The term vestibular system refers to the areas of the inner ear and brain that help control your eye movements and balance. Damage to these areas can lead to vertigo, a whirling sensation, dizziness, and problems with your balance, along with other symptoms. What does dizziness feel like? Dizziness can come and go. You might notice it when you’re standing still, resting, or changing position. You can experience some of these feelings: A sense of unbalance Wooziness (swimming feeling in your head) Spinning Tilting Floating Whirling Lightheadedness Feelings of passing out Sensations of moving Swaying Dizziness is rarely serious. It’s commonly a sign of a mechanical issue like an inner ear disorder, a side effect of medications, or a symptom of neck dysfunction. How are vestibular and balance problems diagnosed? Your practitioner at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center reviews your medical history and evaluates your symptoms. Your examination includes assessments of: Gait (how you walk) Balance Leg strength and flexibility Visual stability and mobility Neck mobility Neck and arm strength Your practitioner will also examine your inner ear. They’ll discuss their findings and recommend a treatment based on your diagnosis. For conditions like vertigo, dizziness, and imbalance, they often recommend vestibular rehabilitation. What is vestibular rehabilitation? Vestibular rehabilitation is an exercise program to improve your balance and minimize problems related to dizziness. Rehabilitation is tailored to your condition and usually includes twice-weekly sessions continuing for 6-8 weeks. What happens during vestibular rehabilitation? Your practitioner teaches you a variety of exercises to remedy your issue. The exercises can include: Balance retraining Posture training Neck mobility exercises Neck stretches Vision stability training Stretching and strengthening exercises Walking General fitness exercises They could also suggest adjusting your office environment like your desk and chair to improve your posture and decrease discomfort. Your practitioner coaches you on how to continue your exercises at home. Doing so helps prevent or treat new episodes of imbalance or dizziness. Problems with your vestibular system and balance can be unsettling, but Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center offers customized treatment to help restore the quality of your life. Find out more about vestibular rehabilitation by calling the office nearest you today or booking a consultation online.

An estimated 4.6 million workplace injuries happen each year. According to the National Safety Council, the top workplace injuries are: Strains, sprains, and tears Pain and soreness Cuts or puncture wounds About one-third of workplace injuries are due to repetitive motions like lifting objects and using a keyboard. When should I see a doctor for a workers’ comp claim? If you've been injured on the job, you might be tempted to tough it out and postpone seeing a doctor. Don’t. Delaying getting appropriate care after a workplace injury could result in even more damage and a longer recovery time. Postponing your diagnosis could also affect your workman's comp claim. The team at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center routinely handles on-the-job injuries and workers’ compensation filings. They work closely with you to set you on the path to recovery so you can return to work. How are workers’ comp injuries diagnosed? Your practitioner at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center asks you to thoroughly describe your symptoms. You tell them when the symptoms began and the type of activity you were performing at the time you were hurt. Your practitioner takes a detailed medical history. They ask questions that might seem very personal like your use of alcohol or medications, and psychosocial factors like whether you're under a lot of stress at work. Research has linked working in a stressful environment to an increased risk of shoulder injuries and pain. Depending on the type of injury, they recommend diagnostic tests like an X-ray or MRI. An ultrasound might be needed to diagnose a soft-tissue injury. Once they've diagnosed your injury, they recommend a treatment designed to get you back to work quickly. How are workers’ comp injuries treated? Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center tailors your treatment to your injury. For example, with a muscle strain, you might need to wear a brace or splint to allow your muscles to heal. A physical therapist might work with you to rebuild the strength and stability in your injured joint or limb. For some injuries like a torn tendon, your practitioner could recommend surgery. You might need workplace accommodations during your recovery. Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center could suggest that you recover at home or clear you to return to your job site with reduced duties and workplace accommodations until you’re fully recovered. They communicate with your employer throughout your recovery process. If you’ve experienced a workers’ comp injury, the team at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center specializes in diagnosing and treating on-the-job injuries. Don’t delay getting the care you need. Call today or book a consultation online.

