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Appalachian Physical Therapy helps patients with many different conditions. Please see the diagram below for information on common conditions we treat and how physical therapy can help you.

Elbow Pain
Elbow pain can come from a variety of sources, but typically occurs due to an overuse of the elbow joint from repetitive activities. Often bad posture with typing, writing, lifting or sports, makes the tissues around the elbow become irritated.

The elbow actually has quite a few different joints that move in very unique ways. The same bones (radius and ulna) that make up the elbow also form the wrist and play a key role in the movements of the hands. Most of the muscles that make your wrist and fingers move are actually located in the forearm.

Poor posture, repetitive activities such as typing, gripping and twisting can cause tightening in the muscles and tissues of the forearm. This can affect the mobility of the elbow, wrist and even hands. This can lead to chronic inflammation and irritation to these areas.

How physical therapy helps
Physical therapy helps to relieve elbow pain, wrist pain and hand pain by examining the mechanics of your joints and muscles. By identifying where you are having limitations, analyzing your daily activities and strength of certain muscle groups, the root cause of your pain can be discovered.

A comprehensive plan is then built to improve your range of motion, reduce your pain quickly, soothe stiff and sore muscles and return your strength. In addition, we work with you to educate you on techniques and exercises to prevent future injury or possibly adapt your work environment. Call us today to discover how we can help relieve your elbow pain, wrist pain or hand pain.

What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is a common term for lateral epicondylitis. You don’t have to play tennis to develop this condition, it actually happens frequently with repetitive tasks done in poor postural positions, such as typing at too high of a desk. The muscles that extend your wrist and fingers actually attach to the bony outside of your elbow.

Typically with tennis elbow, severe tenderness will be present around the bony area on the outside of the elbow. This can cause pain with gripping objects, lifting objects, twisting of the forearm and more.

What is Golfer’s Elbow?
Golfer’s elbow is a general term for medial epicondylitis. This is similar to tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), except that it is on the inside bony area of the elbow. Reasons for this occurring are similar to that of tennis elbow where there is an overuse of the muscles that flex your wrist and fingers. These muscle tendons attach to the inside elbow bony area, and overuse results in irritation.

How physical therapy helps
Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow can be treated very effectively with physical therapy. Modalities such as ultrasound, heat and ice can assist with reducing swelling quickly in the irritated tendons. Furthermore, hands on therapy for the tissues and joints helps to restore normal joint movement, break up any scar adhesions in the tissue and bring circulation to the area to promote healing.

As the pain subsides, the focus is shifted to making sure your proper range of motion in the elbow and wrist are returned to normal. Gentle strengthening programs are started to help support the affected area and regain your strength. In addition, we educate you on proper posture and techniques to manage work and repetitive activities so the condition does not continue. Call us today to discover how we can help quickly relieve your tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow pain.

About Nerve Injuries
There are many nerves traveling along the elbow, forearm, wrist and hand. With injuries to the hand, wrist, forearm or elbow, nerve damage can result. Symptoms may be mild such as mild numbness, tingling or abnormal temperature feelings. In severe cases, muscle function and paralysis can occur.

Many nerve injuries occur because of overuse and chronic swelling. This doesn’t allow proper circulation to flow to the nerves, affecting their functioning. Poor posture while doing common activities generally causes overuse injuries and chronic swelling. If you have significant nerve sensations into your arm, wrist or hand, it is important to follow up with us and your physician.

How physical therapy helps
Physical therapy is very important to the healing aspect of nerve injuries. Whether mild from a small injury or severe after surgery, our experts work with you and your physician to facilitate your recovery.

The emphasis of physical therapy is on removing pressure from around the nerve by restoring normal tissue movement, joint movement and range of motion. Our hands-on therapy serves to soothe and improve circulation, while stimulating nerves to restore normal function. Call us today to discover how we help relieve your nerve pain and restore normal function.

Information coming soon!

Nothing will make you realize how much you use your wrists throughout the day quite like feeling the aches and pains within them. Just imagine your typical morning: you get out of bed, brush your teeth, shower, get dressed, make breakfast, and begin your commute to work. At this point, you’ve already used your wrists hundreds of times – and you’re just getting your day started!

Whether you’re experiencing pain due to an injury, ailment, or some other underlying condition, it can greatly impact your quality of life. Luckily enough, you can find relief and recovery for your wrist aches and pains by working closely with a licensed therapist. Contact us today if you are interested in finding out more about how our physical therapy treatments can help make your wrist pain a thing of the past!

