Health blog
Do you perform lots of repetitive movements each day?
By Angie Austin, LPTA
Shoulder issues like pain and weaknesses are some of the most common reasons people seek help from a physical therapist. The design of the shoulder is a ball and socket joint. The rounded head of the humerus articulates with the cup like depression of the scapula, giving it a wide degree of movement. That’s why the shoulder is often easily injured. This joint is held together by an extensive group of muscles and ligaments that can be weakened by certain repetitive movements.
Snapping, Clicking, and Weakness in the Lower Body
Hip pain affects 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.
The most common symptoms of hip issues include pain in either the front, side or back of the hip. The pain may also localize in the lower back, groin or buttocks. When this happens, it 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.
Weakness or tightness in Lower Body Muscles?
Knee pain is a very common problem which can result in difficulty with many daily activities. People commonly come to physical therapy with different complaints involving the knee. The number one complaint is knee pain that is under or around the knee cap that can greatly limit your functional mobility. Some people also experience stiffness in and around the knee causing difficulty moving the joint and generalized weakness in the affected leg. Having pain or stiffness in your knee can cause difficulty walking, pain with going up or down the stairs, pain with squatting, difficulty standing up from a chair, and inability to kneel.
Read full blogOff-Season Conditioning to Prevent Problems
By: Cierra Washington, ATC
Summertime is often the cue to relax, lay by the pool, go on vacation and take some time off. While that may be true to an extent, it’s important, particularly for athletes, to make sure they are keeping up with off-season conditioning routines so they aren’t losing the progress they’ve made throughout the season. Summer is the perfect time to get in shape! Whether an athlete is preparing for the fall season or not, it’s important to maintain a basic level of fitness in order to minimize the chances of injury when they return to their sport.
Discomfort When Typing or Holding Something…
Some of the most common issues of the elbow, wrist, and hand include tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, De Quervain’s tendinitis, and post- wrist fracture. Below are the common symptoms you may experience with each of these issues and their causes.
- Tennis elbow (AKA lateral epicondylitis). People with this condition usually complain of pain of the outer aspect of the elbow. It can be especially painful when gripping or lifting things.
Ever had shooting discomfort when walking or running?
Shin splints are a very common injury among active or newly active people. It’s also a very common injury with fall sports athletes who may have been relatively inactive over the summer and then are jumping back into their sport full force come tryouts.
The medical term for this condition is medial tibial stress syndrome. What does this mean? This translates into inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissues surrounding the lower leg or shin region.
Muscle Tightness Making Morning Commutes Even Harder?
What causes stiffness in the neck and how can we prevent this common condition?
One of the biggest contributors to neck pain and stiffness is our poor posture. A lot of us sit at a desk for work or school for several hours throughout the day. You are probably often not aware of your posture. You might not have a workstation that is set up ergonomically; your computer screens are too high or too low; we are on our phones or our tablets and looking down.
Is Putting on a Shirt Difficult?
By: Mike Bills, MS PT
The rotator cuff is responsible for the rotation and movement of the entire shoulder joint and all of your arm.
WHAT DOES A ROTATOR CUFF PROBLEM FEEL LIKE?
If you have ever had pain, soreness, stiffness, pinching, cracking or popping in your shoulder or in your upper arm, you most likely have had a rotator cuff problem. If you have ever felt stiffness, difficulty moving one arm as far as the other, weakness in your shoulder or arm, you have had a rotator cuff problem.
5 Ways a Joint Protects Itself From Problems
The knee joint is the most common joint in the body to see conditions such as arthritis, tears, general pain and instability to develop. This has a lot to do with the design of the knee and the amount of wear and tear we place on it over the course of our lives. The knee is a somewhat unstable joint by design. It is a rounded bone, your femur, that sits on top of a flat bone, your tibia.
Read full blogDoes Running Cause Arthritis…
As the weather cools down, you’re likely to spend more time outside walking, running, hiking and doing your other favorite outdoor activities. The concept of running seems easy. You put on a pair of sneakers, head outside and begin your journey. However, there are a number of misconceptions and misunderstandings about the sport that I would like to help dispel.
Whether you’re an avid runner, a weekend warrior, a beginner, or someone who only runs if you’re being chased, I’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions I’ve been asked about running.
