Arthritis is a broad term that encompasses more than 100 different types of joint diseases and conditions. It involves inflammation of one or more joints, leading to pain, swelling, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. The most common types of arthritis include rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and lupus, each with its unique set of causes and symptoms.

On the other hand, osteoarthritis is a specific type of arthritis that primarily affects the cartilage — the smooth, slippery tissue covering the ends of bones in a joint. Over time, the cartilage breaks down, causing bones to rub together creating uncomfortable and painful symptoms. Osteoarthritis is often considered a "wear and tear" disease because it commonly affects older adults and those who have experienced repetitive stress on their joints through activities or sports.

Osteoarthritis is primarily caused by the breakdown of cartilage in the joints, which can occur due to several factors. Understanding these causes can help in managing and potentially mitigating the progression of the disease.

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• Aging
• Repetitive joint use in sports or jobs stresses joints
• Past injuries, like fractures or ligament tears
• Excess weight stresses joints
• Family history and genetic mutations affecting cartilage health raise the risk
• Congenital or developmental joint abnormalities
• Women, especially post-menopause, are more likely to develop osteoarthritis
• Weak muscles increase stress on cartilage

Yes, insurance (including Massachusetts Medicaid and Medicare) covers physical therapy for arthritis. The coverage may include a portion of the care or all of the costs, depending on your treatment plan. For more coverage information please contact us at 401-726-7100

Early treatment for arthritis can help reduce pain and inflammation, slow the progression of the disease, and prevent joint damage. It also improves joint function, enhances mobility, and increases the overall quality of life. Early intervention can help patients manage symptoms more effectively and maintain an active lifestyle.

Arthritis can develop from a variety of factors including genetics, age, joint injuries, obesity, and autoimmune conditions. Family history, wear and tear on joints, infections, and certain lifestyle factors can also increase the risk of developing arthritis. There are several types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout, each with different causes and risk factors.

Physical therapy for back pain is a tailored approach designed to help you return to your daily activities pain-free. If you're experiencing back pain, find a Highbar physical therapy location to book an appointment and consult with a physical therapist to see how they can assist in your recovery, empowering you to feel better, move freely and live fully.

For physical therapy sessions, wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that allows you to move freely. Flexible pants or shorts and a t-shirt are ideal. Your therapist needs to access the area where you're experiencing pain, so avoid overly restrictive garments.

Absolutely! Physical therapy is highly beneficial for most forms of back pain. It offers a non-invasive option that targets the root cause of pain rather than just treating symptoms. Choosing physical therapy early to treat acute low back pain result in an average net benefit of $4,160. Physical therapy reduces the need for prescription medications, including opioids, decreases unnecessary imaging and other invasive procedures. By improving mobility, strength and flexibility, and educating the person to understand how to take care of their back, physical therapy can provide long-lasting relief and reduce the risk of recurrence.

The duration of physical therapy for back pain varies depending on the severity of the condition and individual progress. Typically, a course of treatment might last anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Care may be a combination of in-person and virtual, based on a patients preference. Consistent adherence with following recommendations and a prescribed home program will shorten the recovery time.

Early treatment for back pain offers numerous benefits, both in terms of physical health and overall quality of life. Here are some key advantages:

1. Chronic Pain Prevention: Early treatment  can prevent acute back pain from becoming chronic. Addressing the issue promptly reduces the risk of long-term discomfort and disability. This includes the reliance on prescription medications.
2. Faster Recovery: Timely treatment often leads to quicker recovery. Early management can reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and restore mobility more rapidly than delayed care.
3. Improved Functionality: Treating back pain early helps maintain or quickly restore functionality and mobility. This allows individuals to continue their daily activities, work, participate in leisure activities and sports,  without significant interruption.
4. Reduced Risk of Complications: Delaying treatment can lead to complications such as muscle weakness, nerve damage, or secondary issues like poor posture or compensatory injuries in other parts of the body.
5. Lower Healthcare Costs: Early treatment is  cost-effective. . By addressing the problem before it worsens, patients may avoid more extensive and expensive treatments, such as surgery, imaging, injections and prescription medications. .
6. Better Mental Health: Chronic pain is often associated with mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Early treatment can help prevent these mental health challenges by reducing the duration and intensity of pain.‍
7. Prevention of Recurrence: Proper early treatment includes education on posture, exercises, and lifestyle modifications that can help prevent future episodes of back pain.

