Patellar Dislocation Treatment in Visalia

If you’ve experienced a patellar (kneecap) dislocation and are looking for patellar dislocation treatment in Visalia or Hanford, we can help. Another way people often find us is by searching for patellar dislocation expert in Visalia or a patellar dislocation specialist in Visalia.  Quick note, if you are looking for care in Hanford, we also have an office there.

Surgery And Nonsurgical Treatments Lead To Similar Outcomes For Patients With Knee Pain

As a specialist in the conservative treatment of kneecap dislocations, the information below is worth reading.

The knee is the largest and one of the most complex joints in the body. It is a hinge joint that’s responsible for bearing weight and allowing the leg to extend and bend back and forth with minimal side-to-side motion. It primarily joins the thighbone (femur) to the shinbone (tibia), but also includes the kneecap (patella) and other lower leg bone (fibula). The patella is a small, upside down triangle-shaped bone that sits in the front of the knee within the quadriceps muscle, and it’s lined with the thickest layer of cartilage in the body because of the massive forces it takes on.

These structures provide the knee with strength and durability, but the knee also has limits that can be exceeded under certain circumstances. Due to the frequent use of the joint, the knee is among the most common locations for pain and injury, with knee pain being the leading cause of disability in older adults.

Dislocations of the patella account for 2–3% of all knee injuries, which typically occur on the lateral side—outside of the knee—and leads to ruptures of the medial patellofemoral ligament in about 90% of all cases. These injuries are most common in sports, particularly basketball, soccer, and football.

It is unclear whether patellar dislocations should be treated with conservative (nonsurgical) interventions like physical therapy or if surgery is needed when there are other associated injuries. In addition, the literature comparing conservative to surgical treatment for first-time patellar dislocations is scarce.

However, this study that we outlined below is one of the first of its kind and points to the value of seeing a physical therapist first.

20 Patients Undergo Either Surgery or Conservative Treatment for Kneecap Dislocation

Therefore, a study was conducted to investigate the outcomes of conservative versus surgical treatment for first-time patellar dislocations. Researchers recruited patients aged 15 to 40 years with a patellar dislocation in one knee, which led to 20 individuals being included. Twelve of these patients underwent surgery, which was limited to diagnostic arthroscopy followed by a soft-tissue repair of damaged structures, while 8 patients underwent conservative treatment. Patients in both groups were also treated with a brace that allowed for limited flexion and extension of the knee, along with partial weight bearing for 3 weeks, followed by full weight bearing.

Why Conservative Physical Therapy Care is Your Best First Choice – from the Patellar Instability Treatment Experts in Visalia and Hanford

Results showed that 25% of patients overall (5/20) sustained a redislocation, while the remaining 75% remained stable after 24 months. By group, 37.5% of patients (3/8) in the conservative group and 16.7% (2/12) in the surgical group experienced a redislocation; however, more patients (45.5%) experienced episodes of instability in the surgical group compared to the conservative group (37.5%). In addition, overall outcomes were not significantly different between the two groups, with a similar number of patients reporting “fair” and “good” final outcomes in both groups.

The Study Concludes You Should Strongly Consider Physical Therapy Care if You’re Looking for Patellar Dislocation Treatment in Visalia

Based on these findings, it appears that surgical and conservative treatment for patellar dislocations leads to similar results. Patients with a patellar dislocation should therefore attempt conservative treatment first, such as physical therapy, before considering surgery.  Moreover, physical therapy treatment for kneecap dislocation is less likely to cause patellar instability in the future too!

If you’re dealing with knee pain that may be related to a patellar dislocation, Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy can help.  We provide, natural, conservative care for rehabilitation after kneecap (AKA patella) dislocations at our offices in Hanford and Visalia.

Call us at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) for more information or schedule an appointment today.

Surgical vs Nonsurgical Interventions for Muscle & Joint Problems

Comprehensive Review Finds That Surgery Is No More Effective
Than Nonsurgical Interventions For Musculoskeletal Disorders

A musculoskeletal disorder is an injury or condition that involves the musculoskeletal system—which includes the bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons. These disorders are extremely common, as about 30% of Americans and 1.5 billion people throughout the world are currently affected by one.

Musculoskeletal disorders can develop anywhere in the body, but the spine is by far the most common location, as low back pain and neck pain are among the leading causes of disability in the U.S. Other common musculoskeletal disorders include osteoarthritis, tendinitis, strains, sprains, fractures, and tears of ligaments and tendons.

