There are a few options to choose from when trying to find effective back stiffness treatment. Massage therapy for example, is among the preferred treatments for the condition and with good reason. Studies have confirmed that a massage can help in cutting back trouble and improve sleep range and motion of the joints too. Here's more.

The massage treatment does the most simple; it improves blood circulation in hurting areas and deadens discomfort. This is what a lay man understands but there's more to massage treatment. It takes away the excess lymph in the blood and decreases swelling and provides sciatic and other related discomfort alleviation.

Redness is frequently an accompanying symptom of discomfort. It serves as the body's defense mechanism and often appears as a reaction to an infection or injury. Generally, soreness is seen around muscles or joints and is known to cause heat, pain, redness and swelling in the affected area.

The increased quantity of lymph and redness in the body exerts stress on the influenced arteries and can cause them to ache. This condition also hinders proper blood circulation in this area which discomforts the nerves. Thus, massage treatment works best to revive standard blood circulation and eases pain.

Massage therapy has other benefits too. There are no complications of this treatment and you won't need to worry about the costs too. Whatever are the advantages, this treatment does not work best at the time of harsh sciatic pain. It works only when the pain subsides a bit. You have to be terribly careful re the right method of massage being used on you because if the massage is being done in a wrong manner, it may land you in a bigger trouble. So, get it done from a pro only.

A qualified massage therapist should have a real understanding of the body, muscle imbalances and the way to work with the body. Additionally, a therapist should utilize various methods to offer maximum pain alleviation. Ideally, consultants use energy systems together with the conventional massage. Though there are a few styles of massage, there are some that are way more preferred like orthopedic massage, St John Wort's massage and medical massage. While looking out for a specialist, you may wish to go for one who specializes in one of those techniques.

Sciatica and different kinds of back trouble need a more physical solution than massage. Massage may help stretch your body a small but it cannot rectify muscle imbalances and postural dysfunctions. So, it might be better if you use this alternative cure for sciatica and other forms of back trouble in association with other treatments.

Physical Therapy 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()


It's Fall and students everywhere are preparing to head back to school. Backpacks for school will be first on the school supply list for many kids. The choices of backpacks for school may seem overwhelming at times. Due to the astounding number of available backpacks and options on the market, it just makes sense to take a few moments and find out what backpacks are the best for your kids.

A properly fitted, well-designed, and durable backpack is going to be the best available choice for avoiding any discomfort, pain, or even possible long-term injury to your child. The experts at the American Physical Therapy Association have been studying backpack for years. Through their research, the APTA has discovered the main things that make a good backpack. Properly designed and well-padded shoulder straps, load stabilizing adjustable straps, a waist belt to place more weight on the hips and off of the shoulders/back, and several internal compartments to divide the load more evenly.

The Experts Say Backpacks May Be Too Heavy

Studies show that most kids are carrying way too much weight in their school backpacks. "Wearing backpacks improperly or ones that are too heavy put children at increased risk for musculoskeletal injuries", said Mary Ann Wilmarth, PT, DPT, MS, OCS, assistant dean and director of transitional doctor of physical therapy degree program, Northeastern University. Wilmarth studied Pre-K through 9th grade students in the Andover, Massachusetts area over a period of time. Her research found that improperly wearing a backpack, or wearing an overloaded backpack had a long-term negative effect on children.

Other studies which were conducted in New Zealand, Australia, and the U.S. reached the same conclusions about backpack weight, improper use, and the negative effects on posture. There needs to be much more research done in order to determine the overall long-term effects on young kid's back, neck, shoulder, and posture.

Correct Backpack Weight is Specific for Each Child

In the past, the American Chiropractic Association, the American Physical Therapy Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all come forward with backpack recommendations for students, teachers, and parents. All experts agree that backpacks worn improperly or that are simply too heavy may cause damage now and in the future. Some cheap backpacks may cause permanent physical damage to kids that will develop into much more serious problems in their adult years.

