physical therapy

At Nashville's "High Five" camp, 12-year-old Priceless Garinger (center), whose right side has been weakened by cerebral palsy, wears a full-length, bright pink cast on her left arm — though that arm's strong and healthy. By using her weaker right arm a

Health & Safety

At 'High Five' Camp, Struggling With A Disability Is The Point

11:35am August 10, 2019

by Blake Farmer

A day camp in Nashville uses "constraint-induced therapy" to help kids who have physical weakness on one side — often because of a stroke or cerebral palsy — gain strength and independence.

Queue Listen Now

Patients in the study had "significantly lower out-of-pocket costs — on the average, $500 — when they visited a physical therapist first," says Bianca Frogner, a health economist at the University of Washington.

Trying Physical Therapy First For Low Back Pain May Curb Use Of Opioids

9:52pm May 23, 2018

by Patti Neighmond

A study of patients with low back pain finds that those who got physical therapy first needed fewer pricey scans and surgeries and had "significantly lower out-of-pocket costs" for treatment overall.

Queue Listen Now

Leon Beers, a retired railroad engineer who lives near Sacramento, Calif., has a form of Parkinson's disease. His live-in caregiver, Timothy Wehe, helps him get outside using a walker.

Lifting Medicare's Annual Limits On Physical Therapy Helps Ease Patients' Pain

5:01pm March 13, 2018

by Susan Jaffe

Last month's congressional budget deal included some benefits for Medicare recipients that may reduce their drug expenses and increase the coverage for certain therapies.

New research finds that a yoga class designed specifically for back pain can be as effective as physical therapy in relieving pain. The yoga protocol includes gentle poses and avoids more difficult ones.

Study Finds Yoga Can Help Back Pain, But Keep It Gentle, With These Poses

12:32pm June 20, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

A yoga class designed specifically for lower back pain can be as effective as physical therapy in easing pain, the study says. The class and teacher manuals are available online, for free.

Queue Listen Now

The federal government will develop a website with information on how Medicare therapy claims should be handled.

Plan Approved To Fix Misunderstandings On Medicare Therapy Coverage

11:09am February 03, 2017

by Susan Jaffe

Many seniors are denied coverage for rehabilitation because therapists mistakenly believe that patients must be improving to qualify. A new legal order seeks to clarify the standards.

Physical therapy may not help a person with a progressive chronic disease become well, but it can help slow a decline.

Legal Dispute Continues Over Medicare Coverage Of Physical Therapy

1:09pm January 30, 2017

by Susan Jaffe

Under a settlement in 2013, Medicare was supposed to make clear to physical therapists that their services are covered even if beneficiaries aren't improving. But that hasn't been widely accepted.

Intensive home-visits by physical, occupational and speech therapists have been "a lifesaver," for little Haylee Crouse, her mom Amanda (left) told Shots. Haylee, who is now 2, developed seizures and physical and intellectual disabilities after contractin

Cuts In Texas Medicaid Hit Rural Kids With Disabilities Especially Hard

6:58pm November 03, 2016

by Wade Goodwyn

State lawmakers cut $350 million in Medicaid funding to early childhood intervention therapists last year to help pay for tax cuts. Now rural toddlers are finding it hard to get vital treatment.

Queue Listen Now

It took a team of delighted friends and family to help Florida engineer Matt Bellina (center) get back on his surfboard this summer after his severe spinal injury. The result? "I feel like I'm home," Bellina said.

A Paralyzed Florida Surfer Finds His Own 'Perfect Wave'

1:15pm August 31, 2016

by Abe Aboraya

It took a lot of careful planning and specialized equipment to get Matt Bellina on the water again. But doctors say activity after an injury, no matter how severe, can be important for mental health.

Acupuncture And Alexander Technique Help Chronic Neck Pain

1:47pm November 04, 2015

by Angus Chen

Sometimes neck pain just doesn't go away. Complementary treatments like acupuncture and Alexander Technique can help reduce the pain, a study finds, though they are not miracle cures.

Almost three-quarters of people will experience lower-back pain at some point.

Physical Therapy May Help For Back Pain, But Time Works Best

2:52pm October 14, 2015

by Lynne Shallcross

Most people don't need scans or surgery, but they do want relief from lower-back pain. Physical therapy isn't a cure, a study finds, but it did help some people regain mobility more quickly.