If pain or stiffness in your hand or wrist is making it difficult to complete ordinary tasks, consider physical therapy to increase mobility and decrease pain.

Some warning signs of a hand or a wrist problem that requires treatment include pain, numbness, tingling, stiffness, weakness and loss of mobility.  If you have any of these symptoms, look to physical therapy for help.

The hand is a very complex system of bones, ligaments and tendons.  The first step to recovery is an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your hand or wrist pain. Some of the possible causes include: tendonitis, sprain, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, repetitive stress injuries, nerve injuries and compressions.  We can help identify the cause, and help find the right treatment for your pain.

Our experienced team has special certification for the treatment of hand issues. As Certified Hand Therapists, they have been specially trained, and have a proven record of success treating patients who suffer from debilitating hand conditions.

       “I really saw improvement using both of my hands. I rarely drop things any more. I have           more strength in my hands. I enjoyed going to therapy watching the improvement.“ M.M.

       “I’m sure the recovery of my left hand would not have been successful without the                     physical therapy. Nikki was a big reason for my successful recovery.” C.J.

We can effectively treat and rehabilitate the patient through post-operative rehabilitation, preventative, and non-operative treatment. Physical therapy may give you a non-surgical option!

As part of your treatment, we may analyze and correct how you use your hands to do specific tasks both at home and at work. By correcting the way you do manual tasks, you can prevent injury (and pain) from recurring!

Don’t let pain or weakness in your hands keep you from work or play. Physical therapy can give you back your strength and flexibility.

Let us help you heal. Give us a hand…we love the applause!

Physical Therapy employs a variety of treatment techniques to help patients heal and regain strength. Take the challenge…how many of these PT terms do you know?

            1. ULTRASOUND is used in physical therapy to:                                                                                   a) create heat             b) examine injuries       c) produce white noise

            2. A TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) unit is used to:                                              a) reduce swelling       b) decrease pain          c) provide heat therapy

           3. A GONIOMETER is a special instrument used by physical therapists to measure:                          a) muscle strength     b) pain levels                c) range of motion

           4. ELECTRICAL STIMULATION (E Stim) uses an electrical current to cause muscles to:                      a) contract                 b) relax                          c) cool down

            5. JOINT MOBILIZATION occurs when your physical therapist:                                                           a) uses traction         b) removes a splint        c) passively moves your joints

At SPTA, patient education is a priority. We make sure our patients are well informed about treatment options and know the proper techniques to stay healthy long after therapy is done!

Check your answers below…

1. a) – Ultrasound uses sound waves to provide deep heating to soft tissues in the body including include muscles, tendons, joints and ligaments.  It is used to treat many musculoskeletal conditions like sprains, strains or tendonitis.

2. b) – A TENS unit is a small battery operated machine that uses electrical transmission to decrease pain. This signal disrupts the pain signal that is being sent from the affected area to the surrounding nerves. By breaking this signal, the patient experiences less pain.

3. c) – A Goniometer a device used in  to measure the range of motion around a joint in the body.  There are two “arms” of the goniometer: the stationary arm and the moveable arm.

4. a) - Electrical stimulation uses an electrical current to cause a single muscle or a group of muscles to contract. Contracting the muscle via electrical stimulation helps strengthen the affected muscle. As the muscle contracts, the blood supply is increased, which assists in healing.

5. c). -Joint Mobilization is a manual therapy intervention, a type of passive movement of a skeletal joint. This method can be used to help decrease pain and improve mobility.

Keep an eye out for the Physical Therapy Quiz Part 3…coming soon! In the meantime, if you have questions about PT, contact the experts at SPTA.

As part of our commitment to a healthy community, we are proud to announce that Nikki Smolczynski and friends took part in this year’s  “Walk to End Alzheimer’s”.

Over 600 communities nationwide will also be taking part in this initiative. The mission of the walk is threefold: to raise money to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through advancing research; to enhance care and support for those afflicted; and to promote brain health to decrease the onset of dementia.

Your Physical Therapist is a great partner for the care and treatment of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Along with memory loss and other cognitive problems, people with Alzheimer’s disease may have difficulty performing simple tasks that are part of every day living. We not only work with patients, we also work with families and caregivers to help keep patients safely moving. A customized treatment program can help to delay the condition from worsening.

