As the moguls on the black ski slope seemingly flew past his field of vision, he got into a gliding rhythm of moving back and forth, watching the trees whiz by. All was smooth and effortless, that is, until an edge of snow jutted out that he did not see, caught his ski and flipped him off balance. His legs and skies slipped into an awkward position, moving his one knee into an impossible angle, shredding one of the ligaments of his knee. In a few seconds time, an injury took place that would now, the orthopedic surgeon said, take months of time and effort to heal. My husband was not amused. Luckily, his healing time turned out to be significantly less than anticipated, due to his overwhelming desire to do whatever it took to get better and a fantastic team of physical therapists that challenged him to build back his strength.

Physical therapy is a health care specialty that focuses on the evaluation and treatment of the musculoskeletal system and promotion of healthy movement and alignment of the body. The goal is to restore and maintain maximum functional ability and movement if affected by injury, aging, or illness. Many of the techniques used by physical therapists can be attributed back to the ancient practices of Hippocrates of massage and water cure. However, the first official documentation of this specialty was in England in 1894 when the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy was established. The first college in the U.S. opened in 1914 and in the 1940s, the main therapies used were massage, traction and exercise. Since that time, treatments have expanded significantly, however, they still incorporate the earlier methods, as they were and are still valid.

So, what should you expect from your physical therapist? Some of this will depend upon who you see, as many therapists specialize in the types of conditions they treat or the methods they employ. For example, some of the specialties include orthopedics, geriatrics, pediatrics or neurology. Once you’ve been evaluated and diagnosed by a physician (most people have to be referred to see a physical therapist), a physical therapist will first take you through a range of movements to pinpoint the areas of weakness and instability of your muscles, joints and gait (the way you walk). Your pain level, type of occupation, stress level and resources are also considered, as this can alter the type of plan that is made for you.

At their disposal are a plethora of treatment regimens to realign and strengthen your wayward muscle or joint. At a minimum, most treatment plans combine therapeutic exercise regimens for strengthening the affected muscle or joint, and/or massage to release muscle tension and adhesions and hydrotherapy, the application of hot and/or cold. Other therapies include EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation), TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator), ultrasound, cold laser, joint and spine manipulation. Electrical muscle stimulation is a technique which uses modulating bursts of electricity to contract the muscle, resulting in muscle strengthening and pain relief. TENS units work by affecting nerves and reducing pain. Several studies have shown that use of both EMS and TENS on arthritic joints has significantly improved mobility and strength and reduced pain, especially in conjunction with exercise. Therapeutic ultrasound works by heating and vibrating the tissues, reducing inflammation and stimulating healing. Although research is still ongoing, cold laser is thought to stimulate the tissue, relieving pain and reducing inflammation. Most of these therapies are used in conjunction with one another, where the sum tends to result more favorably than any individual therapy.

There is current favorable research on the use of physical therapy for the treatment of urinary incontinence in women; osteoarthritis; post-surgical recovery of repaired knee, elbow, hip and shoulder joints; back pain; and neck pain to list a few.

There are many fantastic physical therapists available in the Moscow-Pullman area; they can be found in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, sports centers, exercise therapy centers and private practice. Your primary-care physician, chiropractor, massage therapist and orthopedic physician can be a great person to ask for a recommendation or referral.