Active Release Technique®
ART® is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splits, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fascitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART®. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles. Throughout the years the world has spread that ART® is an extremely effective soft tissue management system and many individuals, groups, and business entities have come to rely on ART® care. Corporations such as electronics manufacturer Sanmina-SCI have seen a greater than 80% reduction of injuries in the past four years with 81% reduction in workers compensation costs using ART certified practitioners.
Testimonials about ART:
“Professional Football is a tough sport. I prepare for each game using ART. The benefit to me? Just ask the guys I play against.” - Bill Romanowski, Linebacker, Oakland Raiders
“All the doctors said I needed surgery for impingement syndrome in both shoulders. After one treatment, I rebooked all my competitions and trained to be in the best shape of my life.” - Milos Sarcey Mr. Universe, 1989
*Dr. Koh is the only Physical Therapist in Orange County certified in Active Release Techniques®
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Graston Technique®
The Graston Technique® incorporates a patented form of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization that enables clinicians to effectively detect and treat scar tissue and restrictions that effect normal function. The technique separates and breaks down collagen cross-links; splays and stretches connective tissue and muscle fibers. Graston Technique® increases the rate and amount of blood flow to and from the area, and increases cellular activity in the region, including fibroblasts and mast cells.
Who Uses the Graston Technique®:
-Washington Red
-Seattle Supersonics, NBA
-New York Knicks, NBA
-St. Louis Cardinals, MBL
-Colorado Avalanche, NHL
-UCLA
Hear what the experts have to say about the Graston Technique®:
“Graston Technique® is a very effective assessment and treatment modality that I use with great success on athletes in both acute and chronic stages of rehab.”
Pat Karns, MA, ATC
Head Athletic Trainer
Colorado Avalanche
“The GT® instruments are the most valuable rehab/preventive injury tool for treating the elite athletes that I have had access to. It’s truly my best option, even in private practice. I don’t know how I would practice without it.”
Mark S. Pfeil, PT, ATC, CSCS
NBA Trainer of the Year 1999-2000
*Dr. Koh is the only Physical Therapist in Orange County certified in the Graston Technique®
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| Cold Laser Therapy©
While only recently cleared by the FDA for use in the United States, Cold Laser© has been used extensively throughout the world for more than twenty years. Also known as cold laser or phototherapy, Cold Laser© is backed by extensive research with over 500 published studies covering a wide range of conditions. Cold Laser© has been proven effective in the treatment of a number of soft-tissue injuries, pain, and inflammatory conditions. Recently, this exciting technology was cleared by the FDA for the treatment of pain and stiffness associated with arthritis. This is particularly important and timely in light of recent published concerns regarding the safety of traditional arthritis medications. Treatments are fast and easy to apply. With treatment times generally less than 5 minutes, Cold Laser© is a perfect complement to traditional soft-tissue treatments. Preferably, treatments are administered 2-3 times per week for optimal results.
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Russian Kettlebell Training
A kettlebell is a traditional Russian cast iron weight that looks like a cannonball with a handle, making it a versatile tool for well rounded fitness. With their wide range of uses, kettlebells can be used to deliver extreme, all-round fitness and preserve balance, strength, and functionality. Kettlebells can be combined with other exercise modalities to increase functional movements that often involve full body effort. Utilizing full body effort reveals bodily misalignments, weaknesses, and compensations the body uses to ease pain and weaknesses. Kettlebell training proceeds to correct physical limitations the body possesses and results in musculoskeletal pain relief. Fundamentally, kettlebells develop functional strength and full body coordination. The Russian kettlebell replaces other fitness hardware including barbells, dumbbells, belts for weighted pull-ups and dips, thick bars, lever bars, medicine balls, grip devices, and cardio equipment.
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Heavy Rope Training
Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned athlete Heavy Rope Training offers a complete metabolic workout for every fitness level. Used primarily as a tool for fitness, with no stress on the joints, the simple movements of Heavy Rope Training offers an ideal workout for those with rehab needs. Employed in our lab daily, the workouts quickly gained attention for their cardiovascular benefits, quickly elevating ones heart rate to near maximum levels in under a minute. Implemented as an “active rest,” Heavy Rope Training is the perfect addition to an existing workout or circuit. Due to the grip required to perform the exercise, Heavy Rope Training offers a tremendous grip strengthening workout, great for those with an ailment of the wrist including carpel tunnel syndrome and arthritis. Heavy Rope Training was voted the best core and cardio workout for 2009 by Men’s Health Magazine©.
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Kinesio(TM) Taping
Kinesio(TM) taping is 140% the elasticity of human skin. By skillfully applying the tape to specific structures with a particular amount of stretch on the tape different effects can be achieved. Some of these effects include: muscle inhibition, muscle facilitation, increased circulation, increased lymphatic drainage (to reduce swelling), pain relief, functional correction, and increased range of motion.
The effect that there is the most evidence to support is lymphatic drainage. Kinesio(TM) Taping techniques can be used to encourage the reduction of swelling, edema, and bruising. There is also evidence to indicate that it can improve the proprioception in some joints possibly reducing the likelihood of an injury such as an ankle sprain.
Beyond sporting applications Kinesio(TM) taping is used to treat discomfort associated with pregnancy, infant colic and digestive disorders, and TMJ disorders to name a few conditions.
