Services & Treatments

Neck and Back Pain Relief

At HealthQuest, we're known for our successful treatment of spinal injuries. Treatments for neck and back pain go far beyond heat and ice packs. We start with hands-on care to establish correct posture and body mechanics and we combine that with education, exercise and modalities as needed. Our treatments work with, not against, the natural functions of your body to relieve pain and promote healing from many neck and back injuries and conditions, including:

• Bulging or herniated discs
• Degenerative disc and joint diseases
• Whiplash and spine injuries
• Scoliosis
• Sprains and strains, muscle spasms, stiffness and postural pain
• Sciatica and pinched nerves
• Postsurgical care for vertebral fusion, disc repair and other spine procedures

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At HealthQuest, our physical therapists understand how frustrating it is when an injury keeps you from the activities you love. We can help you heal and get back to your game, as well as show you how to minimize your chance of re-injury. Our team of highly trained therapists understands the biomechanics of the human body and the unusual forces involved in sports injuries. And they know how to overcome them with therapy programs custom-designed to:

• Alleviate pain
• Correct biomechanical imbalances
• Increase strength
• Improve range of motion
• Include sport-specific training
• Build endurance
• Restore function

We'll also teach you how to prevent injuries with controlled movement and proper conditioning of the specific body parts involved in your sport, particularly those that may be at increased risk.

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Work Injury Rehabilitation

When you've suffered an on-the-job injury, your doctor can make a general assessment about your readiness to return to work. At HealthQuest, your recovery is in the hands of an experienced team of physical therapists who will:

• Thoroughly evaluate your condition
• Design a customized return-to-work program to increase your strength, mobility and endurance
• Minimize your chance for re-injury on the job
• Work in close partnership with your doctor every step of the way

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Joint Replacement Care & Classes

If you are scheduled for total joint replacement surgery, HealthQuest offers classes to answer questions you might have regarding what to expect after surgery. One of our therapists will discuss how to prepare for surgery, as well as the role of physical therapy in your recovery. He or she will explain in detail:

• Home exercises you should do before and after surgery
• Assistive devices such as walkers, canes or crutches used in your rehabilitation
• How you can practice daily tasks
• How to go up and down stairs
• How to make adaptations to avoid pain and injury

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Custom Orthotic Fabrication

HealthQuest is pleased to offer custom orthotic fabrication. If your feet hurt constantly or you have knee, hip or back pain, you might benefit from a foot orthotic.

Orthotics are shoe inserts that are used to correct an irregular walking pattern. They make standing, walking, and running more comfortable and efficient by altering slightly the angles at which the foot strikes a walking or running surface.

Custom orthotics are made specifically to meet your individual needs. Your therapist will conduct a biomechanical evaluation that includes detailed measurements of your feet and lower body then make a plaster mold of your feet. Along with the biomechanical evaluation, the mold is then sent to an orthotics lab to be made. The lab corrects the misalignments with compensation and stabilization techniques. The finished orthotic is then put into the patient's shoe and assists in keeping the foot properly aligned.

Please visit our patient education library to learn more about orthotics.

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Vestibular Therapy for Balance Disorders

Located in the inner ear, the vestibular system helps us detect changes in head movement or body position to maintain balance. Problems within the vestibular system are characterized by episodes of dizziness, spinning, light headedness, trouble focusing or reading, or loss of balance. Common vestibular diagnoses include:

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) - A condition in which free floating calcium particles move into the semicircular canals, causing vertigo or spinning with changes in head position.
• Vestibular Labrynthitis or Neuritis - A virus affecting the inner ear. Symptoms may include dizziness, loss of hearing, and loss of balance.
• Disuse Equilibrium and Fear of Falling - After episodes of dizziness, normal movement feels awkward and loss of balance increases the risk of falling. Muscles and joints become stiff, and even walking becomes difficult.
• Motion Sickness - Certain motions cause a sensation of spinning, lightheadedness, or nausea. The eyes, head, and body become out of sync and everyday motions like turning the head to drive become problematic.
• Central Vertigo - A condition caused by damage to the central nervous system from a stroke or head injury that affects the vestibular system. Symptoms include dizziness or loss of balance.

The vestibular therapy program at HealthQuest is designed to help eliminate or reduce the symptoms caused by balance disorders. It is provided by a specially trained licensed physical therapist who will evaluate you to determine:

• Positions or movements that may cause dizziness
• Balance deficits that may interfere with your ability to perform daily activities such as dressing, bathing, walking, driving or shopping
• Visual function as it relates to eye-head coordination required for reading, driving, or walking

Your vestibular therapy program may include:

• Special maneuvers to help you reduce or end symptoms of dizziness
• Balance training
• Compensatory techniques you can use to decrease symptoms of dizziness and imbalance while performing daily activities
• Home exercises to improve function and independence
• Eye reflex exercises
• Strengthening exercises
• Manual therapy to address neck problems

Please visit our patient education library to learn more about vertigo and vestibular rehabilitation.

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Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction

If you have temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, simple tasks such as eating, talking and even sleeping can be painful and can take a heavy toll on your quality of life. Headaches, earaches, neck pain and jaw dysfunction including joint pain, joint noise and abnormal deviations with opening and closing are common symptoms associated with TMJ dysfunction.

