August 1, 2007      Click Here for Printer Friendly Version

Welcome to OCPT Newsletter!

Ortho Care Physical Therapy (OCPT) is pleased to announce the graduation of Apostolos, Paul, Kerasiotis from Sargent College Boston University as a Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.). Dr. Kerasiotis completed his doctorial program in January of 2007. His efforts have allowed him to attain the highest academic level in his field.

Dr. Kerasiotis is the owner and CEO of Ortho Care Physical Therapy, Inc. and has been a practicing Physical Therapist in the Wayne/Macomb County area for the last 26 years. He is a 16-time marathon finisher, including Boston and an avid cyclist. He participates annually with Team Ortho Care in the MS 150 for Multiple Sclerosis research funding.

Ortho Care Physical Therapy is growing with the opening of a new satellite location located at 43455 Schoenherr, Suite 9, Sterling Heights, MI. Located just south of Hall Road. The location will allow patients and referring doctors an additional option to obtain services they have come to expect from OCPT as a premier PT provider.

As part of the OCPT's expansion, we have added a web site component to allow an added forum to notifying the community of options offered in physical therapy. Our newsletter will be forwarded to subscribers every month and will provide articles related to physical therapy and how this treatment option can improve your pursuit of a healthy and pain free lifestyle.

We look forward to serving you at both of our locations and we know that by staying connected and informed OCPT will be your physical therapy location of choice.

Low level laser therapy or photo therapy is defined by the North American Association for Laser Therapy (NAALT) as a therapeutic physical modality using photons (light energy) from the visible and infrared spectrum (upper and lower therapeutic window) for tissue healing and pain reduction.

An ever expanding body of scientific evidence supports the conclusion that radiation by light in the red and near infrared electromagnetic spectrum reduces pain by a combination of processes: (1) Increases the b-endorphins, (2) Blocks depolarization of the C-fiber efferent nerves, (3) Increases nitric-oxide production, (4) Increases nerve cell action potential, (5) Enhances axonal sprouting and nerve cell regeneration, (6) Decreases bradykinin levels, (7) Increases release of acetylcholine, and (8) Enhances ion channel normalization.

Tissue healing is achieved through a series of processes including: (1) Enhancement of leukocyte infiltration, (2) Increased macrophage activity, (3) Stimulates angiogenesis and increased neovascularization, (4) Increased fibroblast proliferation and Keratinocyte proliferation, (5) Stimulates early epithelialization, (6) Increases growth factor, (7) Enhances cell proliferation and differentiation, and (8) Increases healed wound tensile strength. Although there is some debate on the overall effectiveness of phototherapy, the overwhelming scientific and clinical outcomes support the successful use of this modality-light energy. This light energy can be produced by low-level laser devices (LLLDs), light emitting diodes (LEDs), and infrared emitting diodes (IREDs).

Not all infrared light emitting devices are lasers and wavelength does not indicate whether a device is either a laser or an emitting diode. One of the major differences between laser and non-laser devices is light coherence with the latter ones producing a non-coherent source of light with wider angles of divergence and greater light scattering effects in tissue. Therefore, the emitting diodes require longer treatment times to achieve the desired penetration and dose. When depth of penetration is not important, then coherence is of no concern and LEDs are ideal for treating superficial targets within larger surface areas during a single cycle. On the other hand, laser diodes have higher power outputs and their light beam is more focused making it ideal for deep tissue target application.

Our office uses the Terraquant Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) laser device that gives us the ability to provide complete spectra irradiance (CSI) that can be best described as utilizing the most appropriate wavelength and light source selection in order to optimize phototherapy outcomes. The Terraquant laser device has been designed with 3 specific radiances at wavelengths of 905 nanometers with 25 watts peaked super pulsed power laser, 875 nanometers with 15 milliwatts IREDs and 660 nanometers with 1.875 milliwatts LEDs built into a single cluster to provide CSI across the entire therapeutic window. The Terraquant is most effective in the treatment of pain and inflammation and deeper situated problems including functional disorders in muscle tendons and joints. The first photo therapy devices earned FDA approval in March 2002, initially for the management of carpal tunnel syndrome and in 2005 the FDA extended the approval for adjunctive use in providing relief of neck and shoulder pain of osteoarthritic and musculoskeletal origin.

Ortho Care is pleased to announce that we are one of the first physical therapy clinics in the area to offer this newly approved modality. We have been using this modality successfully in treatment of patients over the last 6 months and our patient satisfaction and progress has been rewarding. It appears to be most effective with long standing pain problems such as, chronic tendonitis and pain of the feet, knee and ankle.

References are available, contact OCPT at 586-294-9030 for an appointment or additional information.