Aquatic Therapy after Breast Cancer

Aquatic Therapy has been shown to benefit in the recovery of post-mastectomy patients. Often after breast cancer treatment patients can experience muscle and tissue contracture and lymphedema.

Lymphedema is the swelling of tissues due to the build-up of lymph fluid in the body. This is a common side effect for many patients after cancer treatment and can lead to pain and potential infection. Physical Therapy, including aquatic therapy after breast cancer has been found to be a great treatment option to help reduce lymphedema.

Post-Mastectomy patients can experience significant muscle and tissue contracture. Aquatic therapy is a great option for breaking up tissue adhesions, increasing range of motion, and strengthening.

Why Aquatic Exercise after breast cancer/post-mastectomy?

• Warm water provides resistance, assisting in venous return.

• Hydrostatic Pressure provides compression which decreases edema

• Muscle contractions improves lymphatic flow.

• Exercises in the water help to improve ROM, posture, and endurance.

Pritchette Physical Therapy offers aquatic therapy after breast cancer. Contact our office at 480-785-5415 for more information and to schedule your appointment.

How Scraping Technique can help with injury recovery

What is Scraping Technique?

Scraping is a treatment technique using tools which enables clinicians to efficiently locate and treat soft tissue tightness and injury. The scraping instruments help break up these adhesions and restore normal tissue mobility, just like any other form of soft tissue mobilization or deep tissue massage. This technique is used in conjunction with soft tissue work, joint mobilization, and/or therapeutic exercise, thus correcting many musculoskeletal issues that cause pain.

What should be expected from Scraping Technique?

Scraping is performed by a trained physical therapist and is a very safe technique. The treatment itself can be uncomfortable, it is pretty common to experience some discomfort, petechiae, or redness during the treatment and some soreness the day after treatment. In rare cases, some bruising may occur which may last for 24-48 hours.

What are the benefits of Scraping Technique?

Scraping benefits the injury healing process by reducing pain, increasing range of motion, removing tissue adhesions, and swelling reduction.

When would my physical therapy treatment include Scraping Technique?

Your physical therapist will determine if the Scraping Technique is right for you. Common conditions that my benefit from the Scraping Technique are tendonitis and strain/sprain injuries.

Both our Ahwatukee and Ahwatukee Foothills locations have trained physical therapists that can utilize this technique in treating a wide variety of conditions. Contact our office at 480-785-5415 to learn more.

Long Arc Quadriceps Exercise: Knee Pain Series

WHAT IS KNEE PAIN?

Pain in or around the knee may indicate a condition affecting the knee joint itself or the soft tissue around the knee. Knee pain is a common problem that plagues millions of individuals worldwide and is one of the most common conditions treated in physical therapy. Though very common, the underlying cause of knee pain can be multifactorial and should be thoroughly evaluated by a medical professional to ensure the most appropriate treatment plan is prescribed to you to best address your deficits.

COMMON CAUSES OF KNEE PAIN

Knee pain can have causes that aren't due to underlying disease. Examples include heavy physical activity, muscular imbalances, injuries such as sprains or strains, sedentary lifestyle, or decreased joint mobility. Knee pain can also be referred from other areas of the body which is why it is important for a thorough medical evaluation.

HOME TREATMENTS

If you have pain, swelling, or lack of mobility or stability in your knee, it is highly recommended that you seek medical attention for your knee pain. The treatment outlined below is only a first-aid measure. Please seek medical advice before moving forward with any other treatments/interventions. 

• Rest - Discontinue activities causing or increasing your knee pain

• Ice - Apply ice to the affected area to help reduce swelling and pain. Apply for no more than 20 minutes at a time and be sure to place a towel between the ice pack and your skin to avoid nerve or tissue damage. A good rule is 15 minutes on, 45 minutes off.

• Compression - Use an ACE bandage or knee compression sleeve to reduce fluid build-up and improve stability in the knee. The compression should be applied as to not restrict blood flow to the lower leg. If you notice that your foot or toes are changing colors or are becoming numb, the bandaging is too tight. 

• Elevate - To reduce swelling, elevate the knee above the level of your heart by placing some form of bolster, like a pillow, under your knee while lying down. 

EXERCISES FOR KNEE PAIN

In Exercises for Knee Pain: In physical therapy we use exercises to strengthen and stabilize the knee to help reduce pain and improve function. We progress these exercises based on the recovery of the affected area and each patient’s tolerance to activity. Here are some basic knee exercises that we use in the early stages of treating knee pain that can easily be performed at home. Please consult with a medical provider before beginning any exercise program.

• Short Arc Quad Knee Exercise

• Long Arc Quad Knee Exercise

• Clamshell Exercise

• Straight Leg Raise

• Quad Sets

Check out our YouTube Channel for descriptions on how to perform these exercises or if you have any questions about your knee pain please call us at 460-785-5415 to schedule a consultation with one of our Doctors of Physical Therapy.

