Did they actually perform the therapy that that was billed?
A lot of names for physical therapy are
tossed around.
Many have more than one
definition within the main category.
To
add to the confusion there are often just letters that represent the
service.
I have assembled a few of the
most common ones that are found in occupational therapy, physical therapy and
chiropractic therapy notes.
Manual Therapy:
- Hands on movement of
joints and surrounding tissues by therapist to enhance the healing process
by decreasing pain and increasing motion
- Joint Mobilization
(JM): Techniques to increase joint
range of motion. Restores normal
joint movement and circulation to the joint.
- Myofascial release
(MFR): A “hands-on” treatment used
to simultaneously assess and relax restricted soft tissues.
- Soft-Tissue Massage
(STM): Directed at trigger points,
scars and muscle adhesions. To
improve blood flow, mobility and length of tissue.
Exercise:
- Passive Range of Motion
(PROM): A “hands-on” technique by a
therapist to help increase a joint’s range of motion.
- Flexibility
Exercises: Exercise used to decease
muscle tightness, improve soft-tissue and muscle length and increase range
of motion
- Strengthening
Exercises: Use of resistance to
increase muscle strength, tone and bulk.
Free weights or weight machines may be used.
- Manual Resistive
Exercises: Therapist applies
resistance against patient’s effort through the range of motion to
increase strength.
- Isokinetic Exercises: A form of strengthening exercises using
variable resistance at a fixed speed of movement. Can also be used as a testing
procedure. Various brands of
equipment include Cybex, Kin-Com, Biodex and Lido.
- Home Exercise Program
(HEP): Instruction in specific
individualized exercise or functional activities to enhance improvements
made in therapy. Revised on an
on-going basis as the patient progresses.
- Therapeutic
Activities: Activities or exercises
designed to improve functional performance through simulation of
functional movements, i.e. stair climbing.
- Neuromuscular
Re-Education: Exercises to improve
balance, coordination, stabilization, posture and proprioception to correct
movement patterns.
- Gait Training: Instruction in use of devices such as
crutches or cane, or correction of gait pattern. Selection and fitting of assistive
device may be included.
Modalities:
- Physical agents used to
reduce swelling, pain and to prepare tissues for therapeutic exercises
- Biofeedback (EMG,
BFB): A device used to identify
muscular activity and assess muscle imbalances. Treatment may be designed to enhance or
relax specific muscle groups. Often used for pain control.
- Cold Pack and Ice Massage
(CP): Also referred to as
“Cryotherapy”. Used to decrease
pain, spasm, and swelling.
- Hot Packs or Moist Heat
(HP or MH): Packs of moist heat
used to promote healing and relaxation and decrease pain.
- Electric Stimulation: Electrical Muscle Stimulation
(EMS): An electrical device, which
uses different frequencies of electronic current to treat a variety of
conditions. Indicated for swelling,
pain, muscle spasms, nerve injury and re-educating weak muscles.
- Transcutaneous Electrical
Nerve Stimulation (TENS): Nerve
stimulation device that helps to relieve acute or chronic pain.
- Microcurrent Electrical
Nerve Simulation (MENS): Technique
which uses very low levels of current to stimulate cellular growth and
repair at the injury site.
- Interferential (IFC): Another form of electrical stimulation
used to decrease pain or swelling.
- Ultrasound (US): Deep penetrating heat generated by sound
waves. Used to decrease swelling
and muscle spasm. Usually feel a
minimal warmth since ultrasound reaches up to two inches below the skins
surface.
- Phonophoresis: Medicine, in a paste or gel, transferred
by low levels of electrical current into tissue surrounding an injury site.
- Traction: Often used for disorders of the neck and
back. A mechanical pull of soft
tissue and joints to decrease pressure, relieve pain and guard muscles.
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