The main objectives of physical therapy are to promote body strength, function and mobility and prevent future physical injury. This is achieved through the physical therapy itself as well as through teaching patients safe exercising and movement techniques to avoid potential injury and protect joints. There are many types that include orthopedic, geriatric, rehabilitation, pediatric, pulmonary, cardiac and neurological.

One of the general needs of include tables. The types of tables needed in a physical therapy office are usually much different than the standard exam tables often found in other physicians’ offices. There are many types of therapy tables designed for many varied purposes depending on the needs of your particular clientèle. You may find it beneficial to have general all-purpose tables within the office. However, often there are particular needs that are not met with standard tables, and you will need much more specialized tables for your particular patients.

Take special note of the main focus of your office to assess the your patients’ needs. This will greatly aid in the decision of the tables needed for your office, and help you make the appropriate decision. For example, is the therapy mainly performed in your office in need of stationary tables or would adjustable tables be more beneficial? Do your physical therapists travel or perform home heath visits? If so, you may need to invest in special portable tables.

Often you may have many patients with mobility issues, especially if working with orthopedic, geriatric or intense rehabilitation patients. If this is the case, you’ll do best to look into the wide variety of tables designed for those with these particular medical issues that accommodate wheelchairs and other common mobility devices. Depending on the types of therapy performed within your practice, you may need flat tables, positioning tables, mat tables, tilt top tables, inversion tables or specialized hydraulic tables.

Once you’ve determined your patients needs depending on your main clientèle and are highly familiar with the types of therapy performed within your office, it will become quite evident the best types of tables to suit your needs. Often you may find that you need many different types of tables within the same office to handle the wide variety of physical therapy performed in your facility. This is quite common in less specialized practices that perform many different functions to the many different types of patients they may see in their office.

If you are looking to purchase physical therapy tables, be sure to spend plenty of time becoming fully informed of the types of therapy being performed at your facility. This is especially important if you are not a physical therapist yourself. You’ll want to spend plenty of time consulting with and observing the professionals within your facility to get a well-rounded idea of their daily needs to best treat the patients on a daily basis. You can also contact other similar offices for their input. The more time you spend evaluating your patients needs and the treatments used for their types of therapy, the more beneficial your table choices will be both financially and medically.

There are many types of specially designed physical therapy equipment ranging from devices to aid in activities of daily living (ADL) to exercise equipment that can include anything from treatment tables and arm splints to treadmills and weights. The equipment needs for any physical therapy office can vary greatly depending on the type of physical therapy that is the main focus of your practice. Each different type of patient or client has individual needs depending on the reason physical therapy is needed.

Physical therapy in general is a type of practiced medicine that involves highly specialized exercises designed to improve the quality of movement and strength for those with illnesses or injuries and is also designed to prevent future injuries or health problems. Physical therapy may include such varied activities as stretching limbs, weight lifting, walking exercises or water aerobics. Physical therapy can also include what is known as manual therapy. This is when the physical therapist will perform twisting, pushing or pulling of body parts to improve function, strength and mobility for those that need this type of therapy.

The best way to determine what type of physical therapy equipment you may need is to have a thorough knowledge of the types of physical therapy being performed in your office. If you mainly work with geriatric patients for example, many of the needs of your patients will focus on mobility issues and increasing daily function as well as aiding those with the many physical and mental disabilities associated with aging. Common devices used can include walkers, canes, crutches, lifts and transfer boards as well as other equipment patients can use at home to promote self sufficiency.

Orthopedic physical therapy often also focuses on mobility issues and will include some types of similar equipment as well. Other equipment often used for orthopedic patients include the additional use of collars, splints and braces. Rehabilitation physical therapy for those with severe injuries and physically disabling illnesses may need specially designed treatment tables, mattresses, wedges and scales. Other types of physical therapy that need specialized equipment include pediatric physical therapy and therapy to aid function in those with cardiac and pulmonary diseases and disorders.

First determine the type of patients that are the main focus of your facility. Then list all the types of physical therapy that are commonly (and perhaps even not so commonly) needed for your particular clientele. Once you have determined this, you can then go through each type of therapy you will be using in your office to meet your patients’ needs and take inventory of all equipment needed for each particular type of physical therapy.

If you are the manager or owner of the office or facility, you may not know enough about the specifics of the therapy performed to determine your needs on your own. It will be highly beneficial to consult with the physical therapists within your office. You will need to spend time speaking with them to get their personal feedback on the specific physical therapy equipment needs of the patients coming to your practice. It is also best to spend time observing the types of therapy they perform on a daily basis and how each is performed. This will give you a much better idea of what is needed within the office to adequately meet your needs.

As children, there was nothing more fun than playing with that favorite ball. Unfortunately, we eventually grow out of it and it finds its place in ball heaven to never be played with again. However, the end of childhood doesn’t mean that a good old inflatable ball can’t have a permanent place in our lives. In fact, there are inflatable balls that are made for adults to have fun with. And that would be the exercise ball.

