Comprehensive Physical Therapy Services – Twin Cities, Minnesota
At OrthoRehab Specialists, we offer both progressive and proven therapies to help patients restore function, reduce pain, and return to an active life. Our Twin Cities clinics feature specialists in work-related injuries (worker’s compensation), women’s health, and chronic pain management. These areas require clinicians who not only understand the unique physical demands but also listen closely to each patient’s concerns. Below, you’ll find detailed information on each specialized service we provide. Click any service name to learn more, or contact us if you have questions about a condition not listed—we can either treat you directly or refer you to a trusted local expert.
Injury Prevention
Preventing injuries before they occur is a cornerstone of our practice. Our Injury Prevention program includes:
- Comprehensive Movement Screenings: We analyze posture, gait, and functional movement patterns to identify areas of risk.
- Workplace Ergonomics Consultations: Our specialists evaluate your workstation or job site and recommend adjustments to prevent overuse injuries.
- Customized Exercise Programs: We prescribe targeted strengthening, flexibility, and balance routines to correct muscular imbalances and reduce stress on joints.
- Athletic Injury Risk Reduction: For young athletes and weekend warriors, we provide sport-specific drills, plyometric training, and neuromuscular conditioning to optimize performance and minimize reinjury risk.
Functional Testing
Objective data is crucial for tracking progress and ensuring safe return-to-activity. Our Functional Testing services include:
- Movement Pattern Analysis: We use video-assisted assessments to evaluate biomechanics during squatting, lunging, and jumping.
- Muscle Performance Testing: Hands-on and instrumented tests measure strength, endurance, and muscle activation patterns.
- Balance and Proprioception Assessments: We utilize force plates and stability platforms to quantify balance deficits and design targeted interventions.
- Return-to-Work Evaluations: For patients recovering from work-related injuries, we perform job-specific simulations to ensure a safe transition back to labor tasks.
Isokinetic Testing & Strengthening
Our Isokinetic Testing and strengthening services use advanced HUMAC systems:
- Precise Strength Measurements: Isokinetic dynamometry provides objective data on muscle performance at various speeds.
- Rehabilitation Benchmarking: We compare injured versus uninjured limb performance to guide progressions.
- Safe Resistance Training: Isokinetic machines control resistance through the full range of motion, minimizing joint stress.
- Program Customization: Based on test results, we tailor strengthening protocols to restore symmetry and functional capacity.
Sports Medicine Services
Athletes at all levels rely on our sports medicine expertise. Our Sports Medicine services include:
- Return to Sport Protocols: Progressive programs ensure safe reintroduction to cutting, pivoting, and jumping activities.
- Performance Enhancement: We design sport-specific conditioning plans—strength, power, agility, and endurance—to optimize athletic output.
- Running Analysis: Video gait analysis identifies biomechanical inefficiencies. We correct stride patterns and recommend supportive footwear or orthotics.
- Female Athlete Health: Our specialists address issues such as the female athlete triad, menstrual irregularities, and pelvic floor considerations to support optimal performance and injury prevention.
Pilates-Based Rehabilitation
Pilates is an effective method to improve core stability, flexibility, and postural control. Our Pilates services include:
- Reformer Sessions: Using the Pilates reformer machine, we guide you through controlled movements to enhance trunk stability and limb coordination.
- CoreAlign Training: We incorporate the CoreAlign system to develop rotational stability, essential for athletic performance and daily function.
- Pilates Chair Work: This equipment challenges balance and proprioception while strengthening small stabilizer muscles around the hips and shoulders.
- Pilates Cadillac: Ideal for patients recovering from spinal surgeries or chronic low back pain, the Cadillac provides comprehensive support for gentle stretching and strengthening.
Manual Therapy Techniques
Hands-on techniques are a critical component of our rehabilitation strategy. Our Manual Therapy offerings include:
- Soft Tissue Mobilization: We release fascial adhesions and muscle tension to improve blood flow and reduce pain.
