Tulsa Bone & Joint Associates is pleased to collaborate with Professional Physical Therapy Inc. (PPT) in the opening of its fifth physical therapy location at 4612 S. Harvard Ave. in Tulsa.
Tulsa Bone & Joint Midtown PT combines the expertise of physical therapists Helen Pratt and Cindy Odle, along with Tulsa Bone & Joint DPT Shawn Mayes. PPT has specialized in the care of orthopedic conditions for more than 39 years, so it is a natural fit into the Tulsa Bone & Joint family.
“We are excited to offer Tulsans a midtown physical therapy clinic that combines our 39 years of expertise with Tulsa Bone and Joint team’s excellence in orthopedics,” says Helen Pratt, PT. “We have worked with their patients for years and have a great relationship that can only improve care with closer cooperation.”
All Tulsa Bone & Joint Physical Therapy locations accept prescriptions from any physician – not just orthopedists. Additionally, PT clinics are able to see patients without a physician’s referral through direct access. Tulsa Bone & Joint and Professional Physical Therapy Inc. welcome the opportunity to show all Tulsans our compassionate, patient-centered care at any of our PT locations.
The other four Tulsa Bone & Joint Physical Therapy locations are located at the main campus at 4800 S. 109th E. Ave. in Tulsa, Bartlesville, Owasso and Sand Springs. Tulsa Bone & Joint Midtown PT can be reached at 918-744-1331.
By Sara Murray, DPT
October is Physical Therapy month!
Here at Tulsa Bone & Joint, we currently have 24 PTs and 11 PTAs across 5 different locations, all working hard to provide excellent patient care and get people back to living their lives to the fullest. They have a wide range of experience and backgrounds, ranging from 25+ years to new graduates. Our therapists use a variety of adjunctive techniques, including ASTYM, dry needling, and manual therapy.
Below are some FAQs about physical therapy to help you have a better understanding of the profession.
What is physical therapy, and what does a physical therapist do? PTs are movement specialists. We are trained to assess your movement, strength, and functional ability. We provide evidence based care through exercises, hands-on techniques, and patient education. We evaluate patients and create a plan of care based on the person’s impairments and functional limitations. We strive to restore movement, strengthen weak muscles, improve mobility, and manage pain.
How long do you have to go to school to become a physical therapist? PT school is currently 3 years, and you receive a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, DPT, upon completion. In order to apply for PT school, you are required to have a Bachelor’s degree, take the GRE, complete observation hours, and complete all prerequisite courses. After graduating from an accredited university, you must pass a state licensure exam in order to receive a PT license to practice in your state of choice.
What is the difference between a PT and a PTA? A PT is a physical therapist, and a PTA is a physical therapist assistant. A PT will evaluate you, but both PTs and PTAs are capable of carrying out the plan of care in subsequent visits. PTAs complete 2 years of schooling and are skilled in choosing appropriate exercises and manual techniques that are best for you as the patient, all under the supervision of your PT.
What type of settings can I work in as a physical therapist? There are multiple settings and specialties available to you after graduation. The most common PT settings are outpatient, acute/hospital, inpatient, and home health.
Do I need to see a doctor before starting physical therapy? No! Oklahoma has a limited form of direct access, which means you can be seen by a physical therapist without a referral. However, this is limited to 30 days, and after that time, you will need a referral from a doctor in order to continue with physical therapy.
What should I expect during a physical therapy session? Your first session is typically an evaluation, where the physical therapist will ask you questions, take objective measurements, and assess for impairments. Your physical therapist will also give you a home exercise program with exercises and stretches to get you started on your road to recovery. They may also use manual techniques including joint mobilization and therapeutic massage to address your pain. Subsequent visits will include treatments and techniques based on your specific impairments and what you and your physical therapist discuss during the evaluation.
By Heather Baker, PTA
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot that supports your arch and absorbs the stresses and strains you put on our feet. Sometimes these stresses are too great and this can cause damage to the tissue causing an irritation or inflammatory response which results in plantar fasciitis foot pain.
Causes of Plantar Facisiitis
● Jobs that require you to be on your feet for long periods of time
● Foot mechanics or poor footwear support
● Age- occurs most frequently between the age of 40-60
● Obesity – increased weight/stress on the foot
● Athletics that require frequent, repetitive running and jumping
● Standing on hard surfaces
Symptoms of Plantar Facisiitis
Symptoms of plantar fasciitis typically present as pain near the heel or tenderness along the arch of the foot.
Pain may be most intense when:
● In the morning when first getting out of bed
● After standing for long periods of time
● Walking barefoot or in shoes with minimal arch support
● When standing after sitting for a long time
● Pain can sometimes be lessened with activity but can become worse after prolonged activity
Treatment of Plantar Facisiitis
Your treatment may include:
● Rest/Exercise modifications – avoid activities that make your pain worse
● Orthotics- to help support arch and reside stress on plantar fascia
● Ice/Medication – Applying ice or rolling your foot on a frozen water bottle to help decrease inflammation. Your Dr may also recommend taking NSAID medication.
