Category Archives: Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy

All About TMJD

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Looking for information on TMJD and Physical Therapy?

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) is a condition that affects the jaw joint and the muscles responsible for its movement. In addition to surgical treatments, there are several non-surgical treatments available for TMJD.

If you’re experiencing TMJD symptoms, it’s important to talk to a doctor about your treatment options. Conservative treatments, like physical therapy, have a high success rate and are typically recommended first.

Non-Surgical Treatment Options

Pharmacotherapy: Medications can be used to manage pain and other symptoms. Keep in mind, that a specialist or general practitioner may recommend prescription medication. These included but are not limited to: over-the-counter pain relievers like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen can also be used. Of course it is always most desirable to remedy this cause of the issues through physical therapy methods as opposed to pharmaceutical options.

Physical Therapy: A physical therapist can examine you to determine the root cause of your TMJD symptoms. They may also check your neck and shoulders for any issues that could be contributing to the problem. Exercises and other techniques may be prescribed to help manage TMJD symptoms.

Nightguards and Splint Therapy: Custom-made by a dentist or oral surgeon, these devices are to be worn at night to prevent grinding or clenching of teeth, which exacerbates TMJD symptoms.

Injections: Joint injections with hyaluronic acid and muscle injections with Botox can help relieve pain and relax the jaw muscles.

There are many treatment options. More specifically for more severe cases there are also surgical treatments available for TMJD. However, surgery is generally only recommended if other treatments have failed.

Surgical Treatment Options

Arthrocentesis: This involves injecting needles into the jaw joint to remove tissue breakdown products and reduce inflammation.

TMJD Arthroscopy: This is a more invasive procedure that involves placing needles into the joint and using an arthroscope to look inside and perform surgical procedures to remove scar tissue, smooth out bone, or attempt to reposition the disc.

Arthrotomy (Open Joint Procedure): This is a more invasive surgery that is performed under general anesthesia. Surgeons make an incision to remove adhesions, osteophytes, fibrous or bony ankylosis, and/or tumors.

If you’re experiencing TMJD symptoms, talk to a doctor about your treatment options. Physical therapy and other non-surgical treatments can be highly effective in managing TMJD symptoms, and surgical options are available if needed. Physical therapy, in many cases is highly effective in the treatment of many TMJD cases both acute and chronic. Check out our team of highly trained clinicians here at Elite Therapy Solutions. For a Chester County location: Give us a call at 610-696-3305. For a York/Adams County location: Give us a call at 717-840-1874 to set up an initial evaluation. We can see patients within 24-48 hours, and we allot an hour of evaluation time. We pride ourselves in being on the cutting edge of TMJD treatment diagnosing and techniques to get you back to pain-free living!

TMJ

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Commonly misunderstood as a diagnosis for jaw pain, the abbreviation “TMJ” actually stands for TemporoMandibular Joint, which is where the temple and the mandible meet to form your jaw joint. When it becomes dysfunctional, it is appropriately termed TMJD (TemporoMandibular Joint Dysfunction) or just TMD (TemporoMandibular Dysfunction).

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Overview of Our TMJ Assessment:

  • Posture Analysis
  • Assess upper and lower c-spine mobility
  • Palpate head, neck and jaw musculature
  • Strength test lips, cheeks, tongue and jaw muscles
  • Measure jaw motion and observe tracking
  • Classify whether or not the joint is involved

 

Benefits of PT Post-Operation

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A surgery can be life changing, and the recovery process can vary from person to person. Whether it’s a hip replacement, knee replacement, or anywhere else in your body, physical therapy can help! Physical therapy can be vital in the healing process for many reasons. It increases blood flow, flexibility, range of motion, and it can even discourage scar tissue from forming. The many benefits combine to contribute to an overall lack of pain coming out of recovery. When there is less pain and swelling, a patient does not need to use as many pain killers or other extra medication to cope post-operation. Instead you can have a shorter recovery time, increased mobility, and more money in your pocket!

Once you master your mobility, a physical therapist can assess your needs and show you how to potentially alter your everyday activities to make your days of recovery easier. A physical therapist can show you how to correctly get out of bed, lean down to the bottom shelf of a grocery store, and guide you through the best ways of navigating to not only heal quicker but prevent complications in the future!

