Highlands Ranch Physical Therapy & Wellness

Stretches Commonly Prescribed By Your Denver Physical Therapist For Runners


April 3, 2020

Stretches Commonly Prescribed By Your Denver Physical Therapist For Runners
The act of locating the best Denver physical therapist can be a challenge, as there are seemingly endless numbers of clinics to sift through in order to find the one that fits your needs. Often times, you will be looking for a clinic after a serious accident and perhaps insurance will play a key role. Or perhaps you will have to pay out of pocket and you will be looking for a clinic that not only fills your specific injury needs but will also provide you with affordable services. Unfortunately, physical therapy can often be an expensive service to utilize, as clinics must meet their own financial needs during the course of business. If you enter the offices of a Denver physical therapist for treatment, here are some of the common stretches they may recommend to you if you are a runner.

Core Stretches
Believe it or not, your core is one of the most important parts of your running game. Without a strong core, every other part of your body will be put under more stress, something that can lead to serious injuries and derail your chances of running that marathon you were hoping to compete in. A Denver physical therapist will likely recommend you stretch your core and will offer a series of stretches to help assist in this goal. These can include things such as back bends, hip flexors, upper body presses, lower trunk rotations, and cat backs. 

Lower Body Stretches
Of course, if you’re a runner, the most important part of your body to keep limber, loose, and adequately stretched will be your lower body, as this will be the part that takes on the most stress during running. Flexibility will allow you to decrease the chances of sustaining an injury, as movement-oriented activities are aided by increased mobility and flexibility. Whenever you go for a run, it is important to perform exercises that improve your range of motion and warm up your muscles in the process. Muscles that are cold are resistant to lengthening and will not be as receptive to a stretch as a result. This is why practicing a warm-up exercise prior to stretching and then going on a run can be a major benefit to you.

If you are in need of physical therapy or have questions about what physical therapy consists of, contact Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness today and we will be happy to assist you with your first steps towards recovery. We have an extensive team of qualified physical therapists and specialists who care deeply about their clients and go above and beyond the call of duty to provide the highest quality treatment in the industry. If you are looking for a therapist who will carefully assess your individual needs and formulate a treatment plan that is specifically tailored to your needs, Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness is your preferred choice for the physical recovery process.
 
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Red Flags From Potential Denver Physical Therapy Practices You Should Take Note of


March 25, 2020

Red Flags From Potential Denver Physical Therapy Practices You Should Take Note of
The act of locating the best Denver physical therapist can be a challenge, as there are seemingly endless numbers of clinics to sift through in order to find the one that fits your needs. Often times, you will be looking for a clinic after a serious accident and perhaps insurance will play a key role. Or perhaps you will have to pay out of pocket and you will be looking for a clinic that not only fills your specific injury needs but will also provide you with affordable services. Unfortunately, physical therapy can often be an expensive service to utilize, as clinics must meet their own financial needs during the course of business. If you’re searching for your next Denver physical therapist, here are some of the red flags that can present themselves during your search.

The Physical Therapy Office Seems to Be Extremely Busy

Typically, a business that is extremely busy with loads of clients or customers is a sign that you may want to frequent this establishment and utilize their services. While this might be true for certain businesses, it is not always the case with healthcare or physical therapy practices. This can be a sign that the business is extremely focused on getting as many clients as possible and billing for as many services as possible in the process. While a busy therapy practice can be a sign of its success, it can also mean that it is more focused on making money than it is on serving its client base. Therapy practices that have large client loads will inevitably be unable to provide the best possible service to its clients, making it a difficult practice to work with from a client’s perspective.

You should get a sense for how the physical therapy practice in Denver operates and what type of operation they are running to see if this type of practice will work well for what you need. While a well-oiled machine can allow for extremely high numbers of clients, a physical therapy practice that has too many clients will inevitably provide a lower level of care to the clients who need it the most. You may have your time cut short or get stuck in a room full of other clients performing similar exercises, leaving you to feel on the short end of the stick and not receiving the type of care and attention you may need. 

They Don’t Seem to Listen To Your Feedback

In any recovery process, one of the most important components is the client’s experience and perspective. This can often be overlooked by physical therapy offices who believe they know better than the client in every situation and will make you feel underappreciated. A good physical therapist is an expert in their field but is also able to work side-by-side with their client to develop an effective treatment plan for their client. This also includes listening to what the client needs and responding with respect instead of blatantly ignoring your needs and wishes. Remember, although the physical therapist may have the experience and knowledge, they are still serving you as the client.

If you believe your physical therapist in Denver is not listening to your needs, you should consider leaving the practice and finding a physical therapist who will respect your perspective. A PT who is not taking the time to listen and respond to their clients is someone who is not flexible and not practicing proper bedside manners. It’s important to work with someone who you feel respected by and who is your advocate with every step of the process, as it’s important to achieving your treatment goals. Working with someone who ignores your wishes and doesn’t respond in a timely manner is someone you shouldn’t have to work with.

