Services

Orthopedics

The assessment and treatment of injuries, conditions and disorders of the skeletal system and the joints, muscles and ligaments associated with it is a primary focus of Advanced Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation, providers of physical therapy in Merced, CA.

We combine science and the skills acquired through extensive training and three decades of acquired experience to help our patients reduce pain and begin healing of such orthopedic conditions as:

• Sports injuries
• Home, workplace and motor vehicle injuries
• Back, neck, shoulder, knee and ankle pain
• Joint pain
• Repetitive strain injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis.

Our approach is to conduct a thorough assessment covering strength, range of motion, postural, mobility and gait analysis in order to prepare a customized treatment plan.

As improvements are experienced, the treatment plan evolves with each phase of progress.

Sports Injuries

Advanced Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation is dedicated to guiding our athletic community throughout recovery from sports injuries requiring rehabilitation.

Our patient list includes, among others:

• Part-time athletes, young or mature
• Competitive/Olympic athletes
• Professional athletes

Owner and founder Robert T. Walsh, a registered physical therapist, is an avid fitness enthusiast with previous participation experience in competitive sports such as collegiate football and bicycle racing and triathlons.

We are dedicated to help athletes at all level to actualize their health and well-being.

We offer a detailed understanding of sports injuries and the necessities related to recovery in order to maximize participation.

We are certified to provide Selection Functional Movement Assessments (SFMAs), a movement-based diagnostic system designed to clinically assess seven fundamental movement patterns in those with known musculoskeletal pain.

Core and Spinal Care

Our treatment of patients with core and spinal care issues is focused on reducing pain and therapeutic strengthening to avoid surgery and the overuse of pain medications.

We are practitioners of The Mckenzie MethodR of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy, an extensive assessment, treatment, education and empowerment program for patients with back, neck, core and spine disorders.

Most musculoskeletal pain is said to be “mechanical” in the sense that even normal movements and postures prompt pain. In the same sense, certain other movements and postures can often ease that pain and restore function. That is the essence of the theory developed by New Zealand physiotherapist Robin Mckenzie.

For our patients, this means that we can help you to:

• Promote your body’s potential to heal itself without medication or surgery
• Address your desire to develop self-treatment skills.
• Rehabilitate from painful core and spin conditions in a cost-effective and time-effective manner.

We are experienced in rehabilitation of patients with spinal fusion rehabilitation, back strain train and herniated disc.

Manual Therapy

Manual therapy is a method physical therapists use to treat musculoskeletal pain. It involves kneading and manipulating muscles as well as joint mobilization or joint manipulation.

It provides patients with a variety of different benefits:

• Modulates pain
• Reduces soft tissue inflammation
• Improves mobility in areas where movement is restricted
• Improves contractile and non-contractile tissue repair
• Effectively treats soft tissue injuries and painful joint structures.

Manual therapy, coupled with education, and prescribed therapeutic exercise allows patients to regain their strength faster and work as partners in their rehabilitation at home between clinic visits.

Post-Surgical Care

Physical therapy is well known to minimize effects of surgery and help patients restore their normal level of movement, function and flexibility.

We offer post-surgical care programs for patients after:

• Total joint replacements
• Ligament or tendon reconstruction or repair
• Low back and cervical surgeries
• Knee, hip, foot, ankle, wrist and elbow surgeries

We are licensed and expert in providing post-surgical care and will work with your surgeon and physician as a team to determine the most effective treatment plan for you.

Our goal is to restore your normal level of activity as quickly as possible without recurring problems.

Therapeutic Exercise

To enable our patients to be partners in their own recovery and reach their rehabilitation goals faster, we prescribe therapeutic exercises that can be done at home between visits to our clinic

These exercises are custom designed to meet specific needs in each patient and help build endurance, resistance and flexibility.

The rehabilitation benefits that can be accomplished with therapeutic exercise are:

• Improves circulation, accelerates healing
• Improves functional capacity
• Helps to build muscle strength
• Releases contracted muscles, tendons and fascia
• Reduces stiffness
• Improves coordination and respiratory capacity
• Improves balance.

Sports Conditioning

We develop individual corrective sports treatments adjusted to each level of athletic skill, from recreational to competitive to elite athletes to prepare them for the rigors of their specific sport.

Besides being sports specific, our conditioning is age specific to ensure that we help each person increase strength, power, agility and speed according to their personal goals and capabilities.

Sports conditioning programs can start with a Functional Movement ScreenR. It is a tool that helps us to:

• Identify asymmetries or limitations in movement patterns.
• Identify areas that need further attention to reduce risk of future injury.
• Develop a customized program to suit specific needs.
• Ensure that you find safe ways to increase strength, power, speed and agility.

Workplace Injuries

We will work with an injured worker’s physician and Workers’ Compensation representative as a team to help you heal and rehabilitate after workplace injuries and return to work as quickly as possible.