Physical Therapist Directed Care is Often the Best First Choice

Patients with a musculoskeletal disorder are faced with several potential options when determining how to address their condition. Among these is whether to have surgery, which is often seen as a last resort, although many patients decide to have it much sooner. Patients should be educated on the risks and benefits of surgery versus other interventions when evaluating if it’s the right choice; however, high quality studies comparing interventions with and without surgery are less common for musculoskeletal conditions than in other medical fields.

100 Trials Covering Nine Areas of the Body are Analyzed

Researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the benefits and harms of interventions involving surgery versus those with no surgery for various musculoskeletal disorders.

For this type of study, researchers performed a search of five major medical databases for randomized-controlled trials that evaluated the effects of a surgical intervention to a nonsurgical intervention for patients with a musculoskeletal disorder. Once collected, the results from these trials were analyzed to determine how surgical interventions compared to nonsurgical interventions.

Researchers identified 100 trials that fit the necessary criteria and provided data on pain, patient-reported function, quality of life, and adverse events. These trials covered 28 different types of conditions at nine areas of the body: the neck, shoulder, elbow, hand, lower back, pelvis, hip, knee, and foot.

Surgery is No Better…So Why Wouldn’t You at Least Try Physical Therapy First?

Of these, in all studies that evaluated function, all studies that evaluated quality of life, and nearly all studies (9 of 13) that evaluated pain, no clinically relevant differences were found between surgical and nonsurgical interventions.

The results of this high-powered systematic review and meta-analysis are aligned with another similar study, which found that surgical interventions were superior to nonsurgical interventions in only 14% of the trials analyzed.

Patients Need to Know Their Options

Patients should continue to educate themselves on the risks versus the benefits of surgery and consider this information when determining if surgery is right for them. And for those of you with a musculoskeletal disorder who are interested in trying a nonsurgical intervention first, we strongly advise you to visit us at Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy for a comprehensive physical therapy program.

Call us at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) for more information or schedule an appointment today.

Power Training for Older Adults

Improving Strength Through Power Training Could Improve Safety For Older Adults

As we age, our bodies experience a series of changes that usually tend to make everyday activities more difficult to complete. Decreased flexibility, strength, and balance, a decline in posture and hearing, and less than ideal joints are a few of the many changes that occur throughout the aging process. These changes often have a negative impact on one’s quality of life while also dramatically increasing the risk for falls and other injuries, which can further complicate matters.

For these reasons, health experts strongly recommend that older adults engage in regular physical activity like strength training to improve overall physical function, which can reduce the risk for these types of health problems. One alternative to traditional strength training is power training, in which weights—or other forms of resistance—are moved at higher velocities during the lifting phase, followed by a controlled lowering phase. Previous research has shown that power training is in fact more beneficial than traditional strength training for improving physical function; however, the types of exercises featured in those studies may not have been true power training exercises.

Researchers review 20 high-quality studies on strength vs power training

Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to compare the effectiveness of power training and traditional strength training. For the study, investigators searched for randomized-controlled trials in which healthy, community-living adults with an average age of at least 60 underwent both traditional strength training and power training interventions. Once identified, the findings of these studies were then analyzed and compared to one another to determine which type of intervention was superior.

Twenty Research Studies Were Reviewed

A total of 20 randomized-controlled trials that included 566 patients from six countries were included in the analysis. Most trials lasted 12 weeks and saw patients perform strength training or power training exercises twice per week using free weights, body weights, training machines, or vests. Results from these studies indicated that power training was associated with greater improvements in physical function and self-reported function than traditional strength training.

Power Training Appears to Win for Older Adults

Additional research is now needed to confirm these findings, but it appears that power training may be more beneficial for older adults than strength training, and these benefits may help to reduce the risk for falls and other health complications in this population. Power training exercises can easily be performed with the same instruments as traditional strength training—weight machines, free weights, and bodyweight—and the only difference is the manner in which exercises are performed.

At Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy, we can provide personalized exercise programs that are 100% goal oriented for our older adults. A quality physical therapy program is likely to significantly reduce the risk for falls and other aging-related injuries.

Call us today at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) for more information or schedule an appointment today.

