Physical therapy services in Lexington, KY

Orthopaedic, spine, and sports physical/performance therapy care is provided by a Board Certified Physical Therapist. Treatment combines newly innovative approaches such as dry needling and active release techniques with movement analysis and hands-on manual interventions in order to get you moving better.

Functional Dry Needling

  • Functional Dry Needling (FDN) is a therapeutic treatment that involves inserting a very thin needle into a muscle in order to make it function optimally, and it is an effective treatment for acute and chronic pain. It can promote healing after injury, optimize recovery from working or exercising, and improve a patient’s ability to move with less pain. FDN is utilized on many occasions to reduce “muscle spasms” and to abolish “trigger points”, which are common following an injury or degenerative process. Introducing a dry needle into these active trigger points can provide immediate and significant relief of symptoms.

  • It is a common misconception that dry needling is like acupuncture. Although the tool used is similar in that it is a very thin needle, our evaluation process, treatment, and goals of the technique are very different from acupuncture. We will perform a full evaluation of your neuromuscular system to determine what tissues are contributing to your painful limitations and apply the dry needling techniques to improve healing, decrease pain, and increase your ability to perform activities without limitations.

    FDN treatment improves healing time and reduces pain by:

    • Increasing blood flow to the muscle tissue

    • Allowing muscles to stretch/relax with movement

    • Decreasing tension in the muscles to help reduce pain and strain

    • Deactivating painful trigger points

    • Improving the brain’s ability to activate muscles, inhibit pain, and improve function

Manual Therapy

  • Manual therapy encompasses a broad group of techniques performed by a trained physical therapist and refers to the hands-on treatment of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. Manual therapy treatments may include moving the joints, stretching the muscles, or optimizing the activation of muscles. Specific soft tissue techniques are also used to improve the mobility and functioning of tissues, nerves, and muscles. Overall, manual therapy provides relaxation, improves movement, and creates a positive sense of wellbeing.

    How Is Manual Physical Therapy Different From Other Types of Therapies?

    It may seem that manual therapy is similar to other types of treatments, such as massage. However, one key difference is in the assessment process behind the treatment and integration of manual therapy into the patient’s personalized exercise program.

    Manual physical therapy is based on careful examination of the patient’s movement patterns, including range of motion restrictions and compensatory movements that can prevent healing. Assessment is continuously done throughout treatment, and techniques are altered to accommodate the patient’s response to the treatment provided. Research has shown that the most effective treatments involve customized manual therapy interventions combined with specific exercises to restore function.

    It may seem that manual therapy is similar to other types of treatments, such as massage. However, one key difference is in the assessment process behind the treatment and integration of manual therapy into the patient’s personalized exercise program.

  • An orthopaedic manual physical therapist treats acute and chronic pain conditions affecting all areas of the body. When injury causes soft-tissue and joint restrictions that produce pain during movement, manual therapy can improve mobility, reduce pain, and restore normal functioning of the soft-tissues and joints.

    Common diagnoses may include:

    • Neck pain

    • Lower back pain

    • Thoracic spine pain

    • Headaches

    • Fibromyalgia

    • Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction

    • Shoulder pain

    • Hip pain

    • Knee pain

    • Ankle pain

Orthopedic Physical Therapy

  • Orthopaedic physical therapy is provided by a physical therapist who is an expert in the evaluation, treatment, and prevention of disorders and dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system. This can include injury involving a muscle, bone, joint, tendon, ligament, and nerve.

  • Our Board Certified Physical Therapists are highly skilled in the assessment of movement and can help individuals move better, often with less pain, through skilled manual therapy, therapeutic exercise and patient education.

    Treatments

    Manual therapy (joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, myofascial release and other techniques)

    • Therapeutic activity and exercise

    • Muscle re-education

    • Balance training

    • Dry needling

    Many patients also benefit from modalities to help manage pain including:

    • Electrical muscle stimulation/TENS

    • Moist heat/cold packs

    • Ultrasound

    • Taping (Kinesiotaping and McConnell)

    • Splinting/bracing

    • Orthotics/shoe inserts

    Common diagnoses may include:

    • Achilles tendinitis

    • ACL injury prevention

    • Adhesive capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder)

    • Ankle sprains

    • Carpal tunnel syndrome

    • Degenerative disc disease

    • Headaches

    • Iliotibial band syndrome

    • Osteoporosis

    • Patellofemoral pain syndrome

    • Plantar fasciitis

    • Posterior tibialis tendinitis

    • Pregnancy-related low back pain

    • Spinal stenosis

    • Tarsal tunnel syndrome

    • TMJ rehab

    • Muscular torticollis

IASTM

  • Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) is an effective manual therapy treatment to help relieve pain from soft-tissue injuries. Physical therapists use tools to help remodel tissue, increase range of motion, and decrease pain. There are multiple types of IASTM products/methods including ASTYM, Hawkgrips, and Graston Technique. Each IASTM technique is designed to improve blood flow, enhance tissue mobility, decrease muscle spasms, and improve healing.

  • Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) is an effective manual therapy treatment to help relieve pain from soft-tissue injuries. Physical therapists use tools to help remodel tissue, increase range of motion, and decrease pain. There are multiple types of IASTM products/methods including ASTYM, Hawkgrips, and Graston Technique. Each IASTM technique is designed to improve blood flow, enhance tissue mobility, decrease muscle spasms, and improve healing.

    Common diagnoses may include:

    • Painful scars

    • Tennis elbow

    • Runner’s knee (patellar tendonitis)

    • Golfer’s elbow

    • IT band syndrome

    • Tendonitis

    • Shin splints

    • Carpal tunnel syndrome

    • Fibromyalgia

    • Low back and neck pain

    • Joint sprain

    • Plantar fasciitis

    • Post-fracture pain

McKenzie Method

  • Used by medical professionals for more than 50 years, the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Treatment (MDT) is an internationally-known system for the assessment and treatment of back, neck, and extremity pain.

  • MDT emphasizes active patient involvement and education in evaluating and diagnosing the cause of back, neck and extremity problems. We utilize this information to develop a personalized treatment plan to return you back to your previous function.

    Common diagnoses may include:

    • Sciatica

    • Pain in the hips or buttock

    • Pain or stiffness in the low back

    • Pain or stiffness in the neck

    • Pain in the shoulders or arms

    • Difficulty bending

    • Difficulty sitting for prolonged periods of time

    • Pins, needles or numbness in the arms, legs, feet or hands

Sports Rehabilitation

  • For athletes facing injury, the ultimate goal is to return them to their individualized sport. With traditional physical therapy, there is often a large gap between rehabilitation after an injury or surgery and full recovery for returning to sports. We bridge this gap to reduce re-injury and complications after surgery, as well as to improve sports performance, through personalized exercise prescription that targets individual goals.

  • Specific physical therapy techniques vary depending on the particular injury and level of activity the athlete is working towards. Some of the benefits include:

    • Functional movement evaluation

    • Decreased soft tissue inflammation

    • Relief of spasms

    • Improved tissue healing

    • Increased balance and coordination

    • Regained strength

    • Targeted sport-specific exercise to return to pre-injury function

    • Preparation to avoid recurrent injuries

    How We Treat Sports Injuries

    A Board Certified Physical Therapist will complete a comprehensive evaluation looking at the injury at hand as well as the underlying cause of the injury and the given sports demands. Sports rehabilitation treats a variety of conditions including:

    • Acute sports injuries

    • Strains and sprains

    • Post-operative injuries

    • ACL reconstruction

    • Rotator cuff injuries

    • Meniscus tears

    • Chronic musculoskeletal injuries

    • Tendinitis and bursitis

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