As explained in our last blog, Functional Range Release (FRR) is an advanced system used to address impairments from the nervous system by treating soft tissue and increasing each patient’s range of motion in the process. Our physical therapist Aaron used FRR techniques on a patient named Donald, who was suffering from some serious issues after an injury, and the results were impressive.
Donald injured himself after falling down some stairs on a cruise about a year ago. In the process, he experienced a mild fracture of one of his wrist bones (radius), as well as multiple contusions in the area and severe pain in his elbow. After some time, the fractures and contusions both healed, but his severe elbow pain continued for a while and made it difficult for him to perform many normal daily activities like carrying his groceries. It was at this point that Donald decided to come in for physical therapy.
After conducting a complete evaluation, Aaron determined that Donald had a condition called lateral epicondylitis, more commonly known as tennis elbow. Aaron realized that Donald had significant dysfunctions like limited mobility of his torso, tight pectoral muscles and weak shoulder muscles, all of which were likely due to his elbow. Donald also had severe strength loss and shortening of his elbow and wrist muscles.
Based on this diagnosis, Aaron prescribed a home-exercise program designed to address Donald’s dysfunctions. He also used a series of FRR techniques to resolve restrictions in his elbow and wrist muscles that were responsible for his difficulty in performing daily activities. Finally, Aaron also prescribed some progressive isometric exercises to rebuild strength on a tendon in the wrist in a pain-free manner.
Donald committed himself to this program for eight weeks, and the exercises he performed continued to progress in intensity throughout this process. By the end of the eight weeks, Donald was able to complete wrist and elbow exercises at full capacity and did not experience any pain while doing so. Above all else, Donald was able to perform the activities of his daily routine without any pain, which allowed him to get through the day without any obstacles.
Donald’s story underlines the importance of mechanotherapy in rehabilitation, and shows why it’s an important component of treatment to focus on. That’s why we employ techniques like FRR at Dynamic Sports Physical Therapy in New York City, so that we can provide the best possible treatments to help you improve. If you’ve recently experienced an injury or suffer from long-lasting pain, find out how we can help you. Call us at 212-317-8303 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