Physical Activity for Depression

Even Small Amounts Of Physical Activity Can Significantly Improve Mental Health

Our modern world can be a stressful one. For many people, dealing with more than two years of fear, anxiety, and debate revolving around the coronavirus pandemic has had a harsh impact effect on the state of one’s mental health.

As a result, rates of depression—which were already high even before the pandemic—have been steadily increasing over the past two years, with no signs of slowing down. Major depressive disorder affects about 15 million American adults (or 6% of the adult population), and some research has suggested that the prevalence of depression symptoms has more than tripled during the pandemic. Depression is also the leading cause of mental health-related disease burden and is associated with a host of negative health effects, including an increased risk for chronic conditions and premature death.

Exercise – an Often Overlooked Treatment Option

Effectively treating and preventing depression often requires a multifaceted approach, and most health experts recommend talk therapy as a central intervention for those suffering from depression symptoms. But another strategy that’s being increasingly recognized as a powerful and vital tool against depression is regular physical activity. Ample research has shown that physical activity can prevent future depression, but no study is yet to describe the strength or shape of this association according to on a dose-response relationship.

Researchers Analyze the Findings of 15 Studies

Therefore, a study called a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to explore the impact of physical activity on the risk of depression. Researchers performed a search of four medical databases for studies with at least 3,000 participants that reported on the relationship between physical activity and the estimated risk for depression. All measurements of physical activity in these studies were then converted to a weekly duration and an activity volume, which was based on whether the activity was light, moderate, or vigorous. For reference, the World Health Organization recommends 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week.

This search led to 15 studies being accepted, which included data on more than 191,000 participants. Results indicated that most participants were not meeting the recommended levels of weekly physical activity, and those with higher rates of depression symptoms were generally less active.

Just Doing Modest Amounts of Exercise is Helpful According to this Review

Physical activity was found to be associated with significant benefits, as participants who completed half the recommended volume of weekly physical activity had an 18% lower risk of depression, and those who met the full recommended volume—about 2.5 hours of brisk walking per week—had a 25% reduced risk. Further analysis revealed that the benefits of physical therapy were most notable when comparing individuals who progressed from no physical activity to at least some activity.

These findings suggest that even small amounts of physical activity may lead to major mental health benefits, as approximately 1 in 9 cases of depression could potentially be prevented if everyone meets the recommended weekly level of physical activity. At

Mental Health is as Important as Physical Health!

Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy, we believe it’s extremely important to address not only physical conditions but mental health issues as well. While physical therapists primarily see patients with physical movement problems, this is another example where the appropriate exercise program can also help with mental health as well.

Have a Movement Disorder?  We Can Help

Call us at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) for more information or schedule an appointment today.

Osteoarthritis Treatment in Hanford – Physical Therapy Wins Again

Exercise Therapy Found To Be Better Than Pain Medications For Knee Osteoarthritis

If you are searching for osteoarthritis treatment in Hanford, we wrote this research summary for you. Before you dig into the summary, please understand that arthritis treatment in Hanford is not the only location we provide care.  We also provide conservative, natural care for those looking for osteoarthritis treatment in Visalia as well.

Arthritis – A Major Issue that Millions Deal With

Knee osteoarthritis is a bothersome condition that disables millions of Americans each year. In a normal knee, the ends of each bone are covered by cartilage, a smooth substance that protects the bones from one another and absorbs shock during impact. In knee osteoarthritis, this cartilage becomes stiff and loses its elasticity, which makes it more vulnerable to damage. Cartilage may begin to wear away over time, which greatly reduces its ability to absorb shock and increases the chances that bones will touch one another.

Typical Signs & Symptoms of Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis typically leads to pain within and around the knee that tends to get worse with activities like walking, ascending/descending stairs, or sitting/standing. Other symptoms include swelling, tenderness, stiffness, and a popping, cracking, crunching sensation. The risk for knee osteoarthritis increases with age, and it represents the most common cause of knee pain in older adults. Overall, about 45% of the population will experience knee osteoarthritis at some point in their lifetime.

Hundreds of Osteoarthritis Treatment Options for Hanford Residents – Which One Should You Pick?

Numerous interventions may be followed to address knee osteoarthritis, including over the counter and prescription medications, lifestyle changes like exercise and diet, physical therapy, and surgery, which is typically only reserved as a last resort for cases that don’t improve with other interventions. Opioids are not usually recommended for patients with knee osteoarthritis due to the risk for overuse and abuse, but some patients—especially those with severe, long-lasting pain—may still be prescribed these medications. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the more commonly used interventions to may provide mild pain relief, but long-term use of these drugs is discouraged. Exercise therapy, on the other hand, is considered a safe and effective way to manage knee osteoarthritis by helping patients move better through stretching, strengthening, and other exercises.

