Gravity and a Few Cool Tools

The most important benefit of physical therapy is that it gets people moving again. Often, after physical therapy, patients are able to enjoy aspects of their life that they were afraid they might not get to enjoy anymore. The key to success all relies on the method physical therapists use to treat their patients. 

There are many different philosophies of physical therapy, each stemming from how they incorporate functional movement. Functional movement involves using real-world scenarios and biomechanics to treat the root cause of the issue, not just the symptoms. Functional movement has the patient move their whole body in all planes, or directions, to work the core and replicate everyday movements. One of the key founding principles of i’move is to do more with less. All we need to successfully treat patients is gravity and a few cool tools.  

A plus of training one on one with a physical therapist is getting access to the variety of cool toys, tools and equipment around the i’move clinic and gym that also help replicate real world movements. From state-of-the-art workout machines to resistance bands and Bosu balls, we utilize these tools to accelerate your recovery. In addition to your customized treatment plan, here are a few more tools and equipment used in physical therapy.

Anti-Gravity Treadmill
A favorite of the Cove location, the AlterG is an anti-gravity treadmill that enables the body to move from low to high function. Patients of any size can unweight themselves to move better and farther than before. 

Exercise Balls
While kids love to use these for fun, they can be a ton of help if used the right way. When used as a chair or for sit-ups, exercise balls become a massive strength training tool. Sitting on one forces the body not to slouch, tightening the core and improving posture. There are plenty of creative exercises available with an exercise ball. Ask your physical therapist about them!

Resistance Bands
They may look simple, but these oversized rubber bands can pack a punch. What’s great about resistance bands is that they can be customized for all levels of physical ability. Bands are mostly used for muscle strengthening and retraining, making them perfect to build muscles during recovery.

Rollers
Foam rollers are the massage-esque part of physical therapy. They do so much more than just providing pain relief. Foam rollers excel at reaching deep muscle tissue in the body, like tissue that may be affected during an injury. Hitting certain “trigger points” or tight spots, the pressure helps relax and stretch the muscles, increases blood flow, and breaks down scar tissue that can accumulate during an injury.

Jade Tools
Therapists utilize jade tools to loosen tight muscles, relieve pain and sometimes break up scar tissue. These are soft tissue tools that are similar in function to Graston or Astym therapy – both soft tissue techniques.

Dry Needling
To get to the root of pain and mobility issues, some therapists use dry needling as a way to reach trigger points around the body. When these knotted-up trigger points are released, they can help alleviate pain as part of a larger treatment plan. 

Patients come to i’move to get them moving again and enjoying more aspects of their lives. In the process, they often get to utilize one or more of our cool tools or pieces of equipment. Want to know more? We’re experts on our equipment, but more importantly, on your body. Learn about the science behind your healing during an appointment or fitness class.