Physical Therapists are often the first healthcare providers individuals with back pain see. Experts in evaluating both acute and chronic back pain, a Highbar physical therapist will determine the best pathway to ensure a patient receives necessary care and intervention. Through hands-on care, education, and prescribed movement, physical therapy alleviates pain (reducing the need for prescription medications, such as opioids) and supports your return to everyday life, leisure activities, work, and sports. Additionally, physical therapy helps patients gain knowledge about factors contributing to pain and techniques for self-management, empowering them to avoid or manage any future acute low back pain issues.

Evidence supports that seeing a physical therapist early results in better short and long term outcomes. Therefore, with the onset of back pain, seeking  Physical Therapy immediately is the best option. 

Highbar physical therapists will communicate with all members of your healthcare team if additional care, including imaging or medication, is necessary.

Yes, insurance (including Medicare) covers physical therapy for back pain. The coverage may include a portion of the care or all of the costs, depending on the plan design.

Current research shows that the use of blood flow restriction with low-intensity training can result in up to a 20% increase in muscle growth over a 6-week program. It has similar success rates to high-load training, but with significantly less stress to joints and muscles. For patients who are unable to tolerate high-intensity training, blood flow restriction training is an effective option.

One of the most common myths about pain is that it's always related to injury. The good news is that pain can occur without injury and the level of pain you're experiencing has nothing to do with the level of harm in your body. If you have sustained an injury in the past, your pain can continue far past the injury date. A physical therapist can help you understand why you're experiencing chronic or persistent pain.

Yes, you are welcome to bring any work props you think you will need. Talk to your physical therapist about if they have any props in the clinic.

We recommend that you dress like you're going to the gym. Wear comfortable clothes that you feel like you can exercise in.

If you are experiencing any of the following sleep & energy symptoms, you may have a concussion:

• Fatigue
• Excess sleep
• Trouble falling asleep
• Drowsiness
• Sleeping less than normal

If you are experiencing any of the following cognitive symptoms, you may have a concussion:

• Feeling in a fog or slowed down
• Difficulty remembering or concentrating
• Easily distracted or confused
• Slowed speech

If you are experiencing any of the following emotional symptoms, you may have a concussion:

• Inappropriate emotions
• Personality changes
• Nervousness or anxiety
• Feeling more “emotional”
• Irritability
• Sadness
• Lack of motivation

o   Anal Spasm (Proctalgia Fugax)

o   Coccygodynia/Sacrococcygeal pain

o   Dysmenorrhea

o   Dyspareunia

o   Endometriosis

o   Interstitial Cytitis

o   Vaginismus

o   Vulvar Vestibulitis

o  Vulvodynia

o   Constipation

o   Diarrhea

o   Fecal Incontinence (FI)

o   Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

o  Outlet Dysfunction

o   Dysuria

o   Enuresis

o   Frequency

o   Hesitancy

o   Interstitial Cystitis

o   Nocturia

o   Overactive Bladder (OAB)

o   Urgency

o   Urinary Incontinence

o   Stress Urinary Incontinence

o   Urge Urinary Incontinence

o  Mixed Incontinence

We have many physical therapists who specialize in your favorite sports, including soccer, lacrosse, hockey, baseball, basketball, and more.

