Physical Therapy Plays an Important Role After a Stroke

A stroke occurs due to cell death when there is inadequate blood flow to the brain. When the flow of blood is interrupted, brain cells are not able to receive vital supplies of nutrients and oxygen. The majority of strokes are caused by the blockage of a neck or brain artery, and the remainder are caused by a blood vessel bursting in the brain.

Over 700,000 people in the United States alone suffer a stroke each year, with two-thirds of these individuals surviving. These survivors require rehabilitation in order to improve their quality of life and become as independent as possible.

Rehabilitation can help stroke survivors relearn skills that they have lost due to brain damage that occurred when they experienced the stroke.  The most important part of rehab is the repetitive practice involved in relearning these skills.

Because physical therapists specialize in treating disabilities related to sensory and motor impairments and place a great deal of emphasis on movement, they can play an important role in assessing the stroke survivor's range of motion, endurance and strength.  In many cases, their primary role is to create individualized programs designed to help these individuals regain control over motor functions.

Physical therapists teach strategies to reduce the effect of remaining deficits, help stroke survivors regain the use of impaired limbs and establish exercise programs to help people retain the skills that they have relearned.

Allegheny Medical's therapist graduated with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association.  Post-stroke rehabilitation is just one condition she can assist with.  For more information, visit the physical therapy page on our website or call us at (412) 494-4550.

Physical Therapy for Sports-Related Injuries

Physical therapy may be required when a person injures a part of their body while playing sports or engaging in strenuous physical workouts.  Therapy is most commonly recommended when someone is not able to use or move a specific body part the way that they used to before the injury.

A physical therapist's primary job is to restore an athlete's ability to be active, strong and in motion so that they can get back to engaging in physical activity like they used to prior to the injury.

One way a physical therapist assists a patient is to teach them exercises that target injured muscles in order to decrease the discomfort and pain they may be experiencing.  Many times the therapist will supervise the exercises until the patient is sufficiently able to do them on their own. Common forms of exercise include strengthening exercises, stretching and aquatic therapy.

Physical therapy is also often recommended after an athlete undergoes surgery, so that they can learn how to cope with any limitations they now face as a result. Some of the benefits of therapy are reduction of muscle spasms and pain, increased joint motion, healing of the soft tissue, stress reduction and increased endurance and muscle strength.

A good physical therapist will help an athlete not only recover from injury, but also educate them on how to prevent future injuries. Allegheny Medical's physical therapy program can help get you back into peak form and return to your normal sports activities as soon as possible. Please visit our page on our physical therapy services to find out more.

How Can Physical Therapy Help You?

Physical therapy is a health care specialty designed to treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system and its interaction with physical movement.  This form of therapy helps people develop, maintain, and reach maximum movement and functional ability throughout a lifetime.

The primary goal of PT is to identify and maximize movement potential, as well as provide preventive treatment and rehabilitation.

What conditions does physical therapy help treat?

Many different conditions can be treated with physical therapy.  Some of the most common include arthritis, migraines, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, back and neck pain and obesity.  In general, there are five specialty areas in PT: Orthopedic, Neurological, Geriatric, Cardiovascular and Pediatric.

What does a physical therapist do?

Physical therapists are health care professionals who manage and evaluate health conditions for individuals of all ages.  After your doctor refers you to a physical therapist, the therapist will then evaluate your medical history and perform a physical exam.  A physical therapist can then establish a diagnosis by organizing the evaluation results into defined syndromes or categories to help determine appropriate intervention strategies.

Types of interventions include therapeutic exercise, muscle and massage therapy, functional training, spinal and extremity mobilization, electric stimulation and more.

Physical therapy at Allegheny Medical

Dr. Krista Shiwarski is the Director of Physical Therapy at Allegheny Medical.  She received her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Chatham University and has extensive experience rehabilitating patients with orthopedic problems and sports injuries.  Dr. Shiwarski works closely with the referring physician and other staff members in order to coordinate treatment to promote optimal, quality results.

Physical therapy hours of operation at Allegheny Medical are Monday through Thursday 9am to 7pm and Friday 9am to 1pm.  Please call us at 412-494-4550 to schedule your appointment for physical therapy services today.