They Seem to Be Milking You For Excessive Services

Unfortunately, physical therapy practices can often place the importance of their business over your care as a client. This can mean that you are viewed as a means to make money instead of someone who desperately needs recovery exercises as much as possible. You shouldn’t have to feel like you are a cow being milked for all of your potential billable services, no matter how helpful these services might be for you. If you’ve been in an accident and have insurance covering all of the costs for you, many practices will use this situation to recommend every possible treatment under the sun. This can include massage therapy, chiropractic services, and other services that may or may not actually be necessary for your recovery.

A clear indication that your physical therapist is doing this type of practice is they continue to push these services on you after repeated denials on your part. While a physical therapy practice may have plenty of services to offer to its clientele in house, this does not mean you have to take advantage of all of these services or that it is something necessary to your recovery. Consider what is best for you whenever you are weighing the benefits of using these services. But remember: this is your recovery process and you shouldn’t feel like you are simply a means to an end, especially if your physical therapist is someone worth going to see.

If you are in need of physical therapy or have questions about what physical therapy consists of, contact Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness today and we will be happy to assist you with your first steps towards recovery. We have an extensive team of qualified physical therapists and specialists who care deeply about their clients and go above and beyond the call of duty to provide the highest quality treatment in the industry. If you are looking for a therapist who will carefully assess your individual needs and formulate a treatment plan that is specifically tailored to your needs, Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness is your preferred choice for the physical recovery process.

 
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Why You Should Work With A Trusted Denver Physical Therapist During Your Recovery Process


March 18, 2020

Why You Should Work With A Trusted Denver Physical Therapist During Your Recovery Process
The act of locating the best Denver physical therapist can be a challenge, as there are seemingly endless numbers of clinics to sift through in order to find the one that fits your needs. Often times, you will be looking for a clinic after a serious accident and perhaps insurance will play a key role. Or perhaps you will have to pay out of pocket and you will be looking for a clinic that not only fills your specific injury needs but will also provide you with affordable services. Unfortunately, physical therapy can often be an expensive service to utilize, as clinics must meet their own financial needs during the course of business. If you’re searching for your next Denver physical therapist, here are the things you should think about prior to making your decision.

They Can Help You With Your Mobility

Many injuries can cause a person to lose their mobility or have drastically reduced movement, as pain and other constrictions as a result of the injury can make it difficult to move in the same way as you had before. A trusted Denver physical therapist will create a treatment plan that will address these issues and provide you with a list of exercises and therapies to make it more likely that you’ll be able to move easier. You shouldn’t have to feel constricted by your movement when you are recovering from an injury, at least not for excessive periods of time. Of course, you will need to adjust your movements so you do not injure yourself any worse during your recovery process, but you also shouldn’t feel completely paralyzed by this situation.

It’s important to understand that a Denver physical therapist can help you to improve your mobility and your movements as a whole, as this will be a major setback for you as you recover from your injury. You shouldn’t have to stay off of your injury the entire time you are recovering from it as this can actually slow your recovery process. A physical therapist will help you to understand what type of movements and exercises you will be able to perform in a safe manner and will make the process much more bearable for you. They can help to monitor your injury’s progress and continue to give you exercises that will help strengthen the affected area.

Core Strengthening and Improving Your Stability

During the course of your recovery, you will likely have balance and stability issues performing the same actions you did prior to your injury, making it a problem to address as soon as you can. Stability and balance issues can lead to a situation where you are likely to get injured again, if not in the same place then somewhere else, creating a situation that makes it difficult to recover as a whole. You shouldn’t take any chances with this problem and being as proactive as possible can make the situation improve much faster than simply waiting for something to happen.

A physical therapist in Denver can assist you with this process and provide you with core strengthening exercises and stability improvement to increase the chances that you will not be dealing with additional injuries. If you want to think of your body as a house, your core is your foundation, as it is where all of your extremities meet. A weak core is much more susceptible to acute injury and eventually dealing with chronic pain and other conditions that will make your recovery process especially challenging. You should always take into account any type of potential setback before you begin strength-training your core, but a physical therapist in Denver can help assist you with this process. 

Strengthen Your Muscles and Joints

Depending on the type of injury you are dealing with, one of the common things that will happen is your muscles and joints will be significantly affected, creating a situation where you are weak and more prone to injury. One of the most important parts of your range of motion happens to occur in your body’s joints and muscles, areas that will likely be constricted and restrained as a result of a serious injury. Normal activities may be affected, something that you will certainly want to address as soon as possible so you aren’t feeling completely disabled as a result of this situation. A Denver physical therapist will provide you with a series of activities and stretches to help improve your range of motion and to reduce the stress and strain that is likely being put onto your joints and muscles.

