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Rehabilitation Specialist

Eagle Harbor Health

Integrated Health & Wellness Center located in Bainbridge Island, WA

Do you have injuries or disabilities that are holding you back? If bodily pain or improper functioning are interfering with your daily routines, consider rehabilitation with the medical professionals at Eagle Harbor Health on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Kirk Petheram, DC, has helped many patients find relief from their pain and improve their quality of life with rehabilitation. To learn more, schedule an appointment today by calling the office or booking a visit online.

Rehabilitation Q & A

What is rehabilitation?

Rehabilitation is the use of special movements, exercises, or treatment plans to help alleviate pain and improve function in patients who are suffering from injuries or disabilities.

Dr. Petheram observes your movement patterns in order to identify areas of your musculoskeletal system that are weak or dysfunctional. He then prescribes a particular treatment plan that can correct muscle weakness by strengthening, stretching, and reprogramming your soft tissues.

Eagle Harbor Health is proud to offer a wide range of rehabilitation services to help restore proper functioning to your musculoskeletal system, such as cupping, kinesiotaping, and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization.

What is cupping?

In cupping therapy, Dr. Petheram creates suction in a small, glass cup that he places on your skin for a few minutes.

The suction increases blood flow into the area on which the cup is placed, which helps to relieve muscle tension, promote cell repair, reduce inflammation, form new connective tissues, and even create new blood vessels in your damaged tissue.

What is kinesiotaping?

In kinesiotaping, Dr. Petheram applies a therapeutic material by Rocktape over and around your muscles and joints. Rocktape is incredibly stretchy, and when applied to your body, it gently lifts your skin and very slightly repositions your musculature.

This realigning provides stability and support to your muscles and joints, increases blood flow, decreases pain and inflammation, and improves your posture, effectively relaxing muscles that are tired or overused and accelerating the recovery process for muscles that are damaged.

What is instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization?

In instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), Dr. Petheram uses ergonomically shaped tools to massage and mobilize your muscles, tendons, and fascia (the layer of collagen encasing your muscles).

IASTM is very similar to massage therapy, but instead of using his hands, Dr. Petheram uses metal or plastic tools that have been specifically designed to help release tightness in your fascial system and eliminate scar tissue and adhesions. IASTM is incredibly effective in improving connective tissue function, especially when coupled with stretching and strengthening.

Don’t wait to alleviate your pain and improve your functioning. Schedule an appointment today with Eagle Harbor Health and get your body back in shape. You can call the office, or book your visit online.