Health blog
Strengthen and Lengthen the Life of Joints
By: Cierra Washington, ATC
How can we strengthen our joints given how much stress we put on them throughout our lives. When I was little, I was always confused when my grandmother mentioned ‘Arthur’ when she talked about her knees. She would say something like, ‘Arthur got me this morning and these knees are slow at getting me going!’ I was so confused who Arthur was and what he had to do with her knees.
The Benefits of Post-Op Physical Therapy
By Xavier Thompson, ATC
Is post-op physical therapy necessary? Are you scheduled to have surgery? While surgery may repair damaged tissues, some of the most important work to ensure that you stay healthy occurs after you leave the operating room. Whether you are young or old, an elite athlete or a weekend warrior, it is important to involve the appropriate healthcare professionals in order to reach your full potential and reduce your chance of future injury.
Walking to Improve Bone Health
Walking is a great step to improve bone health and fitness. Springtime is a good time to get outside and be active. What better way to kick the winter blues and enjoy the beautiful spring weather than to go for a walk! Walking is one of the easiest ways to get a workout and it offers many physical and mental health benefits. It’s why the American Heart Association designates April as National Walking Day. So, lace up your shoes and go for a walk.
Read full blogOveruse and Repetitive Motions
By Angie Austin, LPTA
What exactly are overuse injuries? These types of injuries occur when you try to too much at once. Do you remember the last time you started a new exercise program or did a lot of the same physical activity at once? It probably resulted in pain or tendonitis. Tendonitis is the inflammation of a tendon due to repetitive trauma or overuse. In most cases, if you stop the activity, your symptoms will resolve as the tendon heals.
Top 5 Questions About Running
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.
- Will running cause arthritis?
Common Knee Conditions and How PT Can Help
In general, knee pain and common knee conditions occur due to muscular imbalances, how well your kneecap moves and abnormal kneecap tracking.
Two common knee conditions we treat at Loudoun Sports Therapy Center are ACL tears and subsequent repairs as well as quad tendon tears and subsequent repairs.
What is the ACL? The ACL is made up of dense fibrous connective tissue that supports the front of the knee joint.
Footwear Staples
“Have you recently purchased new sneakers or other footwear?”
“Have you recently started running to get in shape for summer?”
“Do you happen to wear anything other than those flip flops?”
These are all common questions Loudoun Sports Therapy Center clinicians will ask patients who come in with foot and ankle pain. Each question brings forth additional information that allows the clinician to determine why the patient may be experiencing the pain.
Handle a Back Strain
What is a back strain?
Low back pain is one of the most common issues seen in an outpatient physical therapy clinic and the vast majority of people will experience some form of back pain at least once throughout their life. There are many different causes of low back pain, but one common cause of back pain is due to muscle strain. Muscle strains can occur to any muscle throughout the body.
Why is Cross Training Important?
By Xavier Thompson, ATC
Cross training. What is it and why is it important? If you follow the headlines of any sports’ stars in the off season, you’ll likely see multiple stories about how an athlete is doing something besides their professional sport to prepare for the next season. You can find videos on the internet of star basketball players boxing or doing core work. Articles are written about football players taking up ballet or yoga.
What is Shoulder Tendonitis?
By Misha Gilani, DPT
Shoulder tendonitis is a very common problem for every age group and one we treat often at Loudoun Sports Therapy Center. Tendonitis is inflammation of the tendon that attaches the muscle to the bone. With respect to the shoulder, the muscles that are most frequently inflamed are your rotator cuff and bicep tendon. Our patients will typically complain about pain along the front of the shoulder. Patients often complaint of pain with overhead activities, lifting items, reaching behind their back or pain when washing their hair.
