Health blog Category: Physical Therapy
Shoes, arch supports and heel cups
We get inquiries from patients all the time regarding footwear, flip flops and arch supports. Which type of shoes is right for you? Well, there is no one-shoe-fits all. The answer is more involved and depends upon your foot structure, your activity/sport, your gait pattern and your goals.
Not all flip flops are created equally. There are some flip flops that are extremely flat and flimsy. These types of flip flops provide no support for your feet or ankles, which puts you at a higher risk for developing plantar fasciitis, tendonitis or sustaining an ankle sprain.
Swimming for the First Time Since Last Summer?
This time of year we see more and more patients complaining of shoulder pain and with good reason. Maybe you’ve been swimming for the first time since last summer or you’ve had time to toss the softball with your kids unlike other times of the year. Whatever the reason, shoulder injuries are common reasons people seek physical therapy.
Most shoulder pain occurs following repetitive movements. These cause wear and tear that breaks down the rotator cuff tendons.
How disc problems cause upper body discomfort
Neck pain is a common complaint in the orthopedic rehab world, and we’ve certainly treated our share of patients who suffer from various conditions related to neck pain at LSTC. With the high prevalence of desk jobs, the influx of cell phone use, computer use and video gaming, as well as time spent relaxing in front of the TV, our posture certainly suffers more often than we realize. Although poor posture and sedentary lifestyles are big contributions to neck pain, there are several other conditions that can cause that big pain in the neck.
Read full blogEver wince with discomfort when standing up from a chair?
Hip pain is a very common problem which can cause difficulty with many daily activities. People often come to physical therapy with different complaints involving the hip. The number one 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. This causes difficulty moving the joint and generalized weakness in the affected leg. When you are dealing with pain or stiffness in your hip, it can create difficulty performing the following activities:
- Walking
- Going up or down stairs
- Squatting
- Standing up from a chair
- Prolonged sitting
- Prolonged standing
When a patient is feeling significant stiffness in their hips, they can also start to experience difficulty with tasks such as sitting with their legs crossed, putting on shoes and socks, and getting in and out of the car.
Read full blog5 Steps to Create a Successful Exercise Plan
Hands down, the worst kind of plan is no plan. A plan has three purposes:
- Help reach goals
- Help prevent injuries while increasing performance
- Help monitor progress
We don’t want to do the same thing day in and day out. This will lead to burnout, boredom and an overall feeling that that exercise regimen isn’t as fulfilling anymore.
You may think that creating a exercise plan and a program is unnecessary if you’re not a high-performance athlete trying to compete in something.
Inflammation, Swelling or Weakness in the Upper Body?
Shoulder pain is one of the most common problems we among patients in physical therapy. It’s not just athletes like baseball players or swimmer either; we treat patients of all ages for shoulder problems. This condition can be the result of repetitive overuse of muscles in the shoulder, poor posture or traumatic injury to the shoulder.
Repetitive overuse of muscles can lead to tendinopathy or irritation of the tendons that attach at the shoulder.
What Are the Signs of a Pulled Muscle?
By Mike Bills, MS PT
So what are some signs that you may have pulled a muscle? You will generally notice some level of discomfort either right away while you are doing the activity or in the following 24 hours. This is what we typically brush off as “typical soreness” after going for a long walk, standing for a long period of time, running, doing yard work, etc. However, too often, people don’t pay attention to this post-activity soreness because they think it is normal.
Ever not know how an ache started?
Believe it or not, your hips play a large role in the health of your back and limited hip mobility can cause back pain. Do you have an aching back at the end of the day and wonder where the source of your pain is coming from? You are not alone! More than 80 percent of the population will suffer from back pain at least once in their life, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control.
Read full blogIs discomfort getting in the way of your exercise plan?
By: Devin Wurman, DPT
In physical therapy we see a lot of hip injuries. These injuries range from bursitis to fractures to replacements. Some injuries happen to healthy joints, while others occur in the elderly due to osteoporosis or because of congenital deformities. Either way, physical therapy can be beneficial and help strengthen the muscles around the injury, improve balance, and help patients return to normal function whether it is walking around without an device or return to sport.
Spine Anatomy and Spine Problems
By: Mike Bills, MS PT
In order to understand why spine problems get started, let’s first talk about spine anatomy. Your spine is comprised of many vertebrae. These are the bones that make up your spine and they’re like rocks that sit on top of each other in a very specific fashion. In order for the spine to do its job, these vertebra must sit on top of each other, from your neck all the way to your tailbone, in a curve that looks like the letter S.
