Orthopedic Physical Therapy Ashburn

You can’t move around without bones, tendons, joints, muscles, and ligaments. So, when your orthopedic system doesn’t perform properly, moving becomes painful, and your lifestyle is limited. To enjoy life in Ashburn, orthopedic physical therapy at State of the Art Physical Therapy may be right for you.

What is Orthopedic Physical Therapy?

This specialized type of physical therapy focuses on the musculoskeletal system, which includes:

bones
muscles
joints
ligaments
tendons
connective tissues

A physical therapist specializing in orthopedics evaluates your condition and diagnoses the issue by:

Diagnosing the appropriate movement issues
Developing a customized treatment plan
Providing treatment
Offering supportive education about how to manage your condition and prevent the recurrence

Do You Need Orthopedic Physical Therapy?

After a comprehensive assessment, your physical therapist at State of the Art Physical Therapy may recommend orthopedic physical therapy. Most patients who benefit from this specialized type of physical therapy were injured playing sports, had a serious fall, or are dealing with a repetitive use joint injury. Many are on the verge of needing to have surgery.

Orthopedic physical therapy builds flexibility, strength, and range of motion to get you back to appreciating the lifestyle you enjoy.

How Orthopedic Physical Therapists Help

As specialists in skeletal and muscular conditions, Orthopedic Physical Therapists identify underlying conditions and provide treatment, reducing pain without causing reinjury.

Assessment

Your orthopedic physical therapist at State of the Art Physical Therapy in Ashburn starts with an accurate, comprehensive evaluation. Your pain, ability to move, flexibility, strength, and lifestyle all contribute. During your recovery, your PT reevaluates your progress periodically and adjusts your treatments to ensure results.

Most patients benefit from a combination of various therapies like electrical stimulation, ice, heat, laser, dry needling, massage, and ultrasound. These therapies enhance flexibility, blood flow, and relaxation while reducing swelling and pain.

Massage and Mobilization

Orthopedic physical therapy includes specialized soft tissue massages for injured areas to stimulate healthy blood flow and reduce stiffness. Traditional hands-on physical therapy techniques also support your muscles and joints.

Exercise

A necessary part of your therapy will be your exercises and activity. Your physical therapist at State of the Art Physical Therapy in Ashburn will custom-tailor recovery exercises for you. Some exercises you will need to do at the physical therapy clinic with your PT watching and assisting. Other exercises are designed for you to do between appointments at home. This reduces the number of sessions you need and helps you recover completely.

These customized therapeutic exercises help you:

Build greater strength
Increase your balance
Increase the range of motion in your joints
Provide greater functional mobility for the activities you enjoy most
Develop flexibility
Create better endurance

Common Conditions that Benefit from Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Here at State of the Art Physical Therapy, we see a variety of conditions that benefit from orthopedic PT. Conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system respond well, so orthopedic physical therapy may be used exclusively or combined with other treatment modalities.

Frozen shoulder
Sports injuries
Joint pain
Arthritis
Low back pain
Fall prevention
Bursitis
Lymphedema
Cancer
Hip or knee replacement
Parkinson’s disease
Knee instability
Scoliosis
Limits in range of motion
Stroke
Lyme disease
Muscular dystrophy (MD)
Plantar fasciitis
Spinal stenosis
Pre- and post-surgery
Pregnancy, childbirth
Pelvic floor dysfunction

What to Expect

At State of the Art Physical Therapy, you can expect a thorough assessment as the first step. Once the evaluation is complete, your physical therapist recommends a tailored recovery plan. If orthopedic physical therapy is part of that recovery plan, your PT will describe the process in more detail.

Expect hands-on treatments, supportive therapies like ice/heat, and a therapeutic exercise program.

Orthopedic Physical Therapy Ashburn FAQs

What is orthopedic physical therapy?

Orthopedic Physical Therapy diagnoses and treats conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system, such as bones, muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues. Orthopedic PT integrates all bodily systems, including the cardiovascular and neurological systems, with the musculoskeletal system to heal an injury or condition.

What is the meaning of orthopedic physical therapy?

Orthopedic Physical Therapy, or Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy, treats injuries and illnesses of the musculoskeletal system. Patients with injuries or conditions that affect strength, flexibility, and range of motion benefit from this therapy that treats bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues.

Why is orthopedic physical therapy important?

Orthopedic physical therapy often helps patients avoid surgery for musculoskeletal injuries and conditions by reducing pain, increasing flexibility, and enhancing range of motion.

After surgery, orthopedic physical therapy helps reduce pain, normalize walking, improve flexibility, strength, and range of motion, and prevent the buildup of excessive scar tissue.