below to view the article from JOSPT on the web.
Click this to view on the Web:
http://www.jospt.org/issues/articleID.2544,type.1,langID.0/article_detail.asp |
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