The highly qualified Ohio physical therapy team at OAZ are trained to work with patients after surgery to restore activity, strength, and motion. Physical therapists can teach specific exercises, stretches and techniques and use specialized equipment to address problems that cannot be managed without this specialized physical therapy training.

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.

In addition to stretching and physical movement, Ohio physical therapists at OAZ have additional treatments such as electrical stimulation and ultrasound.

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.

Troy Naftzger, PA-C, joined Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville in January 2010.

Troy began his career as a physician assistant in 2003 upon graduating from the Cuyahoga Community College. He later earned his Masters of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska in 2007. A licensed physician assistant, he also has served as a treatment supervisor and physician assistant for the U.S. Army since 1994, where he has significant experience in emergency and routine medical care.

The team at Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville welcomes Troy!

The Ohio physical therapists of Orthopaedic Associates will be at the Day of Dance at Colony Squire Mall on February 27, 2010, between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

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.

A rotator cuff injury is an injury to one or more of the four muscles in the shoulder. A chronic tear can usually be treated with rest and acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen. Occasionally, injections of steroids into the shoulder joint are helpful.

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.

Stretching is the act of lengthening muscles in order to increase muscle flexibility and joint range of motion. OAZ specializes in Ohio physical therapy and reminds patients that stretching activities are an important part of any exercise or rehabilitation program.

The Mayo Clinic recently released a list of the top five benefits of stretching and OAZ agrees that these benefits are important for people of all ages to consider. Keep in mind that warming up the body prior to activity decreases the risk of injury as well as muscle soreness.

The top five benefits of stretching are:

1. Increased flexibility and joint range of motion:

Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. Tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your shoes or hurrying to catch a bus become easier and less tiring. Flexibility tends to diminish as you get older, but you can regain and maintain it.

1. Improved circulation:

Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. Blood flowing to your muscles brings nourishment and gets rid of waste byproducts in the muscle tissue. Improved circulation can help shorten your recovery time if you’ve had any muscle injuries.

1. Better posture:

Frequent stretching can help keep your muscles from getting tight, allowing you to maintain proper posture. Good posture can minimize discomfort and keep aches and pains at a minimum.

1. Stress relief:

Stretching relaxes tight, tense muscles that often accompany stress.

1. Enhanced coordination:

Maintaining the full range-of-motion through your joints keeps you in better balance. Coordination and balance will help keep you mobile and less prone to injury from falls, especially as you get older.

The Ohio physical therapy experts at OAZ remind patients that stretching is one of the most important parts of the rehabilitation process.

Often times caregivers do not realize that taking care of a spouse or family member at home can increase their risk of injury. In fact, certain activities put you at a greater risk for back pain, including:

• Pulling a patient in bed up into a sitting position
• Transferring a person from a bed to a chair
• Leaning over a patient for long periods of time
• Lifting or moving a person

The physicians at Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville offer their patient caregivers the following lifting techniques to be sure that they, too, don’t suffer injury.

• Maintain the proper alignment of your head and neck with your spine
• Maintain the natural curve of your spine
• Don’t bend at your waist
• Avoid twisting your body when carrying a person
• Keep the person who is being moved close to your body
• Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, which will help maintain your balance
• Use the muscles in your legs to lift, not your back
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Patient caregivers can avoid back pain by keeping these simple tips in mind.

Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville offers leading physical therapy in Ohio to treat neck strain and whiplash.

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

Joint health should be a concern for everyone. However, it is especially important for runners. Injury prevention is a very serious issue for those who run regularly, especially those who are in training for a particular race or event. At Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville we offer and sports medicine patients in southeast Ohio some very basic tips for running, which can help prevent injuries and keep you going for miles.

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 .

OAZ is known for their expertise in Ohio Physical Therapy and Ohio sports medicine and is the only facility of its kind in the Southeastern Ohio area. For treating strains and sprains, they recommend the RICE theory. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. It should be applied to an injury in the first 24 to 48 hours. Using the RICE method should reduce swelling and pain and speed the recovery and rehabilitation process.

Rest
When suffering from a strain or sprain, it is important to reduce regular exercise or other physical activities as much as you can. Sometimes your doctor will recommend that you put no strain on your injury for at least 48 hours. Tools like crutches or a sling can help you give your injury the rest it needs to get better.

Ice
It is important to apply a cold pack to injuries regularly during the first few days after it occurs. Do so for 20 minutes at a time, four to eight times a day. This will reduce swelling and help you heal faster. To avoid cold injury and frostbite, do not apply the ice for more than 20 minutes.

Compression
Compression of an injured ankle, knee or wrist may help reduce swelling as well. Your doctor can provide you with compression bandages, elastic wraps, special boots, air casts and splints to help you apply compression.

Elevation
If possible, keep the injured ankle, knee, elbow or wrist elevated. Ideally the injury should be above the level of the heart, to help decrease swelling.

If you have hurt yourself and think you may have a strain or sprain, call the Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville at 740-454-3273.  We specialize offering Physical Therapy in Ohio.