Health blog
Solution to that Back Strain
Are you feeling:
- Pain across the low back into the buttock and hip area
- Stiffness and limit motion
- Swelling
- Inability to maintain positions
- Muscle spasms
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you may be dealing with a lumbar strain. A lumbar strain is when the muscles or tendons in the back get overstretched or tear. Microscopic tearing can occur suddenly due to injury or develop overtime. Strains are classified into varying degrees based on the severity of the injury.
Read full blogFallen Arches & Foot Issues
Fallen arches are otherwise known as “flat feet”. Essentially, the area in the bottom of your foot where an arch should be is no longer there and has flattened, or is not as high as would be considered “normal”. This can be congenital, or something you were born with, but often times especially since we spend so much time in shoes and sitting that it can also be made worse by weakening of foot muscles.
Read full blogWhat is PFPS…
Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a condition in which the tendons surrounding the knee becomes inflamed. It can also be associated with damage of the cartilage behind the knee cap (patella). PFPS is very common in many people of all age ranges and activity levels.
The most common symptom is knee pain that is described as a dull ache or pain that increases with:
- Stair climbing
- Squatting movements
- Walking after sitting for a prolonged period of time
Other Symptoms of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
- Swelling, especially after exercise
- Restricted range of motion (inability to bend the knee or extend the knee without pain)
- Creaking/popping sensation along the front of the knee or when bending the knee
- Tenderness when you touch the front of the knee or inside border of kneecap
- Instability in the knee
Causes
- Overuse –running or jumping sports can often put repetitive stress on your knee joint, which can cause irritation under the kneecap or along the patella tendon.
Hip Pain and Fractures and Tears, Oh My!
Let’s talk about pain…
When talking with your physical therapist or your doctor about your hip pain it’s important to be able to describe exactly where your pain is located to help confirm that your hip is actually the problem. It’s not uncommon to hear “My hip hurts!” when in turn it may actually be related to the back. Symptoms located in the upper buttocks or upper thigh may be due to lower back problem.
Read full blogDifference Between Hip Bursitis and Tendonitis
Have you ever woken up one morning and had pain on the outside of your hip? I’m sure you went online to try to figure out what was causing the pain and have seen a lot about “bursitis” or “tendonitis.” Well, which one is it?
Let’s start at the beginning!
A tendon is the attachment from a muscle to where it inserts onto a bone. A bursa is a fluid filled sac found around joints. In other words, a tendon is irritated as a result of repetitive stress from movement of a muscle. Bursitis occurs when the fluid that surrounds a joint gets inflamed. It is an area that encompasses structures such as tendons, muscles, and bones.
What are the symptoms of bursitis?
Read full blogThe Beginnings of Knee Arthritis
What does “wear and tear” mean?
When we mention “wear and tear” it typically references normal stress we put on joints such as our knees from just living a relatively normal life. The average person exercises 2-3 times per week with moderate aerobic and resistance exercise. They also likely sit or stand more than 5-6 hours/day. Being under the force of gravity all day everyday creates stress on our joints which along with the normal processes of aging create “wear and tear”. If you have been especially hard on your joints, wear and tear often contributes to arthritis.
Read full blogHurting Shoulder and No Sleep
“My shoulder pain wakes me up at night and I can’t get comfortable.”
Sound familiar?
Shoulder pain associated with sleep is one of the biggest complaints we hear when it comes to the shoulder. It is also a very common reason people seek out physical therapy.
Why is this happening?
Most often the pain occurs when lying directly on the shoulder but it can also occur laying on the uninvolved side or when on your back.
Read full blogCan Stress Cause Neck Pain?
Many people experience neck pain but aren’t sure what is causing their pain. They may not recall changing anything in their routine or moving differently that could cause them to be in pain. One source that could be to blame is stress. There are many stressful influencers in our life right now. There are many uncertainties that can cause your stress levels to be higher than usual. Could stress really be causing me to physically hurt?
Read full blogFoot and Arch Discomfort
Plantar Fasciitis is a fancy term for foot pain that is usually in your heel and/or arch of the foot that is caused by irritation of the connective tissue (plantar fascia is the specific name of that connective tissue) that help support the arch of your foot.
What are the symptoms?
As mentioned above, a person with plantar fasciitis will often have pain in the heel and/or arch of their foot.
Read full blog“Ouch! I think I just tore my Rotator Cup!”
I believe the term you’re looking for is “Rotator Cuff” and its main purpose is to encapsulate the shoulder joint and provide support. Now that that is out of the way, let’s get down to business.
What is the Rotator Cuff?
The Rotator Cuff, RTC, consists of four muscles: Subscapularis, Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus and Teres Minor, that all come together to stabilize the shoulder’s multi-directional movements. Whether you experience a partial or a full tear in your RTC, a lot of the same actions are happening inside of the joint.
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