There’s a widely known misconception that rest can heal your back pain. However, bed rest can actually make it worse! It’s recommended that you exercise and get active and mobile as soon as possible. Many people also think that the worse the pain is, the more serious an injury, but the good news is that less than 1% of all back pain is due to a serious condition. In most cases, back pain will resolve with conservative treatments like physical therapy. Also, starting physical therapy at the onset of pain can help you prevent chronic pain.

The vestibular system in the inner ear is in constant communication with our eyes, our muscles and joints, and many areas of our brain. It’s responsible for head-eye coordination and allows us to have upright posture. We like to say that it’s the “sixth sense” that tells us where we are in space and how we are moving.

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When you think your child might need physical therapy, it’s normal to feel concerned. The pediatric physical therapists at Highbar are here to help you calm your nerves and answer any questions you may have. Request an appointment with our experienced pediatric physical therapists to start your child on the path to a full, happy life. But if you’re unsure whether physical therapy is right for your child, request a phone consult with one of our pediatric physical therapists to discuss your child’s needs.

At Highbar, we have many physical therapists who specialize in pregnancy and postpartum health. These compassionate therapists are trained to use education, exercise, manual techniques, and more to help manage pain in pregnant and postnatal patients.

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If you are experiencing pain or discomfort throughout your pregnancy, you will benefit from physical therapy. Scheduling an appointment with a physical therapist for pregnancy or postpartum pain can help set and manage expectations for how the body will change and how that impacts other areas of your life.

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Our Certified Athletic Trainers (ATCs) are highly skilled health care professionals that provide a range of services for organizations and schools. They provide the following services to athletes and their families:

·   Injury prevention

·   Early recognition, identification, clinical evaluation, diagnosis, and care of injuries

·   Physical conditioning

·   Emergency on-field care

·   Determining appropriate return to play decisions

·   Referral of injured athletes to appropriate medical professionals with expedited appointments

·   Education and training of staff, parents, and athletes on relevant health topics, including concussions and self-care

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If you’re experiencing any balance issues, including dizziness and vertigo, a physical therapist can help you. Request an appointment with an experienced physical therapist at Highbar to help you recover from any dizziness, vertigo, or balance issues so you can continue to live without limitation.

If you’re experiencing pain or limitation in your hands or wrists, it’s time to reach out to a physical therapist at Highbar. Request an appointment with a hand specialist.

Many times, our patients ask us how trigger point dry needling is different from acupuncture. Acupuncture is widely known as an eastern medicinal practice that aims to improve Qi, the flow of energy in the body, whereas dry needling is rooted in western medicine and addresses musculoskeletal diagnoses. We recommend trigger point dry needling because it is a more individualized treatment that fits into a patient’s larger physical therapy care. It also improves pain and mobility in fewer sessions than acupuncture.

Yes, in fact, we recommend it. We encourage our patients to exercise and get back to their normal activities after dry needling. Some soreness is common, but exercise is the best way to relieve it.

Although more commonly known as knots in the muscle, trigger points are taut bands of muscle fibers within a larger group of muscles that may cause pain over the area and lead to difficulty performing everyday tasks. Muscles with trigger points fatigue faster, have less power, and take more time to recover from activities. They are common in muscles that are overused or damaged due to an injury. Trigger points are often tender to touch and can cause pain in other areas of the body.

We know exactly what you’re thinking. And no, most people don’t feel the needle being inserted. That’s because the needle is so thin that you likely won’t notice anything. During the treatment, you could feel mild cramping or the same pain or tightness that you’ve been experiencing before.

Ask your physical therapist about this program if you want to:

• Reduce pain
• Increase mobility
• Increase function
• Reduce the risk of needing a joint replacement
• Ensure communication of your own healthcare team
• Promote long-term habit changes to keep you healthy, moving, and active

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Highbar has clinicians in Rhode Island and Massachusetts who can perform blood flow restriction training. Request an appointment to learn more and see if this treatment is right for you.