The medical professionals who see these type of backpack-related injuries on a regular basis have come up with some very simple guidelines. Typically, a backpack should weigh no more than 15% of a child's total weight. In other words, if your child weighs 120 pounds, the total weight of their school backpack should be no more than 18 pounds. Kids should also be warned about the negative effects of carrying a backpack using only one strap, or in any other improper manner.

How to Get the Right Backpack for Your Child

Don't go for the cheap backpacks typically found in large displays at your local discount retail store. Also, stay away from the celebrity bags that feature the latest motion picture theme or animated character. These backpacks are manufactured for only one reason and that is to get unknowing consumers to buy cheap stuff for way too much money.

Instead, look at some of the backpack manufacturers who have been around for a long time. Companies like L.L. Bean (R), North Face (R), and JanSport (R) have been making top-notch, quality backpacks for many years. These guys really know what they're doing. Look for a simple backpack that has adjustable and padded shoulder straps, load stabilizing straps, and an adjustable waist strap. A good quality backpack can be found for less than $50.

Take some time to research the best backpacks for your child's comfort and long-term health.

Physical Therapy 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()


"How often should I receive massage?" This is one question I hear regularly at the studio that leaves me feeling out of breath and out of time when I answer it. Now I could just answer "whenever you want it" or "whenever you feel you need it", but that doesn't completely answer the question. If I say once a week, or twice a week, or even once a month, that still doesn't mean much because you don't understand why. I think everyone who has had a massage before understands that it is capable of relaxing the mind and body and reducing pain caused by tense muscles (stress). This goal can be accomplished with random sessions of massage plugged into your schedule when it fits OR solidified into an overall health and wellness routine to produce and maintain more lasting results.

According to leading massage author Sandy Fritz there are three primary reasons why people seek massage and bodywork services. Once this reason is determined it is easier to set goals and treatment protocols for current and future sessions. The three primary reasons people seek massage and bodywork services are

Palliative Care

Condition Management

Therapeutic Change

Palliative Care

The term palliative massage can actually have two very different meanings. On one hand it is interchangeable with "pampering" massage while on the other it refers to massage treatments for those in hospice or suffering with a chronic debilitating disease. Although these are two very different circumstances, the approach to setting goals for the massage are much the same.

The verb "to palliate" means to reduce suffering. In the case of a pampering massage the goal might be to temporarily relieve stress and tension associated with a particular situation or event in one's life, such as getting married or having a birthday. A person may visit a massage therapist to be pampered once a year because they are on vacation or have received the massage as a gift. In the case of persons in hospice and those experiencing a chronic debilitating disease, palliative massage care provides the same temporary relief from the stresses and tensions that accompany these experiences. Massage does not provide a cure for the condition and is not able to slow the condition down. Care is provided to reduce suffering and make the person as comfortable as possible.

It is difficult to produce any temporary or permanent changes in a person's condition through the application of a single massage session (such as with those seeking massage as a yearly luxury). It is equally as impossible to reverse the progression of chronic debilitating diseases. Therefore the goal for this type of massage session is to create an overall sense of wholeness and wellbeing and reduce the intensity of associated pains and stresses.

Condition Management

Condition management is the most common approach to massage therapy; the primary condition being managed is stress. Let's say, for example, that you work a full time job, have a family and have recently started taking classes at the local community college. Although finding time for a weekly massage might be difficult, you still manage to visit your massage therapist every few months to help you stay relaxed and focused. Your stressful conditions in life are not changing; however a massage every 1-2 months keeps things from getting worse. Think of condition management like a maintenance program on your car. You change the oil every few months and it keeps things running as they should. Don't change the oil (or take a break from stress) and other parts of the car start breaking down.

The condition management approach also works well in musculoskeletal conditions such as scoliosis, in which massage has been shown to effectively manage the pain and inflexibility that results from an abnormal curvature in the spine. Massage provides temporary relief to overworked muscles that are consistently strained by the misaligned bones. Scoliosis is a condition that can be treated through various forms of medical care. Massage manages the pains and stresses of this condition throughout the course of that care. The condition is treatable and massage is likely to help it get better before it gets worse.