 According to the American Physical Therapy Association:  

“In the early and middle stages of Alzheimer’s disease, physical therapists focus on keeping people mobile and helping them to continue to perform their roles in the home and in the community. In the later stages of the disease, physical therapists can help people keep doing their daily activities for as long as possible, which reduces the burden on family members and caregivers.

            Physical therapists also can instruct caregivers and family in how to improve safety and manage the needs of a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. Physical therapy can help improve quality of life and possibly delay the need for institutionalization.”*

A picture of the team from this year’s walk! (Nikki is pictured far left.)

Both Nikki & Vince are trained to develop treatment programs that can make a difference in the lives of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. Contact our office for an evaluation. If you are interested in participating in this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, go to www.alz.org for more details.

*To find out more about the role of physical therapy in the treatment of Alzheimer’s go to www.moveforwardpt.com

We know that improving a patient’s balance also improves their lives. Balance therapy helps in two ways, it restores patients to their normal activities and it prevents further injuries due to falls.

Maintaining good balance relies on many factors. To achieve proper balance, the brain coordinates information from the eyes, muscles & joints, and inner ears.

Unsteady balance can often include dizziness, vertigo, hearing and vision problems. It can also affect concentration and memory. It is important to recognize the symptoms, and note what makes these symptoms become worse.

Unlike many effects of aging, balance can be improved with proper training.  Poor balance does not have to be a permanent condition.

“Before I started therapy here, my balance was poor and I was using a cane all the time. The therapy that I received was excellent and tailored to my individual case. After treatment, I no longer needed the cane, and  was able to resume my normal activities.”   Thomas C.

The benefits of balance therapy are many. In addition to improving balance, our goals include:  Improved Function, Decreased Pain, Improved Posture, Improved Gait, Decreased Risk of Falls, Increased Range of Motion.

Fear of falling is both a physical and psychological issue. Patients who feel weak and unstable can be afraid to attempt even the smallest tasks and activities. The fear of falling can weigh heavily on patients, especially the elderly. When balance issues are corrected, the fear of falling decreases, and life can return to normal.

If you, or someone you know could benefit from improved balance, an evaluation in our office is the first step to bringing stability to both bodies and lives.

For more information on understanding balance issues: see Vestibular Disorders Assoc. at www.vestibular.org

Frozen Shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a stiff shoulder that has less than 50% of
the normal range of movement. The most common symptoms are pain and stiffness. Patients with frozen shoulder are unable to lift their arm over their heads, or rotate their arm forward.

Vince Smolczynski notes that shoulder injuries are the most common problem treated by PTs. “Nearly everyone will have some issue during his or her lifetime. Shoulder problems are insidious. Most people don’t realize they have a problem until it’s too late and the body begins to protect the injury by throwing down adhesive tissue resulting in Frozen Shoulder.”

We recently treated a 50-year old patient who had come into the office for a nerve conduction study for an disk injury. During the physical exam, Vince diagnosed her with Frozen Shoulder.

Her treatment was a great success. “From my first day of PT I knew I made the right decision. This practice is a breath of fresh air. They provide old-school, hands-on, personal treatment. They actually listen to your questions and answer in layman’s terms. I left every appointment feeling better – physically & mentally! Vince was instrumental in my diagnosis and treatment. I have recommended him to others.” M.D.

Recognize the 3 Stages of Frozen Shoulder

STAGE 1: The Freezing Phase – The patient begins to develop mild pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint. This stage can last from a few weeks to a few months

STAGE 2: The Frozen Phase – The stiffness remains but the pain begins to decline. This stage can last from a few months to nearly a year.

STAGE 3: The Thawing Phase -The full range of movement begins to return to the            shoulder joint. This stage can also last a few months.

If you are having shoulder pain and stiffness, don’t wait until it worsens. Come in for an evaluation and treatment before the condition gets worse. An early diagnosis could take months off of your recovery.

We know that Vince Smolczynski has been using his healing hands to work wonders on the human body.  For nearly 40 years, he has been working wonders out of wood as well.

