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Physical Therapy

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If you have pain or physical limitations after illness or injury, or want to prevent injury, physical therapy can help. Count on the specialists at Sentara for personalized care to help you heal and feel better.

Physical Therapy: Why Choose Sentara?

We offer physical therapy programs tailored to your unique needs. Program highlights include:

  • Expert providers: Our physical therapists have years of training and take certification exams to prove their knowledge. Team members have passed the National Physical Therapy Examination Board through the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Meet our experts.
  • Leading-edge therapies: We use the most advanced therapy techniques to promote your recovery and prevent injury. We provide a wide variety of specialty therapies to meet your unique needs. Our therapists complete hours of additional training each year to further their knowledge and skills.
  • Convenient locations: We offer physical therapy at our Sentara Therapy Centers throughout Virginia and eastern North Carolina. Count on us for prompt service, including same-day and next-day appointments.

Physical Therapy Treatments and Services

Our therapists help you manage pain, recover after injury and maintain physical strength. We offer:

Amputee rehabilitation

Our physical therapists provide a comprehensive rehab program after amputation. We help you:

  • Build strength
  • Care for your prosthesis (artificial limb)
  • Improve mobility

Diabetes fitness program

Our physical therapy experts create personalized exercise programs to help you manage diabetes and lower the risk of complications. We help you:

  • Control body weight
  • Increase insulin sensitivity (reduce insulin resistance)
  • Lower glucose levels
  • Reduce blood pressure

Exercise can also help you control cholesterol and reduce stress and anxiety. Ask your doctor if our diabetes fitness program is right for you.

Dry needling

We offer dry needling to release trigger points (knots) in muscles that make moving painful. Therapists insert thin, flexible needles into the skin and muscle at the trigger point to loosen tissue and reduce pain.

Joint protection training

Some conditions and injuries cause pain, swelling or weakness in the joints. Our therapists teach you how to protect your joints as you go about your daily activities. We help you:

  • Build muscle strength
  • Change how you work or move to avoid putting stress on the joint
  • Plan rest periods throughout your day
  • Use supportive devices like braces or splints to strengthen the joint

Kinesio taping®

Using specialized techniques, therapists apply Kinesio tape, special adhesive tape that mimics skin, to support soft tissue without limiting movement. This taping technique helps to:

  • Decrease swelling
  • Enhance muscle function
  • Reduce pain

Orthotics

Specialists analyze your gait (how you walk) to recommend custom devices or braces to support and strengthen your muscles and bones. We also recommend off-the-shelf options that you can buy in a store or online.

Pain management

Our specialists help reduce pain using various therapy treatments. We offer Swedish, deep tissue and sports massage therapy to improve range of motion and reduce muscle soreness.

We use the McKenzie Method® for spine injury and back pain rehabilitation. Therapists teach you specific movements and positions to ease pain and help with mobility.

Personalized workouts

We design a treatment plan to help you meet your goals. Our therapists create specific exercises to overcome your movement limitations and build strength, flexibility and endurance.

Physical Therapy for pulmonary patients

Our pulmonary therapy team teaches you breathing techniques, exercises and stress management in one-on-one or group settings. We’ll monitor your blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels to track your health as you complete the program.

Working with us, you’ll gain: 

  • Improved strength to complete everyday and fun activities
  • A sense of security from breathing more easily
  • Confidence in managing stress

To get started, please talk with your physician, internist or pulmonologist.

Soft tissue mobilization

We use manual physical therapy to move soft tissues (nerves, muscles, tendons and ligaments) in the body. In soft tissue mobilization, our therapists knead, push and pull tissues in specific ways.

This therapy improves range of motion, decreases pain and breaks down adhesions (scar-like areas that form after tissue injury). Soft tissue mobilization also helps treat swelling (lymphedema). Learn more about lymphedema therapy.

Conditions We Treat With Physical Therapy

We use physical therapy for musculoskeletal injuries and other conditions that limit motion and cause pain. We treat:

  • Back pain
  • Bone and muscle injuries and conditions
  • Headaches
  • Lymphedema

We offer neurological rehabilitation after stroke or traumatic brain injury, or for conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. We also offer cancer rehabilitation after cancer treatment and orthopedic rehabilitation before and after surgery.

Benefits of Physical Therapy

Physical therapy improves the way your body moves and functions. Rehabilitation therapy can help you:

  • Correct imbalances in strength
  • Manage chronic health conditions
  • Reduce pain and soreness

Request an Appointment

Learn more about physical therapy at Sentara Therapy Centers. Visit our locations.

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