- Joint Mobilization: Gentle oscillatory and sustained mobilizations restore arthrokinematic motion in restricted joints.
- Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM): Using specialized tools, we target scar tissue and myofascial restrictions to accelerate tissue healing.
- Cupping Therapy: Vacuum cups create negative pressure to lift superficial fascia and enhance circulation in tight musculature.
- Neurofascial Release: We address fascial restrictions and nerve entrapments through sustained tissue holds and gentle traction techniques.
- Kinesiotape & Leukotape: We apply supportive tape to facilitate lymphatic drainage, reduce swelling, and support muscle contraction without restricting range of motion.
Therapeutic Modalities
When manual and exercise-based interventions are not enough, our Modalities services can provide additional support:
- Therapeutic Laser: Low-level laser therapy accelerates tissue healing by stimulating cellular regeneration and reducing inflammation.
- Ultrasound Therapy: Continuous and pulsed ultrasound promote deep tissue heating and enhance soft tissue extensibility.
- GameReady Cold and Compression: This combination therapy reduces post-operative swelling and pain to facilitate early mobilization.
- Iontophoresis: We deliver anti-inflammatory medication through the skin using a mild electrical current to treat tendonitis and bursitis.
- Traction: Mechanical or manual traction can decompress spinal nerve roots and reduce disc-related pain.
- Electrical Stimulation: NMES and TENS units reduce pain, improve muscle activation, and support neuromuscular re-education.
- Moist Heat Packs: Superficial heating prior to exercise relaxes muscles and increases tissue extensibility.
Orthotics & Bracing
Proper alignment and support can significantly improve function and reduce pain. Our Orthotics & Bracing services include:
- Custom Foot Orthotics: We analyze foot mechanics and gait to design orthotics that correct pronation, supination, and arch collapse.
- Supportive Bracing: From wrist splints to knee braces, we fit and instruct on use to stabilize injured joints and promote safe mobility.
Tracker Laser Therapy
Our Tracker Laser service uses high-intensity laser pulses to:
- Accelerate soft tissue healing in tendons, ligaments, and muscles
- Reduce inflammation through photobiomodulation at the cellular level
- Decrease pain and improve range of motion more quickly than traditional methods alone
Dry Needling with Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS)
Dry needling targets myofascial trigger points to:
- Release Tight Muscle Bands: Fine needles disrupt contractile elements in taut muscle fibers to reduce pain.
- Enhance Local Blood Flow: Microtrauma created by the needle insertion promotes a natural healing response.
- Normalize Neuromuscular Function: We reduce involuntary muscle spasms and restore functional movement patterns.
Learn more about our Dry Needling with IMS offerings.
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training
For patients unable to lift heavy loads—such as post-operative or elderly individuals—our Blood Flow Restriction protocols offer:
- Low-Load Strengthening: We use specialized cuffs to partially restrict venous return, allowing muscle growth with lighter weights.
- Accelerated Hypertrophy: Metabolic stress induced by BFR stimulates muscle protein synthesis more efficiently than traditional resistance alone.
- Enhanced Functional Recovery: Patients regain strength and capacity while minimizing joint stress and pain.
Biofeedback
Our Biofeedback tools help patients:
- Improve Muscle Activation: Surface EMG sensors provide real-time feedback on muscle recruitment during exercises.
- Enhance Motor Control: Visual and auditory cues guide patients to engage target muscles correctly, essential for pelvic floor and core retraining.
- Reduce Overactivity: We teach patients how to relax hypertonic muscles, reducing pain and improving functional movement.
Contact a Twin Cities Physical Therapist
If you’re struggling with pain or decreased mobility, reach out to one of our Twin Cities physical therapists. Call our Minneapolis or Edina clinic today to schedule an appointment with an experienced Minnesota specialist. We treat patients throughout the state and can coordinate care or provide referrals for specialized conditions.