Rosewood Guitar

Vince’s first exposure to carving came in the Boy Scouts. He later took sculpture classes at the Baum School.  However, his most influential experience was working with Dick Boak from Martin Guitars, who taught him about guitar construction.  It was through this experience that he developed his love for working with exotic woods. His Rosewood Guitar is pictured here.

Vince sees many parallels between wood working and physical therapy.  Both processes give him a satisfying end result.  “ I love the hands-on work and the finished product.  I need to see the fruits of my labor.  Creating something fantastic out of rough stock is satisfying to me.  Restoring patients to a happier, more functional life does the same thing.”

Lignum Vitae Mortar & Cocobola Pestle

Problem solving and developing hidden potential is part of the process of both of his passions. He notes that “a good wood worker corrects problems so that they appear to be embellishments.”  Each piece of wood presents its own challenges, just like each patient has unique issues that need to be resolved to realize their full potential.

Considering his career as a health care professional, itt seems appropriate that Vince often chooses to work with Lignum Vitae. Lignum Vitae is Latin for “Tree of Life.” His ability to find the beauty in each piece of wood that he touches, reflects the attention to detail and caring touch that he brings to each patients.  In the wood shop or in the physical therapy office, you are in good hands with Vince.

When you do physical therapy, you are stretching and strengthening your body.  Did you know that your brain gets a workout too?

The brain controls the movements of the muscles.  As in all things, practice makes perfect.  The more you do a motion, the better you become. The technical term is:  Proprioception & Kinesthetic Awareness, and it’s a hot topic right now.

Bad Practice Makes Imperfect:  When you have a chronic condition, or are recovering from an injury, bad practice makes imperfect!  If you are doing something the wrong way…like slouching when you sit at your desk…your body and your brain will need to be retrained to fix those bad habits.

Athletic coaches know that to correct a bad swing, athletes need to practice perfect form.  With physical therapy we work on perfecting your form, which helps you to prevent re-injury.

Think of your physical therapist as your coach.  We’ll work with you to insure that you are moving correctly, and that you have the exercise routine to continue that good form.  As you train, your brain picks up the pattern to send the right signals, so that you will begin to move the right way without having to think about it!

Even All-Stars have to practice. Continue to reinforce the good habits during and after your therapy sessions, and you will continue to see improvement.

It’s like All-Stars taking their turn in the batting cages to maintain their swing. The more you practice, the better and healthier you will be.

We’ve known it all along!  We love it when current research shows what we have been saying in our office for years!  Physical therapy is beneficial in both injury rehabilitation AND injury prevention!

Physical Therapy is a great option for patients who suffer lower back pain.  At our practice, we give you the right combination of physical therapy techniques and the information that you need to find relief.

A patient describes her experience:

“When I came to Smolczynski Physical Therapy, my hip and lower back were getting progressively worse and I was getting increasingly depressed. This was my third attempt at therapy and I was hesitant to say the least.  I had tried other PT facilities, but they lacked the attention to detail I needed.  Nikki & Vince were wonderful and caring and extremely competent therapists who took the time to   explain things thoroughly. I now have the tools to alleviate the pain I had lived with for 10 years. I experienced significant relief.”

In the past, someone with lower back pain would have been prescribed bed rest alone. Current research shows that inactivity weakens the muscles that support the spine.  In fact, inactivity has been proven to prolong recovery and worsen certain conditions.

How do we treat back pain?  We develop a customized treatment plan for each patient, with a focus on stretching and strengthening the lower back muscles, abdominal muscles, hips and legs.  This combination of treatments helps you to achieve your best outcome.

Passive physical therapy: which includes things done to the patient, such as heat application, ice packs, electrical stimulation and hands-on treatment.

Active physical therapy: which focuses on specific exercises and stretching. For most low back pain treatments, exercise is the focus of the physical therapy program.  These exercises may include: stretching and core strengthening.

What are the results?  In our 30 years of treating patients with lower back pain, we have helped hundreds of patients become pain-free.  An important component to our treatment is thorough patient education and at-home exercise plans that keep patients healthy after their therapy is complete.

You don’t have to live with pain. Let’s work together to design a treatment plan that allows you to live your life without debilitating back pain.  Be part of the success story at Smolczynski Physical Therapy Associates.

