Latest News and Information

Carpal tunnel syndrome affects many people in this country. In fact, the American College of Rheumatology estimates those numbers to be somewhere between 4 and 10 million Americans who are living with this painful disorder. If you are one of them, you can seek treatment with physical therapy at our Gillette, WY office. Getting physical therapy for carpal tunnel can manage your pain, relieve your symptoms, and prevent you from needing surgery down the road.
If you are new to physical therapy, you might have some questions. Here is a list of some of the most common concerns our patients have upon starting.

What Exactly Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

In our modern world, when everyone is using a computer—many for several hours on a daily basis—carpal tunnel syndrome is becoming more and more common. This nerve disorder leads to pain inside the hand near the wrist, and often the pain can radiate the full length of the arm. When it flares up, it can be difficult for people to use their hand for even the most simple daily tasks.

What Are the Signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

It usually starts for most people with an itchiness or numbness in their hand. There can also be a tingling or burning feeling. Many people report that their hand feels swollen even when there is no swelling at all. For many sufferers, the pain is the worst first thing in the morning because most people sleep with their hands curled up slightly.

What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Sometimes carpal tunnel can be caused by an accident, but in many cases, it is caused by repetitive motions. Carpal tunnel tends to be more common in people who are at the computer all day. Cashiers and factory workers who make the same motions with their hands for hours at end are also at risk of developing the condition.
Women are at a higher risk of developing carpal tunnel than men, particularly those between the ages of 30 and 60.

How Can People Cope With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

It’s crucial to see the doctor right away if you believe you might have carpal tunnel. There are pain medications and anti-inflammatories that can help reduce symptoms. A cortisone shot might also be helpful for some. Many people also opt for surgery.
Wearing a hand splint at night can be helpful as it will prevent you from clenching your hands while you sleep.
Seeing a physical therapist is also a good idea—particularly if you have opted for surgery to correct the condition. A physical therapist will help make sure you regain your strength and range of motion after surgery.
If you have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel, North Platte Physical Therapy is your go-to local physical therapist in Gillette, WY to provide the services that will get you feeling better and helping to relieve your pain. It is important to learn everything you can about carpal tunnel syndrome and how physical therapy can help relieve your symptoms and pain. We can handle any of your physical therapy needs—including your carpal tunnel symptoms. Fill out our contact form to get started and to find a location near you.

The fall school year is upon us, which means many activities for children. Do you have a child starting school this year? Their physical safety and form while playing sports and activities is important. On top of your annual physical, schedule a visit to your local Casper physical therapy office. This will help ensure your student is fit to perform. It will also help them understand important motions to avoid injuries.

Benefits of Physical Therapy

Most people associate physical therapy with an injury. While important for recovery, physical therapy is beneficial on a multitude of levels. A main benefit is mobility. During a child’s formative years, they may improperly learn certain movements. This can lead to injury and other issues down the road. A premier physical therapist will identify these improper movements. From there, they will teach your child to prevent future problems. Physical therapy can also help your child to be stronger, too. This can be achieved through work with various muscle areas. This will help them through sports, everyday life, and more.

Avoiding Sports Injuries

Using a go-to physical therapist will help your student avoid sports injuries. This is ideal throughout the year for safety. In fact, therapy will help them perform better in the sport. How? Through one-on-one training, a top physical therapist will guide your student. This will help them to break bad form and habits and move forward properly. Not only does this help to prevent injuries but makes them a better athlete too. If your student doesn't play a specific sport, physical therapy will still help. Children are active in gym and other activities, making physical therapy helpful.

Injury Recovery

Has your child sustained an injury or is taking longer to recover? It is crucial to see a physical therapist as soon as possible.  Many do not heal from an issue, leading to lifelong problems. These problems worsen if they continue to make the same mistakes in their movements. The plan with a physical therapist is simple. Through a series of customized exercises, your physical therapist will help strengthen injuries. They will also create a plan for your child to have a full recovery. You can count on your physical therapist to teach your child about pain. Specifically, they will discuss uncomfortable pain and detrimental pain. The two are often confused, making now the perfect time to learn, as these two are often confused. You can explore more about physical therapy for your child or teen to understand its importance.

As you search for a quality physical therapist near you, trust the experts at North Platte Physical Therapy. Pediatric therapy is one of our many strengths, working to improve mobility, strength, range of motion, motor skill training, and more. In addition, we also work with children that have motor impairments such as Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, development issues, toe walking, and more. With several physical therapy office locations in Wyoming and northwest Nebraska, you can be sure to find one of our locations in an area convenient for your family. Contact us today to schedule your child’s appointment.

If you have finally decided to make your health a priority, you probably already know that what you eat and how much activity you get play a large role. But there are other things you can to do improve the quality of your overall wellbeing, and that includes incorporating physical therapy in Douglas, WY into your life.
Let’s take a look at some tips for getting a better handle on your physical health.

Move Your Body

The fitness tracker craze has been around for many years now, helping people—particularly those who have sedentary jobs that keep them at the computer for hours on end—to remember to get up and walk. If you don’t already have a step counter wristwatch, it might be time to invest in one. Not only will it track your steps each day, but some have other bells and whistles, including monitors that can track your heart rate and sleep as well as reminders that will beep to remind you to get up and take a quick walk.
In addition to a fitness tracker such as FitBit, your health can also benefit from adding regular exercise to your daily routine. Most recommendations advise that just 20 minutes of regular exercise each day can have enormous benefits for your health.
A regimen of cardio (good for the heart) and strength training (good for your bones, joints, and muscles) should be part of everyone’s routine at least every other day. Not only can regular exercise improve your health and reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease and type II diabetes, but it also releases endorphins, which can improve your mood.

