Health blog Category: Physical Therapy
Bunions
I remember being a kid and seeing my mom’s feet especially in the summer. She had this bump on the inside area of her big toe. She always said, “I hope you don’t have my feet when you grow up!” I always wondered why her bone stuck out like that. These “bumps” are called bunions.
What is a bunion?
A bunion is a foot deformity that occurs when the big toe bone shifts out of place. Your big toe begins to move inward towards the smaller toes, and as this occurs the bottom part of the big toe shifts outwards to form that “bump.” How does this happen? Sometimes it happens because of tight fitting shoes that are worn for a long time that has a narrow toe box. It can also occur because of other medical conditions such as arthritis and good ‘ole genetics!
Read full blogHamstring Injuries can be a Pull or a Tear
What is your hamstring?
The hamstrings are made up of three muscles: semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris. These three muscles are located in the back of the upper leg. The hamstrings allow for bending at the knee and extending the hip. One or more of the muscles may be injured with a hamstring injury and it may be a “pull”, a partial tear or a full tear.
Most commonly a hamstring injury will occur with running, jumping or sudden start/stopping motions.
Our Heel; The Part of Our Foot We Forget
The heel, also known as the calcaneus, is located on the bottom of the foot directly below the ankle joint. The heel bone has many muscles and ligaments attached to it. When injuries or irritation occur to the attached muscles or ligaments, it can create pain in the heel. This pain can lead to many other additional issues in your daily life such as difficulty:
- Walking
- Jogging
- Running
- Working out
- standing
The pain can be described as follows:
- Tight
- Spasm
- Burning
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Dull
- Achy
- Sharp
Why does heel pain occur?
This pain can be caused by:
- Overuse of the calf and foot muscles
- Tight calf and foot muscles, or plantar fascia
- Weakness in ankle-supporting muscles
- Fractures to bone
- Inflammation of bursa (fluid filled sacs that provide protection)
- Neurological issues
Common Heel Pain Injuries
- Achilles Tendinitis: inflammation of the Achilles tendon due to overused or tight calf muscles
- Bursitis: inflammation of the bursa due to tight surrounding tissues/tendons or friction at the heel
- Plantar Fasciitis: inflammation of the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot
- Heel Spur: bony outgrowth at the heel due to tight muscles or strains/sprains
- Stress Fractures: tiny cracks in bone due to overuse and repetitive forces
Should you seek physical therapy?
Read full blogIs The Room Spinning?
Have you ever had the sensation that the room was spinning and you didn’t just come off of a rollercoaster? That sensation is called vertigo. Vertigo can be classified as the room spinning or if you feel like you are spinning.
Why does this happen?
There are several causes of vertigo some of which are related to issues of the brain and others that have to do with your inner ear. Your brain is the hierarchy of balance and your brain is connected to your inner ear via a nerve. When something goes wrong with parts of the brain or inner ear it can cause lightheadedness, balance issues, and nausea in addition to vertigo.
How can you tell if the symptom of vertigo is a serious issue?
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Does vertigo occur when you change the position of your head and/or body?
Back Pain and Where it Came From
Most of us will experience some form of back pain at some point in their life. Back pain can be debilitating and can make simple everyday activities and movements seem impossible and painful. So where did this pain come from?
Where Back Pain Comes From:
- Muscle strains
- Joint or disc issues (joint deterioration, disc herniation)
- Muscle weakness/imbalances (poor core activation, glute weakness)
- Poor mechanics (squatting/ bending over/ lifting items incorrectly)
What are the symptoms?
Read full blogHip Injuries: How Common They Really Are
Hip injuries are very common in the general population due to the stress through the joint on a daily basis, so it’s no surprise that you have experienced an injury.
The three most common injuries that occur in the hip joint include:
- Hip Impingement
- Labral Tears
- Arthritis
It is important to understand the structure of the hip before we can discuss hip injuries.
Hip Anatomy
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint.
Read full blogTop 7 Sports Injuries
Sports injuries are injuries that occur during any sport or physical activity. Typically in a sports injury, the musculoskeletal (muscles, bones and ligaments) system is involved.
Why do sport injuries occur?
Sports injuries are commonly caused by:
- Poor training methods
- Muscular weakness
- Structural abnormalities
- Faulty movement patterns
- Improper form
- Improper warm-up and cool-downs
Common types of sports injury:
- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome:
- Pain at the front of the knee due to improper movement, tight muscles and/or overuse.
Grading a Muscle Strain
A muscle strain is a very common injury to muscle tissue that is often caused by overuse/fatigue or excessive tension put on the muscle.
What is actually happening in a muscle strain?
When you strain a muscle, you are essentially overloading the muscle cells capability to provide the force necessary to perform a certain movement. When this happens, the tiny muscle cells tear apart. There is also connective tissue in between the muscle cells that often gets torn as well.
Read full blogA Sprain or A Strain
I’m sure you’ve heard of someone that has had a sprain or a strain or even experienced one 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?
Hiking and Knee Pain
I found myself out hiking this past weekend to get out of the house and enjoy the weather which is something I love to do! I’m always amazed how taxing it is on my body, especially my knees as I woke up the next day and hobbled out of bed and down the stairs!
Hiking Downhill VS Hiking Uphill
Hiking is a recreational activity that offers many benefits for the human body! However, the constant pounding endured by the knees during lengthy hikes can wear out the joints and cause inflammation, especially when hiking downhill.
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