Recovery Process: Three Steps to Recovery

At Progress Physiotherapy, your rehabilitation and recovery from orthopaedic and musculoskeletal issues involves a step wise process. Each patient has individual needs and therefore your treatment plan is customized to enable a quick recovery.

Your therapist will diagnose your condition and help work with you to make an appropriate plan to get the improvements you need to relieve pain, restore movement and resume normal activities.

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Relieve Pain

The most immediate goal for the majority of patients is pain relief.

Pain relief occurs in two main ways:
Reduction or elimination of INFLAMMATION (chemical pain)
Improvement or elimination of MOVEMENT DYSFUNCTIONS (mechanical pain)

Typical methods for pain relief at the clinic include:

Ice or heat
Soft tissue therapies – massage, Active Release Techniques (ART)
Range of motion therapy
Stretching
Exercise
Joint mobilization or manipulation
Acupuncture
Laser
Interferential Current (IFC)
Shockwave
Taping
Education

Restore Movement

Once pain control is established the next priority is restoring your normal mobility. Painful conditions often change the movement patterns of your body. Compensated movements are used by your central nervous system in an attempt to reduce your pain. However this leads to tightness and restriction in muscles and joints. At the clinic part of your treatment will involve hands on therapy that may include:

Soft tissue massage
Active Release Techniques (ART)
Joint mobilization
Joint manipulation
Stretching

To help maintain the restored movement achieved during your treatment you will be asked to participate in home exercises prescribed by your therapist.

Resume Activities

Once your pain is eliminated or controlled and your movement approaches normal you will gradually resume all of your normal activities. Your therapist will help you plan a gradual and timely return to normal function.

This phase of rehabilitation will help you gain back your full independence. You will generally be attending less treatment sessions and be given a complete home exercise program to allow you to assume most of the responsibility for the final stage of your recovery.