 

Without the necessary movement, stretching, and exercises after surgery, a patient’s condition could continue to get worse. The lack of blood flow and increased risk of scar tissue development makes the muscles stiff and immobile, making the site of surgery weaker than before. As a result, a patient’s weaker muscles make it a harder transition to normalcy, and could impact them negatively down the road. Instead of coming out of any surgery feeling defeated, weak, or discouraged, physical therapy can bring you back to your daily life, new and improved!

National Active Aging Week

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We are all aging, every second of every single day, and that is something worth celebrating! This week is National Active Aging week, and it doesn’t mean that we are all actively aging; but it means that we should all try to remain active while we age. Regardless of if you are 23, 43, or 63, continuing to stay active is crucial to our health and that is what this week is all about.

Did you know, as we age, our physician visits increase by 30%? Our body is more susceptible to wear and tear as we get older, which keeps us from doing the things we love. Some of the most common conditions that individuals over 50 years old suffer from are:

  •         Arthritis
  •         Osteoporosis
  •         Joint Replacement
  •         Balance Disorders
  •         Overall Deconditioning and Muscle Weakness

Thankfully, we have seen amazing results at managing these conditions after going through physical and occupational therapy with Elite.

Everyday activities like gardening, going grocery shopping, and so much more can be made easier. Don’t let your age keep you from doing what you love, let us help you get back and better than ever!

Becoming Balanced

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We are all seeking balance in our lives, between work and home and everything in between. But what about physical balance? Balance problems can be caused by a number of conditions including: 

  • Stroke 
  • Arthritis 
  • Diabetes 
  • Multiple Sclerosis 
  • And so much more! 

 

And these balance disruptions can be disrupted within the body from vision to the muscular system, all the way to the inner ear. There are multiple ways to treat these systems with physical therapy. With muscle strengthening and stretching, position training, and inner ear retraining, you could feel good as new!  

 

After balance is treated, the benefits are endless. Patients will experience less falling, and with that, comes confidence in their abilities to do more activities. Overall balance, mobility, and strength is increased which leads to more movement, better posture, and increased flexibility. If you would like to see these results, schedule your appointment today!  

Stay on (the) Track!

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Did you know that 40 million people in the United States run regularly? However, it also comes with a high risk of injuries. Yearly, up to half of runners report an injury. Some of the most common injuries associated with running include:

  • Runner’s knee
  • Achilles tendinitis
  • Shin splints
  • Hamstring injuries
  • Plantar fasciopathy
  • IT band syndrome
  • Stress fractures
  • Sprained knees and ankles

 

While physical therapy can treat many of these overuse injuries, we want to share some tips to keep you healthy and safe on your next run! 

  • Cross-train – weightlifting to strengthen quads and hips; yoga to increase flexibility.
  • Stretch after your run.
  • Your longest run should only make up 20% of your weekly total mileage.
  • Don’t increase mileage by more than 10% per week.
  • Get running shoes that fit properly and feel comfortable. 
  • Change your running shoes every 350 – 500 miles.
  • Stay hydrated.
  • Consume adequate calories, carbs, healthy fats, and protein.
  • Beginners should start with intervals of walking and running.

 

 

1 Callahan, Lisa. “Running Injuries of the Lower Extremities.” UpToDate, 28 Oct. 2018, www.uptodate.com/contents/overview-of-running-injuries-of-the-lower-extremity.

2 7 Most Common Running Injuries. Pt Health, 23 Apr. 2018, www.pthealth.ca/blog/the-7-most-common-running-injuries/#.

School’s Back, Game On!

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As we approach the end of the summer, we all know what that means…back to school time. Student athletes are gearing up for their preseasons after a year of quarantine, and as the games begin the injuries are bound to follow. Did you know, high school sports contribute to almost 2 million injuries each year? From sprained wrists to back pain, we are here to help your children bounce back to the sports they love! But before they step foot on the field, here are some tips we suggest in order to prevent any athlete’s seasons from getting cut short.

1. Stretch: It is crucial that every athlete stretches before and after any practice or game to keep the muscles loose.

2. Don’t play when you are injured: Continuing to play while injured could lead to more injuries or worsening any condition.

3. Rest: When you overwork your muscles they are more prone to strain and pain, it is important to take rest days when needed.

