Health blog Category: Physical Therapy
Shoulder Overuse Injuries
The shoulder is a very mobile joint due to its ball and socket design which gives it a large range of movement. So…it needs to be stabilized by all the muscles and ligaments that surround the joint. Many factors can result in these muscles and ligaments being over worked including:
- Weakness
- Fatigue or muscle endurance limitations
- Over training
- Poor technique with stroke (especially freestyle)
- Tightness
Over time injuries such as swimmer’s shoulder, rotator cuff impingement, and tendinitis occur.
Read full blogHow Tight Hamstrings Can Lead To Back Pain
When we think of muscle tightness, several pictures can come to mind.
- We may think about how we’re unable to reach down and touch our toes without bending our knees (or at all)
- Some may think about how they have a hard time squatting down to tie their shoes without lifting their heels up
- The list goes on.
Muscle tightness doesn’t just hinder good form in our daily activities, but it can also lead to pain and injuries in different parts of the body.
Read full blogWhat REALLY is Sciatica?
Have you ever heard of sciatica? It’s quite for a patient to come into the clinic saying they are suffering from sciatica. However, in most cases, this is NOT actually what’s going on with them.
The term sciatica tends to be thrown around and not many people have a true understanding what it is and what is actually causing their symptoms. If you were to google your symptoms:
- pain that goes down my leg to my feet
- numbness in the leg
- tingling in my leg
Dr.
Read full blogACL Tears and Sports
The phrase that can strike fear into the hearts of athletes and fans is the dreaded “torn ACL.” Automatically, that athlete is put on the shelf for the season and possibly extending into the next. “6 to 12 month recovery” titles popup on our screens, and we wonder if that athlete will ever be the same. We watch the replay, and questions and thoughts pop into our minds.
“What is an ACL?” “Why does it take so long to come back from an ACL surgery?” “Is that what happened to Robert Griffen III?”
There is a tremendous amount of information available pertaining to the “ACL,” and much of it can be confusing and conflicting.
Natural Ways to Beat Joint Pain
Our joints rely on the ability to move properly, have adequate muscle support and to be well-lubricated. When any of these points suffer, increased pressure is created in the joint causing the cartilage to rub together. This can lead to our joint cartilage wearing down and arthritis.
Joint pain debilitates millions of people annually and can play a significant role in our ability to perform normal everyday tasks. If we understand the mechanics of our joints, there are several things we can do to help our body move faster and without pain.
Importance of the Core
Our core is our whole body’s support system. It helps stabilize and transfer forces from the upper body to the lower body. The core is made up of more than just our abs- as most people think of a six pack when they hear core or ab strength.
Your core consists of:
- Transverse abdomens
- Obliques
- Rectus abdominis.
- The diaphragm
- Multifid
- Hip musculature
- Pelvic floor
What Happens When Your Core is Weak
When your core is not strong you are more prone to injury, as the core is incorporated in almost every movement.
Read full blogAnkle Instability
10,000 steps is the Center for Disease Control & Prevention recommended step count for a day. While we are all shooting to hit those 10,000 steps in 24 hours, it’s quite likely that one of us will stumble, miss a step/curb or trip.
Those missteps can be a result of:
- Wearing high heels
- Incorrectly sized shoes
- Inconsistent walking surfaces
- Or even something as simple as ankle instability.
People often make the comment “What did you even trip over?” when there actually wasn’t anything in their direct path that caused their misstep.
Read full blogHip injuries and How They Affect Our Everyday Lives
Hip injuries and discomfort affect people from all walks of life. Unfortunately, because the hip is a weight bearing joint, most people find difficulty in creating lasting relief for their symptoms. As with most issues of pain, the common reaction is to cover up the problem with a band-aid such as taking some painkillers or stopping whatever activity bothers you as much as possible- but it doesn’t have to be this way!
The Most Common Symptoms of Hip Issues
Some common symptoms include:
- Pain in either the front, side or back of the hip.
- Pain may also localize in the lower back, groin or buttocks.
- When this happens, it is common for people to ignore the actual hip joint and therefore, not address the inherent weakness or tightness or poor mechanics of this joint that is causing these issues.
Stretches to Alleviate Neck Pain and Improve Posture
Neck pain is a common ailment that is experienced by a large number of individuals. There are many causes of neck pain.
Possible causes of neck pain include:
- Tight muscles
- Whiplash injuries that can be caused by car accidents
- Sports related accidents and injuries.
- Poor posture which is a result of everyday activities that most individuals engage in such as using a computer, sitting for long periods of time, driving, texting.
Warm-ups and Adequate Stretching
Do you know what constitutes a complete warm-up? Too often, sports-related injuries occur and could have been easily prevented had the athlete thoroughly prepared their body for practices and games. So what is an appropriate warm-up?
Warm-ups
The warm-up, feeds the body. Whether it’s a run, a jog, a swim or a brisk walk, the change in activity does several things:
- It increased the blood supply to the muscles
- It increases the heart rate
- It begins to produce more lubrication for the smooth joint motion
Now that the body is warm, the next step is to thoroughly stretch.
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