Health blog Category: Physical Therapy
Get warm for the colder season!
In the warmer months, it easier for our bodies to warm up to the activities and stresses we place on them. However, as a therapist, I do begin to see more patients, especially back related injuries in the latter half the year. Why is that?
One thing that doesn’t tend to like to change is our activity level.
We all have our hobbies and passions that we would pursue 24/7 if we had the time and energy.
Read full blogJust How Important are Core Muscles…
Slouching in a chair, slumping at the computer or your belly sticking out after standing for awhile are all signs of core muscle weakness. A weak core can negatively affect your health and create long-term back or neck pain.
What are Your Core Muscles?
Your “core” is the group of muscles that help stabilize your body and give a strong anchor point from which your skeleton can move properly with good posture.
Read full blogProper Preparation is Key to Avoiding Injuries
Nowadays, free-time activities can look a little different for kids as various technologies are at our fingertips. If you’re a student athlete who participates in sports year-round, you might maintain a higher level of physical activity. Overall though, the general lack of physical activity, means fitness levels decrease significantly and therefore the return to sports is more difficult. It’s all the more reason why proper preparation is key.
When returning to any sport, it’s important to treat your body appropriately, with care and attention.
Warm-ups, Stretching, and Better Performance
No matter our active level; athlete, sedentary, a weekend warrior, young or old, the benefits of routine stretching reach far beyond rehabilitation.
What is stretching?
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.
Read full blogTired of Medications? Find Relief with Physical Therapy
Pain can put some extreme limits on your life. While medications can provide temporary relief, it doesn’t actually solve the problem of your pain; rather, it merely masks the symptoms. If you have been living with acute or chronic pain and you’re looking for a natural way to successfully treat your symptoms, contact our office today!
A natural alternative to medication:
For many people, even the thought of exercising can make them cringe due to the pain they are feeling.
Read full blogCar Ergonomics are Just as Important as Office Ergonomics
We all know that having an ergonomically correct desk set-up is crucial to avoiding neck and back pain, and to have a comfortable work day. But another big part of you day is driving; to and from work, to your kids soccer practice, and to the grocery store. Long periods of time in the car, can mean sitting in awkward, static postures for long periods of time. While desk set-up is important, you should also ergonomically prepare your everyday driving trips.
Read full blogSedentary Lifestyles and a Painful Neck
Neck problems are more common these days, due to our sedentary lifestyles. How often do we use computers and phones throughout the day? Now let’s think about our posture whenever we use these devices.
Posture plays a large role in maintaining neck health.
Good posture, limits our chance of developing problems that can negatively affect our daily activities. Issues with our neck are commonly associated with pain, headaches, and general stiffness.
Read full blogHand, Wrist, and Elbow Problems That Could Be Affecting Your Rock Climbing
For everyone, our hands and elbows are essential in our everyday lives. Think about how many times a day you use your hands. They are required for nearly every movement. For rock climbers, your hands are a key tool you need to make it to the top of the wall.
Some of the most common issues of the elbow, wrist, and hand, that will affect your climbing are:
- Tennis Elbow
- Carpal Tunnel
- De Quervain’s tendonitis
What symptoms indicate these conditions?
Read full blogAthletes and Their Injuries
Often, after an injury, athletes try to get back on the field as quickly as possible or, they attempt to re-condition their bodies too quickly, after being relatively inactive in the off-season. However, despite proper conditioning, no matter how well-conditioned your athlete is, injuries can still occur.
Whatever the scenario, physical therapy is a very effective method to both prevent and rehabilitate a sports related injury. It addresses the issue before it becomes a much more serious problem, that could sideline your athlete for a prolonged period of time.
Why a Home Exercise Program is Important
We begin physical therapy because we have a goal in mind. Relief from pain, increased functionality, staying active, playing with our kids, the list goes on. After the initial evaluation, a home exercise program is given—HEP for short—to help us reach those specific goals. There are a range of stretches and strengthening exercises to help offset weak, tight, and poorly functioning muscles in order to target your area of complaint and give you a well rounded program for your success.
So, if an HEP is a means to an end—then why not stick to it?
