What Is Physical Therapy?

Physical Therapy Designed Specifically For You

Our therapist at Lambeth Physical Therapy will conduct a thorough evaluation and examination to identify the source of your pain or condition. After the clinical exam, he will help you better understand your diagnosis and the direct treatments that will be effective for treating your condition to help ease pain, increase strength, and improve mobility. The therapist will also explain the associated dysfunctions that may be contributing to your condition and possibly delaying recovery. You will also learn how to self-manage your symptoms and resolve your dysfunctions at home. 

At Lambeth Physical Therapy, our treatment consists of treating the entire person and many aspects of dysfunction.

Soft Tissue: Muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves fall into this category of dysfunction. When you are in pain, your muscles try to protect you by naturally tightening up. Tight muscles can lead to increased pressure to the surrounding joints causing increased pain. Pain also inhibits muscles from working at the proper time. Weak muscles can lead to poor movement and control, ultimately leading to injury. A physical therapist can perform a variety of soft tissue techniques to decrease the tightness and muscles spasms to help you get back to your previous level of function.

Joints: Joints are the connections of your spine and extremities. Joints often become too stiff or too loose. It's common to see a combination of loose and stiff joints even in the same region of the body. Loose joints can be improved with stabilization exercises. Stiff joints can be treated by manual mobilizations by a physical therapist. The therapist at Lambeth Physical Therapy has extensive training on how to mobilize stiff joints without causing stress to the joints that are loose. The identification and treatment of stiff or loose joints can help speed up recovery. 

Posture: This involves your body's ability to move with proper stability to avoid extra stress on different structures throughout your body. Incorrect body mechanics and poor movement control during daily activities often lead to injury. At Lambeth Physical Therapy you will be taught how to properly activate muscles at the right time to improve body mechanics and decrease pain. 

Exercise: Muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance of your body improves with exercise. At Lambeth physical therapy the therapist will design your exercise program based on your specific needs and your personal goals. With each treatment session, you will progress to more advanced exercises that address your functional limitations. You will be trusted to perform your exercises at home so your one-on-one treatment time in physical therapy can be spent on more challenging activities that require instruction by the therapist. 

Mindset: Our overall health and wellness along with your state-of-mind is vital to your recovery. Your brain can actually control the pain in your body. For example, if you are being distracted or more interested in something besides your pain your brain will reduce the pain. And vice versa, the more you think about and focus on your pain, the brain amplifies your sensitivity, and you will notice an increase of pain. A physical therapist will help you to better understand your pain, giving you the ability to take control of your pain and empower yourself. Even making some changes to your nutritional intake can help improve your body's healing potential. Ask your therapist about improving nutrition to improve recovery.