Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Specialties
Specialty services that set CSMR apart include therapies for:
Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a freely movable joint between the condyle of the jaw (mandible) and the temporal bone of the skull. It is a unique joint in its anatomy and function and is treated by physical therapists. Often the physical therapist teams with a doctor, dentist or psychologist for the best overall treatment plan.
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are often classified by signs and symptoms of the TMJ. These include myofascial pain dysfunction (MPD) , internal derangement, subluxation and arthritis of the jaw. Muscle disorders or myofascial pain dysfunction (MPD) are treated by physical therapists with modalities and home exercises and myofascial release . Internal derangement of the TMJ is an abnormal relationship of the articular disc to the condyle and can often cause a clicking/locking sensation. Physical therapists can also treat this with home exercises, modalities and stretching or hands on treatment. Subluxation, when the condyle moves out of the joint space, can be treated with modalities and home exercises, as well. Others noises of the joint such as crepitus-grating, crunching sound of arthritis, can be treated the same way.
Physical therapists are responsible for home exercise instruction for range of motion and strengthening of the jaw, and postural exercises; implementation of modalities, including heat, cold, mobilization, electrical stimulation, iontophoresis and ultrasound; and the evaluation of the cervical region. Instruction in lifestyle and habitual changes, such as clenching and grinding, are also important. With specialized training, physical therapists can also use techniques such as craniosacral therapy and myofascial release to help relax the muscles of the jaw and improve joint mobility.
Manual Back and Neck Care
Manual therapy is the unique collaboration of biomechanics, physiology, hands-on care and patient education, through which our physical therapists provide conservative spinal rehabilitation that corresponds to specific patients’ diagnoses. Our clinicians have both an advanced understanding of how the body works and an understanding how to achieve improved joint mobility, muscle flexibility and decreased pain.
Specifically, our therapists are trained in conservative disc rehabilitation, manual therapy for joint segmental dysfunction and core stabilization programs. We emphasize patient education – teaching each patient how to effectively to self-treat their own injuries – which further helps to improve our patient outcomes.
Fall Prevention and Balance Training
The predisposition to falling represents a complex interplay of many factors, including strength, nerve and muscle interactions, flexibility and reflexes, visual acuity, vestibular input and environmental conditions. Strength and balance exercises have been widely shown to improve coordination and reaction time, resulting in fewer and less serious falls. There is no “one size fits all” regimen, so at CSMR we offer screening to assess your personal risk of falling and then can instruct you in an individualized program to meet your specific needs.
People who might benefit from our programs include:
- People who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or who have had a stroke
- Orthopedic clients with lower extremity sprains/strains, fractures, amputations or leg/foot surgical procedures
- People suffering from severe back pain or leg/foot pain or reduced lower extremity sensation
- Anyone who has had a concussion or head injury
- People experiencing vertigo or dizziness, or who have trouble with balance and stability while performing activities of daily living
- Individuals who have a fear of falling and/or reduced confidence performing duties in or outside of their home
Programs we offer to promote increased balance include fall risk assessment, sports injury rehabilitation, vestibular rehabilitation, balance master evaluation and retraining, and home safety and fall prevention.
Our women’s health program is an outpatient physical therapy program focused on women to help enhance their health throughout their entire life span. The therapist has been trained to evaluate and treat many medical conditions that are specific to women during different phases of life.
Diagnoses that are evaluated and treated include pain during pregnancy, postpartum rehabilitation, urinary and fecal incontinence, pelvic floor dysfunction, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, low back pain, and chronic pain and headaches.
Lymphedema is a condition resulting in an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the tissues. It relates to the failure of the lymphatic vessel system to transport naturally occurring fluids from our tissues. Lymphedema can result in chronic swelling in any area of the body, but most often it occurs in the arms or legs. The most frequently seen causes of lymphedema include abnormal development of the lymphatic system, removal or damage to lymph nodes for treatment of cancer, damage to lymph vessels related to traumatic injury or surgery, or chronic venous insufficiency and obesity.
Persons affected by lymphedema complain of a tight or heavy feeling in the limb. They have difficulty moving the limb, and experience an ache and fatigue when using it.
The Center for Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation offers a staff of Certified Lymphedema Therapists to treat our patients diagnosed with lymphedema. Certified Lymphedema Therapists are physical and occupational therapists who have completed the most advanced training in the treatment of lymphedema. Treatment of lymphedema is effective in reducing the volume of edema with a combination of interventions that improves the quality of life for persons impacted by this chronic condition.
Treatment consists of a series of manual lymph drainage sessions. Manual lymph drainage is a comfortable massage technique that promotes movement of the fluid from the tissues into the vessels and propels the fluid towards natural drainage points. Compressive wraps are used to slow the accumulation of new fluid until maximum drainage has been achieved. Patients then use compression garments to maintain their progress. Patient education is also an important component of our program. Patients are advised on exercises to enhance lymph drainage and life style precautions to lower the risk of worsening the condition.
More information coming soon.