Therapeutic Change

This approach to massage treatment is designed to improve the condition of the body as a whole or any of its parts. Sessions designed to produce therapeutic change require the most resource expenditure (i.e. time, money, and lifestyle changes) because they require frequent sessions performed closer together. 1-4 sessions a week for several months may be needed for chronic conditions before a lasting change is experienced. A good example of this is a person who has experienced mild to moderate low back pain on a regular basis for over 6 months. The longer the condition has been occurring, the more likely regular massage treatments will be needed. Massage produces a change in the amount of pain experienced and increases flexibility. If, however, the person doesn't change the other perpetuating factors that contribute to their back pain, such as how they lift boxes at work, then the therapeutic change produced by massage may only be temporary. The person may then move back into utilizing massage for condition management after significant improvement in the condition or the inability to improve the condition any more through massage.

Be sure to discuss these approaches to treatment with your therapist. Receiving a great massage isn't just about how good your therapist is at applying massage techniques. It's also about good communication between the therapist and the client. So be sure to answer any questions on the intake form honestly and take time to write something for each questions. Your expectations are more easily met when goals are set for the session before hand.

Resources

Sandy Fritz. Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage, 3rd edition.

Physical Therapy 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()


Chronic back pain is not a new condition among people who are prone to this kind of problem. This condition ranges from full soreness to persisting sharp inflammation. Back pain patients frequently experience stiffness in the morning, while others, undergo pain in the lumbar area (lower back). Though the pain is certainly distressing, more people complain about the disruption that it causes their daily life.

This is the reason why the sufferer must seek a treatment or relief that best suits his/her needs, as soon as possible. There are lots of treatments provided for chronic back pain. Some of these are home remedies, invasive, and non-invasive therapy. Home remedies can provide quick but temporary relief for the condition. Invasive therapies can cause you a lot of money and a possibility to encounter some side effects in the long run. On the other hand, non-invasive therapies are considered to be safe and effective for treating chronic lower back pain, as well.

What are Non-Invasive Treatments?

Non-Invasive Treatments are preferred if you are suffering from pain in the back without really having the necessity of going through drastic medical procedures. These treatments are generally those that provide somewhat conservative procedures, which don't require any kind of incisions made to the body or any elimination of tissue.

A treatment combination of non-invasive procedures such as physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation and heat therapy. These procedures are usually prescribed over a period of time depending on the level of treatment required. Non-invasive treatments are necessary if a patient needs to cope with the pain.

Physical Therapy

When a patient experiences a series of back pain that lasts between 2 to 6 weeks, or if there is a recurrent persistent back pain, then it is reasonable to try physical therapy or workouts. Generally, the goals of chronic back pain exercises and physical therapy are to lessen back pain, enhance function, and give education on a maintenance program to stop further recurrences.

There are lots of different types of physical therapy. The therapist may concentrate on reducing the pain by means of passive physical therapy, also called as modalities. These are considered passive therapies since they are completed to the patient. Some modalities include heat/ice packs, TENS units and ultrasound.

Other kind of physical therapies include active physical therapy or exercise. Exercise is important for patients who want to rehabilitate the spine. In general, the person's back exercise program must encompass a combination of stretching as well as strengthening for back pain exercise, and low-impact aerobic conditioning.

Chiropractic Manipulation

Chiropractic or spinal manipulation involves moving a joint beyond its normal range of motion. You frequently hear a cracking or popping noise during chiropractic adjustment while the joint is manipulated. The objective of chiropractic manipulation is to ease the pain and enhance the physical function of a person's body.

Chiropractic manipulation is done with a chiropractic doctor. In the meantime, spinal manipulations are performed by physical therapist or osteopathic doctor.

Heat Therapy

Since heat and warmth are always associated with relaxation and comfort, heat therapy is one of the best ways to reduce back pain. Heat therapy provides more benefits than what patients of back pain usually know. Moreover, heat therapy for chronic back pain in the form of heat wraps, heating pad, warm gel packs, hot baths, are affordable and simple to do.

