Musculoskeletal injuries are no joke, but then again, neither is the physical therapy team at Kinetix Physical Therapy. Located right here in Gainesville, Kinetix is a special physical therapy (PT) clinic specializing in the manual therapy approach, and they bear a record of great success in the arena of musculoskeletal injuries. These injuries, common in particular to athletes and resistance trainers, can affect skeletal muscles, bones, ligaments, joints and tendons.
The Guide to Greater Gainesville spoke with Dr. Melissa Cere, co-founder of Kinetix and physical therapist extraordinaire, to promote awareness of musculoskeletal issues, how to approach physical therapy and the ways in which PT tends to differ from visits to a general doctor’s office.
GGG: Let’s talk a little about PTs as primary care providers for issues like musculoskeletal pain and injuries. Do patients need a referral from an MD to receive care for these types of issues from a physical therapist?
MC: While requirements vary by state, in Florida, patients do not need a physician referral to be seen by a PT. Physical Therapists can evaluate and treat patients for up to 30 days without a referral. Any time we see a patient without a referral, we always forward our initial evaluation and plan of care to the patient’s primary care physician in order to collaborate on what is best for the patient.
GGG: What are some of the most common musculoskeletal issues you and your staff treat at Kinetix?
MC: Back and neck pain are certainly among the most common, as well as shoulder and knee pain. Most musculoskeletal issues we treat are related to overuse or repetitive strain, but we also see a good number of injuries from sports or recreational activities.
GGG: What services can Kinetix patients expect that differentiate physical therapy from a standard visit to an MD?
MC: Physical therapists are experts in movement, so we will evaluate not just your joint, muscle and soft tissue integrity but look at how those impairments and pain are affecting your ability to move. As musculoskeletal experts, our clinical exam is hands-on to assess how the muscles feel, how the joint is moving and how the soft tissues are reacting to movement. We look not just at the area of pain but nearby joints and how the painful area is affecting the function of the body as a whole.
For example, a patient may present with complaints of knee pain but not realize that the knee pain is affecting how their hip and back are moving while walking or running. Once we can isolate the source of the pain and its contributing factors, we develop a treatment plan to address those areas using hands on manual therapy, specific exercise and activities that improve muscular coordination. We love being able to help patients get out of pain naturally without the need for pain medications, injections or surgery.
GGG: How important is it for injured folks to reach out to a physical therapist for musculoskeletal pain? Do these kinds of things ever fade on their own or is a licensed professional essential for proper recovery?
MC: If it’s a relatively minor injury, start with the RICE treatment (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevate) for 2-3 days. If pain is still present after that point, absolutely reach out to a physical therapist for further evaluation. However, if it’s an injury that is causing enough pain to interfere with their ability to perform normal activities from day one, it’s a good idea to see a Physical Therapist as soon as possible to determine what the extent of the injury is and learn how PT can help with recovery.
At Kinetix, we use musculoskeletal ultrasound to “see” the injured tissues and determine the extent of injury and inflammation present. Our ultrasound findings help to guide our treatment plan and how quickly we progress them in rehab. Research has shown that the sooner patients are able to start in rehab, the better their outcomes and the faster their recovery progresses.
GGG: What, in general, happens when a patient experiences chronic (specifically, years-long) musculoskeletal pain? Can pain that has been around for that long ever truly disappear?
MC: Chronic musculoskeletal pain often stems from poor posture, poor body mechanics, or not properly addressing previous injuries or episodes of pain. Without adequate strength and flexibility, joints will typically endure increased mechanical stress over time, even in response to normal daily activities. Eventually this will lead to the development of pain in the joints or muscles.
At Kinetix, we have helped so many patients stop their cycle of chronic pain through addressing the underlying musculoskeletal causes of their pain and helping them to gain a more positive outlook on their ability to move and function. Sometimes, chronic pain can also be an indicator of an underlying medical issue that has not yet been diagnosed. As physical therapists, we screen for red flags in our initial evaluation, which can point to another systemic cause of pain and refer patients to their primary care physicians when further medical evaluation is needed.
GGG: With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is there any way in which physical therapy can help breast cancer patients and survivors?
MC: Physical therapists are key players during a breast cancer patient’s treatment and recovery process. We see patients post-op and during/after radiation therapy to make sure they are regaining their necessary range of motion and strength for normal activities, even basic activities like dressing and grooming.
Physical therapists also use soft tissue massage to improve skin, muscle and fascia mobility, as these are compromised during surgery and radiation therapy and can further limit shoulder, neck and torso mobility. Cancer-related fatigue is another challenging symptom faced by breast cancer patients and survivors, often further exacerbated during chemotherapy. Regular, low-impact exercise under the guidance of a PT has been shown to decrease the severity of cancer-related fatigue during and after cancer treatment.
By Drew Mortier.