Health blog Category: physical therapy
How to Take Control of Arthritis and Keep it From Progressing
By: Devin Wurman, DPT
You’ve probably been out somewhere and had a friend or family member say that they were stiff, or even heard them predict the weather because of how they were feeling. It’s pretty common from middle age and on to have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis involves the degeneration of the joints, more specifically the cartilage that lines a joint. When this smooth material is worn down, the joint no longer will move like it’s supposed to. This occurs because the bones that are a part of the joint are rubbing together.
5 Ways to Relieve Back and Neck Pain
There are common causes of both back pain and neck pain. Changes in the spine’s anatomy often cause back pain. There may be lumbar disc herniation, lumbar degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis or sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Disc herniation occurs when the gel-like interior of the disc leaks outward and irritates the nerve roots. It typically causes a stabbing pain in the back of the legs and back pain. Wear and tear on the spinal discs can lead to lumbar degenerative disc disease.
Read full blogDull ache or burning when you start running?
What is your plantar fascia?
Plantar Fascia is a thick, fibrous connective tissue that covers the bottom of the foot from the heel to the base of the metatarsals. The bottom of the foot is termed the “plantar” side, hence plantar fascia. Whenever the body has inflammation somewhere, the subfix “itis” is added to the end of the body part. Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia of the foot.
What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis?
The Key Treatment Techniques to Permanent Lower Back Pain Relief
Back pain is a debilitating condition that will affect the majority of Americans at some point during their life. In fact, the most recent estimates range from 60% to 80% (depending on the source), regarding the number of Americans that will experience back pain at one or more occurrences during their life span. It can be disruptive to both work and daily life, extremely debilitating and can progress to larger issues if not treated quickly and effectively.
Read full blogIs Joint Stiffness a Sign to Take Action?
By: Jason Makoutz, DPT
Joint stiffness is one of the most common complaints we get at Loudoun Sports Therapy Center. Whether you just wake up with stiffness or it is persistent throughout the day it may be a sign that you should seek help.
Common Causes of Joint Stiffness:
- Immobility
- Capsular tightness
- inflammation/swelling
- Post surgical
Joint stiffness may just be from aging, but in most cases, it’s a sign of an underlying issue.
Read full blogHow Long it Takes for a Muscle Strain to Fully Heal
You may have heard someone say they “pulled a muscle”, but do you really know what that means? A pulled muscle is another way of describing a muscle strain. This is a very common injury in people of all ages and those that are elite athletes and in individuals who have a more sedentary lifestyle. It can happen in any muscle, no matter the size.
Our bodies are made up of hundreds of muscles that vary in shape and size.
Ever feel like you’ve overstretched a muscle?
A common cause of hip pain that we treat at Loudoun Sports Therapy Clinic is a hamstring injury. The hamstring muscle group is located on the back side of the thigh and is made up of three muscles. These three muscles originate on the hip bone and attach at the knee joint. When these muscles contract, the knee bends into a flexed position. When they relax, the knee is able to straighten back out. The hamstrings work together with the quadriceps muscles to control and stabilize the knee joint.
Read full blogDifficulty kneeling, squatting or using stairs…
The number one complaint from someone experiencing any kind of knee problem is pain under or around the knee cap. Any kind of knee pain or stiffness makes simple daily activities such as walking, going up or down the stairs, squatting, and standing up from a chair, difficult.
This kind of pain can greatly limit our functional mobility. Some people also experience stiffness in and around the knee making it difficult to move the joint.
Office Ergonomics: Is Our Desk in Ergo Shape…
Do you ever experience pain or discomfort while working at your desk? Do you experience headaches, eye strain, shoulder, neck or back pain while sitting at your workstation? If you answered yes, then your office may have some shaping up to do.
So what exactly is ergonomics? Ergonomics is defined as “an applied science concerned with designing and arranging items people use so that people and things interact most efficiently.” So, how do we apply ergonomics to our everyday workplace settings?
Does Your Job Require Repetitive Movements?
By: Jeremy Schain, DPT, CSCS
Many people will experience some episode of pain at one point or another during their life. It’s common for a quick scan of the internet or visit to a doctor to reveal a vague diagnosis of tendonitis or bursitis as the primary cause of that pain. While these works may or may not reflect the correct cause of the painful symptoms, how many of us actually know what these terms mean?
