Health blog Category: physical therapy
Low Back Pain can be Draining
So you have been experiencing pain in the low back that could be due to facet dysfunction.
What is a facet?
Facet joints are located in the spine at the posterolateral aspect of the vertebra. These are joints that allow motion of the spine and also restrict hyper mobility.
How does the problem present?
- Pain, stiffness, or soreness over facet joint, across low back, into the hip groin, or buttock
- Pain with extension (bending backward)
- Pain with prolonged positions such as sitting or standing
- Worst in the morning and gets better throughout the day with movement
Causes:
- Trauma – car accidents, sports, etc
- Abnormal postures that put strain on the joint
- Constant repetitive motions resulting in wear and tear of the joints
- Degenerative changes that increase the load on the joints (May have increased pain due to disc injuries, decreased height at the disc may put more stress on the facets causing increased inflammation and pain)
How Physical Therapy Can Help!
Read full blogAchilles Tears and Their Severity
What is the Achilles Tendon?
The Achilles tendon is the strongest and largest tendon in our bodies. It connects the calf muscle to your heel (at the back of your ankle and foot). It needs to be extremely strong and springy in order to help propel your body up and forward as well as absorb the shock from landing while running, jumping and even walking.
Achilles Tear vs. a Rupture
An Achilles tear means that the tendon is only damaged and still attached.
Read full blogWrist and Forearm Pain
Wrist/Forearm pain is generally caused be some kind of damage to:
- The bones
- Muscles
- Tendons
- Other soft tissues of the forearm and wrist.
This is caused by repetitive movements/overuse, falls landing on an outstretched arm or sports related injuries.
Wrist pain can also be accompanied by stiffness, swelling or redness around the wrist, difficulty making a fist or gripping/grasping objects, numbness or tingling in the hands and clicking sound with wrist movements.
Osteoarthritis in the Knee
Osteoarthritis of the knee results from the breakdown of the cartilage (a protective tissue) that covers the end of the bones in the knee joint (femur and tibia). This breakdown of cartilage results in bone on bone (femur and tibia) contact which is the primary reason for pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Age, mechanical wear and genetics all contribute to this breakdown of cartilage over time. The treatment for osteoarthritis is especially important because without proper education, you can make it worse and rely too much on pain medication or walk yourself into surgery. 
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
- Pain in the knee joint (especially when you stand or bend the knee)
- Swelling (especially after standing for prolonged periods of time or after exercise)
- Stiffness/restricted range of motion (inability to bend or extend the knee without pain)
- Creaking or crackling sensation in the knee joint
- Weakness in the knee joint or surrounding muscles
Causes
- Overuse- age, excessive load on the knee with weight bearing exercises or repetitive movements
- Muscle imbalances or weaknesses- creating uneven stress on the bones in the knee joint
- Injury- trauma to the knee joint from contact or weight bearing rotation of the knee specifically the meniscus (a cushioning and protective structure that sits on the tibial surfaces both medially and laterally)
- Weight- excess weight or obesity
- Genetics- inherited abnormalities in the shape of the bones in the knee or biochemical factors such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Why is treatment so Important?
Read full blogUtilizing Dumbbells can Cause a Bicep Strain
With everyone doing at home workouts it’s important to be careful especially if you are just starting to do this for the first time. The bicep is that muscle that people are always striving to make big in the upper arm.
A common issue that occurs when utilizing dumbbells is a bicep strain. 
The bicep’s job is to bend the elbow when we are speaking in this sense.
Neck Problem From a Nerve Problem
A common problem we see in our clinic is people experiencing neck pain. Neck pain can be caused from many different things and can vary in how severe the pain is. One common neck problem we see is called cervical radiculopathy. Cervical radiculopathy is a fancy way of saying your neck pain is caused by a nerve problem. In many cases, people with this condition will feel the effects of the damaged or pinched nerve in other parts of their body.
How Does Cervical Radiculopathy Happen?
Read full blogNon-Invasive Treatment for that Elbow Issue
Tennis elbow affects the outside of the elbow and doesn’t necessarily involve playing tennis! Treatment should be started immediately for this condition to prevent it from getting worse.
Many people have jobs that require a lot of repetitive elbow movements such as:
- Plumbers
- Mechanics
- Jobs that involve a lot of lifting can get this injury.
What are the symptoms of tennis elbow?
- Pain on the outside of the elbow is the primary complaint, but also pain in the forearm and wrist
- Tenderness to touch along the muscles along the forearm especially near the outside of the elbow where these muscles insert.
SIck of the Pain
The SI is the sacroiliac joint where the sacrum (lowest part of the spine) and the Ilium come together.
This joint helps to transmit forces from the upper body to the lower body. Ligaments connect the two bones together making up the pelvis. There is generally very little motion at this joint.
When there is injury to the area pain is generally felt on only one side and at the joint line. Pain may also radiate down the leg, which is why it is commonly confused with radiculopathy or low back pain.
Read full blogStrain in Our Flexor
A lot of us have found that we have been spending a lot more time sitting whether it is while we are working from home, learning from home or spending time sitting on the couch catching up on new tv shows. Some of us have also started working out from home and taking longer walks outside as the weather as been nice. Going from sedentary to very active can cause some to experience a hip flexor strain.
Read full blogSolution 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.
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