Leg Therapy

Leg problems can refer to any number of conditions, including injury, chronic pain of the knees, thighs, calves or shins, recent joint replacement and Achilles tendon or hamstring issues. Whatever the cause, our leg therapy program is dedicated to restoring function, mobility and range of motion, but most importantly, getting you back on your feet again.  Depending on your particular complaint, we’ll design a physical therapy plan that will likely include manual therapy, stretching and strengthening maneuvers as well as balance and gait training. Optimal leg performance can take time and focus to achieve. At Directions, we’ll be with you the entire way.

Hip – When recovering from joint replacement or battling a hip pointer or bursitis, physical therapy is a crucial part of hip rehabilitation. Our program begins with an assessment of your condition and limitations. From there, we’ll devise a personalized path which will most likely include manual therapy, balance and gait training as well as stretching and strengthening movements. Our objective is to guide you back to an active, pain-free lifestyle. Once that’s achieved, we’ll design a regimen you can follow at home to keep building your hip strength and help prevent future damage.

Hip Bursitis: Bursae are small sacs that contain fluid inside to alleviate friction between bones and soft tissues. Bursae are located throughout the body, including the hip, specifically at a greater trochanter and near psoas muscle insertion. Bursitis is inflammation of bursa.

Acetabular Tears: Acetabular tear is damage/tear to cartilage in the hip joint. This can be asymptomatic or can cause severe pain at your inguinal area especially when you bend the hip joint especially when you bring the knee to the chest and then cross the body. You may also hear your joint clicking. The labrum is a touch cartilage, connective tissues that protect the hip joint, preventing the bones (head of the femur and the hip socket on pelvic bone) from rubbing directly onto each other. It also helps keep the alignment of the joint. Labrum tear can be caused by a variety of reasons, including sport injuries, car accidents, repetitive injuries often caused by pivoting motion common in golf and softball.

Joint Replacement: If you’ve undergone hip or knee replacement surgery, our comprehensive joint rehabilitation program focuses on rebuilding and restoring strength, range of motion and functionality. Every patient’s healing process is different. At Directions, we’ll tailor a plan that best suits your personal path to recovery. Through our rehab program, our first aim will be to return maximum joint performance by providing manual therapy and therapeutic exercises. From there, we’ll focus on preventative care by creating a home fitness program that will further enhance joint strength and stability.

Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, occurs when the protective cartilage at the end of your bones wears down over time. Although it can affect any joint in your body, it occurs more frequently in the hands, knees, hips and spine. Symptoms of osteoarthritis include pain, tenderness, stiffness or loss of flexibility in the joint. Bone spurs, extra bits of bone that feel like hard lumps, may form around the joint as well. Unfortunately, there’s no cure for osteoarthritis. Physical therapy, however, can help alleviate pain and slow downs its symptoms and progression.

Knee – Whether due to chronic pain, joint replacement, ACL injury or rehabilitation from surgery, every knee issue is different. Accordingly, every patient deserves a personalized treatment plan that addresses their specific knee ailments. That’s what you’ll find at Directions, where our physical therapy staff is dedicated to restoring optimum knee function. We’ll begin with a comprehensive evaluation of your condition and limitations, followed by the implementation of individualized regimen aimed at restoring knee health and reducing risk of future injury.

Knee pain is a widespread issue that affects people of all ages. Symptoms of knee pain often include: swelling and stiffness in and around the knee area; redness and warmth to the touch; a sensation of weakness and instability; the sound of popping or crunching when the knee is bent or flexed; an inability to fully straighten the leg

Knee pain can be caused by any number of reasons. The most common are:

ACL Injury: The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is one of four tendons that connect your shin and thighbones. ACL injuries frequently occur among those who play basketball, soccer or other sports that require a sudden change in direction.

A torn meniscus: Formed of tough, rubbery cartilage, the meniscus acts as a shock absorber. If the knee is suddenly twisted while bearing weight, the meniscus can rip apart.

Knee bursitis: The knee bursae are small sacs of fluid that cushion the bones, tendons and muscles near the knee joint. When inflamed, they cause burning pain.

Patellar tendinitis: The patellar tendon is the thick, fibrous tissue that connects the thighs’ quadriceps muscles to the shinbone. Runners, skiers, cyclists and those who participate in jumping-based activities are prone to inflammation in this area.

Foot and Ankle – At Directions, we treat all foot and ankle related problems including sprain, fracture, other injuries and plantar fasciitis. We also specialize in post-operative care. Your rehabilitation will begin with a diagnosis of your condition and limitations followed by the implementation of an individualized treatment plan that will entail manual therapy, stretching and strength training, proprioceptive balance and gait exercises.

Ankle Sprain – An ankle sprain, while common, can often be serious. It refers to a severe stretching or tearing of the ankle ligaments and can occur as a result of a fall, twist or blow to the body. Symptoms of a sprain include pain, swelling and bruising around the ankle area and an inability to put weight on the foot.

Morton’s Neuroma: Morton’s neuroma is caused by irritated nerves that run in the forefoot, between rays leading to toes. This can cause sharp, burning pain and you may also feel numbness and tingling.  Risk factors include wearing high-heel shoes and high impact sports, such as basketball.

Posterior Tibialis tendinitis/Tears: Posterior tibialis tendinitis occurs when the tendon is inflamed or torn. It causes severe pain and instability. Risk factors include playing high-impact sports, such as tennis, soccer, basketball, as well as obesity.

Plantar fasciitis: Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of thick band that runs across the bottom of your foot. The band is called plantar fascia and connects your toes and heel. Plantar fasciitis is characterized by sharp, stabbing pain often at the heel when you take the first step out of your bed. Risk factors for plantar fasciitis include running, prolonged standing (nurses, teachers), obesities, inadequate shoe wears, and exercise errors.

And more.

Physical therapy is an optimal non-surgical and non-pharmacological alternative for treating leg pain and injuries. Our priority will be to ease inflammation. We’ll then create a customized plan first with manual therapy and then with therapeutic exercises that will strengthen the muscles around the spine and legs and improve your balance in an overall effort to stabilize the area of concerns. Our purpose will be to improve functionality and get you back on your feet as quickly as possible. Once that’s accomplished, we’ll provide a home fitness regimen for you to continue building foot and ankle stability.