physical therapy Herndon Va
950 Herndon Pkwy Suite 425
Herndon, VA 20170

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(703) 665-1444

Chronic Pain / Fibromyalgia

  • My life has improved because Secili brings joy to all who know her. I feel more hopeful about my chronic pain and my fitness moving forward.

    Kelly T.

    Wonderful experience. After dealing with years of injuries and many other health professionals, Matt was able to identify the key problems that were contributing to all my pain. The dry needling really helped and the exercises we worked on have allowed me to run without pain.

    K.W.

    I drove all the way to Reston from North Arlington because I had heard that Matt Barnes can heal hamstrings. I had chronic hamstring pain in both hamstrings and could not even sit at the point I had seen Matt Barnes. Matt ended up helping me be able to sit, then sit longer, then have little to no pain with a combination of therapy, exercise, and needling.

    Inga M.


    Are you suffering from a persistent pain that’s limiting your physical abilities? If so, physical therapy treatments can help you find relief.

    It is true that pain is a necessary reaction in our bodies. For example, if someone accidentally touches a hot stove surface, they will immediately pull their hand away. This is a physical reaction to the pain they feel, as their brain knows if their hand is kept there any longer, there will be a possibility of serious injury.

    Pain doesn’t always work in traditional ways. Sometimes it can linger for days, weeks, or even months because of an underlying condition. When pain persists for three months or longer, it is referred to as “chronic pain.” If you are suffering from chronic pain, call Optimal Motion to schedule an appointment with one of our therapists.

    Chronic vs. acute pain

    Acute pain can be defined as pain that goes away on its own in a few hours, days, or weeks. The example of touching a hot surface would be considered acute pain, as the pain will subside shortly after you pull your hand away. If you accidentally sprain your wrist and you have to wear a brace for a few weeks until it’s healed, you would also be experiencing acute pain.

    Chronic pain is a constant discomfort that lasts for 3-6 months (or longer!) despite your best efforts to relieve it. There are several reasons why people may experience chronic pain, and it is the most common reason for seeking medical help. It can greatly hinder your quality of life by limiting your mobility, creating a dependence on prescription drugs, or even causing anxiety and depression. However, this can all be avoided with the help of physical therapy.

    Why do I have chronic pain?

    Most cases of chronic pain stem from the musculoskeletal system. This includes your muscles, joints, bones, and connective tissues. Chronic pain can appear in the form of back pain, joint pain, nerve pain, or headaches. It most commonly occurs due to one of the following causes:

    • Overuse Injuries
      • Overuse injuries are very common, and they can occur in any part of the body that is used repetitively in your day-to-day life. For example, the way you stand, walk, work, and exercise can all take a toll on your body. It results in overuse injuries if you are not using proper techniques. This can result in damage to your joints and muscles, thus causing chronic pain. Physical therapy can help you learn how to properly move your body in your everyday life, in order to avoid these issues.
    • Accidents
      • Any accident can lead to chronic pain, whether it occurs in an automobile, workplace, or even in your own home. According to a 2016 statistic found by OSHA, workplace injuries happen to approximately 2.9 out of every 100 employees. Additionally, a study published in a journal called Pain determined that 21% of people involved in motor vehicle accidents develop chronic widespread pain in the weeks following their accident. This pain does not go away on its own, but seeking the help of a physical therapist can help alleviate it.
    • Surgery
      • Surgical procedures are sometimes unavoidable. While they may be necessary for alleviating certain conditions you are facing, the recovery period can be just as painful. Surgical repair of an area of the body is enough to correct a structural problem, but we often compensate in our movement for the pain we experience. Weeks, months, or even years of compensatory movement often causes additional pain after surgery if the movement is not corrected. Physical therapy offers post-surgical rehabilitation services that can help speed up recovery time, relieve pain, and reduce the risk of chronic pain in the future.
    • Disease
      • There are many diseases that can lead to chronic pain, including arthritis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, shingles, neuropathy as a result of diabetes, and more. These can all result in chronic pain, which can be alleviated through physical therapy treatments.