Long Arc Quadriceps Exercise

The Long Arc Quadriceps exercise is a great exercise to help strengthen the quadriceps muscle.

The exercise can be performed sitting on the edge of a table or in a chair by slowly straightening the leg to be exercised. Keep your toes/ankle pulled back towards you as you straighten your leg. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds. Watch the video below for a visual description on how to perform this exercise.

Short Arc Quad Exercise : Knee Pain Series

Short Arc Quad Exercise

The short arc quad exercise is a great knee exercise that targets the muscles of the upper thigh (Quadriceps Muscle). In some cases, the long arc quad exercise can cause pain under the kneecap. For those who have discomfort during the long arc quad, the same exercise can be performed in a modified position. While lying on a flat surface, roll up a pillow and place it under the knee to be exercised. From this bent position, straighten your knee while pulling the toes and ankle back towards you. Moving in this modified range of motion places decreased stress on the knee and is a good option for those unable to perform the long arc quad exercise. Watch the video below for a visual description on how to perform this exercise.

What is Knee Pain?

Pain in or around the knee may indicate a condition affecting the knee joint itself or the soft tissue around the knee. Knee pain is a common problem that plagues millions of individuals worldwide and is one of the most common conditions treated in physical therapy. Though very common, the underlying cause of knee pain can be multifactorial and should be thoroughly evaluated by a medical professional to ensure the most appropriate treatment plan is prescribed to you to best address your deficits.

Common Causes of Knee Pain

Knee pain can have causes that aren't due to underlying disease. Examples include heavy physical activity, lack of use, injuries such as sprains or strains, sitting in a constrained area, or sitting on knees for a prolonged period.

Home Treatments

If you have swelling, lack of mobility, sharp pain, or lack of stability it is recommended that you seek medical attention for your knee pain. The treatment below is only a first aid measure. Seek a medical providers advice before beginning any other treatments.

• Rest - Discontinue activities causing or increasing your knee pain

• Ice - Apply ice to the affected area to reduce swelling and pain. Apply for no more than 20 minutes at a time to avoid nerve or tissue damage. A good rule, 15 minutes on, 45 minutes off.

• Compression - Using an ACE bandage or knee compression sleeve to reduce fluid build up and improve stability in the knee. The compression should be applied as to not restrict blood flow to the lower leg.

• Elevate - To reduce swelling elevate the knee while seated or laying down by propping some form of bolster, like a pillow, under your knee.

Exercises for Knee Pain

In physical therapy we use exercises to strengthen and stabilize the knee to help reduce knee pain and improve knee function. We progress these exercises based on the recovery of the affected area and patient’s tolerance. Here are some knee exercises that we use in treating knee pain and can be easily performed at home. Please consult with a medical provider before beginning any exercise program.

• Short Arc Quad Knee Exercise

• Long Arc Quad Knee Exercise

• Clamshells

• Straight Leg Raise

• Quad Sets

Check out our YouTube Channel for descriptions on how to perform these exercises or if you have any questions about your knee pain please call us at 460-785-5415 to schedule a consultation with one of our Doctors of Physical Therapy.

Best Place for Physical Therapy in Ahwatukee 11 years running!

We appreciate all the support from our patients and community who took the time to vote us a Best Place for Physical in Ahwatukee (according to Ahwatukee Foothills News). We consider this our standard since opening our doors in 2009.

Over the years we have grown in size and have added more service options to compliment our physical therapy services. These services include: Personal Training, Sports Performance Training, Massage Therapy, Pilates, and most recently Dance. We are looking forward to our continued growth in serving the Ahwatukee area with the build-out of our 2nd office that will be located next to the ACE Hardware in the Desert Foothills area!

We are also happy to announce that Sarah Thompson, PT, DPT is also returning to be the Clinical Director of our new location! While the new location is being built out, Dr. Thompson will be seeing patients at our Warner office. Call us to learn more (480) 785-5415.

Free Golf & Titleist Performance Institute Training Event

Come join us at Foothills Golf Club, November 4th from 2pm - 5:30pm for our complementary golf and strength program. Hosted by "Golf Digest Best Young Teachers" Alex Fisher and Pritchette Physical Therapy, receive award winning golf and TPI training.  While the event is free, please bring a toy donation for Toys for Tots!

Event offerings:

• Free golf instruction from Alex Fisher rated by Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers"
• Free Titleist Performance Institute Evaluation and Strength Training Consultation

Schedule:

• 2-4 pm - Full Swing Analysis and TPI Fitness Training (Ages 16 and older)
• 4-5:30 pm - Junior Golf Performance Training (Ages 8 - 16 years old)

Where:

FOOTHILLS GOLF CLUB (DRIVING RANGE) - 2201 CLUBHOUSE DRIVE, PHOENIX, 85048 

Spots are limited.  Please fill out the registration form below to reserve your spot today.  Families with adult and children attending can select both Sessions.