The Importance Of Pressure In Physical Therapy

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Pressure is defined as the force applied perpendicularly to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Pressure is a pushing force. Tension is a pulling force. What I have observed clinically is that increased fascial tension applies pressure on whatever lies beneath it as it pulls across the underlying structure. Because the fascial web is continuous from the feet to the head, and even inside the head, I have seen how increasing tension by dorsiflexing the foot, or pulling the toes towards the nose, can increase the pressure in a person’s head! Or, lifting their arm can increase the pressure in their head. What I see most commonly can best be illustrated by thinking about the body as if it is a rectangular …show more content…

Opening my eyes to this concept has completely turned my treatment techniques upside down! I mean this quite literally. I find I usually get my best results by treating the opposite end of the body from the symptoms. To say this approach is “unorthodox” in the world of physical therapy is an understatement. I am hopeful the observations, ideas, and concepts I present in this text will help us approach rehab more holistically through the conventional vehicle of exercise, but with a new intention. Understanding these concepts has shown me how to be more thorough in my caregiving. I now have reasons to look elsewhere for contributing factors to a problem or even for the cause. I have options to consider which almost always provide solutions for even the toughest conditions. Most of the stubborn symptoms lingering in the shoulders, upper back, head or neck can be resolved by thoroughly addressing the lower body. Greater success is achieved in the lower back and legs as the eyes, head, and neck are treated. Neither my patients nor I have to settle for unsatisfactory …show more content…

It is a home exercise program that allows the patient to take an active part in their healing. Gently moving the soft tissue prepares it for the treatment it receives from the therapist. Time previously spent during the therapy session to initiate change in the tissues is used instead to advance further release and flexibility. The therapist is able to focus treatment time on stubborn areas of connective tissue restriction that have not changed in response to exercise. The positioning the patient uses to complete the exercises helps the therapist identify the source of the problem which is not usually in the same place as the patient’s primary complaint. This partnership between the therapist and the patient translates into quicker recovery and improved pain relief for the

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