It includes several interactive tools to engage the public and encourage you to learn about the ways in which a PT can help restore and improve motion in your life. New features include Ask-A-PT, a Motion Quiz, and a Twitter Feed.

Generally, there are six stages of recovery:

Phase One (first couple of weeks after surgery): This period of the rehabilitation is called the early rehabilitative phase. This phase focuses on decreasing the pain and swelling following surgery.

Phase Two (weeks three and four): In the second rehabilitation phase, more attention is placed on joint protection as the pain has mostly disappeared and the individual may want to try more things that the joint is not ready to perform.

Phase Three (week four to six): Referred to as the controlled ambulation phase, this includes all building on the former exercises already in place plus adding few more. This is an important time for exercises requiring improved balance both in the clinic as well as the home program.

Phase Four (week six to eight): Known as the moderate protection phase, weights may be added to gradually increase resistance to existing exercises.

Phase Five (week eight to 10): This light activity phase places additional emphasis on strengthening exercises with increased concentration on balance and mobility.

Final Phase – Return to Activity: The final phase starts at about 10 weeks and continues until the desired activity level is reached.

To learn more about post-surgery PT, contact the Ohio physical therapy team at OAZ.

Electrical stimulation is a therapy that passes an electrical current to an affected area. Nerve conduction within the region is altered, which can in turn alter muscle contractility. Blood flow to these tissues is also increased with electrical stimulation. Patients often experience diminished pain after this electrical stimulation of treatment.

Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to stimulate the deep tissues within the body. By passing an ultrasound probe over your body, deep tissues are stimulated by the vibration of the sound wave. This leads to warming and increased blood flow to these tissues.

Ask the Ohio physical therapists at OAZ if these treatments can help you.

The event, sponsored by Genesis Healthcare System, welcomes the community to learn simple ways to stay healthy, enjoy music and participate in health screenings.

The Ohio physical therapists of Orthopaedic Associates provide information on proper stretching exercises and how physical therapy can help your life.

• Gliding exercises: Moving your fingers in a specified pattern of exercises may help your tendons and nerves glide more smoothly through your carpal tunnel. While there’s some evidence that gliding exercises can help relieve carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms when used alone, these exercises appear to work better in combination with other treatments — such as splinting.

• Contrast baths: Alternating between warm water and cold water soaks helps reduce carpal tunnel symptoms in some people.

To talk to OAZ’s Ohio physical therapists about carpal tunnel syndrome, make an appointment today.

If pain persists, OAZ has one of the best teams of physical therapists in Ohio to perform passive range-of-motion exercises. Those with continued pain may require surgery and follow-up with an orthopedic surgeon.

Indications for surgical treatment:
• Usually for people younger than 60 years of age
• For complete tears
• An option after failure to improve after six weeks of proper treatment
• If the person has a job that requires constant shoulder use

If you’re experiencing shoulder pain or a rotator cuff injury, see OAZ’s Ohio physical therapists.

Symptoms such as pain, stiffness, headaches, dizziness, abnormal sensations such as burning or prickling are all symptoms of neck strain. In some serious cases, some people may even experience memory loss, concentration impairment, nervousness/irritability, sleep disturbances, fatigue or depression.

Neck strain is caused by an irritation to tendons, muscles and ligaments in the upper back and neck area. Whiplash is characterized by a collection of symptoms that occur following damage to the neck, usually because of sudden extension and flexion, such as in a car accident.

To treat neck strain at home, get plenty of bed rest to minimize movement. Over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen and applying heat and ice packs intermittently can help ease the symptoms.

If symptoms persist, the physical therapy team at Ohio’s Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville can help by guiding you through exercises or even provide ultra sound therapy

1. Wear running shoes that offer the correct support and cushioning. Specialty running stores can look at the way you walk and recommend the right brand for you. It also is important to remember if you run or walk regularly, you will need to replace your shoes every 350-550 miles.
2. Not all surfaces have the same impact. Vary your running location because of the different impacts involved and the stresses that may affect and strengthen your joints differently.
3. Eat well. Stock up on fresh fruits, vegetables and plenty of water. Eating healthy and keeping your body hydrated can aid the recovery process as well as prevent any long-term damage caused by injury.
4. Stretching regularly also can help runners to avoid injuries. One worthwhile recommendation for stretching is to stretch during and after a run. Too many runners don’t take the time to stretch out throughout their routines; it is crucial for injury prevention.
5. Start slow. Runners can prevent injuries by avoiding doing too much mileage too quickly. Aim to make mileage increases as gradual as possible and try to limit yourself to an increase of no more than 10 percent per week to avoid injuries.

Running is a great way to stay fit and keep your body healthy and strong. These tips help runners avoid painful injuries and potentially long recovery periods. OAZ encourages all runners to take safety precautions seriously and keep at it! If you are seeking sports medicine or physical therapy in southeast Ohio, contact us at 740-454-3273 .

Dr. Steven Kimberly, who specializes in general orthopaedics and total joint replacements at OAZ, was recently featured on WHIZ-TV. In the story related to National Arthritis Month, Dr. Kimberly provides tips for arthritis prevention.