Health blog Category: Physical Therapy
Solving Foot and Ankle Problems
Foot and ankle conditions are very common for every age group. Even if it’s just general discomfort, foot and ankle conditions cause a lot of problems with daily, functional activities. The most frequent complaint we see in the clinic is pain at the ankle joint that can radiate up into the leg or down into the heel. This symptom causes difficulty walking or standing for a prolonged period of time. It can also create trouble going from a seated position to a standing one without pain.
What Happens When Foot and Ankle Problems are Not Taken Care Of?
Read full blogSciatica and Its’ Solution
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is nerve pain affecting the lower extremity, caused by irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve provides motor and sensory feedback to and from the lower extremity. It is the largest nerve in the body, and begins from nerve roots in the lumbar spine and extends through the buttock region down into the lower leg just under the knee.
Symptoms of Sciatica
Sciatica can cause pain, burning, numbness, or tingling radiating from the lower back down through the back of the leg.
Read full blogSay ‘No’ to Knee Problems
Knee pain is a very common problem which can result in difficulty with many daily activities. It can greatly limit our functional mobility. Some people also experience stiffness in and around the knee causing difficulty moving the joint and generalized weakness in the affected leg.
How Can Knee Pain Affect Us?
Having pain or stiffness in our knee can cause:
- Difficulty walking
- Pain with going up or down the stairs
- Pain with squatting
- Difficulty standing up from a chair
- Inability to kneel
- Difficulty with lifting, pushing, or pulling objects.
- Difficulty moving after staying in a prolonged position
- Inability to sit for a period of time.
Avoid Back Pain When Shoveling this Winter
With winter here and the chance of snow right around the corner, it is important to know the proper way to shovel, in order to prevent back and shoulder injuries – ones we see frequently after a big snow. The good news though is that lower back and shoulder pain can be easily prevented by using correct body mechanics.
Try these tips to keep your back pain-free:
- Choose the Right Shovel
- An ergonomic snow shovel will help take the stress off your back and make your snow shoveling a much easier task.
Posture and Neck Pain
Our posture when sitting at a desk and/or using mobile technology for day to day communications, often has room for improvement. It’s so easy for us to slip into a poor posture when we’re mindlessly reading emails or sending texts. The problem is, that this poor posture is leading to more complaints of neck discomfort.
Neck pain is no longer an ‘adult issue. A lot of younger people are now complaining of neck discomfort, headaches, trouble standing up and other painful issues in these upper body areas.
The Effect of Concussions on Various Systems
Contrary to common belief, concussions can have an effect on multiple systems in the body. The diagram above breaks down the various systems that can be affected by a concussion. One system can drive the other and symptoms can present differently for each individual.
Here is how concussions can affect each system:
Vestibulo-ocular
- Vestibular- Common vestibular complaints include dizziness, nausea, and instability (walking or still).
Living Life to the Fullest with Physical Therapy Treatments
WebMD states, “Physical therapy is often one of the best choices you can make when you have long-term pain (also called chronic pain) or an injury. It can make you stronger and help you move and feel better.” The mission of any physical therapist is to relieve pain while also increasing function and mobility.
Physical therapy can be used for any physical goal you may have, whether it’s recovering from an injury, returning to work or a sport, or simply improving your body’s strength and function.
Read full blogHow Hip Pain Impacts Our Lives
Hip pain is a very common problem which can cause difficulty with many daily activities. A common complaint is pain localized to the hip joint and muscles surrounding the joint. Some people also experience stiffness in and around the hip and the lower back.
Impacts on Our Lives:
Hip pain causes difficulty moving the joint and generalized weakness in the affected leg. When dealing with pain or stiffness in your hip, it can create difficulty:
- Walking
- Going up or down stairs
- Squatting
- Standing up from a chair
- Prolonged sitting
- Prolonged standing
Significant stiffness in our hips, also creates difficulty with tasks such as sitting with our legs crossed, putting on shoes and socks, and getting in and out of our car.
Read full blogStrengthen, Lengthen, and Reduce Pain in Our Joints
Joint health is something that ALL ages need to be concerned about, not just older populations. The more we educate ourselves, the less likely we are to develop joint conditions like arthritis or general joint pain and stiffness. Healthy joints are key to living a pain free life. Unfortunately, nearly half of Americans over the age of 65 are dealing with arthritis somewhere in their bodies, according to the CDC.
Arthritis is a condition in which inflammation has invaded the joint space and is causing joint stiffness and/or pain.
Rotator Cuff Tears: Rehabilitation vs. Surgery
In the physical therapy business, regardless of the time of year, we see plenty of patients complaining of shoulder pain. Most shoulder pain occurs following repetitive movements. These cause wear and tear that breaks down the rotator cuff tendons. Activities such as raking leaves and shoveling are common culprits that send people to seek medical attention for shoulder pain. In addition, injuries that involve lifting can also cause increased pain in the shoulders.