How does wrist pain develop?

An injury may result in short-term pain in your wrist, but any chronic or persistent pain lasting three months or longer may indicate illness or another underlying condition. You may consider your pain level to be between mild and severe, and it may also be intermittent, meaning it comes and goes at different points throughout the day.

Another common symptom that comes along with wrist pain is a numbness or tingling in the extremities, especially in the fingers. This can make it difficult for you to perform physical tasks at your normal levels of function, which in turn can create issues at work or home, depending on the seriousness of your condition.

What wrist pain?

Your wrists are comprised of such a large variety of muscles, tendons, bones, and joints, that it may be difficult to determine exactly where your pain is stemming from. Below are a few of the most common conditions that may be the cause of your pain:

  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) – According to the American Physical Association, carpal tunnel syndrome impacts approximately 5% of all Americans. The main job of the carpal tunnel is to protect the median nerve on the inside of your wrist, in addition to the tendons you use to bend your fingers. Unfortunately, it is possible for the carpal tunnel to become constricted, which can result in pain within the nerve that can stretch throughout your entire arm. Carpal tunnel syndrome is typically caused by an injury or by repetitive job-related use, such as assembly-line work, keyboard-heavy work, or driving heavy machinery.
  • Arthritis – According to the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis is the most common form of disability in the United States. It affects approximately 53 million Americans. There are many different forms of arthritis, but it is typically caused by repetitive motions or an injury that impacts the cartilage within the joints of the wrist.
  • Strains/Sprains – Strains and sprains to the wrist can also result in pain.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms caused by the conditions above, or if you have persistent pain in your wrist that won’t seem to go away, contact our office as soon as possible, in order to set up a consultation.

How will I benefit from physical  therapy treatments?

Whatever the cause of your wrist pain may be, occupational therapy can help you. Our advanced treatments can help restore your range of motion, relieve your pain, and get you back to living your normal life. In many cases, occupational therapy treatments can even help patients eliminate the need for harmful drugs or invasive surgical corrections for nerve-damaging conditions, such as CTS.

Our physical therapists will create a personalized treatment plan unique to the recovery needs of your condition. This may include any combination of specialized treatments, such as manual therapy, IASTM, ultrasound, ice and heat therapies, or targeted stretching exercises.

Don’t let wrist pain reduce your quality of life any longer! If you are looking to find relief for your discomfort, contact our office today to schedule an appointment and meet with one of our dedicated team members. We will be happy to get you back to living the healthy and physically active life you deserve!

Sources:

https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/natural/other-therapies/what-is-physical-therapy.php

https://www.moveforwardpt.com/SymptomsConditionsDetail.aspx?cid=6725f1b3-aaf8-46c4-8348-c4a6835ea509

https://www.jospt.org/doi/full/10.2519/jospt.2017.0503

https://www.moveforwardpt.com/SymptomsConditionsDetail.aspx?cid=1533497e-63fd-401c-84ac-a87b9baa633f

Information coming soon!

What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is a common term for lateral epicondylitis. You don’t have to play tennis to develop this condition, it actually happens frequently with repetitive tasks done in poor postural positions, such as typing at too high of a desk. The muscles that extend your wrist and fingers actually attach to the bony outside of your elbow.

Typically with tennis elbow, severe tenderness will be present around the bony area on the outside of the elbow. This can cause pain with gripping objects, lifting objects, twisting of the forearm and more.

What is Golfer’s Elbow?
Golfer’s elbow is a general term for medial epicondylitis. This is similar to tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), except that it is on the inside bony area of the elbow. Reasons for this occurring are similar to that of tennis elbow where there is an overuse of the muscles that flex your wrist and fingers. These muscle tendons attach to the inside elbow bony area, and overuse results in irritation.

How physical therapy helps
Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow can be treated very effectively with physical therapy. Modalities such as ultrasound, heat and ice can assist with reducing swelling quickly in the irritated tendons. Furthermore, hands on therapy for the tissues and joints helps to restore normal joint movement, break up any scar adhesions in the tissue and bring circulation to the area to promote healing.

As the pain subsides, the focus is shifted to making sure your proper range of motion in the elbow and wrist are returned to normal. Gentle strengthening programs are started to help support the affected area and regain your strength. In addition, we educate you on proper posture and techniques to manage work and repetitive activities so the condition does not continue. Call us today to discover how we can help quickly relieve your tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow pain.