TARGETED TREATMENT FROM A PHYSICAL THERAPY SPECIALIST

Manual Therapy

Manual therapy is a core physical therapy technique that uses skilled, hands-on movements to treat musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. Manual therapy directly targets joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia to improve mobility, reduce stiffness, and restore function. It is especially effective for treating pain that stems from joint restrictions or soft tissue tension, making it a foundational tool in rehab plans across the entire body.

There are several types of manual therapy techniques, each with unique benefits:

• Joint Mobilization & Manipulation: These techniques involve gentle or firm movements to increase mobility in restricted joints. Commonly used on the spine, shoulders, knees, and feet, this therapy helps restore alignment and reduce stiffness.
• Soft Tissue Mobilization: Hands-on techniques to release tension and improve circulation in muscles and fascia. It helps with pain, flexibility, and muscle recovery in areas like the calves, neck, lower back, and forearms.
• Myofascial Release: A specialized approach to releasing tight fascia (the connective tissue surrounding muscles). This technique helps ease chronic tightness, improve movement, and reduce pain in large muscle groups.
• Trigger Point Therapy: Focuses on knots or tight bands in the muscle that refer pain to other areas. Releasing these trigger points restores motion and alleviates referred pain, often in the shoulders, hips, and back.
• Manual Stretching: Passive stretching guided by a therapist to improve flexibility and joint function. Often used on the hamstrings, hip flexors, shoulders, and calves, especially after injury or surgery.

At Podiatry Associates, Inc., manual therapy is not limited to the foot and ankle. While we are known for our podiatric expertise, our physical therapy teams in Castle Pines and Cherry Creek treat the entire musculoskeletal system. From rotator cuff issues and shoulder impingement to hip stiffness, spinal pain, or wrist injuries, our therapists are trained in whole-body manual therapy strategies tailored to each patient’s needs.

RESTORING BALANCE, STABILITY & COORDINATION

Neuromuscular Re-education

Neuromuscular re-education is a specialized therapy designed to retrain how your brain, nerves, and muscles communicate. When you experience an injury, surgery, or neurological condition, your body can develop ways of moving that protect the injured area but ultimately lead to imbalance, weakness, or pain elsewhere. Neuromuscular re-education helps undo those faulty movement patterns and teaches the body how to move properly again.

This therapy is essential for patients who have difficulty with coordination, balance, posture, or gait. It plays a critical role in rehabilitation after orthopedic surgery, stroke, sports injury, or long-term inactivity. It’s also a powerful tool for fall prevention and restoring function after nerve injuries or chronic pain conditions.

At Podiatry Associates, Inc., we incorporate a variety of neuromuscular re-education techniques into customized therapy plans, including:

• Balance & Proprioception Training: Exercises on foam pads, wobble boards, or balance discs to retrain the body’s ability to sense its position and make automatic adjustments. This is key for preventing falls and improving dynamic stability in the knees, hips, ankles, and spine.
• Gait Training: Structured, hands-on retraining of how a patient walks. This may include correcting asymmetries, foot drop, or hip compensation patterns common after surgery or stroke.
• Functional Movement Retraining: Teaching patients how to squat, lunge, reach, or lift using safe, biomechanically sound movement patterns. This improves daily function and reduces the risk of reinjury.
• Core Stability & Posture Correction: Strengthening deep core and postural muscles to improve alignment of the pelvis, spine, and shoulders during activity.

Whether you're recovering from a rotator cuff repair, ACL reconstruction, or even working on regaining coordination in your hands or wrists, neuromuscular re-education can help you rebuild safe, efficient movement patterns from head to toe.

PERSONALIZED RECOVERY FROM SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

Sports Training & Rehab

Sports training and rehabilitation helps athletes and active individuals recover from injury, rebuild strength, and safely return to peak performance while reducing the risk of re-injury. At Podiatry Associates, Inc., we treat patients at every level of sport—from weekend warriors and fitness enthusiasts to competitive athletes and marathoners.

Our approach is designated to help patients regain mobility, stability, and confidence while focusing on the demands of their specific sport or activity. Our therapists address biomechanics from head to toe, correcting inefficient patterns that may have contributed to the original injury.

