There’s No Better Time Than Spring to Feel Better!
by Annette Pinder
“Injuries have the potential to sideline people for weeks, months or permanently. Injury to the body can occur when participating in organized sports, fitness regimens, following an accident, or simple wear and tear on the body. Recovering from incidents that impact mobility and range of motion takes time, but physical therapy can help the body heal and acclimate, and is also great for healthy people,” says Darlene Volmy, DPT, of who leads the Physical Therapy Department at the Community Health Center of Buffalo (CHCB)
According to the American Physical Therapy Association, a physical therapist is a trained and licensed medical professional who has the experience to diagnose physical abnormalities, restore physical function and mobility, maintain that function, and promote proper form for future activity. Physical therapy sessions can take place in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, fitness settings, and private practices.
Not only can physical therapists react to and treat an injury, but they can also teach exercises, stretches, and techniques to help prevent problems in the first place. However, physical therapy extends beyond disabled or injured people. Physical therapists also help people to regain their mobility following surgery. They can educate people on weaknesses in the body and help with guiding and correcting poor body mechanics that cause pain. This way a person can make changes to prevent future pain and injury. “Rather than being reactionary, healthy individuals can take a proactive approach to avoiding pain and injury,” says Volmy.
Knowing the important role of physical therapy in treating their patients, CHCB, in 2018, invested in the construction of a comprehensive physical therapy department at their Benwood Avenue location. The department provides services to patients of all ages, including children, adults, pregnant women, the elderly, and those who are physically disabled.
With the primary goal of providing compassionate care and restoring life quality, patients are offered a full spectrum of services, including a physical therapy assessment, physical therapy, massage therapy, manual techniques for joint and spinal mobilization, weight loss and fitness training, and evaluations for functional work capacity.
Volmy explains that CHCB sees patients who suffer from a range of conditions and require physical therapy for arthritis and osteoarthritis; bursitis; chronic and acute pain; difficulty in moving their arms, legs, or neck; difficulty walking; joint stiffness; low back pain and sciatica; those recuperating from major joint replacements and musculoskeletal injuries; muscle pain and spasms; neuropathy (nerve pain, numbness, tingling); post-operative surgical recovery; sprains and strains; vestibular dysfunction (dizziness and balance issues); and muscle weakness.
The most important aspect of CHCB’s comprehensive physical therapy services is what Volmy calls empathetic treatment and expertise. “We are a talented team whose approach to treatment is evidence-based and patient centered, with a strong emphasis on therapeutic exercise, postural core stability, functional manual therapy, and movement.”
The Community Health Center of Buffalo has locations in Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Lockport, and Niagara Falls. To learn more about the new state-of-the-art comprehensive Physical Therapy Department located at 34 Benwood Avenue in Buffalo, visit www.chcb.net, or call 716-986-9199.