4. Drink water: Proper hydration is key to keep your muscles moving and your body feeling good. When we sweat we lose water and we need to replenish it after any activity.

Bye Bye Back Pain!

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Did you know that nearly 80% of all Americans will experience an episode of low back pain at some point in their lives? …Or that back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and a leading contributor to missed workdays?

The good news: Physical Therapy can not only relieve the pain but fix the cause of chronic back pain!

Our clinicians at Elite Therapy Solutions have extensive experience treating pain due to:

• Muscle or ligament strains

• Bulging or ruptured discs

• Arthritis

• Osteoporosis

• Skeletal irregularities

• Posture

Seeking physical therapy first can also both save time and money. Compared to patients who waited or never saw a Physical Therapist, those who went to physical therapy first had lower out-of-pocket costs, pharmacy costs, and outpatient costs. They were also 87% less likely to need an opioid prescription, 28% less likely to need imaging services, and 15% less likely to make an emergency room visit.

Research has also proven that the sooner a patient is treated, the faster they will recover. We offer appointments within 24-48 hours for this reason! With 3 convenient locations, we’re here to help your patients feel their best with the most enjoyable PT experience!

Carpal Tunnel….. to relief!

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Carpal tunnel syndrome, also called median nerve compression, is a condition that causes numbness, tingling, or weakness in your hand. This happens because of pressure on your median nerve. The Median nerve runs the length of your arm, goes through a passage in your wrist called the carpal tunnel. This chain of events ends in your hand.

Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated with physical therapy or surgery. Although surgery may be considered when the symptoms are severe, more than a third of patients do not return to work within 8 weeks after an operation. Based on the potential side effects and risks of surgery, patients often ask if they might try physical therapy first.

According to the Journal of Orthopedics and Sports Physical Therapy, research shows that after 1 year, patients who had physical therapy that focused on manual therapy of the neck and median nerve, combined with stretching exercises, had outcomes similar to those of patients who had surgery. However, the physical therapy patients experienced faster improvements at the 1-month mark than did patients whose condition was treated surgically. This research supports the decision of patients who wish to try physical therapy first before considering surgery.

For those diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, physical therapy offers strong evidence-based treatment options to help them recover. Evidence indicates that physical therapy is not only as effective as surgery to treat this condition, but the patient will see improvement up to two months faster.  Do you suffer from CTS?  Are you looking for the tunnel to relief? Schedule your physical therapy evaluation with us today for therapy so good, it’s elite!

Lets get moving again!

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Lets get you moving! In honor of National Senior Health & Wellness Day being celebrated this Wednesday, May 26th, we wanted to share with you the benefits of physical therapy for Senior patients. Seniors benefit in numerous ways from physical activity and physical therapy.

Benefits

  • Improve balance, gait and endurance to reduce fall risk
  • Maintain strength, healthy joints and muscles
  • Increase joint mobility
  • Help reduce or control blood pressure
  • Reduce the risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases
  • Ease symptoms of stress and anxiety
  • Reduce and prevent arthritis joint swelling and pain
  • Increase the ability to live independently

Why Physical Therapy?

Most importantly, physical therapy can help Seniors strengthen weak muscles and increase mobility so that they can get moving once again. It can also improve endurance, so that the patient can enjoy physical hobbies like gardening or golf for longer periods of time.

Overall, physical therapy can give Seniors back their independence and make daily tasks easier. Working with the staff at Elite will not only reduce pain, but it will also help improve overall strength and ability and reduce the risk for falls or injuries, helping patients maintain a higher quality of life.

What we do at Elite

Evaluate each patient individually to find which symptoms are affecting their ability to maintain the best quality of life. Our physical therapists then formulate a plan of care made up of manual therapy and exercises.

  1. Medical history
  2. Medication review
  3. Clinical observation
  4. Berg balance scale
  5. Complete Physical Therapy Treatment

Know someone that could benefit?

Know of a senior in your life that could use physical therapy?  Have them visit us at one of our three convenient Chester County locations in West Chester, Downingtown and Coatesville!  We’ll evaluate, treat, and rehabilitate! We make sure that when someone leaves our clinic, that they feel that they have gained freedom from pain, and have a new lease on life! We help improve patients mobility, balance, strengthen key areas, and give tips to stay in optimal condition and prevent injuries!