For more information on spine & back relief go to http://www.spine-health.com/

Heat vs. Cold: Which Treatment is Best?

At Smolczynski Physical Therapy, we know that a well-informed patient makes the best health care decisions.  How much do you know about treatment for common issues?  Take our quiz to see if you can match the injury with the best treatment option

1.  Ankle Sprain:    HEAT  COLD  BOTH

2.  Pulled Muscle:  HEAT  COLD  BOTH

3.  Broken Toe:       HEAT  COLD  BOTH

4.  Stiff Neck:         HEAT  COLD  BOTH

5.  Migraine:           HEAT  COLD  BOTH

HEAT THERAPY - Best for injuries involving muscular spasms and tightness.  Pulled Muscle, Stiff Neck.  Injuries to soft tissue like muscles, tendons and ligaments can benefit from application of heat. Heat can decrease pain and increase mobility while you recover from some injuries.  Heat is better tolerated by most people and is usually the first choice for back pain, neck pain, and rib injuries. 

At your appointment, your physical therapist may apply heat to make the injured tissue more pliable, which allows him or her to better stretch the injured area.

COLD THERAPY - Best for: Injuries involving inflammation and swelling:  Ankle Sprain, Broken Toe.  Ice is a very effective means of reducing and possibly preventing inflammation immediately following an injury.  If there is swelling, ice is the most appropriate treatment especially during the first 2-3 days of an acute injury.

Vince and Nikki use cold therapy to reduce inflammation and to make your joints more mobile, which can be benefit manual therapy treatment.  A true muscle injury almost always involves severe, sudden pain. If the muscle is truly torn, use ice to bring down the inflammation

BOTH - Heat and ice therapies can be used in combination at different stages of treatment, or based on personal preference.  Migraine.  Migraine sufferers differ on what works best. Ice packs have a numbing effect, and may dull the sensation of pain when applied to the face and neck. However, hot packs and heating pads can relax tense muscles; warm showers or baths may have a similar effect.

Look for more quizzes to come on the SPTA blog posts…we’ll test your PT knowledge to help you stay well and keep you in motion!

Note: This blog  covers general assessments, not meant to take the place of professional medical advice, which will vary on a case-by-case basis.  

We are proud of our record of success & patient satisfaction:

PAIN TREATMENT:  “I had a lot of pain in my left foot and ankle, it was so bad that I could hardly walk.  Having physical therapy here was the best thing I could have done for my foot.  I couldn’t have asked for better care. I want to thank Dr. D for referring me here.  I would recommend  Smolczynski PT to my family and friends.”  Carolyn A.

FRACTURE REHABILITATION:  “I was so impressed with my first round of PT with Vince & Nikki (for TMJ) that after fracturing my ankle, they were first on my list to rehab my ankle.  They had me walking way ahead of the schedule I was given post operatively.  They have the real gift of healing and provide outstanding and professional guidance and personal instruction. “  William S. 

MOBILITY & PAIN TREATMENT: “Before I had physical therapy I couldn’t move my toes, had constant pain and couldn’t fit any shoes on.  When I finished delivering my postal route, driving back to the station I had severe pain pressing the gas & brake pedals.  After having PT, I can wiggle my toes and have less pain than before. I can walk with my whole foot down.  It’s so much better than before with the help of my physical therapy people!  I want to thank my doctor for referring me.  They are wonderful and I will miss them dearly!”  Carmen P.

Using a variety of tools, Physical Therapy has proven to be successful in the treatment of foot and ankle problems, including balance and gait disturbances.

STEP ONE: We evaluate patient strength, range of motion, posture, endurance, pain levels, and  areas of muscle guarding to identify the factors that may affect balance and walking gait.

STEP TWO: We then formulate an individualized treatment program, which may include:  STRENGTHENING * RANGE OF MOTION * CLOSED CHAIN EXERCISE * STRETCHING * IONTOPHORESIS * ULTRASOUND * MYOFASCIAL RELEASE * FOOTWEAR ASSESSMENT

At SPTA, patients receive personal attention, an individualized treatment plan, and thorough education that will help them long after their therapy is over.