Cahill Physical Therapy Treatment Modalities

Cahill Physical Therapy Modalities

Cahill Physical Therapy is the ideal place for your healing to begin. Physicians refer their patients to Cathy because they know she will deliver the right care, using the best techniques for their specific situation. Her concierge services, set in an intimate and peaceful environment, allows patients to focus on their personal recovery and maximize their results.

Once your condition is evaluated, an individual physical therapy plan specific to your needs is put into place. Depending upon your particular condition, any of the following treatment modalities may be utilized to increase your mobility and return you to a pain-free state of wellness.

Developing and maintaining a strong core will help your entire body work better. The core consists of muscles in your lower back, pelvis and abdomen, all of which work together. Engaging these muscles is not something most people do consciously. Learning how to effectively co-contract them is important for strengthening your center, which contributes to better balance, flexibility and cardio performance. Without it, you are susceptible to poor posture, lower back pain and muscle injuries.

Core strengthening is a vital tool in treating back and sciatica pain. At Cahill Physical Therapy, our specialists use a variety of physical therapy methods, including Pilates and Gyrotonic methodology to condition your core, providing neuromuscular reeducation. This unique, whole-body approach to rehabilitation has helped patients recover quickly and achieve new levels of strength, stability and mobility.

When blood flow to damaged tissue is increased, healing is accelerated. Using Deep Tissue Laser Therapy to flood the tissues with photons, energizes the damaged cells and increases circulation to the painful area. Inflammation is reduced and the metabolism in the tissue’s cells increases, providing the optimal environment for your tissue to repair itself and pain to diminish.

Deep Tissue Laser Therapy treatment involves placing the laser on the skin and allowing the healing energy to penetrate deep into the tissues. The contact hand piece is designed to allow the practitioner to physically manipulate the tissue while administering the remedy.

When you are treated at Cahill Physical Therapy for back pain, spinal stenosis, strained muscles or ligaments, your protocol may include Deep Tissue Laser Therapy along with other modalities.

Electrical stimulation is a physical therapy modality used to treat a variety of physical complaints. It affects the body in many different ways including stimulating muscles to contract, stimulating nerves to decrease pain, reducing inflammation and increasing blood flow to speed healing. It can also help prevent atrophy and build muscle strength while patients recover from injuries.

The machine providing the electrical current is connected with wires attached to adhesive patches that are placed on the skin. Electrical current is to the patches and delivered into the muscle tissue below, causing a sensory or motor response.

It works by mimicking the natural way the body exercises its muscles. The electrodes deliver impulses that make the muscles contract. It increases range of motion and circulation. Electrical stimulation is used in treating conditions like sprains, arthritis, back pain, shoulder injuries and sciatica.

After collaborating with your physician, the team at Cahill Physical Therapy in Brentwood, California will develop a plan for your treatment. Depending on your particular condition, several modalities may be used to aid your recovery.

One very effective technique is massage therapy.

The primary goal of massage therapy is to relax the patient, reduce tension and relieve pain through manipulation of the muscles and tissues. It can decrease tightness, improving tissue mobility and muscle tone, while it reduces inflammation. Massage therapy is also useful in soothing hypersensitivity and flushing out stubborn edema.

The certified massage therapists at Cahill Physical Therapy use a variety of techniques including Swedish, deep tissue, circulatory and trigger point massage as a safe and effective treatment for your physical rehabilitation, as well as for stress management.

Therapists at Cahill Physical Therapy are trained and certified in the classic Joseph Pilates’ rehabilitation and body-balance techniques.

The state-of-the-art clinic at Cahill features machines created specifically for Pilates including Reformers and the Cadillac, which use springs, ropes and pulleys to adjust to your specific capability.

You can go from basic movements to very advanced, depending on how you need to progress or how badly you are injured. Pilates can be a valuable addition to your physical therapy plan, whether you have a knee injury, sciatica or lower back pain.

The gentle workout is beneficial in restoring function, improving posture, building strength and endurance, relieving pain and increasing flexibility. As you move forward without pain, you are more likely to try another movement that will take you toward recovery. Pilates can help you get there, step by step.

The therapists at Cahill Physical Therapy are experts in pain management, and use a variety of modalities to reduce and eliminate pain while helping you recover from injury.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, TENS, is a highly effective treatment for pain. Electrodes are placed on or near the area of discomfort, then soothing pulses are sent via the electrodes through the skin and along the nerve fibers. Your therapist, with your input, controls the intensity and duration of the pulses, which create a tingling, pins and needles sensation. During your TENS session, pain signals are suppressed and your body’s natural healing chemicals are triggered to help with recovery. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is used effectively to throughout the body to treat shoulder injuries and lower back pain, as well as muscle strains and sprains. TENS can be also be helpful in treating chronic migraines and arthritis pain.

As a companion to other physical therapy modalities, therapeutic exercise is used to correct impairment, help restore and build physical strength, flexibility and stability. Once your therapist at Cahill Physical Therapy evaluates your condition and physical capabilities, a treatment plan is created that will include an exercise program tailored to your specific needs.

It may vary from highly selected activities restricted to specific muscles or parts of the body, to general and vigorous activities.

The goals of therapeutic exercise are to reduce pain and inflammation, regain strength, range of motion, endurance and restoration of function.

Cahill’s state-of-the-art clinic provides an ideal environment for your physical rehabilitation. Gyrotonic, Pilates, exercise balls, straps and bands are just some of the rehabilitation tools that may be included in your therapy plan.

All of your treatments, including therapeutic exercise, are carefully monitored and emphasize slow progression. Your program will be modified as your pain decreases and you begin to heal.