Suspension Therapy

Suspension therapy enables you to work injured or weakened muscle groups without pain, optimizing nerve and muscle control and restoring your usual range of motion. Tiffany Zarcone, PT, DPT, and her team at Clifton Physical Therapy in Clifton, New Jersey, use suspension therapy to help people heal from injuries, exercise with disabling conditions like arthritis, and recover after surgery. Call Clifton Physical Therapy or schedule a consultation online today to discover how suspension therapy can help you.

What is suspension therapy?

Suspension therapy is a system developed by Redcord® in Norway to improve your neuromuscular (nerve and muscle) system function.

During suspension therapy, your therapist suspends you from the ceiling, creating a similar environment to being in the water. This helps to challenge muscle stability and strength while allowing several body systems and muscle groups to coordinate.

How does suspension therapy work?

The Clifton Physical Therapy team uses Redcord’s Neurac® Method. This involves bungee-assisted suspension exercises in various positions, such as lying on your back, stomach, or side, or partially suspended in a sitting, kneeling, or standing position.

Redcord therapy is different from other approaches, allowing you to receive training for your body in a controlled, pain-free environment. The team can identify muscle weakness and imbalance and create a personalized treatment plan catering to your specific needs.

Rehabilitation exercises in this controlled but moving environment require your body to use all its muscles for stability and balance. It increases overall muscle activation without overstressing injured tissues.

Suspension therapy increases your postural muscle strength and stability and improves your core (the muscles in the center of your body that support your spine). Full body suspension helps tight or spasming muscles to relax and reduces unwanted reflexes, helping you learn to move with better technique.

What can suspension therapy treat?

Numerous research studies provide evidence of suspension therapy’s effectiveness in treating:

Lower back pain

Lower back pain can have multiple causes, from herniated discs and spinal stenosis (spinal canal narrowing) to torn muscles. Spinal conditions often cause radiculopathy, where the nerves coming away from the spinal cord come under pressure. This causes pain and problems like weakness, loss of function, numbness, and tingling that extends down one or both legs.

Neck pain

The neck can also develop radiculopathy, but in this case, the pain and other symptoms extend into one or both arms.

Knee pain

Knee injuries like anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprains can keep you out of action for months while the tissues heal. With suspension therapy, you can begin rehabilitation sooner without the risk of worsening your injury.

Suspension therapy is also suitable for many other sports injuries and chronic conditions like arthritis, tendinitis, and bursitis. It can be invaluable for post-surgical rehabilitation.

Call Clifton Physical Therapy or book an appointment online today to learn more about suspension therapy’s benefits.