Orthopaedics
Orthopaedics is the medical specialty dedicated to preserving and restoring function in the musculoskeletal system, which includes bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves.
Orthopaedic physical therapy is the delivery of care for individuals with disorders or dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system.
PT Central is the home of the majority of APTA board certified Orthopaedic Certified Specialists in Oklahoma. Let one of our highly skilled orthopaedic physical therapists help you today.
Who benefits from Orthopaedic Physical Therapy at PT Central?
Orthopaedic physical therapy is used to treat both non-surgical and post-surgical patients with the following conditions:
- Arthritis
- Muscle weakness and imbalance
- Spinal and other joint alignment dysfunction
- Post-operative or inflammatory swelling
- Post-fractures
- Joint and muscle pain
- Tendonitis and bursitis
What conditions can be managed by Orthopaedic Physical Therapy?
Orthopedic physical therapists are skilled in the diagnosis, management, and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders. They are experts in the assessment of movement and movement dysfunctions.
The following health conditions are often managed by the skilled orthopedic physical therapists at PT Central:
- Low back and neck pain (Degenerative Disc Disease, Stenosis)
- Rotator cuff injuries and other shoulder pathologies
- Hip Pain, Labral Pathology
- SI Joint Dysfunctions
- Osteoarthritis/Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Plantar fasciitis, Heel pain
- Post-operative rehabilitation from orthopedic surgical procedures
- Muscle strains, Trigger Points
- Headaches, Jaw Pain
- Joint sprains/pain/swelling, including knee and ankle injuries
- Chronic pain, Fibromyalgia
- Tennis/golfer’s elbow
- Carpal and Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
What does it mean to be Board Certified in Orthopaedics, or an OCS?
At Physical Therapy Central, many of our therapists are APTA board certified Orthopaedic Certified Specialists. In fact, PT Central employs over half of the state’s 88 registered Board Certified Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapists – more than any other practice in the state of Oklahoma. Our physical therapists are in the top 1% of the nation’s physical therapists in terms of post-graduate education and skill set.
To be a Board Certified Physical Therapist through the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), a physical therapist has taken on an additional 2 years of post-grad curriculum to become the expert in the field of orthopedics.
The advanced clinical knowledge and skill set that comes with a Board Certification allows physical therapists to better treat the patients in their specialty and keeps them up-to-date with cutting edge research and technology. The OCS certification focuses on evidence-based practice, orthopedic injury examination, treatment, and medical interventions. Only 3.9% of therapists in the United States are Orthopaedic Clinical Specialists. We also specialize in manual physical therapy, which is an integral component of orthopaedic care.
In order to become Board Certified, PTs must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements to sit for the specialist certification examinations:
- Current licensure to practice physical therapy in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands; and
- Evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of direct patient care in the specialty area, 25% of which must have occurred within the last 3 years.
Additional specific requirements are required by each specialty area. PTs must pass the specialist certification examination and be recognized by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties to use the designator. The certification is effective for 10 years.
To learn more about the process, check out this video by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists (ABPTS):