If you are experiencing any of the following physical symptoms, you may have a concussion:

• Headaches/pressure in the head
• Blurred vision or seeing stars
• Dizziness, disorientation
• Poor balance
• Ringing in ears
• Neck pain
• Vacant or glassy-eyed stare
• Nausea or vomiting
• Numbness or tingling in the extremities
• Sensitivity to light, sound, noise

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If you aren’t sure or think that you or someone you know could have a concussion, please request an appointment with a physical therapist as soon as possible. They will evaluate the individual to determine if they have sustained a concussion and will then create a plan of action for their recovery.

If you’re experiencing back pain that isn’t getting any better and it’s limiting your activities, a physical therapist can help you recover so you can get back to what you love to do without pain or limitation. Request an appointment with a physical therapist so you can feel better, move freely, and live fully.

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A full and complete recovery process can only happen when looking at all aspects of a patient’s health and wellness. Physical therapists are trained to understand how many other areas of a patient’s life, like sleep, nutrition, and stress levels can all work together to impact their recovery. Just as no two patients are exactly the same, no two physical therapy care plans will look identical! At Highbar, that’s how physical therapy works. We use several treatment types and modalities to help every patient meet their movement or function goals.

Highbar’s pelvic floor physical therapists are trained to understand your individual needs so you can make a full recovery. Request an appointment with a compassionate, experienced pelvic floor physical therapist to take the next step towards a life without pain or limitation.

Exercise is Medicine has two different membership models: insurance-based and month-to-month. For the insurance-based plan, the participant must meet with a physical therapist for an initial evaluation through our telehealth platform. During that time, the physical therapist will determine how often the patient should be participating in Exercise is Medicine classes. For the month-to-month model, participants have the option to pay monthly to attend a set amount of classes per week. 

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There are many people who need more than a standard gym membership, but due to many factors, may not be ideal candidates for physical therapy. That’s why Highbar offers a live virtual class series for people who are looking to improve their overall health and wellness. This low-cost, high-quality program is designed by physical therapists for those who may have chronic conditions, limited insurance benefits, or inability to safely join a gym or community center. 

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Highbar created a certification program for physical therapists to gain more in-depth knowledge and experience in hand therapy and splinting. Our Certified Hand Therapists (CHT) learn about fabricating basic custom handed orthoses as well as gaining an in-depth knowledge of various hand or wrist diagnoses. Every Highbar hand therapist is an expert in treating conditions involving the hand, wrist, and arm. They can treat injuries or conditions brought on by accidents, trauma, overuse, and disease that have led the patient to experience pain, sprains, wounds, scars, burns, injured tendons or nerves, fractures, carpal tunnel, arthritis, and even amputation.

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Since 54.4 million US adults each year are diagnosed with a form of arthritis, Highbar created a program to provide patients with the resources they need to manage their arthritis pain. Through a combination of in-clinic and virtual services, patients can use this program to recover and resume their favorite activities without pain. 

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Blood flow restriction training (BFR) is a new approach that can be added to an orthopedic rehabilitation program. It is used more frequently in higher-level rehabilitation settings, like the military or professional athletics. But with Highbar, we bring this new and exciting treatment to you!

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Using a medical-grade tourniquet to limit the blood flow to the muscles, blood flow restriction training results in firing of the larger, faster muscles. This stimulates a high-intensity training workout for patients that are dealing with pain or post-surgical restrictions or weakness that would otherwise be unable to tolerate the intensity of a workout. 

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Highbar is revolutionizing the physical therapy industry and changing people’s lives. We bring together the science of musculoskeletal health with the art of individualized care, consistently delivering life-changing outcomes for our patients. We develop leading-edge physical therapists who are constantly challenging themselves and their patients to reach new goals. We have the highest number of board-certified clinicians in New England, our patient experience is unmatched, and the care we provide is personalized and individualized. At Highbar, we empower people to feel better, move freely, and live fully.

No, you do not need a referral for physical therapy! Check with your health insurance plan to confirm whether you need a referral for subsequent visits to physical therapy.