Services

The main objectives of any physical therapy program are to restore form and function, and relieve pain. Integral to this are specialized devices to help our clients move closer to those goals. At Motion Dynamics, we feature the latest fitness equipment from two leading manufacturers, Cybex and Biodex.

Our Cybex fitness equipment includes treadmills, arc trainers, cross trainers and exercise bikes to help build stamina and endurance through aerobic exercise. We also have Cybex strength training equipment and free weight systems that work to produce faster fitness results with minimal stress on the joints.

Biodex rehabilitation technology is geared to help clients recovering from, or living with, serious conditions such as strokes, neurological injuries or conditions, and orthopedic problems. After a complete neuromuscular evaluation, we will tailor a program that’s right for each client. This could include therapeutic mobility exercises, gait training, and range of motion therapies using semi-recumbent ellipticals, gait trainers and more.

For more information about the equipment used at Motion Dynamics, give us a call today.

Head-on collisions – the type that can happen during sport play – can lead to potential consequences such as concussion. Concussion is a traumatic brain injury that can cause lasting effects on brain tissue and change the chemical balance of the brain.

That’s why it’s important to seek medical treatment immediately following any head injury to avoid the risk of serious complications. At Motion Dynamics, our physical therapists have the training to identify signs of concussion such as headache, dizziness, balance and coordination problems and slurred speech. After an initial period of rest, rehabilitation can begin.

Because no two concussions are the same, we will conduct a full examination in order to prescribe a routine that best addresses your symptoms. Treatments may include exercises to help you regain strength, endurance and balance, in addition to specialized massages to reduce headaches and other pains. As symptoms ease, we will gradually add normal activities and sports activity back into your daily routine.

If you are experiencing painful symptoms as a result of a concussion, we’re here to put you on the road to wellness. Give us a call today to get started.

E-stim: targeting the nerves and muscles for pain relief

People seek physical therapy treatment at Motion Dynamics for a host of reasons —lower back pain, tendonitis, muscle weakness or to regain strength and function after an injury or stroke. One modality we may prescribe for you is electrical stimulation, or e-stim.

E-stim may sound scary, but in fact is a relatively painless procedure that speeds up your recovery and provides relief from painful symptoms. After carefully placing electrodes on the affected area, electrical pulses are sent through your skin to help stimulate the healing of injured muscles or manipulate nerves to reduce pain. You may feel a tingling sensation, but it should never hurt. If you feel pain during electrical stimulation, tell us immediately and we will adjust the treatment or discontinue its use.

We use different types of electrical stimulation to accomplish different tasks. Some of the most common are: TENS, used to manage acute and chronic pain; NMES, which uses electrical current to help improve the way muscles contract; and IFC, often used to decrease low back pain and muscular spasm.

To see if e-stim is right for you, give us a call today.

Joint mobilization: restoring flexibility and motion

Think of your joints as the catalyst for your body’s motion. They are surrounded by soft tissue, which is susceptible to injury or disease, causing pain, spasms and stiffness. Joint mobilization is a technique aimed at releasing the built-up tension, improving joint flexibility and range of motion.

Using small, passive movements, your physical therapist at Motion Dynamics will manually move a joint, gently working it through a natural level of resistance. These motions stretch and strengthen the tissue surrounding the bone, which helps reduce pain and increase joint flexibility and function.

Any joint that has compromised motion can be mobilized. The technique is commonly used on the neck, upper, middle and lower back, and sacroiliac joints, as well as the joints of the extremities such as the shoulder, wrist, hand, hip, knee, foot and ankle.

To see if joint mobilization is right for you, give us a call today.

Manual therapy: hands-on healing techniques

Sometimes, situations call for taking the matter in hand — literally — and that’s what manual therapy is all about. Our physical therapists often use their hands to skillfully and strategically manipulate the body’s muscle tissues and joints rather than using a machine or device. Manual therapy is especially effective when used with other physical therapy techniques for treating both acute and chronic pain.