It’s important that your joints and muscles are strengthened in order to make the act of moving around a more manageable and safer act, and a physical therapist will work directly with you to ensure this happens in a safe and smooth manner. If you’ve had surgery as a result of your injury, a PT will also help you to rehab this area and provide tools and activities that will accelerate your recovery process. If you’ve had some type of invasive surgery, it is best to think about the ways in which you can improve your physical situation and one of the best methods for doing this is to seek the services of a trusted Denver physical therapist.

If you are in need of physical therapy or have questions about what physical therapy consists of, contact Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness today and we will be happy to assist you with your first steps towards recovery. We have an extensive team of qualified physical therapists and specialists who care deeply about their clients and go above and beyond the call of duty to provide the highest quality treatment in the industry. If you are looking for a therapist who will carefully assess your individual needs and formulate a treatment plan that is specifically tailored to your needs, Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness is your preferred choice for the physical recovery process.

 
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Looking to Hire a New Denver Physical Therapist? Here are the Types of Practitioners You Should Avoid at All Costs


March 11, 2020

Looking to Hire a New Denver Physical Therapist? Here are the Types of Practitioners You Should Avoid at All Costs
The act of locating the best Denver physical therapist can be a challenge, as there are seemingly endless numbers of clinics to sift through in order to find the one that fits your needs. Often times, you will be looking for a clinic after a serious accident and perhaps insurance will play a key role. Or perhaps you will have to pay out of pocket and you will be looking for a clinic that not only fills your specific injury needs but will also provide you with affordable services. Unfortunately, physical therapy can often be an expensive service to utilize, as clinics must meet their own financial needs during the course of business. If you’re searching for your next Denver physical therapist, here are the types of practitioners you should avoid at all costs.

Physical Therapists Who Run Their Practices Like a Machine

In terms of running a successful business, you need to be focused on every detail possible when it comes to your company. Being hyperfocused about every aspect can create a well-oiled machine that is a profitable venture and provides a good experience for customers and clients. But there are times when a physical therapy business can become overly focused on the financial side of things, leaving quality client care to fall to the wayside and create a situation where you feel more like someone who is merely there to make the practitioner a ton of money.

These patient mills will become apparent to anyone paying attention, as the physical therapist will be pushing a number of seemingly irrelevant or unnecessary treatments in the course of your time there. They may begin to refer you to their massage therapy, chiropractor, and other services that you are not necessarily interested in or expressed any desire to participate in, yet they may decide to continue to refer you to these places regardless of what you say to them. It’s important to be aware that you do not need to do anything you are not comfortable with and you should always make it a priority to advocate for what you think is best. 

Physical therapy offices that make it a priority to bill for as many services as possible are often not thinking about their client and are more concerned with their bottom line, which can make you feel like someone who is merely a means to an end. A physical therapist in Denver should never make you feel like a means to make money, even if they are running a business and need to be concerned with their finances. The truth is, your care should always be the top priority for anyone you are working with and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice that in the name of additional services that aren’t relevant to your situation.

Practices that Don’t Accept Your Insurance

One of the most important things you should make a priority during your search for your next Denver physical therapist is to make sure they will accept your insurance. Often, physical therapists will only accept certain types of insurance and will make the act of working with an out-of-network provider a much more expensive process. Most people are not in a position to have the luxury of paying thousands of dollars to see someone out of their care network, making it especially important to work with someone who will accept your certain kind of insurance. Always make sure to check with an office prior to beginning treatment, as it can be stressful to have to start over again with someone else once you learn your insurance is not accepted.

Physical Therapists Who Will Not Communicate Clearly With You

When you’re dealing with a practitioner in any field of medicine, you need to make sure you select someone who is able to communicate clearly and thoroughly throughout your treatment process, as it is important to receive proper guidance and clarity about where you are at in your recovery. Physical therapists in Denver who are not able to return your calls or make you a priority during your recovery will be difficult to fully engage with during treatment, as you will feel neglected and overlooked. You should never work with a physical therapist who will not make communication a priority, as this can be stressful and frustrating to have to deal with.

Instead, you should work with a physical therapist who will adequately and sufficiently explain every step in the process and make you feel at ease about your situation. Dealing with incommunicative physical therapists (or anyone) is a difficult and unfortunate situation that should not be tolerated. You can usually sense of a physical therapist office will be difficult to deal with within your first few times communicating with them. If they have a hard to following up with you or providing essential information necessary to your case, you should probably avoid working with them. If you begin to work with a specific Denver physical therapist and they turn out to be poor communicators, stress to them what your needs are regarding your treatment. If they are unable to meet these needs, you should make the decision to find another practice that will be up to the task.