Physical therapy is a safe and effective way to treat TMJ. Through the use of modalities, behavior modification, postural awareness, manual techniques, exercises and when necessary, orthopedic appliances, our therapists can help relieve your TMJ pain and restore function for normal daily activities.

Our physical therapists will evaluate your situation and develop an individualized treatment plan, including education, treatment, exercises and self management strategies. Plus, we maintain close communication with your dentist or medical doctor to ensure an optimal outcome.

At HealthQuest in Oakland County and Macomb County, Michigan, every physical therapist treating patients with TMJ dysfunction has been specifically trained in this specialty area. You won't find this level of expertise in most physical therapy clinics. We want the best when it comes to your care, and we know you do too!

Please visit our patient education library to learn more about TMJ disorder.

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Women's Health

HealthQuest Physical Therapy and Medical Fitness is proud to offer our Women's Health physical therapy program designed to address the special and unique needs of women. Women of all ages may experience challenging conditions that alter their normal bodily functions, such as incontinence and pregnancy. Incontinence and certain pregnancy-related problems can be successfully treated with physical therapy.

Incontinence

When women experience a lack of bowel and/or bladder control, this is called incontinence. Incontinence may be caused by weakness of the pelvic floor muscles that form a hammock around the vagina, rectum, and urethra (tube from bladder).

Women may also experience pelvic or abdominal pain that may be closely related to dysfunction in the muscles, joints or nerves. At HealthQuest, one of our female physical therapists will conduct a thorough evaluation and create an effective and personalized treatment plan. Our goal is to restore normal function, provide pain relief, and ultimately help to improve the quality of your life.

Pregnancy

Throughout pregnancy, a woman's body experiences a number of physiologic and physical changes. Changes in hormones and weight affect your ligaments and joints, while the growing baby will change your posture and stretch your pre-natal pelvic and abdominal muscles, challenging them in the post-partum months.

That's why physical therapy can help you cope with and minimize the common complaints during pregnancy and after delivery, including:

• Backache
• Stiff joints
• Neurological problems
• Diastasis of the rectus muscle (separation of the abdominal muscles)
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Incontinence due to pelvic floor weakness
• Pelvic pain
• Decreased function

Both during your pregnancy and after, our therapists will perform a thorough evaluation and personalize your treatment program to meet your body's changing needs. We will treat your pre-natal and post-partum conditions with a variety of hands-on techniques, modalities, and patient education. Most importantly, we will prepare your body for labor and delivery and help you recover quickly.

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Post-Operative Rehabilitation

HealthQuest Physical Therapy builds and enhances each patient's skills for living after surgery. Post-operative physical therapy is important in preventing and reducing stiffness, swelling, pain, and limited motion. Manual therapy and rehabilitation exercises can help increase strength, endurance, motion, balance, and coordination so that you can perform your favorite activities as independently as possible. Our physical therapists focus on the functional goals that are important to you.

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Balance & Gait Training

Balance and walking problems can result from orthopedic conditions, neurological disorders, or injuries that involve the joints, muscles, and nerves. At HealthQuest, our therapists realize how important balance and walking is for independent living, as well as for leisure or work activities.

Gait training focuses on strength, endurance, motion, balance, and coordination for safe walking, transferring from one surface to another, and the prevention of falls. Our physical therapists provide intensive 1:1 physical therapy to help you achieve the greatest independence possible. If you need the assistance of a cane or walker, our therapists will match you with the appropriate device and provide training for safety.

Please visit our patient education library to learn more about gait training.

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Manual Traction

Manual traction is a treatment for neck and back pain that uses manual forces to stretch and mobilize the spine. Traction may alleviate neck and back pain by stretching tight spinal muscles that result from spasm and widening the space between the vertebrae to relieve nerve root impingement.

Prior to treatment, your HealthQuest therapist will carefully evaluate your condition to determine the type of traction to be utilized, the force or weight of the distraction (pull), and the duration of treatment. How traction is applied depends on factors such as your injury or disorder, the spinal level to be treated (cervical, thoracic, or lumbar), your physical condition, and your tolerance level for traction. Traction may be applied as a continuous force or intermittently.

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Physical Therapy for Active Seniors

Aging is a normal process. Some age-related physical changes can be misunderstood and unnecessarily limit one's daily activities. Normal aging need not result in pain or decreasing physical mobility. Physical therapy can prevent lifelong disability and restore the highest level of function. At HealthQuest Physical Therapy and Medical Fitness, our physical therapists can:

• Reduce pain
• Increase, restore or maintain range of motion, physical strength, flexibility, coordination, balance and endurance
• Teach positioning and walking skills to promote maximum function and independence
• Increase overall fitness through exercise programs
• Prevent further decline in functional abilities through education, energy conservation techniques, joint protection and use of assistive devices to promote independence
• Improve sensation and joint proprioception
• Recommend adaptations to make the home more accessible and safe

Many age-related conditions are treated effectively by physical therapy and covered by Medicare:

• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Cerebral vascular accident (stroke)
• Lymphedema
• Parkinson's disease
• Cardiac and pulmonary diseases
• Coordination and balance disorders
• Functional limitations
• Sports and orthopedic injuries
• Joint replacements
• Hip fractures

We are here to make sure your needs and expectations are exceeded, your pain is reduced and your ability to perform at or close to your peak is restored quickly.

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