At first glance it is easy to mistake manual therapy for a massage. However, there are significant differences between these two treatment methods. A massage is the use of rhythmically applied pressure to the skin and soft tissues of the body to reduce tension, anxiety, stress, and flexibility. Manual therapy is therapeutic in nature and used to assess dysfunction, relax tense muscles and restricted joints to help decrease pain and improve range of motion.

Physical therapists and other health care providers are trained in the proper use of manual therapy to both evaluate and treat patients. It is particularly effective for those suffering from neck and lower back pain, herniated discs, migraines, fibromyalgia, TMJ (jaw) pain, shoulder injuries, hip and knee pain, in addition to ankle sprains and strains.

To see if you can benefit from a physical therapy program that involves manual therapy, give us a call today.

5 key benefits of physical therapy

Physical therapy (PT) helps people of all ages who have medical conditions, illnesses or injuries that limit their regular ability to move and function. Customized therapy programs, like those offered at Motion Dynamics, have been proven effective for many people in improving their overall health and well-being.

Here’s how you can benefit from physical therapy:

• PT helps lessen chronic pain: Our techniques and therapeutic exercises can help stimulate your joints and soft tissue and restore muscle function, reducing aches or eliminating pain altogether.
• PT can help you avoid surgery: Our treatments are non-invasive and designed to promote healing, better movement and function — so that you have a better chance of avoiding invasive surgical procedures.
• PT helps prevent injuries: After a comprehensive assessment, our therapists will create an exercise regimen that targets and strengthens weak muscle groups and joints, thus helping you avoid future injuries in these areas.
• PT improves mobility and balance: Therapeutic exercises can restore mobility, make walking and moving around safer, and can even improve coordination and balance in patients who are at high risk for falls.
• PT can help patients with certain diseases and conditions: Those suffering from heart and lung disease, diabetes or vascular problems, age-related problems, or who are recovering from stroke, our customized programs can help manage symptoms, improve strength and decrease pain.

To see if you can benefit from a physical therapy program, give us a call today.

Plyometrics: where speed x strength = power!

Plyometrics are high velocity exercises that involve fast movements causing the muscles to stretch and contract quickly like jumping or bounding. They are designed to help develop your power and speed when done correctly.

Plyometrics is implemented in the later stages of physical therapy and is a technique that can be used in many different ways. For instance, we will guide you in the proper use of plyometrics to help train for basketball, volleyball, tennis, or any other activity that uses explosive movements. You'll do a series of jumps and hops — like onto a box or bench — or jump over cones. Some moves will be faster than others. Every time you land from a jump, your muscles stretch giving your next jump even more power. The combination of muscle stretching and contracting makes them stronger.

It’s important to note that this style of training is not for everyone. It can be very taxing on the body and is not meant to be done every day.

For more information about whether you can benefit from plyometric training, give us a call today.

Posture analysis: the importance of standing tall

Sitting for hours in front of a computer, as so many jobs demand, are leading to new complaints for many — specifically neck and back pain. Muscle tension due to long hours in a chair can cause severe symptoms such as tension headaches, visual disturbances, and digestive issues. At Motion Dynamics, our physical therapists are trained in postural analysis and treatment programs specifically geared to help lessen the negative effects of sitting.

When it comes to posture analysis, we consider two types: static (without motion) and dynamic (in motion). The goal of correct posture is to be in optimal alignment to perform an activity in the most efficient manner and with the least amount of energy and effort.

During an initial evaluation and posture assessment, we will look for structural deviations that may give cues of past and current traumas, injuries that may be contributing to your pain. We will then create an individualized program of mobility and stability exercises to correct bad posture that may be adding to your pain.

If you are suffering from neck and back muscle tension, let us determine if changes to your posture can help alleviate your pain. For more information, give us a call today.

Range of motion: how well your joints move

The term “range of motion” is one you’ll hear often in physical therapy rehabilitation. It refers to how much movement you can make with a joint or a part of your body. When your range of motion is affected, you’ll find that it isn’t possible to move a particular body part comfortably and movement is compromised.

