ONE-ON-ONE CARE · WILMINGTON, NC
Specialized Physical Therapy. Built Around You.
One-on-one physical therapy for jaw and facial pain, headaches, tongue and airway dysfunction, complex musculoskeletal conditions, and performing artists.
45+ years of clinical experience. Every 45-minute appointment is one-on-one with Liz Henry, PT, DSc, OCS, FAAOMPT, CCTT.
WHY LIFEFORCE
Focused care. One patient at a time.
LifeForce on Eastwood is the solo practice of Liz Henry, PT, DSc, with more than 45 years of clinical experience and over 40 years of teaching physical therapy specialties and helping other physical therapists attain advanced credentials.
Areas of Specialization
Photo courtesy of Jordan Matter Photography
DANCE & PERFORMING ARTS MEDICINE
A career shaped by movement.
Liz spent 25 years practicing in New York City, including providing in-house physical therapy for dancers of the New York City Ballet. Today, she continues her work in dance medicine as Senior Consulting Physical Therapist for Carolina Ballet.
HOW I WORK
Expert examination. Precision treatment.
No two patients are exactly alike. Treatment begins with a comprehensive examination to identify the factors contributing to your symptoms—not simply the location of your pain. From there, treatment is individualized and may integrate manual therapy, movement and motor-control retraining, breathing and airway strategies, education, and self-care.
Treatment Methods
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Advanced hands-on treatment provided by a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT) may include:
Myofascial release techniques
Joint mobilization and manipulation
Cranial mobilization
Manual nerve mobilization and desensitization techniques
Specialized intraoral and orofacial techniques
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Treatment goes beyond improving mobility. Retraining helps your body use that mobility more effectively and may include:
Motor-control and movement retraining
Strategies to reduce clenching, grinding, and other oral habits
Postural optimization
Tongue and intraoral posture retraining
Optimization of regional movement and load transfer
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Understanding why your symptoms occur—and what you can do about them—is a powerful part of rehabilitation. You will receive individualized self-care strategies designed to help you manage symptoms, reinforce treatment gains, and take a more active role in your recovery.
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Specialized tongue and airway exercises may be used to:
Promote nasal rather than habitual mouth breathing
Optimize tongue and oral resting posture
Improve tongue strength, coordination, and endurance
Retrain dysfunctional swallowing patterns
Support healthy dental and craniofacial function
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For appropriate patients, treatment may complement medical or dental management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS), snoring, nasal obstruction, and dysfunctional breathing.
Interventions may include:
Nasal Release Technique (NRT)
Sinus and facial mobilization
Capnography assessment and training
Strategies to address chronic overbreathing and hypocapnia
Therapeutic breathing exercises
Techniques to improve nasal breathing and support upper-airway function
Physical therapy does not replace appropriate medical evaluation or established treatment for sleep-disordered breathing.
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Specialized dry needling techniques for the:
Orofacial region
Cervical spine and associated musculature
Cranial and suboccipital regionsDry Needling
Specialized dry needling techniques for the:
Orofacial region
Cervical spine and associated musculature
Cranial and suboccipital regions
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When clinically appropriate, treatment may also incorporate:
Laser therapy
Therapeutic ultrasound
Phonophoresis
TENS
SUCCESS STORIES
Real experiences. Individualized care.
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Dr. Henry’s Recommendations
Products Dr. Henry frequently recommends to support treatment, recovery, and self-care.
Request an Appointment
You do not need a physician or dentist referral to seek treatment with Dr. Henry. Complete the request form and we’ll contact you to schedule an appointment.