Health blog Category: physical therapy
3 Sources of Neck Problems, With 1 Solution
Most of us spend hours at our desk at work, and often are looking down at our cell phone or computer during our free time, as well as time you spend relaxing in front of the TV. What you may not realize is how all of this affects your posture. Over time, these repetitive tasks put us into a position called forward head posture, in which your head and neck protrude forward into a flexed position.
Read full blogAvoiding Shoulder Injuries from Repetitive Movements
Shoulder issues like pain and weaknesses are some of the most common reasons people seek help from a physical therapist. This joint is held together by an extensive group of muscles and ligaments that can be weakened by certain repetitive movements.
Most of the problems that occur with the shoulder actually involve the:
- Muscles
- Tendons
- Ligaments
rather than the bones.
It’s not surprising that because of how much movement the shoulder has, athletes are more susceptible to shoulder injuries due to repetitive overhead training that many sports require.
Reaching into Our Cabinets Shouldn’t be a Problem
When reaching above shoulder height or across the body as we do when reaching into a cabinet or washing our hair, the acromion (which is an aspect of the shoulder blade) may rub against a tendon and this could result in pain. This is known as shoulder impingement.
Causes of shoulder impingement:
- Overuse Injuries
- Strain in our Shoulder
- Poor posture
- Disuse
- Sleeping on affected side
- Repetitive motions such as lifting boxes, playing tennis, or picking up your kids
Symptoms you may experience:
- Painful arc – pain when reaching above shoulder height
- This includes reaching up to get something out of the cabinet or top of the closet.
Neck Problem Leading to Pain Elsewhere
With working from home, neck pain is a common problem we are seeing in our clinic. The change in desk set up, chairs or extended time sitting and working at a desk can be a major contributor to neck pain. Neck problems can vary in severity and can also lead to feeling pain in other parts of your body. One of several neck problems we see is called cervical radiculopathy. Cervical radiculopathy is a fancy way of saying your neck pain is caused by a nerve problem.
Read full blogKnees Hurting When You Get Up Off the Floor?
Getting onto and off the floor forces us to put our knees in a bent position and put significant force through the joint. It also requires good leg and hip strength to be able to push yourself up into a standing position again from the floor.
There are a few common knee problems that can contribute to pain, when getting off the floor.
They are as follows:
- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
- When your knee cap tracks improperly
- This can be caused by muscle imbalances, tight IT band, or poor quadricep control with walking or running.
Putting a Spring Back in Our Step
If you suffer from knee pain, arthritis, low back pain or other aches and pains that keep you from being active, there are things you can easily do to become more active and put a spring back in your step.
Change How You Sit
A lot of aches and pains relate to how we use our bodies in the day. Many back pain sufferers actually begin having back pain, because they sit too much.
Read full blogIs a Joint Replacement my Only Option?
Total joint replacements are not uncommon in today’s medical field. While there are many paths to a joint replacement, the most common is with aging. Frequently these replacements occur when the joint has degenerated and arthritis has progressed to cause a person pain and difficulty with daily activities. In other words, normal aging! These replacements are very costly and require a long recovery time meaning a lot of time away from family and work. There are many ways to address degeneration that may help you prevent getting a joint replacement and avoid the long period of recovery.
Read full blogStretches to do From the Couch
If you are someone who works long hours, or spends a lot of time watching Netflix or looking down at your phone, you may feel tight and stiff after a long day. You are not alone! You’re also not alone if you don’t have the energy to do a whole workout after a long work day. With this in mind, here are some simple stretches most people will benefit from doing while on the couch after a long day!
Read full blogStay Active with These Low Impact Activities
Do you have the desire to stay active but your joints can’t seem to keep up with the stresses applied to it with higher impact exercises such as jogging and lifting weights?
A great way to continue to stay active throughout the entirety of your life is to practice low impact activities.
What is a low impact activity?
Low impact activities are those that put less pressure on your joints.
Read full blogEasy Ways to Stay Active As We Get Older
As we get older exercise remains a very important thing to keep up with not just for our physical health, but also for our well being. I often hear or get asked about what exercises are appropriate to do because they are worried about pain or doing exercises that may worsen current comorbidities. Here is a general guideline of safe and easy ways to stay active.
- If you are just starting a new exercise routine, you should always consult your physician first especially if you have chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiac, neurologic, and/or autoimmune disorders.
