Information for Physicians & Providers

Our physical therapy clinic combines evidence-based rehabilitation with common sense and a holistic approach. We understand that recovery from surgery, acute injuries, and chronic conditions is time consuming and costly both in the direct costs of treatment as well as the indirect costs in quality of life, loss of productivity, and time away from work. Our mission to provide physical therapy services that are effective in both addressing the injury at hand, as well as educating the patient on how to prevent future injury and promoting a healthy lifestyle. We offer rehabilitation services with staff fluent in Polish, Hindi, and Telugu.

Password Protected Provider's Page

Physicians and Providers who have received FVPT's informational packet can follow the link below for more in depth information and including videos and other media about FVPT's services. If you would like access to this page, and have not received a packet, please call us at (860) 673-0223 or email info@fvpt.com for login access.

Physicians and Provider Page

evaluations within 24 business hours

We strive to minimize wait times for physical therapy visits, offering appointments for evaluation within 24 business hours of being contacted by the patient. Patients are seen anywhere from 1-3 times a week depending on their rehabilitation needs. We also offer convenient, evening group rehabilitation classes to supplement patients' physical therapy programs which clients balancing work obligations with recovery find especially helpful.

Appointments

The first appointment at FVPT includes both evaluation and initial treatment. This appointment last 60-90 minutes and includes a history, focused physical examination, and formulation of a rehabilitation plan. Evaluations include a significant amount of intensive one-on-one time with a physical therapist as the goal is to educate the as to the nature and cause of their injury and the expected course of rehabilitation.

Subsequent treatment appointments last 30-60 minutes with progressive amounts of independence in exercise. Patients are transitioned from intensive manual therapy with physical therapy staff to independently performing their therapeutic exercise program until they reach the point where a home exercise program is sufficient to maintain their recovery.

Supplemental Group Therapy/Group Exercise Classes

Patients at FVPT are given complimentary memberships to SOMA Movement Studio, a boutique fitness and injury prevention studio located in our building, for the duration of their treatment at FVPT. When appropriate, patients are encouraged to take an unlimited number of Hanna Somatic Movement (neuro-based muscle relaxing class) and Pre-Pilates (Pilates-based, beginner level strength and conditioning) to supplement their rehabilitation programs. While these fitness-based services are in themselves beneficial, they also add variety and fun to physical therapy which keeps patients engaged and compliant with their rehab programs. They also provide an avenue for patients to transition from rehabilitation into mainstream fitness when they complete their physical therapy programs to promote lifelong healthy habits.

Summary of Services Available

Physical Therapy

Traditional, evidence-based physical therapy that focuses heavily on manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and most importantly active patient participation. 

Physical Therapy Modalities 

Ultrasound (US): High frequency sound waves that produce a form of deep tissue heating for relief of pain and muscle spasm, promotes circulation, relaxes tight muscles/soft tissue – prepares tissues for stretching

Phonophoresis: Use of ultrasound to drive in topical medications through the skin. Medications are usually a form of cortisone and xylocaine. Used for treatment of localized inflammations, eg. Heel spurs, tendonitis.

Electrical Stimulation: Use of different forms of electrical current through surface electrodes that cause muscles to contract and relax. Used for relief of muscle spasm, pain and swelling and for muscle re-education and strengthening.

Iontophoresis: Use of electrical current to drive topical medications through the skin. Used for treatment of localized inflammation, scar softening, reduction in joint calcium deposits

Traction: A longitudinal pull or distraction of spinal segments for the relief of nerve irritation (radicultis) or muscle spasm by use of a machine on the cervical (neck) spine with the use of a neck halter or lumbar (low back) spine with the use of a pelvic belt attached to a patient lying down. Traction can also be done manually.

Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation (TENS): Use of low voltage electrical current through surface electrodes that overrides the sensation of pain.

Moist Heat (Hydrocollator): Produces a deeper heat than a dry heating pad. Increases circulation, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles/soft tissue, prepares tissue for other treatments.

Cold/Ice: Use of “ice packs” or “ice massage” in acute injuries and for pain relief (acute or chronic). Reduces swelling, inflammation, muscles spasm

Paraffin: A method of heating the body using paraffin wax and mineral oil. Usually applied to hands or feet where other applications of heat are difficult.

Sports Medicine

FVPT has expertise treating both chronic and acute sports injuries in the pediatric, adult, and mature populations. After pain and inflammation have subsided, we proceed onto strength and conditioning training with heavy focus on coordination and proprioceptive work. 

Fall Prevention, Gait & Balance Training

Our fall assessment begins with an evaluation of risk factors for falls, optimization of assistive devices (canes, walkers, eyeglasses, etc), and counseling on how to prevent falls through modifications in the patient's home. After counseling the patient, we work on strengthening, proprioceptive and balance training using a variety of tools including stairs, balance barres, treadmills, modified supine plyometrics where appropriate as wells as state of the art computerized balance training using the HUR Labs platform which gives objective feedback to the patient about their control of their center of gravity. 

Hanna Somatic Neuro-Education

Developed by neurophysiologist, Thomas Hanna PhD, these deliberate and gentle movement sequences, initially done with the assistance of a therapist, relax chronically tight muscles and create more coordinated and efficient muscle activation patterns. As patient gain control of their muscles (for example rigid low back, shortened hamstrings, tight piriformis, etc), they progress onto to doing Hanna Somatic Movement independently in the group class setting. 

