Health blog Category: physical therapy
Sedentary Lifestyles and a Painful Neck
Neck problems are more common these days, due to our sedentary lifestyles. How often do we use computers and phones throughout the day? Now let’s think about our posture whenever we use these devices.
Posture plays a large role in maintaining neck health.
Good posture, limits our chance of developing problems that can negatively affect our daily activities. Issues with our neck are commonly associated with pain, headaches, and general stiffness.
Read full blogHand, Wrist, and Elbow Problems That Could Be Affecting Your Rock Climbing
For everyone, our hands and elbows are essential in our everyday lives. Think about how many times a day you use your hands. They are required for nearly every movement. For rock climbers, your hands are a key tool you need to make it to the top of the wall.
Some of the most common issues of the elbow, wrist, and hand, that will affect your climbing are:
- Tennis Elbow
- Carpal Tunnel
- De Quervain’s tendonitis
What symptoms indicate these conditions?
Read full blogAthletes and Their Injuries
Often, after an injury, athletes try to get back on the field as quickly as possible or, they attempt to re-condition their bodies too quickly, after being relatively inactive in the off-season. However, despite proper conditioning, no matter how well-conditioned your athlete is, injuries can still occur.
Whatever the scenario, physical therapy is a very effective method to both prevent and rehabilitate a sports related injury. It addresses the issue before it becomes a much more serious problem, that could sideline your athlete for a prolonged period of time.
Why a Home Exercise Program is Important
We begin physical therapy because we have a goal in mind. Relief from pain, increased functionality, staying active, playing with our kids, the list goes on. After the initial evaluation, a home exercise program is given—HEP for short—to help us reach those specific goals. There are a range of stretches and strengthening exercises to help offset weak, tight, and poorly functioning muscles in order to target your area of complaint and give you a well rounded program for your success.
So, if an HEP is a means to an end—then why not stick to it?
Stay in the Game: Avoid Sports Injuries
All sports we participate in, whether it be football, rugby, volleyball, soccer, field hockey, or many others, require a wide range of movements. Athletes have to be able to jump, run, change direction, and change speed. With so much variability, the possibility of sustaining an injury while practicing or playing is common. Injuries can pertain to specific muscles or joints, ranging from muscle strains (“pulled muscles: or tear in muscle tissue) to sprains of ligaments that help stabilize joints.
Read full blogShoulder Injuries Causing Our Discomfort
The design of the shoulder is a ball and socket joint. The rounded head of your humerus articulates with the cup like depression of the scapula, giving it a wide degree of movement. That’s why shoulder injuries are pretty common. Shoulder issues like pain and weaknesses are some of the most common reasons people seek help from a physical therapist.
Your shoulder joint is held together by an extensive group of muscles and ligaments that can be weakened by certain repetitive movements.
Read full blogConcussion Management at LSTC
What is a concussion?
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that alters the way our brain functions. When the brain sustains trauma, it is our body’s natural reaction to respond and in doing so, the body releases chemicals to help in the healing process. These chemical alterations cause a change in the blood flow and metabolic activity surrounding our brain, and are likely the cause of post concussion symptoms. It is important to remember that every concussion is different and our body’s response will be different from others.
Read full blogKnow More About the Core
Knock Knock
who’s there?
Abs
Abs who?
ABSolutely need to learn more about my core!
Core strengthening is one of the most important parts of any exercise program, especially for those with a moderate to very active lifestyle. Our core is the foundation of all other movements. This is because it includes muscles that attach from our upper and lower extremities to our spine or pelvis.
Read full blog3 Indicators to See a Physical Therapist for Sciatica
Sciatic nerves run from either side of our lower back down to each of our legs. That’s why a classic sign of sciatica is having a shooting pain on one side only. While compression of one of our sciatic nerves can literally be a “pain in the butt,” it doesn’t always require medical attention. Yet sometimes physical therapy is the best bet to banish sciatica symptoms.
So how can you tell when to go it alone, and when to call a physical therapist?
Read full blogHip, Knee, and Ankle Joints Are All Affecting Us
The knee joint is the second most complicated joint in our body and has to move in many directions. The knee and hip work in tandem allowing us to walk, run, squat and kneel. When either our hip, knee or ankle have problems moving, the other joints can be strained causing pain. Therefore, even if we have pain in your knees, it could be a problem stemming from your hip or ankle.
Most problems in the knee or hip come from either too little activity or too much activity.
