If you’re an adult who works hard to stay active, it can be discouraging to be experiencing pain. Whether it’s due to a sports injury, overuse, or another condition, pain can be hard to deal with. However, there are several supportive recovery therapies you can use to help reduce pain and keep you active. At Thompson Healthcare & Sports Medicine in New Jersey, we provide multidisciplinary treatments, including myofascial release, NormaTec, and more. Here, we explore what supportive therapies do and how they can help you recover.
Key Takeaways
- Supportive therapies are techniques used in conjunction with rehabilitation plans, helping to provide faster healing, reduced pain, and other benefits.
- Supportive therapies offered at Thompson Healthcare & Sports Medicine include NormaTec compression therapy, Active Release Techniques, Rapid Release Technology, and more.
- Athletes, weekend warriors, and active older adults all may benefit from supportive therapies.
- Supportive therapies work best alongside other structured treatments, such as physical therapy, chiropractic care, and sports rehabilitation.
What Are Supportive Therapies Designed to Do?
Supportive therapies are those used alongside other methodologies, such as physical therapy (PT) or chiropractic care, generally as a part of injury rehabilitation. Goals of supportive recovery therapies include:
- Speed up recovery
- Improve circulation
- Reduce pain
- Support tissue repair
- Enhanced movement quality
- Improve overall well-being
What Are Examples of Supportive Therapies Active Adults May Encounter?
At Thompson Healthcare & Sports Medicine, we take a multidisciplinary approach to care, which means we often combine different treatments and therapies to help patients get the best results. While a patient may originally come to us for PT or spinal adjustments, we also offer several supportive therapies that are used in conjunction with those treatments. Options we offer include:
- NormaTec Compression Therapy: This therapy uses pulse technology and compression sleeves for the arms and legs to mobilize fluid and speed up recovery. It is ideal for patients with circulation issues and those recovering from surgery or trauma.
- Rapid Release Technology: This therapy uses vibrational waves to treat soft tissues. It can help break up scar tissue and release myofascial trigger points, making it ideal for patients with sports injuries, back pain, trapped nerves, knee conditions, overuse injuries, and more.
- Active Release Techniques (ART): This therapy, often used with chiropractic care, is ideal for patients with muscular movement imbalances. It uses hands-on, movement-based soft tissue therapy to treat issues with the muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves.
- Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology (EPAT): This therapy uses shockwave technology that boosts circulation in inflamed areas to stimulate the healing process. It treats musculoskeletal conditions, including plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, and patellofemoral pain.
Although these tools can be used on their own, they’re often best utilized as a complement to other rehabilitation plans, such as sports rehab, post-surgery rehab, and injury rehab. This means they’re often used alongside physical or occupational therapy, chiropractic care, and more. As a stand-alone treatment, supportive therapies may not provide the relief patients need.
Who Might Benefit from Supportive Therapies?
Supportive therapies are beneficial for many different types of people, but especially those who engage in a lot of physical activity and movement. They include:
- Athletes: These individuals play hard and often, frequently resulting in overuse injuries that can be effectively treated with supportive therapies, such as EPAT and ART, along with other rehab exercises.
- Weekend warriors: Going from a sedentary weekday job to an active weekend filled with sports or tough exercises can put a lot of wear and tear on the body. These individuals often benefit from supportive therapies like NormaTec and Rapid Release Technology to help them recover.
- Active older adults: Being active is ideal for older adults, but it can also aggravate existing conditions like arthritis or lead to injuries. Supportive therapies help these individuals recover and heal so they can continue an active lifestyle without pain.
While these people often reap advantages from supportive therapies, it’s important to have a realistic outlook. Supportive therapies often won’t heal injuries on their own, but when combined with rehabilitation programs, they can help provide effective pain relief and faster healing.
Find Supportive Therapies Near You in New Jersey
If you’re interested in supportive therapies to help you recover faster, get in touch with Thompson Healthcare & Sports Medicine. We provide a wide range of services and treatments, from physical therapy to chiropractic care to supportive therapies like Active Release Technology. To schedule an appointment at one of our 10 locations throughout Ocean and Monmouth counties in New Jersey, contact us today.
Supportive Therapies FAQ
Can supportive therapies help with soreness, stiffness, or circulation?
Yes, supportive therapies are ideal for reducing pain and stiffness and increasing circulation.
Are these supportive therapies a substitute for physical therapy or medical care?
Not typically. These therapies are best used in conjunction with physical therapy, rehabilitation, and medical care to provide the best results.
What can I expect at my first visit to Thompson Healthcare & Sports Medicine?
When you come for your first visit, you’ll get a tour of our entire facility and learn about all the treatments and services offered, even if you’re just starting with one service. You’ll also provide your insurance card and other information and meet the nurse practitioner.
What is NormaTec compression therapy used for?
NormaTec compression therapy uses pulse technology and compression sleeves for the arms and legs to help mobilize fluid and speed up recovery. It may be helpful for active adults, athletes, and patients with circulation concerns related to disease, surgery, radiation treatment, or trauma.
What does Active Release Techniques treat?
Active Release Techniques, or ART, is used to treat issues involving muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. ART is typically used with chiropractic care to help diagnose and treat muscular movement imbalances.
How does EPAT support the healing process?
Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology (EPAT) uses shockwave technology to increase blood circulation in inflamed areas, which helps stimulate the healing process. It is commonly used for musculoskeletal conditions such as plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, and patellofemoral pain.
