Therapy Essentials

10 Great Rehab and Therapy Products

Recovering from any injury or medical issue can be taxing physically and mentally. The road to recovery may seem bumpy and long to those trying to simply get back to a “normal” life. Achieving the goal of resuming our lives can seem like an impossibility, but with the help of your doctor and physical therapist, you can work your way back. While there may seem like an endless list of medical aids available to help facilitate your rehabilitation, how do you choose what is appropriate for you? We here at HPFY can help point you to 10 great rehab/therapy products that might be perfect for you.

4 Stages Of Injury Rehabilitation

Often after an injury or illness, we may need multiple sessions of physical therapy in order to recover properly. This often requires an occupational or physical therapist to design and lead you through a personalized exercise routine that targets your specific injury or medical need. Your therapist may follow a four-step rehab program that can include:

• Phase 1: Pain relief and reduction of swelling. This can include the RICE protocol of rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
• Phase 2: Beginning of the range of motion and cardiovascular training. This is usually started slowly to reintroduce movement and strength
• Phase 3: The restoration of range of motion and increased strength/endurance, proprioception, and a continuation of cardiovascular exercise
• Phase 4: Restore strength and the introduction of injury-specific exercises with a progression of velocity and a return to “normal.”

None of these phases of rehabilitation or therapy have set timelines and all phases can overlap the previous one and include some of its aspects.

Top 10 Tools for Rehab and Therapy

While doing your rehabilitation in a clinical or medical setting, your therapist may give you exercises to continue at home in order to further your rehabilitation or therapy. Depending upon your needs, here are 10 great rehab and therapy products that may help:

1. Biofreeze Professional Pain Relieving Gel

When dealing with joint or muscle pain, sprains/strains, and backaches, this gel provides a long-lasting relief without NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). The fast-acting formula is clinically proven to provide powerful pain relief when applied directly to the skin.

2. Chattanooga Continuum Lead Wires

Many therapists and patients alike use TENS units to provide pain relief. These wires are used with the Chattanooga Continuum Electrotherapy Pain Device. The set of two-pin cables connects the main unit to the electrotherapy stimulation pads that deliver an electrical current to provide pain relief.

3. Biofreeze Professional Pain Relieving Roll-On

The smooth consistency and convenience of this easily applied pain reliever is ideal for arthritis pain and other sore muscles and joints. Made from US pharmacopeia ingredients, this roll-on pain reliever is ideal for even application to the target area without the need for direct hand application. It effectively alleviates pain while being paraben and propylene glycol-free.

4. CanDo VariGrip Hand Exerciser

This handheld exerciser is perfect for improving dexterity after an injury or even a stroke, while also strengthening hands, fingers, forearms, and wrists. Easily adjusted by a single knob to either increase or decrease resistance, this can be for rehab or therapy or even every day strengthening of our forearms and grip. Perfect for therapy/rehab patients as well as weekend warriors!!

5. BioMedical Impulse TENS D5 Digital TENS Unit

The clam shape design of this TENS unit allows the user to protect the large LCD screen and control buttons when closed. Inside the flip cover is a diagram of the five modes of operation that include constant, width modulation, rate modulation, and two separate types of burst. It includes a timer so that the user can easily manage their therapy sessions and has a low battery indicator light to show the user when to replace the AA batteries.

6. Biofreeze Professional Pain Relieving Gel Pump

This soothing, menthol pain reliever gives long-lasting results due to the optimized, fast-acting proprietary formula that is easily dispensed with one hand from this pump unit. The USP grade ingredients is free of parabens and propylene glycol and is easy to apply and are even available in a dye-free formula. This pain-relieving gel is non-systemic and non-narcotic (no NSAIDs) and contains menthol that stimulates your receptors to block pain signals.

7. Adult Wide Style Sock Aid A7545

While recovering from an injury or illness that diminishes your flexibility or fine motor skills, these lightweight, simple, and easy dressing aids make putting your socks on easier. This allows the user to maintain their independence and quality-of-life by simply placing your sock over the aid and pull up the cords with one or two hands. A foam piece is included that can be placed on the convex side of the sock aid in order to help grip socks.

8. Biofreeze Professional Pain Relieving Spray

The spray pump of this propylene glycol-free, menthol pain reliever allows for a hands-free application to a smaller area to target minor muscle and joint pain. It contains ingredients approved by USP (United States Pharmacopeia) an organization that verifies ingredients purity and contains no addicting substances while being used on body parts such as legs, back, and shoulders.

9. BioMedical Micro Plus Microcurrent Electrical Nerve Stimulator

This two-channel analog device has three polarity settings (positive, negative, and bipolar) and can be utilized for symptomatic relief, as well as management of chronic pain and treatment of postsurgical and posttraumatic pain. Different from a TENS unit, this MENS (microcurrent electrical nerve stimulator) unit has a lower level that works on the cellular level and is often not even felt or perceived by the patient making treatment more comfortable.

10. BioMedical BioMed Fit Russian Stimulator and Interferential Unit

Ideal for deeper muscle penetration and a stronger, more complete contraction of the muscle fiber, this unit reduces the need for analgesics and painkilling drugs due to the incorporation of interferential therapy to strengthen muscles and relieve pain. Combine this with muscle stimulation and you have one practical, economical device that uses the 10-50-10 protocol which provides 10 seconds of muscle stimulation (contraction), 50 seconds of rest, and 10 repetitions.

Finding relief through rehabilitation or therapy focuses on pain relief and strengthening of injured areas which can get us back to our normal, everyday life faster. Work with your doctor or physical therapist before beginning any pain program so that any therapy is safe and approved for your injury or illness. Stick to your program and you’ll be back to your everyday self sooner than you think!!

 

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