    How can physical therapy relieve chronic pain?

    Physical therapy is often associated with post-surgical procedures; however, it can also be used to treat a variety of conditions, including chronic pain. It is true that physical therapy can help decrease scar tissue and shorten the time spent recovering after surgery. However, one of the main goals of physical therapy is pain relief, which can be applied to any source of pain, whether it is post-operative or not.

    Physical therapists are highly-trained movement experts who can diagnose physical problems and any underlying structural causes surrounding those problems. They conduct thorough physical evaluations with each of their patients, analyze weak areas of the body, focus on places with limited range of motion, and look for any imbalances in gait or standing. All of this helps them identify the underlying causes of your chronic pain.

    Once the evaluation is complete, your physical therapist will create a treatment plan unique to your specific needs. This may include targeted exercise to increase strength, stretching to improve balance, or manual therapy to relieve pain, decrease scar tissue, and improve movement. Your treatment plan will incorporate in-clinic treatments, as well as at-home treatments to ensure that you are remaining healthy and active at all times. If you are interested in relieving your chronic pain through physical therapy, contact Optimal Motion Physical Therapy today. Any of our dedicated physical therapists would be happy to meet with you and get you started on the right track toward long-lasting pain relief.

  • It is normal to experience a little bit of pain from time to time. You may feel sore from exercising too much, or you may stub your toe on a piece of furniture. Most of the time, you’re able to shake it off or take ibuprofen and go about your day. However, sometimes people can experience pain that’s widespread and chronic, failing to diminish despite their best efforts. This can cause a large impact on one’s life that anti-inflammatory drugs simply will not fix.

    If you are suffering from chronic pain that is accompanied by fatigue, changes in mood, or irregular sleep patterns, you may be dealing with a more serious physiological condition, such as fibromyalgia. If you identify with these symptoms, contact Optimal Motion Physical Therapy today to set up an appointment with one of our Herndon physical therapists.

    What exactly is fibromyalgia?

    According to the National Fibromyalgia Partnership, Inc., fibromyalgia is a common, chronic condition which causes widespread pain and fatigue as well as other symptoms. It occurs worldwide and in all age groups. Although often confused with arthritis, it is not an inflammatory condition, and it does not directly affect the joints. Patients with fibromyalgia feel tenderness throughout the body along with pain and stiffness in muscles and soft tissue. For some, the pain can be so intense that it interferes with the performance of even simple tasks, while other times it may cause only moderate discomfort. The most common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

    • Chronic muscle pains
    • Fatigue
    • Body stiffness
    • Sensitivity to touch/numbness
    • Sleep disturbances
    • Cognitive difficulties
    • Postural problems
    • Depression and anxiety

    How do we treat fibromyalgia?

    Since fibromyalgia is not a disease, but rather a range of symptoms, there is no single, surefire treatment for the condition. Primary physicians will typically prescribe some sort of pain medication or an anti-depressant to manage symptoms; however, those medications do not address the chronic nature of the condition or the loss of function that chronic pain and distress typically bring.

    At Optimal Motion Physical Therapy, we can provide effective treatments for both managing symptoms in the long-term and regaining optimum function to your body. Our Herndon physical therapists will examine your physical abilities, analyze your medical history, and discuss your current symptoms, in order to design a treatment plan that will fit your unique needs.

    Treatments will typically begin with pain-relieving modalities to provide relief and promote healing. This may include the use of ice and heat therapies, trigger point therapy, massage, stretching, electrical stimulation, or other therapeutic tools that our physical therapist believes could be beneficial to your recovery. After this, your treatments will shift toward active therapies, such as muscle strengthening, range-of-motion activities, and cardiovascular exercises.

    Studies have shown that cardiovascular exercise paired with postural strengthening activities not only relieves widespread pain, but also increases energy levels, improves sleep, and elevates mood. Regardless of where you are on your journey, it is possible to find relief from even your worst fibromyalgia symptoms, through our Herndon physical therapy services. Contact Optimal Motion Physical Therapy today for more information, or to schedule your evaluation and find out how we can get you started on the road to recovery.