Sports injuries require immediate care. If your injury isn't something severe like a broken bone, first try at-home care by following the R-I-C-E method: Rest: take a break from your activity Ice: apply ice to your injury Compression: lightly wrap your injury Elevation: keep your injury elevated If this method isn't easing the pain and swelling after a day or two, then it's time to contact Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center. What are the kinds of sports injuries? Sports injuries are categorized as either acute and chronic. Acute injuries are the result of a sudden movement or activity that caused an injury. A sprained ankle is an acute injury. Symptoms of an acute sports injury include: Sudden, serious pain Swelling Limited range of motion Extreme tenderness Extreme weakness is another warning sign. Chronic injuries are persistent. These types of sports injuries are brought on by overuse. The repetitive motion of playing a single sport or one form of exercise over a long period can break down your tendons, cartilage, and supportive tissues. Common signs of a chronic injury include: Pain while exercising or playing a sport A dull ache while resting Swelling in the injured area Ideally, contact the team at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center before your injury gets to the chronic stage. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent further damage. How are sports injuries treated? Your Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center practitioner recommends a treatment plan based on your type of sports injury. Your treatment can include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen to relieve pain and swelling. Rehabilitation is a key part of treating sports injuries. Physical therapy helps restore movement to get the injured area back to normal. Immobilizing your injury with a sling or splint can help to prevent additional damage and give you time to heal. Most sports injuries don’t require surgery. Your practitioner generally only recommends surgery to repair a torn tendon or ligament or to set a broken bone. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or just enjoy the occasional jog around the block, sports injuries can put you out of commission without appropriate treatment. Contact Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center today or book a consultation online for personalized care for your sports injury.

Your foot and ankle are complex structures designed to carry the weight of your entire body day in and day out. Wear-and-tear, repetitive motions, and injuries can lead to problems in your foot and ankle, causing pain and other symptoms. Sources of foot and ankle pain include but aren't limited to: Sprains and strains Osteoarthritis Plantar fasciitis Bursitis (joint inflammation) Tendinitis Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage caused by diabetes) Ankle fracture Foot fracture Broken toe Bone spurs Stress fractures The practitioners at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center are experts at homing in on the underlying cause of your condition. They diagnose the reason for your foot or ankle pain to suggest an appropriate treatment to prevent additional damage. How do you diagnose ankle and foot pain? Your practitioner at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center begins by asking about your symptoms and performing a complete examination of your foot and ankle. Depending on your condition, they recommend imaging tests like X-rays or an MRI to evaluate the structure of your ankle and foot. Once they confirm your diagnosis, they recommend the appropriate treatment. How do you treat ankle and foot pain? Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center tailors your treatment to your diagnosis. They usually begin by recommending conservative interventions like pain management and condition-specific treatments. For example, you’ll typically need a cast with a fractured foot. If you have broken toes, your practitioner tapes the broken toe to a nearby healthy one to help it heal. If conservative methods don’t help, they will then discuss surgical options like arthroscopy. Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure to remove bone spurs or loose cartilage in your ankle and foot. Arthroscopy uses a tiny camera called an arthroscope, which is inserted into your foot or ankle joint through a small incision. The camera displays images on a screen that your surgeon views, using the images as a guide during your procedure. The procedure requires fewer and smaller incisions than traditional open surgery. In more serious cases, you will need a total ankle replacement, which works in a similar fashion to knee-replacement surgery. During the procedure, your surgeon removes your damaged cartilage and bone and replaces them with an artificial metal or plastic joint to restore your ankle’s full function. Timely, effective care often prevents your foot and ankle pain from leading to lasting damage. For diagnosis and treatment tailored to you, call Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center today or book a consultation online.

Your neck and back are a complex structure comprised of more than two dozen vertebrae cushioned by discs and connected by ligaments and muscles. This complexity can result in a variety of injuries and ailments. Your pain can be brought on by: Arthritis Herniated discs Injuries and trauma Disc degeneration Cervical or spinal stenosis Strains Scoliosis Ankylosing spondylitis If you’re suffering from neck or back pain, Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center recommends you come in right away so they can diagnose the source of your pain. How do you diagnose neck and back pain? Your practitioner at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center reviews your symptoms and medical history. They examine your neck and back. They might ask you to bend in various directions to look for signs of impairment and pain. They recommend diagnostic and imaging tests to rule out potential sources of your neck and back pain. These tests include: Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Myelogram Discography Electromyography (EMG) They could look for potential nerve issues by doing a procedure called a selective nerve root block. How do you treat neck pain? Once your practitioner at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center pinpoints the site of your pain, they suggest conservative, nonsurgical treatment to relieve your symptoms. They prescribe medications to reduce inflammation and pain along with muscle relaxants to give your neck a chance to heal. If these conservative treatments aren’t helping, they’ll discuss surgical options. For a large percentage of neck pain patients, surgery can offer significant pain relief. For example, spinal fusion, which involves joining two or more vertebrae, can help strengthen your neck to relieve chronic, severe neck pain. How do you treat back pain? Treatment of back pain varies depending on the type and severity of your condition. Your treatment plan from Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center could include pain relievers and anti-inflammatory injections. If your condition is severe or doesn’t improve with treatment, they will then recommend surgery. Most of the time, back surgery is necessary to treat a herniated disc and other structural problems. There's no need to suffer from neck or back pain when customized care is available at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center. Call today or schedule a consultation online.

