October is National Physical Therapy Month! We’re always ready to brag about our services, and this month is no exception. Let’s talk all things physical therapy: what is it, what benefits does it have, and what training do our Doctors of Physical Therapy (DPTs) have to obtain?!
What is physical therapy?
Physical therapy is care to help you ease pain, improve function and feel good! Commonly, people think of it only for orthopedic conditions, but physical therapy can address a wide variety of complaints, two of which being dizzines/imbalance and pelvic health disorders.
Vestibular Physical Therapy
Vestibular physical therapy is a specialty area aimed to treat dizziness and balance concerns coming from the vestibular system, a small organ in your inner ear about the size of a pencil eraser. Although small, the vestibular system is mighty–it can lead to large impairments in your daily function! Physical therapy can strengthen your inner ear and other balance components to help you get back to the things you love.
Who is qualified to perform vestibular therapy?
Doctors of Physical Therapy (DPTs) first must receive their four-year Bachelor’s degree before then going on to a 3 year graduate program. Within this program are also clinicals, which give DPTs the hands-on experience necessary to best facilitate patient care. After graduating with their doctorate, DPTs are free to practice generalized physical therapy. FYZICAL therapists, though, undergo advanced specialized training to closely analyze the inner ear and common deficits of it. So, while FYZICAL can see and treat common musculoskeletal conditions, our bread and butter lies in the vestibular system.
Pelvic Physical Therapy
Pelvic physical therapy encompasses treatments for a variety of pelvic-related condidions from incontinence, to urgency, frequency, constipation, pain with intercourse, abdominal pain, leaking post-prostatectomy, pelvic pain, and issues in pregnancy/post-partum, to name a few.
Who is qualified to perform pelvic therapy?
Two of our Doctors of Physical Therapy (DPTs) have undergone advanced specialized training in pelvic health. They have both received their full pelvic certifications by completing levels 1, 2, & 3 certification courses in addition to other pelvic continuing education courses - the highest level of any pelvic practitioners in the Siouxland area!
How do I start?
Did this blog spark interest in vestibular physical therapy for you or someone you know?! The next steps are easy: simply call FYZICAl Dakota Dunes to schedule a one-on-one initial evaluation with one of our highly-skilled therapists. The answer is no–you do NOT need a doctor’s referral or physician’s orders of any kind to initiate care. Let us help you LOVE YOUR LIFE!