Heat therapy can dilate blood vessels of the muscles that surround the lumbar spine. This method increases the flow of oxygen, including nutrients to the muscles, helping to cure the damaged tissue. In addition, heat can stimulate the sensory receptors within the skin, which means that using heat to the lower back will moderately relieve the discomfort brought by chronic back pain.

Physical Therapy 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()


Every pregnancy comes complete with aches and pains. It's not a welcome inclusion but it is a non-negotiable part of the deal. Prenatal massage can be of enormous benefit to expectant mothers.  We will discuss here the top benefits, some precautions one should consider, and some of the methods used when applying pre-natal massage therapy.

Muscular tensions, aching back, neck and shoulders, headaches, pooling of blood in the legs, and all other manner of physical discomforts and pains occur due to the inevitable increase in weight, the resulting shifting of posture and centre of gravity, and changing hormone levels.

Prenatal massages aim to alleviate aches and pains, improve circulation, reduce muscular tensions and help to ease other pregnancy related symptoms.  An additional benefit is an improvement in the expectant mother's emotional moods and mental attitude.

A full body massage including attention to the head including the scalp and face area, as well as the feet and hands provides relief from tensions and is found to be extremely soothing and nurturing. All areas should of course be massaged gently, with appropriate levels of pressure applied.

An experienced prenatal massage therapist can choose methods which are effective and safe that provide much needed comfort and pampering.

Prenatal massage offers numerous benefits of a broad range.  The top benefits of pre-natal massage are:

- Reduction of fatigue

- Increased circulation

- Improved digestion

- Reduced swelling in the hands, feet and lower legs

- Fewer calf cramps

- Lessens the severity of backaches, headaches, shoulder and neck aches

- Reduced pain in the pelvic/hip area

- Alleviates stress on weight bearing joints including the lower back, knees and ankles

- Improves sleep and decreases insomnia

- Promotes deep breathing and relaxation

- Reduces stress hormones

- Assists in maintaining correct posture

Prenatal massage therapy during pregnancy can also be greatly beneficial emotionally as it allows expectant mothers to relax and feel a sense of calm. They also report feeling comforted and healthy during what is a period of emotional and physical stress.

Pre-natal massage can be applied in different ways. The pregnant patient should lie on her side and the therapist is trained to modify the massage techniques to adapt to this position. Lying flat on back is not recommended as it reduces blood circulation to both mother and child.  The mother-to-be can lay on her back with the body in an elevated position by using pillows to support the mother's body. Body pillows can also be used for side lying positions as well.

There is a specially designed pillow now available to assist when massaging expecting mothers in a face down position. This pillow has a deep centre cut-out which allows the mother to lie flat on her belly and feel comfortable and relaxed.

After giving birth, new mothers experience a kaleidoscope of physical and emotional stresses, commonly including sleep deprivation. Prenatal massage can aid the birthing process, and then continuing with postnatal massage can be highly beneficial and therapeutic by assisting the new mother's body to return to its former state.

Pre-natal massage is generally considered safe for expecting mothers, although it is always advisable to consult with your doctor before beginning a program.  There are some precautions. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, prenatal massage is not advised. You should certainly tell your therapist if you have had, or are having any complications or problems with your pregnancy.

Prenatal massage may be from 10 minutes to an hour depending on your available time and your level of comfort.  If the massage brings discomfort, you may like to have shorter sessions more often.  If the massage causes no abnormal discomfort, then once per week during the 2nd trimester and twice per week or more during the 3rd trimester is ideal.

If considering prenatal massage therapy to assist with a pleasant and positive pregnancy and birth, consult you doctor or pre-natal massage specialist and begin.  The therapy has enjoyed long and wide spread use and offers many therapeutic benefits to the pregnant mother to be, and ultimately to her child as well.

Physical Therapy 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()


Do you know how much revenue your practice is losing because of appointment no-shows?

There are many reasons for no-shows and the reasons for your practice are not the same as the reasons for the practice down the street. Unfortunately, a universal solution to this problem does not exist. However, if you and your staff are aware of the warning signs, you'll be able to proactively prevent them from happening and reduce the amount of no-shows in your practice.