At the same time we will assess the physical skills required to complete your duties and ensure that you do not risk re-injury during the healing process.

We also provide work conditioning programs to provide a graduated and safe return to the workplace.

Motor Vehicle Injuries

We are experienced in helping patients recover from whiplash and musculoskeletal injuries associated with motor vehicle accidents.

We team with your physician and insurance providers and other health professionals to ensure a safe approach is taken to your care and recovery.

We will assess your injuries and make a detailed, written report for your insurance provider and customize your program of care.

Myofascial Release

Our focus on ensuring each patient receives customized care is enhanced with our use of Myofascial Release as a component of your physical therapy plan, when indicated.

(FASCIA: A network of dense, fibrous membrane that envelopes muscles, tendon and the skeleton.)

It is a safe, hands-on technique that requires the physical therapist to apply gentle sustained pressure into the Myofascial connective tissue restrictions. The result is the elimination of pain and restoration of motion.

The therapy is applied directly to the involved region. This enables the physical therapist to correctly detect the fascia restrictions and apply the appropriate direction and amount of sustained pressure to facilitate the release of the fascia.

Postural Analysis

The human body is designed to move with a minimal amount of stress and strain, but over time, either injuries, habits or abnormalities can cause us to move asymmetrically or off-balanced which, if not corrected, will produce problems.

Postural analysis helps the physical therapist determine how a patient is positioning his or her body and limbs as they move. It helps the therapist detect certain issues and abnormalities and develop a treatment plan to help the patient move more effectively to prevent injury or recurring conditions.

Problems that can be detected through a postural analysis include, among others:

• Equipment or furniture contributions
• Joint, tendon, ligament or muscle stress
• Restricted range of motion
• Recurring pain
• Organ dysfunction

Movement and Gait Analysis

Achieving your optimal performance while weight-bearing can be enhanced through gait assessment. It is a valuable means of determining if your body’s pattern of movement is causing other problems to develop, or limiting your stride.

If running or walking gait is off, it will compromise your ability to walk and run with efficiency and can lead to recurring injuries.

A thorough gait assessment can identify the source of your movement issues and can help us determine a solution of your weight-bearing pain or problems.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ, TMD)

Problems can occur with the temporomandibular joint, which is the joint that connects your jaw (mandible) to the temporal bones of your skull. These bones are situated in front of each ear.

TMJ can occur from a variety of causes such as:

• Whiplash or head trauma from an accident
• Constrant stress that prompts a person to tightly clench their teeth and tighten their facial muscles
• Grinding teeth, (bruxism) or clenching that can also occur during sleep
• Problems with how the teeth match while chewing
• Problem of the disc between the ball and socket of the joint

Physical therapy is effective in the identification, treatment and prevention of further TMJ disorders. Bob Walsh has certification in TMJ Management which allows him to be better equipped to determine which of the many potential causes of TMJ is causing the problem and to engage in an effective therapy program to manage it.

Balance Training

Dizziness and balance issues can seriously impact a patient’s quality of life, making it difficult for them to conduct the normal issues of daily life and fostering fear at going out alone.

Signs of balance issues include:

• Frequent falls, inability to walk in a steady fashion
• Difficulty negotiating an uneven walking surface
• Imbalance
• Problems ascending or descending steps or stairs

We are experienced in providing balance training and therapy to avoid compounding the difficulties created by balance issues.

Selective Functional Movement Assessment

This is a movement based diagnostic system designed to clinically assess seven functional movement patterns in patients with known musculoskeletal pain.

This systematic process allows physical therapists to clearly match their intervention to the main problem of the patient.

Functional Movement System Training

Functional Movement System Training Certification is a credential that provides a physical therapist with a standardized approach to assessing fundamental movement, identifying limitations and asymmetries, and developing individualized corrective exercise programs.

The philosophy of the FMS is founded on the idea that in order to achieve maximum performance, the whole body must be functioning properly.

The FMS is applicable to any population in fitness or sports conditioning. Its standardization streamlines assessments makes recommending exercises more efficient.

McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy

The McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy is an internationally acclaimed method of assessment and treatment for spinal and extremity pain developed by New Zealand physiotherapist Robin McKenzie.

Physical therapists like Bob Walsh holding this certification are trained to assess and diagnose all areas of the musculoskeletal system.

McConnell’s Patellofemoral Treatment

McConnell Taping is a treatment technique used by physical therapists to treat Patellofemoral knee pain.

Developed in 1984 by physical therapist Jenny McConnell, it is a therapy used to keep the knee in proper alignment and reduce pain symptoms while developing essential muscles in the upper leg.

It works by shifting the patella to correct alignment and prevent the patella from rubbing repeatedly on the femur. The tape can be worn by patients as they exercise.