Physical therapy is used to rehabilitate all parts of the body for a broad range of reasons. Whether you’ve suffered an injury or an illness that has left part or most of your body immobile, physical therapy can usually help to get you moving again. There are many different tools and forms of equipment used in the field that assist with things like back alignment, building muscle strength, range of motion, and more.
If you’re about to start physical therapy and want to know more, or are just curious about the field, read on to learn about some of the physical therapy equipment that is used.
Chiropractic Adjustment Tools
These tools are hand held and are used to make adjustments to the spine with precision. They are adjustable so that the correct amount of force needed can be applied. They give a greater level of control than working with one’s hands and are generally designed with ergonomic grips and handles.
Assessment Tools
There is a broad range of assessment tools used in physical therapy. There are manual muscle testing devices that are handheld and can help to judge a person’s overall strength. This is great for people who are trying to build muscle back up and get greater strength in their limbs, because it allows them and their therapist to track their progress in numbers. Similarly, computerized range of motion testing equipment helps track range of motion in numbers. Even if the patient feels like they aren’t moving further than before, there is a chance they could be make progress and this equipment helps to show that.
Physical Therapy Equipment
There is also the equipment where the actual therapy takes place. This includes things as small as hand exercisers that are shaped like an egg and squeezed to build grip strength, and items as large as a set of parallel bars to help patients walk. It all depends on what part of the body needs the therapy. There is equipment for different muscle groups, such as quadricep boards that can be adjusted to change intensity of a leg workout.
Physical therapists use all kinds of different equipment to work any part of the body that needs it. Their broad range of tools helps them to give expert care and get people moving again.