Health blog Category: Body Mechanics
Too much or too little movement in our joints?
Joint mobility and joint stability are two parts of a patient’s musculoskeletal condition that physical therapists assess.
- Joint mobility is the amount of movement that occurs within a single joint. So this is not just how high you can raise your arm or how far you can bend your knee, but it is how much or how little “wiggle” there is within a joint. Us therapist call this “wiggle” joint play and rate joint mobility as mild, moderate or severe hypermobility (excessive movement) and mild, moderate, or severe hypomobility (limitation of movement, stiffness).
How the body needs to work to walk properly
By: Mike Bills, MS PT
Walking is something that we all do everyday whether that be to simply get from one point to another or for exercise or for relaxation. Because walking is such a necessary part of daily life, it’s important to understand what should and should not be happening when we walk is important to help us live a safe and healthy lifestyle. When you walk there are many major parts of your body that need to be working properly together to ensure that the activity of walking is efficient, safe, and beneficial.
Let’s start with your legs.
What’s the difference between a strain and a sprain?
By Alyssa Burke, PTA
I’m sure you’ve heard someone say they sprained or strained something. Maybe you’ve even experienced these injuries yourself. Sprains and strains are common injuries that affect the soft tissues of your body. You don’t have to be an athlete to experience one of these injuries. People of all ages and activity levels are susceptible to sprains and strains. Sometimes these injuries can be confusing to keep straight, so what is the difference between a sprain and a strain?
Want to get rid of that nagging muscle tightness?
The benefits of routine stretching reach far beyond rehabilitation. Whether you’re an athlete, sedentary, a weekend warrior, young or old, active or inactive, you will reap the value of a regular stretching routine.
In general, stretching is the elongation of a muscle and is used to help prevent injury and discomfort. However, there are different types of stretching that are important to distinguish. One is best implemented as a warm-up to prepare your body for exercise and the other is best used as a cool-down to reduce post-activity muscle soreness.
What are the core muscles and what do they do?
By: Rachel Herrmann, DPT, PT
When most people think of the core, they think of the abdominals and doing sit-ups and generally know that one needs to have good core strength. Beyond that, most people don’t know much else about the core.
So what are the core muscles and what do they really do?
The core muscles consist of the muscles surrounding and providing stability and postural control to the torso, abdomen and pelvis.
What is bursitis and how do I know if I have it?
Bursitis is an inflammation of a structure called a “bursa” and most commonly occurs in knees, hips, shoulders and elbows. Pain is the number one symptom of bursitis. This pain can be deep and hard to pinpoint. It is often described as “dull and achey,” and can radiate to the surrounding areas. Bursitis can impede on nearly all aspects of our everyday activities, including standing up from the couch, running on the treadmill, walking the dog, or even something as simple as lying down in bed… that shouldn’t hurt, right?!
Read full blogHow to Bounce Back from a Muscle Strain
Lower back problems are one of the most common complaints we encounter in physical therapy. The majority of adults will experience back pain at some point in their lifetime. The back pain they experience may only last a short time or it could linger for months. Back pain affects men and women equally and can even be seen in children and teenagers. There are many different structures that are at risk for injury in your back.
Read full blogWhat does the body’s core include?
By Alyssa Burke, LPTA
Many people will experience some form of lower back pain in the course of their life. There are many factors that can contribute to lower back pain. Some of the most common sources include:
- Muscle Strains
- Overuse Injuries
- Disc and Skeletal Issues
- Poor Posture
When treating lower back pain, it is important to address body mechanics and more importantly, strengthen your core.
Read full blogHave a lack of flexibility or poor body mechanics?
Hip problems are a common complaint we treat Loudoun Sports Therapy Center and it can affect all ages and activity levels. Many hip problems are often the result of an overuse injury and can interfere with your daily activities making walking, standing or even sitting painful or challenging.
Three common hip problems are: osteoarthritis, bursitis, and tendinitis.
- Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage in your hip joint becomes damaged from wear and tear over the years.
The Importance of Addressing Mobility and Stability
As physical therapists, we see this scenario play out all too often: you feel pain and the stretching and strengthening you do is focused solely on that painful area. However, this only solves part of the problem and does not address a key fact: the joints in our body have a relationship. They pick up the slack for each other when our mobility or stability is impacted in a particular area.
Here’s an example of how this plays out.