McKenzie Technique

The McKenzie Method was developed in the 1960s by Robin McKenzie, a physical therapist in New Zealand. In his practice, he noted that extending the spine could provide significant pain relief to certain patients and allow them to return to their normal daily activities. With the McKenzie approach, physical therapy and exercise used to extend the spine can help "centralize" the patient's pain by moving it away from the extremities (leg or arm) to the back. Back pain is usually better tolerated than leg pain or arm pain, and the theory of the approach is that centralizing the pain allows the source of the pain to be treated rather than the symptoms.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial Release is a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure into Myofascial connective tissue restrictions to reduce pain and restore motion. FVPT combines myofascial release with gentle joint manipulation to improve passive range of motion. 

Group Exercise and Rehabilitation Classes

Recovery from injuries, re-conditioning, and developing efficient movement patterns requires time and effort. Physical therapy sessions provide structure and guidance for up to a couple hours a week, however, often to get full benefit from the programs prescribed by physical therapists, patients must work outside of their therapy sessions to optimize their recovery. FVPT patients who attend an average of two physical therapy sessions a week are given complementary group exercise classes to encourage compliance with their physical therapy programs and to develop lifelong, healthy exercise habits. 

LASER/Light Therapy

Low-level laser therapy , sometimes referred to as Cold Laser Therapy, is a painless, sterile, non-invasive, drug-free treatment which is used to treat a variety of pain syndromes, injuries, wounds, fractures, neurological conditions and pathologies. For most people, laser therapy is quite passive. Some patients have reported a slight tingling or tapping in a nerve or along a nerve pathway. Some have noted that they are able to sense a slight feeling of warmth. Low Light LASER Therapy is thought to hasten the inflammatory process through mitochondrial chromophore stimulation. This increases respiratory chain activity, which enhances ATP synthesis, cellular repair and reproduction.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder & Dysfunction Rehabilitation

FVPT's therapists has significant experience in treating functional (muscular) orofacial pain. Treatment programs initially focus on manual therapy to relax the muscles of mastication. As the patient can move their jaw with greater comfort, they progress onto a program of therapeutic exercises and relaxation techniques directed coordinating the muscles of mastication, the suboccipital, and neck muscles as well as improving posture often result in significant and sustained relief for the patient. 

Pilates-Based Rehabilitation

Pilates' system of exercise was first developed as a method of rehabilitation in the early 20th century in Europe. Over the past 15 years, Pilates has gain popularity as a method of rehabilitation as clinicians have recognized the powerful therapeutic benefits of core stabilization. The extensive exercise repertoire can be modified to fit the needs of nearly any patient from the most de-conditioned to high level athletic training. Pilates is being used to successfully treat many conditions including low back pain, SI joint dysfunction, scapular dyskinesis and more. 

Breast Cancer Post-Surgical Rehabilitation and Exercise (Pink Ribbon Program)

The Pink Ribbon Recovery Program is a Pilates-based exercise program designed to facilitate recovery from breast cancer surgery. These surgeries include lumpectomy, mastectomy, and breast cancer reconstructive surgeries; including TRAM flap, LAT flap, and implant reconstruction. There are four phases to The Pink Ribbon Recovery Program, each two weeks long.  Patients usually participate group exercise classes two to three times per week. Breast Cancer Survivors may use this program in conjunction with, as a follow-up to any prescribed physical therapy, or independent of physical therapy.

Trager Approach/Method

The Trager Approach helps release deep-seated physical and mental patterns and facilitates deep relaxation of muscles and as a result increased mobility of joints. FVPT uses the soft tissue and joint manipulation techniques described in the Trager approach as one of our approaches to neuromuscular education where first pathologically and habitually tense muscles are relaxed (with a variety of methods including Trager techniques), followed by relearning efficient movement patterns and conditioning.

Massage

Massage therapy is a passive (something done to the patient, rather than a therapeutic exercise which is active) modality that can temporarily provide pain relief and reduce muscle spasm. During physical therapy sessions, short, focused massages are sometimes done by our physical therapists and can help enhance therapeutic exercise. Full body massages, or massages of longer duration are not the focus of physical therapy, but rather a private pay wellness service also offered by our clinic. Our licensed, clinical massage therapist will address pain and stress management by using a variety of modalities and techniques carefully applied to the muscular structures and soft tissues of the body.  Each session will be specifically designed to focus on the clients needs and preferences in a relaxing and therapeutic environment.

Prehabilitation (Pre-Operative Rehabilitation/Optimization)

Prehabilitation, or pre-hab for short, is the process of optimizing strength, conditioning, coordination, and range of motion while awaiting orthopedic surgery, medical procedures, or chemotherapy. An exercise program is tailored for the patient so that even those with end-stage arthritis can safely do some form of exercise and be cardiovascularly conditioned before. Research evidence is still developing in this field, initial studies suggests that prehab improves quadriceps strength after knee surgery and hence support of the knee joint post-surgery. Additionally a 2013, a pilot study of prehabilitation for colorectal surgery found that it improved postoperative functional recovery, measured in terms of the walking capacity at 4 weeks and 8 weeks (the time in hospital and post-operative complications were similar).

Transitional Fitness

The FVPT Transition Program is a post-therapy fitness program that provides a continuum of care for patients transitioning from formal therapy to a confident level of independent physical performance. Physical therapy sessions tend to be focused on the injury being treated and highly structured. The transitional program helps clients learn the postural and mindful principles of exercise including core work, endurance training, and strength training working small group sessions and clients can also practice their home exercise program in our fully equipped space with support that will help them progress efficiently, effectively and safely. The goal is to transition to a self driven, whole-body fitness program and promote lifelong healthy habits.