Powerful literature analysis supports the effectiveness of exercise therapy

A recently published study  compared these three commonly utilized interventions for knee osteoarthritis through a systematic review and network meta-analysis, which identifies and analyzes all available literature on the topic to determine which was best.

To conduct the study, researchers performed a literature search of three medical databases for high-quality studies that compared exercise therapy, NSAIDs, and opioids for knee osteoarthritis pain. This search led to 13 studies being included, which featured data on nearly 1,400 patients. A total of 101 supplemental studies were also included.

Exercise Therapy Wins – This is Exactly What Physical Therapists are Trained to Provide

Results showed that exercise therapy ranked as the best intervention overall in the network meta-analysis, followed by NSAIDs, opioids, and placebo.

These findings suggest that exercise therapy is an effective intervention for knee osteoarthritis. Considering the risks associated with opioids and long-term use of NSAIDs, exercise therapy presents a far better option for patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Therefore, if you’re currently dealing with symptoms that sound like knee osteoarthritis, we strongly encourage you to contact Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy.  You can learn more about our orthopedic physical therapy services by clicking here.

Contact Us Today – Take the First Step to Getting Rid of Your Pain

Call us at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) to learn more or schedule an appointment today.

Physical Therapy for a Frozen Shoulder in Visalia and Hanford

Are you searching for a specialist that treats frozen shoulder treatment in Visalia or Hanford?  You may not know, but our physical therapy treatment for frozen shoulders is some of the best you’ll find in the area.

Understanding a frozen shoulder/adhesive capsulitis diagnosis is important, so we wrote this article below to help those in need.

Comprehensive Review Finds That Several Types Of Exercise
Lead To Improvements For Patients With Frozen Shoulder

Adhesive capsulitis, or frozen shoulder, occurs when scar tissue forms within the shoulder. This causes the shoulder capsule to thicken and tighten around the shoulder joint, which means there is less room to move the shoulder normally. Although frozen shoulder affects up to 5% of the population, the reasons why it develops have not yet been clearly established. It is generally believed that not moving the shoulder normally for long periods is a leading factor, as most people who get frozen shoulder have kept their shoulder immobilized due to a recent injury, surgery, or pain. People between the ages of 40–60, women, and patients with arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other health conditions are also more likely to develop frozen shoulder.

Frozen shoulder usually develops slowly and gets progressively worse over time with more pain and loss of motion. It is typically divided into the following four stages:

  • Stage 1: consists of the onset of symptoms, which gradually get worse over 1–3 months
  • Stage 2: the “freezing” stage, which generally occurs 3–9 months after symptoms begin and is very painful
  • Stage 3: the “frozen” stage, which involves the shoulder becoming even more stiff and difficult to move
  • Stage 4: the “thawing” stage, which occurs within 12–15 months and involves pain decreasing significantly and range of motion starting to improve

Adhesive Capsulitis Treatment in Visalia & Hanford – Clinical Research Supports Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is commonly used and often recommended for frozen shoulder because it’s effective for addressing symptoms at every stage; however, there are some questions about the exercises used in physical therapy that have not yet been clearly answered. Therefore, a comprehensive study called a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to 1) compare the effectiveness of exercises alone and exercises in combination with other interventions and no exercises and 2) determine what kind of exercises are most effective for frozen shoulder.

Researchers review 33 studies on exercise therapy for frozen shoulder

To conduct the study, researchers performed a search of three medical databases for relevant studies about exercise therapy for frozen shoulder. This led to 33 studies being accepted into the review, which saw patients treated with a variety of exercises, some prescribed individually, and others prescribed as part of a comprehensive treatment program. The findings of all included studies were then reviewed and compared to one another with the goal of answering the two main research questions.

Results showed that exercises—both on their own and as part of a program—improved range of motion (ROM), function, disability, and pain, and the type of exercise performed had little to no impact on these improvements. Also, adding physical modalities to exercises did not provide any benefits to treatment outcomes, and programs that included exercises resulted in larger active ROM gains than programs that did not.

