Physical Therapy

Established over 30 years ago, Health Motion is the premier manual physical therapy specialist in Grand Rapids. The highly trained and professional staff at Health Motion have extensive experience treating a broad range of conditions. Our unique approach, utilizing the Scale of Function, has earned us a reputation for high quality therapy that produces great results. Our passion is to get you back to doing what you love without pain or physical limitations.

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Manual Physical Therapy Specialists

The professional staff at Health Motion Physical Therapy has extensive experience treating all of the muscles and joints in the body across a broad range of conditions. Our therapists specialize in Manual Physical Therapy.

Manual Physical Therapy uses direct contact of the hands on the body to alter, enhance and rehabilitate the tissues and joints of the body. Manual Therapy is a very different approach from the more common exercise based approach to rehabilitation. Patients at Health Motion will spend their first 30 minutes of treatment with a licensed therapist who will apply manual techniques including joint mobilization, muscle facilitation, trigger point release, scar tissue remodeling and many other manual techniques that deal with all types of tissues and joints in the body.

Manual therapy is the first step of an established and time tested Standard Treatment Protocol used at Health Motion Physical Therapy. This ensures that each patient is receiving the highest level of personal attention and the optimal care necessary to both quickly progress their treatment and achieve the patient’s goals. Each step in the Standard Treatment Protocol is adjusted by the therapist during every visit. Adjustments are made through a precise evaluation of the patient’s case and application of the Scale of Function treatment approach.

To believe I would be pain free again is amazing.  Health Motion has been tremendous in helping me understand the cause of my pain and how to manage it, which ultimately led to becoming pain free along with exercise.  Everyone here has been fantastic and just plain fun to come see.  Thanks to Everyone!
PY
To believe I would be pain free again is amazing.  Health Motion has been tremendous in helping me understand the cause of my pain and how to manage it, which ultimately led to becoming pain free along with exercise.  Everyone here has been fantastic and just plain fun to come see.  Thanks to Everyone!
PY

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Scale of Function

The Scale of Function is an effective treatment methodology that directs the physical therapist to
the correct entry point for treatment and then provides a systematic approach to advance the patient from a state of relative dysfunction to optimal function.

The Scale of Function was developed for training therapists in our approach to manual physical therapy and through the past 30 years of clinical testing, The Scale of Function has quickly expanded to a tested and effective philosophy of treatment.  As a result of rigorous clinical testing, the Scale of Function generates predictable, immediate and invariable results when properly applied.

The Scale of Function breaks the physical function of the body down into 4 phases made up of a total of 10 steps. These phases and steps form a gradient scale of physical function, meaning that each higher level of
function depends upon the functions below it.

For example, have you ever had your back go out of alignment or known someone who’s back has gone out?  When your back is out, no amount of stretching will resolve it until the affected joints in the spine are put back into alignment and the mobility of the spine is restored.  So mobility of the joints comes before flexibility of the muscles.   This is but one example of two of the functions of the body, Mobility and Flexibility, that are captured in the Scale of Function.

So what are all the basic functions of the body?  What is the relationship between these various functions?  What is the correct order to address these functions during treatment so that systematic improvement, function by function until the higher functions of the body such as agility and power, can be attained and maintained?  These are just a few of the questions the Scale of Function resolves.

The Scale of Function provides a workable gradient scale of physical function. This directs the therapist to an entry point for treatment and establishes the order in which the therapist needs to restore lost functionality. Utilizing the Scale of Function ensures the therapist follows the fastest route to lasting, optimal results for the patient.

The Scale of Function guides the order of treatment and defines the outcome needed at each phase and step of treatment. The treatment techniques used to attain the outcome at each step of the Scale of Function are selected by the therapist based on experience, training and the patient’s presentation.  Thus the Scale of Function is a tool for customizing treatment to each patient’s unique presentation while following a scientifically proven methodology to maximize the results and speed of treatment.

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Highly Trained Therapists

Health Motion’s commitment to training and enhancing the knowledge of our Physical Therapists is renowned within the physical therapy community. In the first 6 months of employment at Health Motion Physical Therapy, all treating therapists complete more than 150 hours of training. Once they complete their initial training therapists typically spend 50 to 70 hours in training every year, sharpening their skills and increasing their breadth of experience and techniques.

Health Motion Physical Therapy’s extensive training programs coupled with the Scale of Function and Standard Treatment Protocol are both incredibly unique and the reason for our status as one of the premier physical therapy teams.

To believe I would be pain free again is amazing.  Health Motion has been tremendous in helping me understand the cause of my pain and how to manage it, which ultimately led to becoming pain free along with exercise.  Everyone here has been fantastic and just plain fun to come see.  Thanks to Everyone!
PY
To believe I would be pain free again is amazing.  Health Motion has been tremendous in helping me understand the cause of my pain and how to manage it, which ultimately led to becoming pain free along with exercise.  Everyone here has been fantastic and just plain fun to come see.  Thanks to Everyone!
PY

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Outcomes Based Approach

Over the last ten years, health care and physical therapy have become focused on the quality of care and outcomes based treatment approaches. The idea of Outcomes Based Treatment is to focus on the most efficient treatments that achieve the best results for the patient rather than focusing on treatment techniques. It is the outcome that matters, not that a specific technique was used.

Our devotion to the highest quality physical therapy has always required that we hold our therapists to a higher standard. Health Motion Physical Therapy has always had an Outcomes Based Treatment approach. The basic purpose of the Scale of Function is to optimize the outcomes of treatment. Our first documented quality control polices focusing on patient outcomes were instituted more than 25 years ago.  These policies are in place to assure that each patient is making progress toward their goals as rapidly as possible.  These policies require collaboration and intervention by senior physical therapists when needed.

To be a premier manual therapy specialist requires a dedication to proven treatment methodologies, continuous training and constant quality monitoring for areas that can be improved. This is not just the approach of Health Motion Physical Therapy, it is the very fiber of our culture and expectations. We are here to help and we work hard to get great results for every patient.

We can help you. Sign up here for a completely free consultation.

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