For the vast majority of patients, surgery or other treatments are only the beginning of the healing process. Rehabilitation is a critical component in achieving the best possible outcome. To that end, All Florida Orthopaedic’s provides physical medicine and rehabilitation services as part of a comprehensive continuum of care.

The goal of physical medicine and rehabilitation (also known as physiatry or rehabilitation medicine) is to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with physical impairments or disabilities affecting the brain, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, nerves, spinal cord, and tendons. Physicians who have completed training in this field are referred to as physiatrists. Rather than focus on a medical “cure,” a physiatrist maximizes patients’ independence in activities of daily living and improves their quality of life.

Physiatrists at All Florida Orthopaedic’s are specialists in designing widespread, patient-centered treatment plans. They use cutting-edge as well as time-tested treatments to maximize function and quality of life for patients of all ages. They are integral members of a care team to help patients achieve not only a functional life but to have a quality of life never thought possible.

Regardless of your condition, our health care professionals are with you every step of the way, designing a plan specifically suited to your needs. Our services extend from postsurgical and joint replacement cases to children and adults with spinal cord injuries, head trauma, strokes, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, chronic pain, and amputation. We also offer a wide range of neuromuscular testing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Neuromuscular Medicine?

Neuromuscular medicine has to do with disorders of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and its connections with the central nervous system. The peripheral nervous system includes the motor and sensory neurons, neuromuscular junctions, peripheral nerves, and muscles. Care includes physical examination, clinical investigation, diagnosis, management, and counseling. Neuromuscular-trained physicians have knowledge beyond that expected of a general neurologist or physical medicine and rehabilitation physician.

What is Electrodiagnostic Medicine?

Electrodiagnostic medicine is medical sub-specialty and part of neuromuscular medicine. Specially-trained physicians use information from a patient’s history and physical exam, along with test results that analyze electrical impulses between muscles and nerves. These inputs help diagnose, test, and treat neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, and nervous system disorders.

What kind of medical training do doctors who perform EMGs have?

Doctors who perform EMGs go to 4 years of medical school then have 3 or 4 more years of training in a residency program, plus fellowship training. This specialized training helps the doctor decide which tests to perform based on your symptoms. Nerve conduction studies can be performed by trained technologists under a doctor’s supervision.

Why am I being sent to the EMG Lab for tests?

If you have numbness, tingling, pain, weakness, or muscle cramping, our physician will examine you to decide which tests to do. To diagnose your symptoms, these tests may include nerve conduction studies, needle EMGs, and evoked potentials.

What is a Nerve Conduction Study (NCS)?

By applying small electrical shocks to the nerve and recording how the nerve works, Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) show how well the body’s electrical signals are traveling to a nerve. These small shocks produce a quick, mild, tingling feeling. During the study, your doctor may test several nerves.

What happens during a needle EMG?

For this test, a small, thin needle is inserted into several muscles to see if there are any problems. During the EMG test, your doctor can hear and see how your muscles and nerves are working by the electrical signals made by your muscles, and then uses their medical knowledge to figure out what could be causing the problem. There may be a small amount of pain during the examination, with your doctor only testing the muscles necessary to decide what is wrong.

What is an Evoked Potential test?

These are painless tests that check the nerve pathways through the spinal cord or from the eyes and ears. The signals for these tests can come from small electrical shocks, light pulses, or clicks of sound in the ears, with nerve responses recorded over the scalp and other areas of skin.

How long will these tests take?

Most tests usually last 20 to 90 minutes. You can do any of your normal activities, like eating, driving, and exercising, before the tests. Tell your doctor if you are taking aspirin, blood thinners (like Coumadin®), have a pacemaker, or have hemophilia. Take a bath or shower to remove oil from your skin. Do not use body lotion on the day of the test. If you have myasthenia gravis, ask your EMG doctor if you should take any medications before the test.

There are no lasting side effects, so you also resume your normal activities afterward.

Depending on your symptoms, your physician may recommend more tests such as neuromuscular ultrasound, biopsies, or genetic testing.

SYMPTOMS AND DISEASES WE TREAT

A few of the symptoms and conditions our clinic is known for include:

  • Automobile Accident injuries
  • Disc Herniations
  • Back Pain
  • Neck Pain
  • Arm and Leg Pain
  • Sciatica
  • Headaches, including Migraines
  • Arthritis (Degenerative Joint Diseases)
  • TMJ/Jaw Pain
  • Shoulder Pain
  • Elbow Pain
  • Hand and Wrist Pain
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Numbness & Tingling, Weakness
  • Hip, Knee Pain
  • Foot and Ankle Pain
  • Bursitis and Tendonitis
  • Sports and Work-Related Injuries
  • Head Trauma
  • Joint Replacement
  • Ligament & Tendon Injuries

Qualified Providers that Can Help

Todd P. Beery, DO

Todd P. Beery, DO

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

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Jennifer M. Burns, MD

Jennifer M. Burns, MD

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

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Glenn S. Fuoco, DO

Glenn S. Fuoco, DO

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

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