Frozen Shoulder Physical Therapy Visalia & Hanford – Physical Rehab is the Key

These findings support the effectiveness of physical therapy for frozen shoulder and suggest that the type of exercises performed and whether they are completed alone or combined with other interventions may not be important, so long as they are featured in a rehabilitation program.

Therefore, if you’re currently dealing with symptoms that may suggest the presence of frozen shoulder, Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy can help.

Call us at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) to learn more or schedule an appointment today.

PT vs Surgery for SIS – Research Says Try Conservative First

 

Are you searching for a specialist that treats shoulder impingement in Visalia or Hanford? You may not know, but our physical therapy care for shoulder impingement is some of the best you’ll find in the area.

Understanding rotator cuff problems and shoulder impingement is important, so we wrote this article below to help those in need.

Physical Therapy Is Just As Effective As Surgery In The Long Term For A Common Shoulder Condition

Most shoulder conditions—about 85%—involve the rotator cuff, which is a group of muscles and tendons that keeps the shoulder stable. Among these common shoulder conditions is shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS), in which rotator cuff tendons become compressed—or “impinged”—as they pass through a small bone on top off the shoulder blade called the acromion. Over time, this causes the tendons to become irritated and inflamed, and will lead to bothersome symptoms like swelling and tenderness, loss of strength, restricted movement, and pain.

SIS is most common in individuals that regularly perform lots of overhead activities like golfers, swimmers, and baseball and tennis players, as well as painters and construction workers. The condition can also result from an injury that compresses the structures of the shoulder—like a fall—or from frequently sleeping on your side. Sleeping in this position regularly can strain the shoulder and cause impingement over time.

SIS is closely related to rotator cuff tendinitis and subacromial pain, and in some cases, the terms may be used interchangeably. When any of these conditions develop, the best course of action is a comprehensive physical therapy program, which helps patients work through their pain to regain strength, flexibility, and physical function; however, many patients undergo a surgical procedure called arthroscopic subacromial decompression (ASD) to treat their shoulder pain. An abundance of research has shown that this procedure does not lead to any significant benefits, but it remains one of the most frequently performed procedures in the world, and some professionals still advocate for it. Therefore, a study was conducted to compare the return-to-work rates for patients with subacromial pain who underwent different interventions.

More than 200 patients are monitored periodically for 5 years in this research study

A total of 210 patients with subacromial pain for more than 3 months were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: exercise therapy, diagnostic arthroscopy, or ASD.

Patients in the exercise therapy group underwent a supervised, individually designed physical therapy program that included daily home exercises and 15 visits to the physical therapy clinic. Patients in the diagnostic arthroscopy group underwent a “sham” procedure in which an examination of the shoulder was performed with a small camera inserted surgically, but no repairs were made to the shoulder. Patients in the ASD group were treated surgically with the ASD procedure, which involved the careful removal of some portions of bone and a structure called the bursa. Patients in the diagnostic arthroscopy and ASD groups also participated in a postoperative physical therapy program. All patients were assessed at the beginning of the study and then again 2 years and 5 years later.

Two years after the interventions, 78% of patients in the exercise group, 80% of patients in the diagnostic arthroscopy group, and 82% of patients in the ASD group were actively working.

Five years after the intervention, these figures were 66% for the exercise group, 69% for the diagnostic arthroscopy group, and 67% for the ASD group.

These results show that there were NOT significant differences between the three groups 2 years and 5 years after the intervention. Therefore, based on these findings, physical therapy can be considered just as effective as ASD for helping patients with subacromial pain recover and maintain their improvements in the long term.

Subacromial Impingement Pain Treatment is Something We Specialize In…

At Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy, we frequently see patients with subacromial pain and related shoulder conditions and help them regain their abilities in a safe and cost-effective manner.

Therefore, if you’re currently dealing with any type of shoulder pain, we recommend giving us a call.

You can reach us at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) to learn more or schedule an appointment today.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment in Visalia

 
If you need rheumatoid arthritis treatment in Visalia or Hanford, we can help.  This post describes how our physical therapy expert clinicians assist patients with their rheumatoid arthritis care in Hanford and Visalia.

Physical Therapy Should Be An Integral Component
Of Any Treatment Plan For Rheumatoid Arthritis

The ends of most bones are covered by a smooth, shiny surface called articular cartilage. The cartilage protects bones where they meet one another—at a joint—and provides a smooth surface that allows the bones to slide freely and not contact one another during movement.