Chronic conditions can take a toll on your well-being. Pain management is designed to help relieve pain so you can get back to your normal activities. Pain management is tailored to your condition, whether you’re suffering from back pain, neck pain, sciatica, or another painful health issue. Pain management options include by aren’t limited to: Trigger point injections Epidural injections Medications to relieve pain, swelling, and irritation The team at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center recommends appropriate methods to manage your pain after diagnosing your condition to pinpoint the source of pain. What is an epidural injection for pain management? The epidural space surrounds your spinal sac, cushioning your nerves and spinal cord from your spine. Injecting steroids into the epidural space reduces inflammation and pain. Epidural injections are a short-term method of pain management. Although the injections don’t change your underlying condition, they can break the cycle of pain and inflammation. The injections are particularly helpful if you’re experiencing radiating pain. Your practitioner at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center discusses whether epidural injections can help manage your pain. How do I get epidural injections for pain management? The injection is an outpatient procedure. Your practitioner at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center usually applies a topical numbing cream to the area where you’re getting an injection. Some injections, however, require a general anesthetic. They insert a thin needle into your epidural space, guiding it to the right site with the help of an X-ray. They might also add a special dye into the epidural space to make sure your medication is traveling to the right area. What happens after an epidural injection? You typically can resume your usual activities the day after your injection. The steroid generally begins to work within 1-3 days, although results vary. In some cases, it can take up to a week before you feel the benefits. What are trigger point injections for pain management? Trigger points are painful knots in your muscles. Trigger point injections temporarily help to relieve this muscle pain. The injections can help ease pain affecting your back, neck, arms, and legs. How is a trigger point injection done? Trigger point injections are an outpatient procedure at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center. You’ll sit or lie down during the injection. Your practitioner presses on your muscles to find the source of pain. They insert a small needle into the area, injecting a mixture of steroid and anesthetic. The injection takes just a few minutes. You might have more than one injection during your visit. Your practitioner at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center recommends an appropriate treatment plan for you. For appropriate pain management customized to your condition, call Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center today or book a consultation online.

Knee replacement surgery is a common procedure, with more than 600,000 performed each year. Also called knee arthroplasty, the surgeries are used to treat arthritis, chronic knee inflammation, and knee injuries. More than 90% of patients who’ve had knee replacement surgery report a significant improvement in their ability to perform daily activities and a dramatic reduction in knee pain. What happens during knee replacement surgery? The surgery is done in a hospital or surgery center. You’re first given a local or general anesthetic, depending on your surgery. Your Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center doctor then removes the damaged cartilage surfaces in your knee and part of your knee bone. They replace these damaged structures with an artificial joint. Finally, they insert what’s known as a spacer, which acts as a cushion between your knee bones. Your surgery is relatively brief, usually lasting 1-2 hours. You will need to stay in the hospital overnight or longer. The team at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center discusses your surgery and recovery plan with you, so you know what to expect. What happens after knee replacement surgery? You’re prescribed pain medications to minimize discomfort as your knee heals. Taking pain medication also makes it more comfortable for you to take part in physical therapy. Physical therapy is an important step in your recovery. You begin exercising your knee the day after your surgery. You’ll use a walker or cane during the first few weeks after your procedure to help you get around. You can expect to get back to most of your daily routine within 3-6 weeks following surgery, although recovery is different for everyone. You're typically able to drive once you can comfortably bend your leg, usually 4-6 weeks after surgery. In most cases, successful joint replacement surgery relieves your pain and stiffness, so you can get back to all of your normal daily activities. However, the team at Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center advises against engaging in running or other high-impact activities that put excessive strain on your joints. If nonsurgical options haven’t helped ease your knee pain and you’re considering knee replacement surgery, call or book a consultation online today with Tight 2 Right Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention Center.

NON-SURGICAL: Rotator cuff tendinitis Biceps tendinitis Labral tear Chronic dislocations/subluxations AC/SC sprain Bursitis Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) General shoulder pain Degenerative conditions of the shoulder Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Arthritis Shoulder instability Shoulder Impingement Syndrome Shoulder separation Snapping scapula syndrome POST-SURGICAL: Burners and stingers Fracture of the collarbone (clavicle) Proximal Humerus Fracture (Broken Shoulder) Rotator cuff tears SLAP Tear (Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior Tear)