With access to modalities like MLS laser therapy, dry needling, and more, our athletes receive care that’s both innovative and comprehensive. Whether your goal is to rejoin your team, finish your next race, or simply move without pain again, our team is here to help you get there, stronger and more resilient than before.

TARGETED ACTIVATION FOR PAIN RELIEF & MUSCLE RECOVERY

Electrical Stimulation

Electrical stimulation, often called e-stim, is a versatile therapy that uses gentle electrical currents to stimulate nerves and muscles. At Podiatry Associates, Inc., we use this technique as part of a broader treatment plan to help reduce pain, activate weakened muscles, promote healing, and improve circulation.

This therapy is frequently used for patients recovering from orthopedic procedures, managing nerve-related pain, or dealing with muscle atrophy due to immobilization or disuse. The electrical impulses cause targeted muscle contractions or sensory stimulation, depending on the treatment goal. These effects can enhance strength, minimize swelling, restore nerve signaling, and even reduce chronic discomfort.

Sessions are quick, comfortable, and supervised by licensed physical therapists who tailor intensity and electrode placement to your needs. It’s one more tool we use to help patients get moving—and healing—faster.

THERMAL THERAPY TO SUPPORT COMFORT & HEALING

Hot & Cold Packs

Hot and cold therapy may seem simple, but when applied correctly, it’s a powerful tool in physical rehabilitation. At Podiatry Associates, Inc., we use hot and cold packs strategically to reduce inflammation, manage pain, and prepare the body for movement.

• Heat therapy is used to relax muscles, increase blood flow, and improve tissue elasticity. It’s ideal before stretching, manual therapy, or exercise, especially in stiff areas like the lower back, hips, or shoulders. By warming up tissues, we help patients move more freely and comfortably during their sessions.
• Cold therapy, on the other hand, helps calm inflammation and swelling following treatment or after acute injury. It can be particularly effective for tendinitis, joint sprains, or muscle overuse. Cold packs also reduce nerve sensitivity, offering short-term relief for patients dealing with persistent pain.

While hot and cold packs are often used alongside more active therapies, their role shouldn’t be underestimated. When integrated into a customized care plan, they provide comfort, accelerate recovery, and help patients feel more at ease throughout their healing journey.

DRY NEEDLING PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR CHRONIC TENSION & PAIN

Dry Needling

Dry needling is a targeted technique used to release muscle tension, reduce pain, and restore mobility. It involves inserting ultra-thin needles into specific trigger points (tight bands of muscle that restrict movement and contribute to discomfort). Though it resembles acupuncture, dry needling is rooted in Western medicine and focuses on resolving neuromuscular dysfunction.

At Podiatry Associates, Inc., we use dry needling to treat a wide range of musculoskeletal issues across the entire body. It’s particularly helpful for patients with chronic muscle tightness, tendinitis, postural strain, nerve-related pain, and overuse injuries.

When the needle targets a trigger point, it often produces a brief twitch response, which helps reset the muscle and restore its normal function. This can lead to immediate improvements in range of motion, reduced pain, and greater ease of movement. Patients frequently report feeling looser and more mobile even after a single session.

CUTTING EDGE LASER THERAPY FOR LASTING RELIEF

MLS Laser Therapy

MLS Laser Therapy is a cutting-edge, non-invasive treatment used to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and accelerate the body’s healing process. At Podiatry Associates, Inc., we use this advanced dual-wavelength laser system as part of our physical therapy programs for patients with both acute and chronic injuries.

What makes MLS Laser Therapy different is its synchronized “double wave” technology. One wavelength penetrates deeply to calm inflammation and improve circulation, while the other helps block pain signals at the nerve level. By working together, these waves reinforce each other’s effects, delivering a powerful combination of pain relief and healing stimulation that single-wave lasers can’t match.

This therapy is FDA-approved, safe, and entirely painless. The light energy passes through the skin without causing any damage or heat, targeting tissues below the surface. Sessions typically take just a few minutes, and there’s no downtime or recovery required. Most patients begin to notice relief within just a few treatments, and improvements continue as the tissue regenerates.

Whether you’re an athlete healing from a recent injury or someone struggling with chronic pain that’s holding you back, MLS Laser Therapy can be a game-changer. It’s a gentle, high-tech solution with real-world results—helping our patients get back to work, play, and daily life with less pain and more freedom.