1. Squats: Hold the ball between your lower back and the wall. Slowly bend at your knees and hips in order to achieve a sitting position. Make sure the ball stays between you and the wall. Return to the standing position and repeat this between 8 and 15 times to strengthen the legs and hips.

2. Birddogs: You want to get on all fours like a dog with the exercise ball under your stomach. You are now going to extend an arm and a leg that are opposite from each other off of the floor at the same time and keep the ball balanced beneath you. Repeat this o 8 times for each side to strengthen arms and legs

3. Subpine Bridges: Have your hands on your hips while sitting on the ball and start walking. The ball should roll out until it gets to your head and your shoulders, then walk back to go back to the sitting position. Repeat this 8 to 15 times to strengthen the thighs and buttocks.

4. Pushups: Put the exercise ball underneath your stomach and have your palms flat on the floor. Walk out with your hands until the ball is somewhere between your hips and your ankles. Now bend your elbows to do pushups. Repeat this 8 to 10 times to work the upper arms

5. Abdominal tucks: Being in the same position as with pushups except with the ball under the knees, tuck the knees to make the ball roll toward the ankles and then return to the beginning position. Repeat 8 to 15 times.

6. Hamstring curls: This one requires you to lie on your back. With your palms flat on the floor, the ball should be under your hills. From here you will slightly bend your knees while lifting our hips to bring the ball toward your buttocks. Repeat 8 times.

7. Crunches: Crunches benefit the abdomen and the mid-back should be against the ball with feet shoulder-width apart flat on the floor. Your hands should also be behind your head and repeat 8 to 10 times.

8. Walk-outs: Walk back and forth with the ball under your belly, walking out with your hands until the ball reaches your ankles. Repeat 6 to 8 times for abs and upper arms.

9. Balance: Sit on the ball with hands on hips and spine straight and lift one foot at a time. Repeat with each leg 8 times to balance your core.

10. T, Y, I: This exercise has you placing the ball between the hips and thighs while keeping the knees bent and the toes down and moving the arms into a T position, a Y position, and then an I. Repeat this 4 times to strengthen abdominals and shoulders.

These fun exercises are a great way for you to get in shape.

What Equipment is Used for Different Types of Therapy in Children?

There are many reasons as to why children may need physical therapy. It could be because they have cerebral palsy and they need physical therapy to help them move their bodies easier or perhaps they broke a leg, or they may have weak muscles somewhere in their body. Even those with brain injuries may need to see a physical therapist since the brain has a lot to do with the functioning of muscles and knowing how to do things such as sit, walk, and roll.

There are a number of different conditions and injuries that require physical therapy in children. There is even one such condition called Jumper’s knee that becomes a problem for a lot of children and adolescents. If the child complains of tenderness and pain around the bottom of the kneecap, then this might be the problem. Kids who are involved in sports tend to have this problem during growth spurts. A physical therapist may use heat and ice as well as ultrasound to gain control over the pain and any inflammation. The physical therapist also works on strengthening the knee and creating a balance through exercises such as posture exercises.

However, children are always severely spraining ankles, breaking legs, arms, hands, and feet. They may pull something somewhere or tear a muscle during physical activity. All of these incidents call for some kind of physical therapy whether short-term or long-term. Physical therapy is important in children who have injured a part of their body because an injury can actually stunt growth, so it is important to make sure proper growth is inhibited by creating proper alignments and balances within the body.

Equipment

There are different types of equipment that may be used with children who are going through physical therapy. An example is a safety belt that prevents the child from falling down or stumbling when they are learning how to walk. Crutches may also be used and the child and parents will be instructed on how to use them when the child encounters such obstacles as stairs. Children may also be required to wear a safety belt while learning how to walk on crutches so they do not injure themselves further.

Other types of equipment include:

• Walkers made just for children that help them learn to walk.

• Toys such as balls, swings, benches, and slides. Toys are an important tool because it encourages the child to work their muscles through fun.

• Ultrasound devices that are used in controlling pain and inflammation.

• Therapy balls are kind of like exercise balls, but they are made in smaller sizes for children

• Therapy rolls are like long noodle type objects that the child can lean on, roll on, and simply have fun with.

• Steps, incline mats, and hurdles can create a great physical environment for a child because these objects encourage them to climb and jump.

Many of the different types of physical therapy equipment that is used promotes physical activity in some way. Then there are others types of equipment that is used in reducing pain and inflammation and helps restore a balance within the injured area. There seems to be a little something for every situation for every single age, whether it be devices to help a child walk or to rehabilitate a muscle that has been torn. With sports becoming so intense nowadays, sports injuries are very prevalent and a physical therapist is required for the healing process. Then again, children are born with conditions that physical therapy can provide relief for. That is why it is important that the proper equipment be available to help these children.