Kinesio Tape is used for anything from headaches to foot problems and everything in between. Examples include: muscular facilitation or inhibition in pediatric patients, carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back strain/pain (subluxations, herniated disc), knee conditions, shoulder conditions, hamstring, groin injury, rotator cuff injury, whiplash, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, patella tracking, pre and post surgical edema, ankle sprains, athletic preventative injury method, and as a support method.
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Sandbag Training
Sandbags have a very rich history, maybe more so than any other training implement. For hundreds of years (possibly thousands) sandbags has been an integral training tool for athletes.
Why? They are an inexpensive tool that is incredibly versatile and can offer the benefits of unstable training with a challenging load. This is a benefit that many of today’s unstable gadgets can not provide. However, the benefits don’t stop there. Greater stabilizer, trunk, and grip strength can be developed with sandbags as well as sport-specific drills, mobility work, and a great conditioning tool.
In the famous book, Dinosaur Training, Brooks Kubik states, “You feel sore as you do because the bags (sandbags) worked your body in ways you could not approach with a barbell alone. You got into the muscle areas you normally don’t work. You worked the “heck” out of the stabilizers.” (Kubik, p. 115)
The non-cooperative nature of sandbags makes using every muscle possible to lift it crucial. More stable and predictable implements can cause the body to find a particular groove. Once this groove is established then one becomes more efficient at performing the lift and the body actually decreases the amount of muscles utilized. This becomes especially true of explosive sandbag lifts such as cleans, throws, snatches, and shouldering. The trunk muscles (including those of the low back and abdominal area) have to work harder to stabilize the body against the awkward load while moving very quickly. This is very unique to sandbag training.
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Myofascial Stretching
How does Myofascial Stretching differ from traditional stretching?
Stretching, in general, can accomplish two things;
-calming down of excessive muscular activity/tone
-lengthening of connective tissue/fascia
Traditional stretching is two-dimensional (although our body, of course, is three-dimensional) and typically involves stretching a muscle over a joint and involves holding the stretch for a brief period of time (15-30 seconds). Traditional stretching addresses the muscle and the elastic tissue, but not the collagenous, firmer component of our connective tissue. Results are therefore partial and temporary. Lots of people have been diligent about regular stretching for years and still feel stiff and prone to injury!
Myofascial Stretching differs from conventional stretching in three primary ways:
Time element: Myofascial Stretches are held continuously for at least 90-120 seconds. This is how long it takes for the fascia to begin to let go. Shorter stretches do not affect the collagenous aspect of the fascia (connective tissue) and therefore lead to only temporary, partial results.
Active elongation: This would for example mean actively extending your arm away from the body and telescoping or reaching your arm as if you’re trying to make it longer, feeling how this lengthens the tissue in a three-dimensional way through your arm.
Stretching and strengthening occur simultaneously. During active elongation of the body, muscle groups opposing the tight fascia contract in a sustained manner. This prolonged isometric contraction of muscles against the resistance of the fascial barrier strengthens them, helping to maintain the elongated state of the tissue you’ve just released.
Oftentimes, pain or stiffness in the body leads to some degree of dissatisfaction with our current state and, without us really noticing it, us working against our bodies in order to correct what we find wrong with it. An example of this would be stretching with the (not always conscious) mindset of trying to force tissue to lengthen. During Myofascial Stretching, you learn to tune into, and work with your body in a safe, effective way.
In conclusion, Myofascial Stretching is a safe and effective self-treatment tool has benefits that reach beyond lengthening of tissue.
Who can benefit?
Anyone! Trauma, habitual activities and postures, inflammation, surgeries etc cause fascial restrictions that over time affect our postural alignment, comfort and health.
Some of the benefits of Myofascial Stretching include:
- sustained and improved benefits of various forms of treatment
- improved athletic performance
- increased ease with yoga postures
- increased body awareness and comfort
- increased flexibility, decreased stiffness
- decreased “wear and tear” on joints
- decreased risk of injury
- more comfortable, restful and restorative sleep
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The Functional Movement Screen
FMS is a ranking and grading system created to document movement patterns that are key to normal function. By performing the Functional Movement Screen you can quickly ascertain potential risk when an individual's movement patterns are limited or altered. These patterns often go undetected in conventional training. You can also use the screen to refine training based screening information. Some professionals look at movement patterns to identify those who may be at risk for an injury as activity levels are increased. Others are interested in performance and consider movement patterns as they develop fitness and performance programs. Here is a system that does BOTH.
The FMS is a simple tool that is comprised of seven tests which categorize and rank functional movement patterns. Theses movement patterns are specific to human growth and development and are extremely important in every day life because they are fundamental to complex activities. This screen attempts to pinpoint a weak area in these movement patterns which will then allow for improved exercise prescription and performance. This can be the first line of defense in injury prevention.
Who uses the Functional Movement Screen
Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Buffalo Bills
Chicago Bears
Chicago Bulls
Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts
Mayo Clinic
Oakland Raiders
United States Government Organizations
United States Military
University of Texas
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At-Home Physical Therapy
For those patients who qualify, our physical therapists can come to the patient's home to provide physical therapy services. They are on as an as needed basis, but we believe in providing a continuity of care. All portable modality machines and exercise equipment will be utilized by the therapists in the patients home until the patient is able to come back to the clinic at a later time.
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