If you are in need of physical therapy, or have questions about what physical therapy consists of, contact Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness today and we will be happy to assist you with your first steps towards recovery. We have an extensive team of qualified physical therapists and specialists who care deeply about their clients and go above and beyond the call of duty to provide the highest quality treatment in the industry. If you are looking for a therapist who will carefully assess your individual needs and formulate a treatment plan that is specifically tailored to your needs, Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness is your preferred choice for the physical recovery process.
 
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Looking For Your Next Denver Physical Therapist? Here Are Some of the Most Important Qualities to Look for in a Practitioner


February 27, 2020

Looking For Your Next Denver Physical Therapist? Here Are Some of the Most Important Qualities to Look for in a Practitioner
The act of locating the best Denver physical therapist can be a challenge, as there are seemingly endless numbers of clinics to sift through in order to find the one that fits your needs. Often times, you will be looking for a clinic after a serious accident and perhaps insurance will play a key role. Or perhaps you will have to pay out of pocket and you will be looking for a clinic that not only fills your specific injury needs but will also provide you with affordable services. Unfortunately, physical therapy can often be an expensive service to utilize, as clinics must meet their own financial needs during the course of business. Here are some of the things that are important to keep in mind when searching for your next Denver physical therapist.

Someone You Get Along with on a Personal Level

In terms of Denver physical therapists, it is obviously important to select someone with the knowledge and experience needed to accurately diagnose and treat whatever ailment you are dealing with. But once you find someone who is qualified and respected in their field, you also need to take the step of finding someone you will be able to jive with on a personal level. While this may seem like a superficial and trivial part of the puzzle, it is something you shouldn’t underestimate, as they will be spending a large amount of time with you week after week for the next several months (to years). 

If you select someone who is qualified but difficult to get along with, you will very likely be less engaged in your treatment and will be watching the clock on a regular basis, as you won’t be committed to your time with that person. Having someone you get along with is a major component of any therapeutic process, and it is crucial to select someone who will help to motivate you through difficult exercises and stretches. The act of physical therapy can be painful and stressful enough, you shouldn’t have to also feel like the person giving you the exercises is also a difficult person to work with. 

There’s a reason bedside manner is always talked about as an important component of any medical practice, and it is something you should always keep in mind when you are searching for a trusted Denver physical therapist, as you will get a lot more out of your treatment if you find yourself enjoying working with your practitioner. In addition to the process being more enjoyable, you will want to find someone who understands how to motivate you and push you to exert yourself without it feeling overbearing or like you are receiving orders from a military drill instructor. A physical therapist should be your advocate and your partner throughout the process, which is why you should find a Denver physical therapist who can accurately meet with your individual personality needs.

Someone Who Can Adjust Their Practice to Your Specific Situation

More and more, it is becoming clear that health is not a one-size-fits-all equation, as every individual will have different physical and mental limitations that need to be taken into account when developing a treatment plan. This is true with a physical therapist as much as any other form of medicine, as someone who is struggling with a leg injury may also have other conditions that need to be taken into account, whether it be age-related or due to physical limitations. It is vitally important to select a Denver physical therapist who can adjust their practice according to your specific situation.

For instance, you may have a chronic condition that will require a Denver physical therapist to assess your specific needs and decide what is the best course of action in order to make a sound treatment plan. Your age, height, weight, and other medical conditions may determine what type of exercises and activities you should be engaged in, as there are some conditions that can make certain activities a health risk to participate in. You shouldn’t have to guess your way to health and you certainly shouldn’t work with a physical therapist who will be doing the same.

Work With Someone Who Can Help Set Your Goals and Meet Them

The best Denver physical therapist is someone who will work with you to help you meet your intended goals and targets. These will inevitably be dramatically different depending on what your goals are and where you are at in the recovery process. For instance, someone who is a high-performance athlete will have dramatically different targets for recovery with a leg injury than an average person who doesn’t have to get back to a high level of exercise. 

For the average person, a recovery may simply mean just getting to walk without pain or engage in regular exercises again without excessive discomfort. It is important to stress this to a potential physical therapist prior to beginning treatment and to be as specific as possible with your goals so you are able to give them an accurate picture of yourself. It’s important to always make these things apparent to your physical therapist so they are able to help you reach your intended goals. 

If you are in need of physical therapy, or have questions about what physical therapy consists of, contact Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness today and we will be happy to assist you with your first steps towards recovery. We have an extensive team of qualified physical therapists and specialists who care deeply about their clients and go above and beyond the call of duty to provide the highest quality treatment in the industry. If you are looking for a therapist who will carefully assess your individual needs and formulate a treatment plan that is specifically tailored to your needs, Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness is your preferred choice for the physical recovery process.
 
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