Arthritis is general term that’s used to describe the loss of articular cartilage in one or more joints. About one in four Americans—which equates to nearly 59 million people—currently has arthritis, making it one of the most common medical conditions in the U.S. There are over 100 different types of arthritis, but osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are by far the most common of these.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, meaning it’s caused by the body’s own immune system mistakenly destroying healthy cartilage in joints. It occurs for reasons that are not completely understood, but a combination of genetics and hormonal or environmental factors likely play a role in its development. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect any joint of the body, but usually starts in the small joints of the hand. Women are about three times more likely than men to get rheumatoid arthritis, and it usually occurs in middle age—with an average age of onset of 30-60 years—but it’s also seen in younger individuals.

Rheumatoid arthritis can lead to a variety of symptoms, with some of the most common including:

  • Stiffness, swelling, and/or redness in joints, which is usually worse in the morning
  • Weakness and/or loss of range of motion
  • A sensation of “cracking” or “crushing” in the hand joints
  • Increased size or deformity of the hand
  • Fatigue and general discomfort

Unfortunately, there is no cure currently available for rheumatoid arthritis. Instead, most patients are managed with medications and other interventions designed to help them move more easily and efficiently, and physical therapy is one of the best tools to help them get there.

Physical Therapy as a Choice for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment in Visalia

Our physical therapists are movement experts that work with each patient individually to identify their biggest limitations from rheumatoid arthritis that are holding them back. From there, we design a personalized treatment program to address these symptoms, which will usually consist of:

  • Manual (hands-on) therapy: may include soft-tissue massage, stretching, and joint mobilizations to reduce pain and improve alignment, mobility, and range of motion
  • Stretching exercises: to improve the flexibility of joints affected by arthritis
  • Strengthening exercises: to build back up strength of the muscles of the hand and any other affected joints
  • Pain-relieving modalities: ultrasound, electrical stimulation, ice, and/or heat to decrease pain and inflammation of the involved joint

Research Supports the Use of Physical Therapy – Therefore, We Provide for Rheumatoid Arthritis Care in Visalia & Hanford

The benefits of physical therapy for rheumatoid arthritis have been confirmed in the medical literature, including one study of 490 patients. Results from this study showed that physical therapist-led hand exercises led to significant improvements in pain and hand function, and the intervention is likely to be cost-effective.

Rheumatoid arthritis can prove to be a nuisance that interferes with your ability to function normally in everyday life. So if you’re affected by symptoms that sound like rheumatoid arthritis, we can help.

Contact Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford)

 

…to learn more about our rheumatoid arthritis experts in Visalia and Hanford…or to schedule an appointment today.

Knee Ligament Rehab in Visalia and Hanford

 

Tears Of Other Knee Ligaments Can Usually Be Treated Nonsurgically With Physical Therapy

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are frequently discussed in the sports world due to their high prevalence and season-ending potential. But the ACL is just one of four major ligaments in the knee, and the three other ligaments can also be injured, either independently or in conjunction with others.

The consequences of these injuries are usually not as dire as ACL tears, and most patients can therefore participate in physical therapy alone and experience a complete recovery.

The type of knee ligament injury is determined by the force upon the knee

The four major ligaments of the knee and the most common mechanism of injury are described below. All four ligaments connect the tibia (shinbone) to the femur (thighbone) in different locations. As you’ll see, the type and severity of the injury depends on the direction of the force upon the knee:

  • Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)

    • Connects the inside top of the tibia to the outside bottom of the femur in a diagonal direction
    • Prevents the tibia from sliding too far forward on the femur
    • Injuries most commonly occur when a patient changes direction with one foot planted

  • Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)

    • Also connects the inside top of the tibia to the outside bottom of the femur, running diagonally in the opposite direction of the ACL
    • Prevents the tibia from moving too far backward on the femur
    • Strongest ligament of the knee and least likely to be injured, but the most common mechanism of injury is a force applied to the front of the knee

  • Lateral collateral ligament (LCL)

    • Connects the tibia to the femur on the outside of the knee
    • Provides stability to the outside of the knee and prevents the knee from buckling outward
    • Most common mechanism of injury is a force applied to the inside of the knee while the foot is planted

  • Medial collateral ligament (MCL)

    • Connects the tibia to the femur on the inside of the knee
    • Provides stability to the inside of the knee and prevents the knee from buckling inward
    • Most mechanism of injury is a force applied to the outside of the knee while the foot is planted

Surgery is needed far less often for non-ACL injuries

Injuries to these knee ligaments are called sprains. In a mild, or grade I sprain, the ligament only stretches and is slightly damaged.

