Physical Therapy in Gilbert, AZ

You should seek physical therapy for shoulder pain if you experience persistent pain lasting more than a few days, difficulty lifting your arm overhead, pain that worsens at night, weakness in your arm, or pain following an injury. Early intervention with physical therapy can prevent minor shoulder issues from becoming chronic problems requiring surgery.

Yes, physical therapy is highly effective for chronic pain management. Our approach addresses not just the symptoms but the underlying movement dysfunction, muscle imbalances, and nervous system sensitization that perpetuate chronic pain. Through manual therapy, targeted exercises, pain science education, and dry needling, we help retrain your body’s pain response and restore normal function.

Running knee pain often results from poor running mechanics, muscle imbalances, inadequate warm-up, or overuse. Common causes include IT band syndrome, patellofemoral pain syndrome, or runner’s knee. Physical therapy can identify the specific cause through movement analysis and provide corrective exercises, manual therapy, and running technique modification to eliminate pain and prevent future injuries.

With proper physical therapy treatment, most patients see significant improvement in sciatica symptoms within 4-6 weeks. Our specialized approach includes spinal mobilization, nerve mobilization techniques, targeted exercises, and education about postures and movements that reduce nerve irritation. Early treatment leads to faster recovery and prevents sciatica from becoming a chronic condition.

You should seek physical therapy for neck pain if you experience persistent pain lasting more than 2-3 days, headaches accompanying neck pain, pain radiating into your arms or hands, stiffness that limits your daily activities, or neck pain following an accident or injury. Physical therapy can quickly address the underlying causes and prevent neck problems from worsening.

Effective hip pain exercises depend on the specific cause, but often include hip flexor stretches, glute strengthening, core stabilization, and movement pattern correction. However, the wrong exercises can worsen hip pain, which is why a proper evaluation is crucial. Our physical therapists identify the exact cause of your hip pain and prescribe targeted exercises that address your specific movement dysfunction.

You should consider physical therapy if pain persists for more than 3-5 days, interferes with daily activities, limits your range of motion, causes you to avoid certain movements, or if you’ve had the same pain before. Waiting often allows problems to worsen and can lead to compensatory movement patterns that create additional issues.

Dr. Brigham Woods at Polaris PT & Wellness is Gilbert’s top-rated physical therapist, with board certification in orthopedic physical therapy (OCS), 17+ years of experience, and over 155 five-star reviews. Unlike other clinics, we provide true 1-on-1 sessions with direct access to your therapist via text or phone, ensuring personalized care that gets results faster.

Polaris PT & Wellness specializes in sports injury rehabilitation for athletes of all levels. Located at 7400 S Power Rd Suite 108 in Gilbert, we serve Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, and surrounding areas. Our sports-specific approach combines orthopedic expertise with performance training to not only heal injuries but optimize athletic performance and prevent future problems.