Prana Physical Therapy provides result-oriented, evidence-based healthcare and movement therapy reimbursed by most insurance companies. Physical therapy services are provided in private 25 or 55 minute sessions. Since every client is unique, no two clients receive the same exact treatment. Each client is thoroughly evaluated and then a treatment plan and goals are determined using the patient’s input.
Orthopedic Physical Therapy
Orthopedic patients are treated utilizing a combination of the following treatment techniques:
- Manual Therapy to include Manual Trigger Point Therapy, Trigger Point Dry Needling (see below for more information), Spine and Joint Mobilization, Soft Tissue Mobilization, Therapeutic Massage, Thai Massage, Neural Tissue Mobilization, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), Therapeutic Taping Techniques, Active Isolated Stretching (AIS)
- Therapeutic Exercise to include postural training, functional exercise, home exercise programs, bodyweight training, sport-specific exercise and stretching programs, Yoga and Pilates-based exercise, Total Joint Replacement exercise programs
- Patient Education to include teaching in proper posture and body mechanics, self stretching techniques, symptom management techniques, energy conservation training, home and workplace modifications, and healthy lifestyle choices
Paleo Diet & Lifestyle Consultations
Via Face to Face, Skype, or phone appointments Ann offers Diet & Lifestyle Consultations for the management of autoimmune diseases, weight issues, and chronic pain/inflammation through nutrition, lifestyle, and exercise techniques.
- $150.00 – 60 min. Paleo Diet and Lifestyle Consultation
- $120.00 – 60 min. Paleo Diet and Lifestyle follow up
- $75.00 – 30 min. follow up
- $100.00/month – weekly email support added on to Consultation
Wellness and Prevention Programs
Have you been discharged from formal Physical Therapy and are not sure where to begin in the gym independently? Are you dealing with a chronic health condition, but have used your maximum number of Physical Therapy visits for the year? Are you a new Mom looking to ease back into your pre-baby exercise routine? Are you a Senior who has reached your Medicare Cap for the year and don’t qualify for further Physical Therapy? Do you have an Autoimmune Illness such as R.A., Lupus, Hashimoto’s Disease, Scleroderma, Fibromyalgia, or Type 1 Diabetes? Then our Wellness and Prevention program is for you! Via Face to Face, Skype or phone consultation, Ann will take a thorough health history and design a program to help you reach your health and wellness goals. Options include bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, Kettlebells, Pilates Mat, Reformer and Chair, weightlifting, and more.
- $175 – 60 minute consultation
- $125 – 60 minute one-on-one follow-up
- $80 – 30 minute one-on-one follow-up
Trigger Point Dry Needling
Trigger Point Dry Needling is an effective physical therapy modality used in conjunction with other interventions in the treatment of orthopedic injuries with a component of myofascial pain and dysfunction.
- What is dry needling? A physical therapist with specialized post-graduate training uses Trigger Point Dry Needling as part of their treatment protocol with appropriate patients. In the State of Virginia, a physical therapist utilizes Trigger Point Dry Needling when specified by the patient’s physician in their physical therapy order. A solid filament needle is inserted into the skin and muscle directly at a myofascial trigger point. A trigger point consists of multiple contraction knots, which are related to the production and maintenance of the pain cycle. When inserting the needle into the muscle, it is essential to elicit twitch responses, which are spinal cord reflexes. The twitch response is both diagnostic and therapeutic, as it is the first step in breaking the pain cycle.
- Is dry needling acupuncture? No, Trigger Point Dry Needling is based on Western medical research and principles, whereas acupuncture is based on Eastern Chinese Medicine. The main similarity is that the same sterile, disposable solid filament needles are used. Licensed physical therapists in a number of states can use Trigger Point Dry Needling under the scope of their practice. Ann is one of a handful of physical therapists who has met Virginia’s stringent regulations to practice dry needling as part of their physical therapy treatment of patients. Ann is not a licensed acupuncturist and does not practice acupuncture.
- What kind of education/training have you participated in to learn dry needling? Ann is a Certified Athletic Trainer (A.T.,C.) and licensed physical therapist (P.T.) She is a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist (C.M.T.P.T.) through Myopain Seminars, the leading international certification program in dry needling available to physical therapists. Ann completed 107 hours of continuing education in Myofascial Trigger Point Dry Needling and successfully passed both a practical and written theory examination to become certified to perform this modality. The State of Virginia only requires 54 hours of training to perform this modality, so Ann has almost double the required hours of training, along with a certification.
- What types of problems can be treated with dry needling? Many different musculoskeletal problems can be treated with dry needling. These include, but are not limited to neck, back and shoulder pain, arm pain (tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, golfer’s elbow), headache to include migraine and tension type headache, jaw pain, and buttock and leg pain (sciatica, hamstring strains, groin strains, Achilles tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis).
- Does needling hurt? Most patients do not feel the insertion of the needle. The local twitch response elicits a very brief (less than a second) painful response. Some patients describe this as an electric shock or as a cramping sensation. Again, the therapeutic response occurs with the elicitation of the local twitch response, and that is a good and desirable reaction.
- What can I expect after treatment? Many patients report being sore after the treatment in both the area treated and the area of referred symptoms. Typically this soreness lasts between a few hours and two days. Soreness may be alleviated by applying ice or heat to the area, and performing specific stretches for the treated muscle.