Range of motion can be affected by several different causes such as sprained joints, pulled muscles resulting from an accident or a sports injury, and even a general lack of exercise. We use range of motion exercises to target the affected areas and to prevent further complications from developing.

There are different kinds of range of motion exercises depending on the kind of problem your having — but all are designed to help you rebuild strength, and restore free and easy movement to your affected joints and muscles.

For more information on how range of motion exercises might benefit you, give us a call today.

Spinal rehabilitation: help for your aching back

In today’s high-stress, high activity world, it’s no surprise that 31 million American experience low-back pain at one point or another. In fact, low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide.

The back is a complicated structure of bones, joints, ligaments and muscles. You can sprain ligaments, strain muscles, rupture disks, and irritate joints, all of which can lead to back pain. While sports injuries or accidents can cause back pain, sometimes the simplest of movements—for example, picking up a pencil from the floor— can have painful results. In addition, arthritis, poor posture, obesity, and psychological stress can cause or complicate back pain.

Our physical therapists provide a comprehensive approach to spinal rehabilitation that is customized for each patient. We may incorporate manual therapy, specific therapeutic exercise programs and other modalities as needed. We’ll also equip you with tips on helping to prevent lower back injuries and a home exercise program to help you regain strength and a better quality of life.

If you are suffering from lower back pain and need relief, we can help. Give us a call today to get started.

Soft tissue mobilization and massage: hands-on healing

As skilled and licensed physical therapists, the team at Motion Dynamics is specially trained in the use of soft tissue mobilization — using our hands to push, pull and knead your soft tissue (muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves) in precise ways to help relieve pain and improve function of the affected body part.

Soft tissue in the human body supports joint action. After a trauma, soft tissue can shorten, restricting the natural movement of a joint. Inflammation causes soft tissue thickening, which can also impede joint function. To correct this, we gently move the affected joint through its natural motion, stretching the soft tissue, releasing tension from the muscles and improving blood circulation. We then slowly add force to this movement until the deep tissue is reached and released.

To help get the most out of soft tissue mobilization, we encourage you to do your home exercises regularly including aerobic exercise and strength training.

To see if soft tissue mobilization is right for you, give us a call today.

Sport-Specific Training: raising your level of athletic performance

Want to raise your level of play? At Motion Dynamics, we offer sports-specific performance training exercises designed to enhance your performance.

Every type of sport has its own unique set of demands. That’s why we’ll tailor an individualized training program, focusing on your needs and capabilities, to help you get stronger and better in the sport that you specialize in. First, we will work with you on a general program that addresses such factors as endurance, speed, warm-ups, rehabilitation, injury risk reduction, power, strength, and flexibility. We will couple that with a more specific program that focuses on the particular needs and demands of the sport you play.

From baseball and basketball, to tennis, golfing and more, we are committed to helping you win — by avoiding common risk injuries and raising your level of play.

For more information on sport-specific training, give us a call today.

Sports rehabilitation: putting you back in the game

Sports are a favorite pastime for so many, but they also open the door to potential injuries that can result from a single wrong move. Accidents such as twisted ankles, torn tendons, bruised knees and falls can all wind up causing chronic discomfort and loss of mobility if not treated properly.

At Motion Dynamics, we provide a continuum of care for athletes from elementary school to college through athletic training, rehab and health education. Our physical therapists are highly trained in sports biomechanics and in the treatment of all types of sports-related injuries. We want to restore athletes to full fitness in a safe and effective way — and in the shortest possible time.

Our sports physical therapy treatments place an emphasis on manual therapy techniques designed to stretch and strengthen joint tissues, lengthen muscles and mobilize stiff joints, and restore natural joint motion. This mode of therapy is almost always coupled with a range of customized therapeutic exercises, and education including a home exercise program and self care management.

If you have been sidelined as a result of a sports injury, we can help get you back in the game. Give us a call today to get started.

Stretching: loosening up for better health

Waking up in the morning usually requires a good stretch. This simple action helps loosen and re-align your muscles, which is why stretching is also an important part of any exercise or rehabilitation program.

