Orthopedic Physical Therapy

About Orthopedic Physical Therapy

We understand the difficulties of physical limitations due to an orthopedic injury, orthopedic surgery or chronic problem. The Orthopedic Physical Therapy program at TherapySouth was designed to provide both physical and occupational therapy, pain reduction and help you to have a more active lifestyle with fewer (or no) physical limitations or pain. Physical therapy can help with the following common orthopedic conditions:

Knee/ Hip Pain

Shoulder/ Elbow Pain

Neck Pain

Ankle/ Foot Pain

Back Pain

Motor Vehicle Accidents
Arthritis
Radiculopathy/ Numbness/ Tingling
Piriformis Syndrome
Stenosis
Scoliosis
Herniated/Bulging Disc
Degenerative Disc Disease
SIJ Dysfunction
Muscle Tightness/Spasm

What is PT like for a total knee replacement?

aquatic therapy

TherapySouth is proud to offer Aquatic Therapy at select clinic locations to aid with patient rehabilitation. Most often, a patient recovering from a procedure or accident is limited in their ability to walk or exercise for several weeks, delaying their return to a normal lifestyle. Aquatic therapy is beneficial in active recovery, strength-building, developing safe movement patterns after an injury – allowing us to get the rehab process started much sooner.

Functional Dry needling

TherapySouth offers Dry Needling services at all of our locations.

Our therapists utilize this very minimally invasive procedure to relieve pain and restore a healthy physiology which can aid in relieving neck pain, muscle/tendon pain and more.

Dry Needling is based on Western Neuroanatomy and modern scientific study of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, and involves the insertion of a very thin needle to stimulate the healing process of soft tissues such as muscle, fascia, tendons, ligaments, etc.

Our therapists also undergo extensive training to prepare them to dry needle in a safe and effective manner. Kinetacore, one of the leading functional Dry Needling educators in North America has trained over 50 therapists in our practice. TherapySouth has been one of the industry leaders in the greater Birmingham area to promote this service, investing thousands in training and hosting multiple courses in our facilities.

Foot Care

Your feet and their health are crucial to you living a good life, and performing even the most routine tasks. TherapySouth understands the importance of maintaining the normal physiology of your feet – good feet physiology doesn’t just affect how your feet feel, they can play a huge role in how your ankles, legs, hips and spine feel and even function. Our Foot Orthotics Service was created to help improve the physiology of not only your feet, but your ankles, legs, hips and spine too.

Custom Orthotic Fitting
Power Steps
Shoe Recommendations
Heel Lifts
Running/Walking Assessment
Balance Assessment
Anti-Gravity Treadmill (Crestline & Riverchase Clinics)
Congenital Disorders
Plantar Fascitis
Bunions

gait & balance training

Fall Reduction & Prevention
Assistive Device Training and Fitting
Peripheral Neuropathy
Weakness/General Debility
Unsteadiness
Difficulty Standing
Stroke
Multiple Sclerosis
Parkinson’s Disease

lSVT BIG - Treatment for Parkinson's

Personalized, Purposeful Practice

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurologic disorder that affects the part of the brain that produces dopamine- the movement hormone. Up to 8 million people worldwide live with Parkinson Disease and the prevalence is expected to double by 2040. The LSVT Big program is designed to promote function, balance, and walking in a fun and challenging way. PD can cause movements to become smaller and slower which can really impact all daily activities from buttoning a shirt and tying shoes to playing golf and riding a bike. It is our LSVT Big certified clinicians’ goal to empower you to reach your highest potential!

4 consecutive days a week
4 consecutive weeks
Working on tasks both BIG and small
3 Key features to the LSVT Big program
1. Amplitude- big movements
2. Intensity- intensity drives change
3. Calibration- helping you maintain the big movements throughout your daily life

Parkinson’s Foundation

Compassionate, trained Parkinson’s disease information specialists are available to answer questions for people with PD and their families.

Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s

Free Four-week introduction course to Parkinson’s, with one lesson scheduled for each day. Throughout the four weeks, you will focus on mindset, movement, symptoms, and treatments.

Newly diagnosis with Parkinson Disease?

Access resources tailored to those newly diagnosed at Parkinson.org/NewlyDiagnosed

Post Surgery Rehabilitation

Whether you are recovering from a bone fracture, ligament/tendon repairs or total joint replacement surgery, TherapySouth has an excellent post-surgery rehabilitation program designed to help you recover physically, mentally and emotionally.

We understand that the surgical process can take a toll on patients in many ways from pre-surgery to post-surgery, and our therapy specialists will be there to support you every step of the way. Our therapists will work closely with your doctor to ensure optimal outcomes are reached following surgery.

Over the years we have developed and refined protocols to help keep your progress on track. Be sure to talk with you doctor about pre-hab (therapy before your surgery to help prepare you) as well as post-operative therapy (after-surgery therapy).

sports medicine & athletic injuries

Every athlete from every sport is unique in the skills required, the parts of the body used and the injuries they incur.

The specialists at Therapy South utilize a Sports Medicine program that focuses on

The individual athlete
The sport the athlete plays
The athlete’s specific injury, how it affects them day-to-day, and how it affects their play
Helping the athlete recover and return to playing the sport they love so much in the appropriate amount time as it pertains to their specific injury and the demands of the sport they play.

Biomechanical assessment of alignment, function, strength, range of motion and flexibility
Joint and soft tissue mobilization to increase range of motion
Exercises to increase tissue flexibility, decrease pain and swelling and promote healing
Progressive strengthening and conditioning
Instruction on how to brace and tape
Sports conditioning prescriptions to assist in transitioning back into play
Injury prevention
Concussion baseline testing
After concussion care

TMD / jaw pain

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) develop from problems with the jaw bone and joint.

Common symptoms include:

Jaw pain/tenderness
Asymptomatic clicking or popping
Difficulty or deviation when opening
Difficulty chewing
Facial pain (ear, temple) with jaw motion
Headaches

TMD can often be associated with cervical spine dysfunction, particularly the upper cervical spine. Upper cervical spine dysfunction and TMD often result in headaches.

Assist in investigating the root cause of pain to ensure all regions are considered during your care
Identify any ergonomic and postural contributions to TMD, such as forward head posture
Assess the strength and endurance of deep neck flexors and shoulder blade muscles to ensure postural corrections are maintained, reducing stress placed on the TMJ

Physical therapy does not replace orthotic use to direction provided by other healthcare providers. TherapySouth works together with all providers to give well-rounded care to patients that will reduce pain and improve function.

Our goal is to return patients to a normal and healthy lifestyle by utilizing a variety of techniques including: manual therapy, self-joint mobilizations, customized home exercise programs, and dry-needling.

vestibular rehab & dizziness

TherapySouth offers proven, effective treatment and relief for vertigo (BPPV),dizziness, balance issues as well as baseline concussion screening/management. Our vestibular rehab program will address the cause of your issues, whether it’s due to age, specific illness/injury, balance problems or a weakened and deficient vestibular system.

The vestibular system is comprised of the brain, inner ear, vision and sensation, and they all work to maintain your body’s balance. When any of these are impaired, the body’s balance is then impaired.