Are you ready to get started? This information will arm you with information that you need to tackle this problem and reduce no-shows in your practice once and for all.

No-Show Warning Signs:

繚 Forgetfulness: Sometimes a patient simply forgets their appointment.

繚 Low Priority: Often, it's a question of priorities and choosing between going to an appointment or attending a personal event, like a grandson's soccer game.

繚 Fear of Pain: Fear that the treatment is going to be painful, or if a patient has phobias, can lead to no-shows.

繚 Finances: Finances can be a major factor for some patients. Some patients are in a position where it's difficult to pay their co-pay. Some patients don't have insurance or have lost their coverage.

繚 Frustration with Progress: If a patient feels they're not making progress with their treatment, they can quickly become frustrated and give up on their treatment.

繚 Lack of Transportation: In some cases, a patient has lost their ability to drive, like after an accident or serious injury, and rely on caregivers to provide transportation.

繚 Bad Experience: If a patient has a bad experience, like a long wait time or dissatisfaction with their therapist, they're more likely to not show up for their next appointment.

繚 Embarrassment: When a patient feels embarrassed for not completing their home exercises, or any other reason, they will avoid coming in for their next appointment.

When you and your entire staff are all on board and on the lookout for these warning signs, you can stop them in their tracks before they become a problem for your practice. After you've determined the triggers for no-shows in your practice, and if you realize your scheduling system can use an overhaul, consider the benefits of physical therapy scheduling software to help you reduce no-shows in your practice.

There are many sophisticated scheduling tools out there that can help you improve your process, drastically reduce appointment no-shows and cancellations and increase profits.

Physical Therapy 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()


Physical therapists have the ability to become certified in different specialties. Sports therapy is one specialty that therapists can specialize in and offers a growing field that include many different physical therapy forms. This form of therapy includes treating sports injuries with proper therapy, using rehabilitative practices along with injury protection. For those considering a career as a sports therapist, here is a closer look at what this field has to offer.

What is Involved in Sports Therapy

Sports therapy requires targeted treatments to help athletes recover and rehabilitate from an injury. Therapists may provide assistance with stretching, evaluating the condition of an athlete before sporting events, protecting injuries and more. In many cases, these professionals also offer advice on proper diet, nutrition and exercise programs while working closely with sports coaches.

Professional therapists work with individuals who have sustained sports injuries, customizing treatments based on the specific needs of the patient. The main goal of rehabilitation is to help return the athlete to their original condition pre-injury. Common injuries rehabilitated by sports therapists include lower back, leg, foot, shoulder, ankle, elbow and knee injuries. Some of the rehabilitation treatments include strengthening exercises, reconditioning exercises, massage, compression wraps and more.

Working in sports therapy requires therapists to work very closely with doctors, such as the patients surgeon and physician. Therapists work closely with doctors to come up with a good plan for rehabilitation. These professionals are often on site during games and competitions as well, offering first aid when simple injuries occur and deciding whether additional treatment is necessary. While much of their job includes treating current injuries and rehabilitation, their primary goal is to help athletes prevent injuries from occurring in the first place.

Education and Certification

To become a sports therapist, individuals must require physical therapy schools to get their physical therapist degree. After their original education, therapists have the ability to get specialty certifications, which come with strict requirements. To become certified in this specialty, therapists must show that they have extensive training or experience in this area. Most certifications will require the applicant to have emergency medicine training as well. While certification is required to practice sports therapy, currently a uniform standard of certification does not exist. However, the American Board of PT Specialties offers the most common certification in this specific field.

While sports therapy is a fairly small specialty within the PT realm today, it does offer a great opportunity to therapists who want to work with athletes. This field is growing and offers great potential in the future for those interested in specializing in a specific area of therapy. While salary amounts can vary, sports therapists usually enjoy a better than average salary in their field.

Physical Therapy 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()


Sleep and Massage therapy should be a normal part of your natural life rhythm. We have a biological clock that is called a circadian rhythm. This rhythm is what keeps us healed and whole. On a 24-hour cycle, the sleep and wake rhythms carry us through the vitality of the day and the restfulness of the night.

