Flexible and Fit: How Northern Physical Therapy Helps Lowell Residents

Diana Painter, physical therapist and clinical director of Northern Physical Therapy Ivy Rehab in Lowell, Michigan

This November will mark five years since Northern Physical Therapy first came to the Lowell community. Now located in the Foz Plaza at 2050 W. Main Street, the practice is officially known as Northern Physical Therapy Ivy Rehab and part of a network of nearly 300 clinics spanning the Northeast, Midwest and Southeast regions of the country.

“We work with everybody,” says Diana Painter, physical therapist and clinical director of the Lowell office of Northern Physical Therapy Ivy Rehab. “We have a lot of areas we specialize in.”

Michigan law allows for direct access to physical therapy so no doctor referral is needed to receive care. At Northern Physical Therapy, that means people can walk in at any time for an evaluation or to make an appointment.

More Than Pain Relief and Rehabilitation

People may think of physical therapy as something needed only when recuperating from an illness or injury. Addressing back pain is also a commonly known reason for seeing a physical therapist.

However, physical therapy has practical applications beyond that, Painter says. It can be beneficial for the following:

  • Improving posture
  • Increasing strength and endurance
  • Expanding range of motion and flexibility
  • Reconditioning after an injury or illness such as COVID-19
  • Reducing fall risk for the elderly
  • Relieving chronic pain

“We do a lot of continuing education to stay on the top of our game,” Painter explains. For example, she is trained in the McKenzie Method which is a way of assessing patients for mechanical problems in their musculoskeletal system and creating a plan to quickly address them.

Don’t Wait to Seek Help

Anyone who thinks they could benefit from physical therapy is welcome to walk into Northern Physical Therapy at any time.

“If you come to us, we’ll tell you if we can help you,” Painter says. She notes that the clinic has good working relationships with many area doctors and can confer with physicians about proper treatment as well.

Before starting physical therapy, patients begin with an hourlong assessment to determine the problem and identify the best way to address it. Then, in therapy sessions, people may learn stretches, use equipment such as weight machines and treadmills or receive other types of treatment.

The biggest mistake people make is waiting too long to seek help, according to Painter. “I feel like people wait months and months and then it takes longer [to heal],” she says.

If you think you could benefit from physical therapy, stop by Northern Physical Therapy to speak to a staff member or visit their website for more information.

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