Stretching treatments involve the deliberate lengthening of muscles in order to increase muscle flexibility and joint range of motion — in addition to warming up your body prior to activity to decrease the risk of injury. Loss of motion may be due to a number of factors, including pain, swelling, muscle spasm, shortening of connective tissue as a result of inactivity or immobilization, or some combination of each.

At Motion Dynamics, we utilize a variety of stretching techniques designed to benefit people of all ages — the young as well as the elderly. In addition to increasing flexibility and range of motion, stretching therapies help improve blood circulation, result in better posture, and even help with stress relief.

To see if you can benefit from therapeutic stretching, give us a call today.

Therapeutic exercise: releasing the pain, revitalizing your life

When exercises are done in a physical therapy setting such as ours, you work with qualified trainers to help restore and build your physical strength and endurance, flexibility and balance.

The first goal of any therapeutic exercise plan is to reduce pain and inflammation. Next, we may shift to exercises tailored to regain your range of motion, rebuild muscle strength, and develop endurance. Based on an initial assessment of your movement patterns, we will develop an exercise program tailored to meet your needs. Therapeutic exercise programs are carefully monitored and emphasize slow progression, and we will continuously modify the treatment plan according to the progress you’re making.

For best results, therapeutic exercise programs should be complemented by a series of home exercises that we can provide you, to make the healing that much faster and more effective.

To see if you can benefit from therapeutic exercise, give us a call today.

Therapeutic Ultrasound: deep heating to heal soft tissues

When your muscles, tendons and joints cause you pain and limit movement, the team at Motion Dynamics may recommend the use of therapeutic ultrasound for treatment. Therapeutic ultrasound should not be confused with diagnostic ultrasound, which is used for internal body imaging.

Therapeutic ultrasound provides deep heating to the body’s soft tissues, which increases blood circulation to those tissues and promotes healing. Deep heating can be used to loosen and stretch tight muscles and tendons in order for you to more effectively (and painlessly) perform range of motion exercises.

Usually, we most commonly treat orthopedic injuries with therapeutic ultrasound including bursitis, tendonitis, lower back pain, knee meniscus tears, and rotator cuff tears.

Bottom line: Any soft-tissue injury in the body may be a candidate for ultrasound therapy. It is an effective complement to your overall PT treatment, the cornerstones of which are always exercise and targeted movements to regain function.

To see if therapeutic ultrasound is right for you, give us a call today.

TMJ dysfunction: the tipoff is pain in the jaw

If you place your hands directly below your ears, on either side of your face, you’ll find the temporomandibular joints, or TMJ for short. It’s where your jaw connects to your skull, in the area near your temples, and it’s the joint that allows your mouth to open and close as well as chew. Like all joints, you can develop pain on one or both sides of your TMJ. The pain can occur with chewing or opening and closing the mouth, and in some cases the joint will even lock, leading to headaches and difficulty moving your jaw.

At Motion Dynamics, our team of physical therapists can help with the painful effects of TMJ disorder. After careful evaluation, we’ll be able to determine how each side is working — whether the joints are stiff or not moving properly. We may recommend treatments that include stretching exercises in addition to ultrasound, which provides deep heat into the muscles and joints. This can help relax the muscles, increase circulation for healing and reduce pain.

If you are experiencing jaw pain, ask your dentist or doctor for a physical therapy referral, and then give us a call today.

Whirlpools: the healing effects of water therapy

At Motion Dynamics, one of the treatments we use to improve your circulation, mobility and post-surgical recovery is the use of a whirlpool. The body part that is to be treated is placed in the tub of water, and a small motor agitates the water. While in the water, you move your injured body part to help improve range of motion.

The temperature of the water whirlpools can be warm or cold, depending on the desired goal. Warm water whirlpools can help increase circulation, cold whirlpools work to help manage inflammation and swelling in the injured body part.

It's important to note that whirlpool therapy is only one component of a comprehensive PT program that we design for you. Passive treatments, such as whirlpools, may be helpful, but exercise and mobility are ultimately most effective to help improve function of your affected body part.

To see if whirlpool therapy is right for you, give us a call today.