Watch What You Eat

There are plenty of trendy diets out there, including low-carb, keto, and Paleo, but the truth is that you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. You don’t need to completely eliminate specific food groups. Eat clean foods, avoid excess sugar, and monitor your calorie intake if you need to lose weight. Getting to your ideal weight can also help you avoid many common diseases. It will also make exercise a lot easier as well.

Incorporate Physical Therapy

If you have a condition or are dealing with chronic pain that keeps you from moving your body the way you’d like to, it might be time to find out more about physical therapy. A physical therapist can work with you to improve your strength and reduce your pain. It can be a life-changing experience!
If you are considering physical therapy to improve your overall health, here’s what you can expect at your initial visit with us.

If you are planning to add physical therapy to your Douglas, WY overall health routine, North Platte is your go-to local physical therapist. We can provide the services that will get you feeling better. Our expert staff is respected throughout the Wyoming and Nebraska areas for providing superior and customized physical therapy services. We can handle any of your physical therapy needs—and set you on the path for better overall health. Fill out our contact form to get started and to find a location near you.

Fall is just around the corner which means it is an important time of year: sports! As a new school year begins, you and your child will begin to prepare for any sports they would like to play during the school year. Along with sports comes physicals. In many cases required, a sports physical will ensure whether or not a specific sport is safe for your child to participate in. Learn more about the top benefits of sports physicals, difference between a physical and typical wellness exam and go-to reasons your child should see a physical therapist for all sports-related needs.

Benefits of a sports physical

It is best to get a sports physical for your child every year, even if not required by the school. Why? First, it is helpful for parents to understand where their child is in their growth and development. They will look at their height and weight—and ensure they have a normal blood pressure. They will also then go through a normal assessment to ensure the lungs, neck, throat, heart and other areas are in healthy shape. This will confirm that the child can safely play sports. If there are any concerns, your doctor can create a personalized plan to help your child be healthy for the sport they would like to play. Depending on the diagnosis, your doctor can fill out any required forms to submit to your school’s athletic department.

Difference between physical and wellness exam

While there are many elements within a wellness exam and sports physical that are similar, it is important that you continue to have your child receive each of these separately.
 

• Wellness Exam: The wellness exam is an extensive overview of all aspects to ensure your child is healthy. Not only will the cover heart, weight and blood pressure, but will also evaluate where they are in their developmental growth. In addition, they will administer any vaccines required, discuss sleep, eating habits and nutritional goals, and much more.
• Sports Physical: A sports physical will only focus on the areas that will impact their ability to play a sport. This includes an evaluation of their bones and strength, to ensure they can handle the sport they would like to play.

Reasons your child should see a physical therapist

In addition to seeing your primary care physician for your child’s annual physical, seeing a local physical therapist is important too. A premier physical therapist will cover physical therapy basics to help your child understand the proper form for the sports they play, which can prevent injuries in the future. If your child does have any issues that are problematic for activity, they will create a plan.

When it comes to seeing a physical therapist to help your student this school year, North Platte Physical Therapy has a variety of quality pediatric therapy services. Not only will we ensure they are safe to play their sports but can also help with any developmental issues. The sooner you can begin working with a physical therapist, the better. Contact us today to schedule your child’s appointment.   

Are you getting ready to go to physical therapy in Douglas, WY for the first time after suffering an injury? You might be wondering what you can expect and how you can prepare for your first appointment.
The first thing you should do is plan to move, so you’ll want to be sure you wear comfortable clothing, as recommended in this Angie’s List article on going to physical therapy.
Here are some other tips you’ll want to keep in mind if you are a physical therapy first-timer.

The Evaluation

During your first session, your physical therapist will ask you about your medical history. There could be issues there that relate to any musculoskeletal problems you might be having. The physical therapist will also perform objective testing to make an accurate diagnosis of your injury, which will help determine the best course of treatment. Range of motion, strength, flexibility, and posture will all be evaluated during the testing.
There will also be an overall screening that will include taking your blood pressure and measuring your height and weight.
All of this information will enable your physical therapist to develop a treatment plan for you. In addition, this will enable your physical therapist to have a baseline against which to measure improvement in the coming weeks.

The Beginning of Treatment

After the initial questions, information, and testing is completed, be prepared to start with physical therapy on the first day you go in. This is the beginning of your rehabilitation process. Although physical therapy isn’t intended to be painful, it can sometimes be challenging to move parts of your body that have been injured.
Just keep in mind that depending on the complexity and severity of your injury, physical therapy will take a bit of time, so be patient. It’s also important that you are consistent with physical therapy, so stick with it once you start.
Many people might wonder if they can recover from an injury without physical therapy. The answer to this question is complex. Sometimes injuries can and do heal on their own. But keep in mind that physical therapy can dramatically improve the healing timetable of your injury and make the healing more thorough.
Many people make the mistake of Googling their injuries in an attempt to self-treat, but this often brings on additional problems. With the help of a physical therapy treatment plan that is tailored to your body and your injury, you will be able to feel better and function at a higher level than you would without physical therapy. Physical therapy is frequently part of a thorough treatment plan for an injury.
If you have suffered an injury and are slated to try physical therapy, North Platte is your go-to local physical therapist in Douglas, WY to provide the services that will get you feeling better and stronger. Our expert staff is respected throughout the Wyoming and Nebraska areas for providing superior and customized physical therapy services. We can handle any of your physical therapy needs. Fill out our contact form to get started and to find a location near you.