Physiotherapy is the use of natural and other forces such as light, heat, cold, ultrasound, electricity and massage to either effect a treatment, or to act as an adjunct to a therapy. The following physiotherapy modalities are commonly used in our clinic.
- Heat may be used to increase the circulation to an area to bring more nutrients and oxygen to the tissue to promote healing.
- Cold is primarily used to reduce blood flow to the area involved which can help reduce swelling and pain.
- Therapeutic Ultrasound provides a deep heating effect in the body. The heat provided by ultrasound penetrates deeper than can be achieved by the use of hot packs. It is thought that the heat is concentrated where tissues of different types connect, such as tendons to muscles or ligaments to bone. It is also theorized that ultrasound provides a micro massage deep within the in tissues.
- Electrical muscle stimulation, depending on the type of current and settings utilized, can be used for a variety of reasons including increasing blood circulation to the muscle, relaxing muscle spasms, prevention of muscle atrophy in patients unable to use parts of their body, increasing range of motion, treating acupuncture points, promoting tissue healing and pain control.
- Massage helps increase blood flow to the muscle and surrounding tissues which can help promote healing. It also relaxes tight muscles and can break up adhesions and scar tissue which can develop after an injury. It can also help reduce stress and can enhance the chiropractic adjustment by reducing the tension on the joints.
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