Grade II sprains are partial tears of the ligament, while grade III sprains are complete tears of the ligament.

In some cases, more than one ligament will be damaged or torn from a single traumatic event, such as a severe sports-related injury.

As we explained in our last blog, surgery is often recommended for most patients with complete ACL tears that want to return to a high level of activity. But for knee ligament injuries that don’t involve the ACL, surgery is needed far less often, and many patients can experience a completely recovery with physical therapy alone.  The reason this is the case is that rarely are the other knee ligaments completely torn in two pieces (grade III sprain).

Rehab may even be sufficient even for some complete tears of the PCL, MCL, or LCL; however, treatment decisions must be made on an individual basis according to the extent of the damage and the patient’s intended level of activity.

Physical Therapy Almost Always is Important for a Full Recovery

Even in cases when surgery is warranted, physical therapy will also play a role in helping patients prepare for the procedure and in the recovery afterwards. Physical therapy programs for sprains and tears of the PCL, MCL, and LCL typically consist of the following:

  • Manual (hands-on therapy) techniques to alleviate pain and improve function
  • Pain-relieving modalities like ice, heat, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation
  • Range of motion exercises to increase flexibility and help patients regain normal mobility
  • Strengthening exercises to increase the strength of weakened muscles of the upper and lower leg
  • Balance and agility training to help athletes regain their sense of balance
  • Sport-specific training that progressively increases in intensity as the patient regains function

If you’ve recently suffered a knee ligament injury and want to get back on the field or court as quickly and safely as possible, we can help you get there.

Contact Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) to learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment today.

You can also click here to visit our contact page.

Deep Tissue Laser Therapy for Tennis Elbow

Laser Therapy May Provide Benefits For Your Painful Condition

TLDR;  if you want to try deep tissue laser therapy in Visalia or Hanford for tennis below or other tendinitis diagnosis, give us a call.

In our last blog, we explained that lateral epicondylitis—or tennis elbow—is a painful musculoskeletal condition that occurs most commonly in athletes and other individuals who frequently perform movements that involve lots of gripping or extending the wrist.

We also pointed out that high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) is an emerging treatment option available for sports-related injuries like tennis elbow in which a high-powered laser is applied to painful areas of the body to produce changes within the cells in a process called photobiomodulation. Results from the study featured in that blog found that HILT was more effective than low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for tennis elbow, and other research has also reached similar conclusions.

A Second Study Concludes Deep Tissue Laser Therapy is a Valuable Treatment

Another study focused exclusively on the use of HILT for tennis elbow. In this study, 65 patients with tennis elbow were randomly assigned to either undergo HILT or wear a compression bandage. In the HILT group, a high-intensity laser was applied for 75 seconds to the most painful areas in a circular motion to produce a pain-relieving effect for the first four sessions. In the following six sessions, the laser was applied for 12.5 minutes to the painful areas in a linear motion to elicit a biostimulatory effect. These 10 HILT sessions took place over two weeks. Patients in the other group were instructed to wear a bandage that applied moderate pressure to the elbow for six weeks.

All patients were assessed before and after treatment with various outcome measures. These included an evaluation of hand grip strength, the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and function levels, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score for upper extremity physical functional activity, and the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) survey for quality of life.

Significant Improvements with Deep Tissue Laser Therapy

After completing treatment, patients in both groups reported significant improvements in all outcome measures evaluated. Patients who underwent HILT, however, experienced greater improvements in resting VAS scores and the physical component of the SF-36 survey. These findings suggest that while both interventions were beneficial, HILT may have been slightly more effective than compression bandaging for relieving pain and improving quality of life in patients with tennis elbow. Additional research is now needed to further explore the efficacy of this intervention in the long term.

Deep Tissue Laser Therapy is Available in Our Visalia 0r Hanford Offices

Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy proudly offers laser therapy as a supplemental intervention to physical therapy for tennis elbow and many other painful conditions.

So if you’re currently dealing with lingering pain, contact us at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) to learn more about laser therapy or to schedule an appointment.

Translate »