Physical Therapy

What does a Physical Therapist do?

Physical therapists evaluate and treat patients who have medical problems or injuries that limit their abilities to move or function in their daily lives. Patients will typically come to a physical therapist after being referred by their primary care doctor. Physical therapists work with people who have experienced an injury, disease, or underwent a surgery that has affected their movements, range of motion, or activity tolerance.

Is it getting more difficult to go outside to walk your dog because you have fallen or are afraid of falling? Are aches and pains making going up and down stairs at home difficult? Physical therapy at LVDHC will take into account each persons needs and desired goals during the initial patient exam, then create a customized recovery plan, to get you back to where you need to be. Physical Therapy often focuses on treatments that reduce the need for surgery and prescriptive drugs. A physical therapist uses a combination of education, exercise, stretching, hands-on techniques and equipment to restore function or relieve pain.

Physical therapists work collaboratively with physical therapy assistants, educators, social workers, nurses, doctors, chiropractors, and surgeons to treat people of all ages from infants to the elderly.

Physical Therapy Before and After Surgery

Surgery can affect strength, mobility, balance, flexibility, and confidence with everyday movement. Physical therapy before and after surgery can help patients prepare for the recovery process, understand movement goals, and rebuild function at an appropriate pace.

At LVDHC, your physical therapist will consider your procedure, current abilities, movement limitations, provider recommendations, and daily routines when building a customized rehabilitation plan.

Pre-Surgery Physical Therapy

Pre-surgery physical therapy, sometimes called prehab, focuses on helping you become as strong, mobile, and prepared as possible before a planned procedure. Your plan may include gentle strengthening, flexibility work, balance and mobility exercises, education on body mechanics, and home exercises you can practice before surgery.

This may be helpful for patients preparing for orthopedic procedures or for those managing pain, weakness, stiffness, or movement limitations before a procedure recommended by their medical provider.

Post-Surgery Physical Therapy and Rehab After Surgery

Post-surgery physical therapy helps guide recovery after your surgeon or medical provider clears you to begin rehabilitation. Your therapist may work with you on range of motion, gradual strengthening, walking or balance, safe transfers, stair practice, and everyday tasks such as getting in and out of a chair or returning to work, home, or recreational activities.

The goal of rehab after surgery is to support healing, improve function, reduce stiffness, and help you regain confidence while following your post-operative precautions.

What Your Customized Rehabilitation Plan May Include

Every patient's rehabilitation plan is different. Depending on your goals and stage of recovery, your LVDHC physical therapy plan may include therapeutic exercise, hands-on physical therapy, manual therapy, stretching, mobility improvement, strengthening, balance training, pain management strategies, and a home exercise program.

When appropriate, your physical therapist may also coordinate with your broader care team so your plan supports your overall health, recovery, and return to daily activities.

Dry Needling as Part of a Comprehensive Physical Therapy Plan

At LVDHC, dry needling may be incorporated into a personalized physical therapy program to help support pain relief, improved mobility and recovery from muscle-related conditions. This treatment approach targets tight or irritated muscle tissue that may contribute to discomfort, stiffness or movement limitations.

When combined with physical therapy, corrective exercise and hands-on rehabilitation techniques, dry needling can help patients move more comfortably and return to daily activities with greater confidence.

Physical Therapy Before and After Surgery

Surgery can affect strength, mobility, balance, flexibility, and confidence with everyday movement. Physical therapy before and after surgery can help patients prepare for the recovery process, understand movement goals, and rebuild function at an appropriate pace.

At LVDHC, your physical therapist will consider your procedure, current abilities, movement limitations, provider recommendations, and daily routines when building a customized rehabilitation plan.

Pre-Surgery Physical Therapy

Pre-surgery physical therapy, sometimes called prehab, focuses on helping you become as strong, mobile, and prepared as possible before a planned procedure. Your plan may include gentle strengthening, flexibility work, balance and mobility exercises, education on body mechanics, and home exercises you can practice before surgery.

This may be helpful for patients preparing for orthopedic procedures or for those managing pain, weakness, stiffness, or movement limitations before a procedure recommended by their medical provider.

Post-Surgery Physical Therapy and Rehab After Surgery

Post-surgery physical therapy helps guide recovery after your surgeon or medical provider clears you to begin rehabilitation. Your therapist may work with you on range of motion, gradual strengthening, walking or balance, safe transfers, stair practice, and everyday tasks such as getting in and out of a chair or returning to work, home, or recreational activities.

The goal of rehab after surgery is to support healing, improve function, reduce stiffness, and help you regain confidence while following your post-operative precautions.

What Your Customized Rehabilitation Plan May Include

Every patient’s rehabilitation plan is different. Depending on your goals and stage of recovery, your LVDHC physical therapy plan may include therapeutic exercise, hands-on physical therapy, manual therapy, stretching, mobility improvement, strengthening, balance training, pain management strategies, and a home exercise program.

When appropriate, your physical therapist may also coordinate with your broader care team so your plan supports your overall health, recovery, and return to daily activities.

How Dry Needling Works Alongside Physical Therapy

Dry needling uses thin, sterile needles placed into specific areas of tight or dysfunctional muscle tissue, often referred to as trigger points. The goal is to help reduce muscle tension, improve circulation and support more natural muscle function and movement.

As part of a physical therapy program, dry needling may help relieve discomfort, improve range of motion and support recovery from injuries or overuse conditions. At LVDHC, this treatment is integrated with movement-based rehabilitation strategies to help patients achieve safer, longer-lasting results.

Conditions That May Benefit From Dry Needling Therapy

Dry needling is often used alongside physical therapy treatments to help address a variety of musculoskeletal concerns, including:

• Neck and low back pain
• Muscle tension and trigger points
• Sports and overuse injuries
• Shoulder discomfort and rotator cuff-related pain
• Knee pain and mobility restrictions
• Tension headaches and migraines
• Plantar fasciitis
• Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow

Each treatment plan at LVDHC is customized to the patient’s individual needs, goals and level of activity to support safe, effective and long-term recovery.

Personalized physical therapy can help you move better, recover stronger, and return to the activities that matter most. Call or email our team to get started.

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