Services

At Balance Point Physical Therapy, we believe that perhaps the most important part of rehabilitative treatment is the acquisition of knowledge that can allow our patients to go on to maintain a lifetime of optimal health and physical function. We would like to be long-term partners with our clients and would be honored to have our patients consider us permanent members of a health care and wellness team.

Postural Restoration

Postural Restoration is based on the concept of eliminating unwanted muscle tension as it develops in the body. This muscle tension may be the result of many things, including but not limited to: asymmetrical thorax, spine, and hip alignment, trauma, habitual movement patterns, and as a response to stress. When excessive muscle tension is present, there is a shortening of muscle. This places abnormal forces on the bones and other soft tissues that support them. This is observed during a physical therapy examination as a reduction inflexibility, range of motion, strength, or proper posture. The result is pain that may develop at the site of the muscle tension or at some distant location as the body compensates. Relaxation of excessive muscle tension is necessary to achieve neutral posture, full range of motion, strength, flexibility, and ultimately to reduce the abnormal forces in the area of pain, so that tissue healing and subsequent pain reduction can occur. Postural Restoration activities – including both manual techniques and exercise sequences – are designed to accomplish such relaxation. This creates relief of pain and also allows normalized movement to occur.

McKenzie Method

The McKenzie Method is a style of treatment originating from New Zealand, that is based on the premise that repeatedly moving the spine in specific directions can ‘centralize’ and in many cases eliminate pain in the back or neck, or pain occurring in the arms or legs that is associated with spinal injury or disease. A central idea of the McKenzie Method is that self-healing and self-treatment are important for a patient’s pain relief and rehabilitation. It utilizes exercises that patients can and are expected to do independently. However, ‘McKenzie’ is also an overall program of assessment, treatment and prevention strategies (including exercise) that are usually most effective when learned and performed under the guidance of a physical therapist who is trained in the method. The long-term goal of physical therapy using the McKenzie Method is to teach patients suffering from neck pain and/or back pain how to treat themselves and to manage their pain – using exercise and other strategies. Other goals include rapid pain reduction, fast return to normal daily functioning, minimizing the need for further more complicated medical interventions, and reducing the risk of chronic or recurrent spinal pain.

Manual Therapy

Manual Therapy is a clinical approach to orthopedic physical therapy that utilizes highly skilled and specific hands-on techniques, which may include manipulation/mobilization of joints, soft tissue mobilization, mobilization of neural tissue, or assisted movement or stretching. Such manual techniques are used by the physical therapist to evaluate and treat soft tissues and joint structures for the purpose of decreasing pain, increasing range of motion (ROM), reducing or eliminating soft tissue inflammation, inducing relaxation, improving tissue repair, extensibility, and/or stability, enabling or encouraging movement, and improving function. Physical therapists with advanced certification in manual therapy have also been trained according to a model of examination and treatment that focuses on the root causes of pain rather than solely on symptoms. This allows a comprehensive and very effective style of treatment for a wide variety of musculoskeletal disorders.

Vestibular Rehabilitation

Vestibular Rehabilitation is the treatment of dizziness and balance disorders. The vestibular system coordinates a person’s posture and balance. When it is impaired, a person may feel dizzy and/or nauseated, and may have difficulty with standing, walking, and other physical movements. They may avoid activities, or learn to compensate with altered movement patterns that can ultimately lead to pain or other muscular dysfunctions. Vestibular therapy can include head, eye, and body exercises that can treat the symptoms of dizziness and imbalance. Individual treatment programs may also include other strength and conditioning exercises to improve function which may have been impaired by a patient’s vestibular disorder.

Sports Medicine

Sports medicine and physical therapy in the athletic population encompass a wide variety of topics and programs including:

  • Injury prevention

  • Rehabilitation

  • Injury screenings

  • Sports specific fitness for athletes (all ages and experience levels)

  • Sports performance and wellness

  • Concussion management and rehabilitation

  • ACL injury prevention and performance training

If you are receiving sports medicine rehabilitation, you will receive one-on-one attention from a sport oriented physical therapist. Physical therapy treatment plans are specifically designed based on each athlete’ unique situation, needs and goals. Our goal is to restore your highest level of function and get you back to your sport as soon as possible and prevent re-injury.

Pelvic Floor Therapy

Pelvic floor muscles can sometimes become weak or overworked, resulting in urinary/bowel incontinence or chronic pelvic pain. It can affect men and women of all ages. Treatment includes:

  • Evaluation and education about the pelvic floor muscles

  • Exercise recommendations for a home exercise program

  • Manual therapy

  • Biofeedback

  • Electrical Stimulation

  • Recommendations for behavior modifications