But what happens when you interrupt any rhythm? Pretend you are at a stunning Beethovan concert listening to a piece being performed, awaiting the crescendo. Suddenly, the music quits.

When rhythms are broken or interrupted, the result is discord and feelings of anxiousness and maybe even anger. Interrupting the circadian rhythms produces the same results. Lack of sleep can have you singing the blues all night long. Massage helps restore balance so the rhythms of your life ebb and flow in a natural pattern.

Sleep and Massage - Chronobiology and Songs of Exaltation

Chronobiology is the study of biological rhythms and that is what sleep is - a biological rhythm. When your sleep is consistently poor or constantly interrupted, it has a direct impact on your physical and emotional health. While you are sleeping, the body is preparing for another wake cycle. It is during sleep that most of the healing process takes place.

Sleep promotes immune function and restores metabolic balance. During sleep, brain proteins are increased which affects mental acuity the next day. Adequate sleep is instrumental in maintaining weight. Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by a severe lack of sleep.

The consequences of insomnia on your health include loss of concentration and decision-making abilities. It causes irritability and emotional instability. Many people turn to over-the-counter drugs to combat insomnia, but massage and insomnia relief is a much more natural approach to the problem. If you have insomnia and message therapy is available to you, life is about to improve drastically.

Massage therapy is a technique of applying pressure on the upper tissue levels of the body using kneading and pounding and rubbing. Sleep and massage are perfect partners, because massage activates the parasympathetic half of the autonomic nervous system for relaxation.

Massage also turns off the sympathetic nervous system which is the source of stress. In doing so, getting a massage and relieving stress create better sleep patterns. If you want to sleep and massage therapy can help, there is no reason to delay. It is a therapeutic drug-free means of reducing incidences of insomnia. Instead of singing the blues, you will be singing songs of exaltation.

Sleep and Massage - All Night Long

The daylight hours must not be long enough, because many of us use what should be sleep time to stress about problems. Massage therapy is a technique that can eliminate the physical results of the day's stresses so sleep is enhanced. There are many reasons why sleep and massage make a great match - reasons both emotional and physical.


  • Lessens lower back pain






  • Eases chronic fatigue syndrome






  • Reduces muscle tension






  • Eliminates headaches






  • Lessens effects of medicinal side-effects on sleep






  • Relieves stress






  • Assists with weight control






  • Relaxes nervous tension






  • Increases blood circulation

Hospitals use physical therapy massage to help insomniacs sleep as an alternative to drugs. If you can't sleep and massage therapy sounds as if it can help, please visit your local massage therapist. She or he can help you find your circadian rhythm again.

Get a massage and sleep will be restored as a time of rest instead of a time of restlessness. You will be able to sleep all night long, waking refreshed instead of tired and tense.

Physical Therapy 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()


If you would like to enter the health care field, and you enjoy working with people, a career as a physical therapist might be a good choice for you. In this field, you will help sufferers of debilitating physical illnesses recover, creating treatment plans to get them moving. To do so, you will work in offices with other physicians and aides. This career path will need a lot of dedication and hard work, as well as a college education and a license.

You will need a Bachelor's degree to continue your studies in physical therapy. Since Bachelor's degrees in this field are not often available, other majors in health sciences or interdisciplinary health and rehabilitation sciences are acceptable choices. There are some accelerated programs for students who would like to go straight through for their Master's in physical therapy. In addition, programs for those who have a four year degree in an unrelated field are also available, but may take longer.

Master's programs in physical therapy are readily available at many universities. They may be designed for students coming from a Bachelor's program in health, or students who received a Bachelor's degree in a different field. These degrees are good, but a doctorate is becoming the common expectation for physical therapists. You will take many courses that will provide you with an appropriate background on physical therapy and movement, such as orthopedics, pathokinesiology, and neurology. There may also be courses on certain groups, such as geriatrics, pediatrics, and more.