● Physical Therapy- PT can provide services such as IASTM (instrumented soft tissue mobilization), tapping (for short term pain control), and dry needling (to release trigger points/knots in the muscle). A Physical Therapist can also provide you with certain exercises to strengthen leg muscles to support your ankle/foot.
● Stretching – Plantar fascia/arch stretches and calf stretches should be performed several times a day
○ Stretching Examples- Hold these stretches for 30 secs and perform 3-5 times. Roll the foot on a frozen water bottle for 3 mins.
Plantar fasciitis has shown to be typically improved with these conservative treatments and surgery is less often needed.
By Bailey Clark, PTA
Millions of young girls play softball across the U.S. and thousands suffer from overuse injuries. Shoulder injuries are the most common due to overhead throwing, but these types of injuries also include pitchers who use a “windmill” motion to deliver a pitch. In fact, pitchers throw hundreds of pitches per week between practices and games during the season. Despite what some call a more “natural motion” of an underhand pitch, repetitive use and improper mechanics can result in damage over time.
Overuse shoulder injuries can result in bursitis, tendinitis, rotator cuff injury, or impingement, just to give some examples. Typically these
injuries occur at the adolescent level, but can happen in adults as well if play continues. Awareness of how these injuries occur is an important step in prevention, because these types of injuries are preventable.
Here are a some tips to help prevent these types injuries and how to stay healthy in order to continue playing:
- Allow an adequate amount of time to warm-up prior to the game. Going into a game without proper preparation further increases the chance of injury. Make sure to stretch, perform light running/agility activities, and throw to prepare the body for actual play.
- Implement a good strengthening program specific for throwing. Make sure that this is an age-specific program as well. Age specific is important because younger athletes’ bodies are still developing, so if the intensity is too much, they are at an increased risk for injury. Make modifications as needed based on age, ability to perform exercise with proper mechanics, and the appropriate amount of resistance or weight.
- For athletes 14 years and older, look into a program such as Thrower’s Ten. This specific program is directed toward overhead athletes.
- Ensure proper mechanics with both overhead throwing and pitching motions. Poor mechanics leads to poor movement patterns that become habits which contribute to injury.
- For pitchers, stick with age-appropriate pitches for the current level of play. Allow bones and muscles to mature prior to throwing advanced pitches. Progress slowly when learning new pitches to ensure proper mechanics and not develop “bad habits.”
- If play becomes serious and an athlete begins playing at a competitive level, find a private lesson instructor. These instructors will help to break down proper mechanics for both overhead throwing and pitching. Not only can instructors help ensure proper mechanics, most will be able to help with establishing a proper strengthening program based on age and capability as mentioned above.
- Athletes and coaches need to be in communication with how the athlete’s shoulder is feeling. Do not continue to play if in pain and if pain persists, schedule an appointment to see a doctor.
By Amanda Lynch, MPT, ATC
To find the best shoe for you, you must first know your foot type. There are three foot types: low arch, neutral arch and high arch. A neutral arch causes the foot to roll in a small amount (also known as pronation). You want a small amount of pronation while running. A low arch causes the foot to excessively roll in (overpronation). Finally, a high arch causes the foot roll to only slightly roll in (underpronation).
An easy way to determine your foot type is to look at the bottom of one of your shoes. If the toes of your shoe and heel show even wear, then you are likely a neutral arch. If the insides of your shoes are more worn down, you likely have a low arch. You likely have a high arch if the outsides of the bottom of your shoes are more worn down. Another method is called the wet test. Wet the underside of your feet and then stand on a piece of paper for 10 seconds. Step off and look at the imprint of your feet. These imprints should look like the wear pattern of your shoes.
Now that you know your foot type, the next step is to look at the three types of shoes: neutral, stability and motion control. A neutral shoe is less structured and lighter and designed for a more neutral arch. A high arch also tends to do well in a more neutral shoe.
A stability shoe is good for a lower arch and provides support and cushion.
Motion control shoes provide maximum support and control. They are more structured and prevent the foot from excessively rolling in. These are ideal for very flat feet.
A few other tips when trying on shoes:
- Find a local running shoe with knowledgeable employees and try on different shoes to find the best one for you.
- It is best to try on shoes at the end of the day when your feet are most full.
- Wear the socks and any arch supports that you would typically wear running.
- Jog in the store to make sure the shoes are comfortable and will provide the correct amount of support.
- You should feel the shoe touching your arch. There should not be a gap.
- Go up a half size in running shoes from your typical shoe size for swelling that can occur when you run.
- Finally, you should replace your running shoes every 400-600 miles or if your feet begin to hurt during a run once you get above 300 miles. This is usually a sign that the cushion is starting to break down.