Like a medical doctor who receives an MD, a physical therapist must receive a DPT, or Doctor of Physical Therapy. These programs are available all over, and generally come in two forms. They may be transitional for students who are already practicing in the field and need to advance their careers. They may also be direct-entry, for those that can enter from non-physical therapy undergraduate and graduate degrees. Each program will thoroughly go over rehabilitative procedures, pathology, biomechanics, and more.

Licensing to become a physical therapist can be achieved through the passing of the NPTE, National Physical Therapy Examination, which is a difficult exam provided to ensure the knowledge and qualifications of future physical therapists. The NPTE is provided from the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, where you can register for the test, pay a fee and take it after you graduate.

When you enter the field of physical therapy, you will be enjoying good pay, flexible positions, and plentiful job offerings. Employment is expanding rapidly - there is an expected increase of 30 percent. The pay usually ranges from $50,000 to $100,000, so it should be very lucrative. You can also plan on a very clean and pleasing work environment. The majority work in hospitals and doctors' offices, but other physical therapists work in outpatient care centers, nursing homes, and in private practice.

If you cannot afford or attend a lengthy doctoral degree program, you should consider going to school to become a physical therapist assistant. This only requires an Associate's degree, which you can find nearby in many two-year colleges. This degree will prepare you for clinical work and help you understand some of the common concepts in the field. Once you graduate from an accredited program, you can work closely with physical therapists and patients, providing exercise, training, and therapeutic methods.

Physical Therapy 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()


Stress is an undeniable facet of life which exhibits various harmful effects on the human body. When our body is under stress, it starts releasing stress hormones that increase heart beat, respiratory rate and provide a burst of energy. Stress can exhibit worst effects on the human health and may cause headaches, stiffness, neck pain, shoulder pain, upset stomach, back pain and insomnia. Stress can also lower the immunity of the body and reduce the ability to fight off certain health concerns. Furthermore, it makes your body depressed, tense, and irritable that ultimately affects on your daily activities and lowers your efficiency.

Alternative therapy is a natural healing approach to get rid of this worst health concern. It includes a number of treatment techniques that work best for treating the whole body systems. In this article, I will describe how alternative therapy helps treat stress and how alternative treatment techniques heal.

Alternative Therapy - The Whole-Body Systems Approach

Alternative therapy is a natural and holistic approach that encompasses a number of hands-on techniques that activates the internal healing system of the body. It includes various holistic approaches like physical therapy, massage therapy and various integrative manual therapies that are performed by a professional and trained physical therapist or massage practitioner to correct the health conditions that are created due to stress. A physical or massage therapist provides a gentle body touch with his skilled hands that activates the natural healing system of the body and provides a sense of well-being.

Massage Therapy - Relaxing the Mind, Body & Spirit

Massage therapy is a holistic and natural way to treat stress related conditions of the body such as high blood pressure, back pain, stomach disorders and emotional disturbances. It effectively relaxes your mind, body and spirit and promotes a feeling of calm, peace and comfort.

Integrative Hands-On Techniques - Promotes Emotional Calmness

Since alternative therapy includes various integrative hands-on techniques that effectively induce relaxation responses i.e. promote muscle relaxation, lower blood pressure, normalize respiratory rate and ultimately promote emotional calmness, reduce stress responses and maintain overall wellness.

Alternative Therapy - Helps Relieve Stress

Physical therapy is a type of alternative therapy that offers strengthening, stretching and stress relief exercises to promote mental and physical wellness of a person. A physical therapist gently provides breathing and relaxing techniques that induces mental relaxation. Gentle and effective body movements stimulate the receptors in the nervous system to decrease the production of stress hormones which ultimately relax muscles, improve flexibility and normalize the breathing pattern of the body.

In a nutshell, alternative therapy is really effective for both mind and body and proven to be highly effective for alleviating stress and other stress related conditions. Indeed, it is a profound and natural approach to provoke a gentle feeling of calm, relaxes your mind and promotes mental and physical health. It is a natural way to cope with the worst effects of stress and provides you a stress-free life.

Physical Therapy 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()