Health blog Category: physical therapy
Want to get rid of that nagging foot pain for good?
By: Rachel Herrmann, DPT
A lot of people don’t like feet and don’t give much thought to their feet, but our feet and ankles do a lot for us. They help propel us as we walk, they help us stay level when we are hiking through the rugged mountain trails or through the shifting sands on the beach; They help us press on the gas pedal to get us through the yellow lights; they help us rise up taller so that we can look over the crowd of taller people blocking your view at a concert.
What’s the difference between a strain and a sprain?
By Alyssa Burke, PTA
I’m sure you’ve heard someone say they sprained or strained something. Maybe you’ve even experienced these injuries yourself. Sprains and strains are common injuries that affect the soft tissues of your body. You don’t have to be an athlete to experience one of these injuries. People of all ages and activity levels are susceptible to sprains and strains. Sometimes these injuries can be confusing to keep straight, so what is the difference between a sprain and a strain?
Ever Walked with a Limp or on Your Toes Because of Knee Pain?
Knee issues can begin for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, knee pain can be attributed to a specific incident like a fall or an injury while playing sports. Knee problems can begin when you take a wrong step as you are run or walk. A knee issue could start after you walk us more stairs one day than you normally do or just by stepping down awkwardly from just one or two steps. Sometimes knee pain just occurs for no apparent reason.
Read full blogJoint stiffness making daily activities difficult
By Devin Wurman, DPT
We’ve had many patients coming in and complaining about their joints being stiff and sore. That’s folks being treated for arthritis and patients coming here for something else. Temperature and humidity changes can certainly cause joint pain, a prime symptom of arthritis.
So what exactly is arthritis?
What happens with arthritis is that the joint begins to wear down. In normal joints, there is a material that covers the bone called cartilage.
Difficulty Sleeping, Exercising or Working?
By: Jason Makoutz, DPT
Q&A
- How does back pain usually start?
Many times back pain starts from a specific incident where you overexerted yourself, lifted something improperly, performed more of an activity than you were used to, sitting/standing more prolonged amount of time, or a traumatic incident. Often times it is a combination of several of these things. Sometimes it doesn’t hurt right away, but may begin to bother you several days later.
Read full blogIs balancing on one foot difficult for you?
Have you ever experienced a sharp pain in the bottom of your foot when you take your first few steps in the morning? Does your ankle feel unstable or painful when you’re walking or running? Do you have difficulty balancing on one foot without holding onto something for support?
These are all signs of common foot and ankle conditions that we often treat in physical therapy. Although there are many contributing factors leading to the aforementioned symptoms, here is a breakdown of the most frequent causes of foot and ankle pain as well as resulting ankle instability.
How to Know When it’s a Rotator Cuff Problem
Who hasn’t used their shoulder at some point? Baseball, Volleyball, Football shoulders are primary movers in sports for the upper body! At the center of ALL shoulder injuries is the rotator cuff. People commonly say,” I think it’s my rotator cuff, I think I tore it.” But do you know what the rotator cuff is? Where is it located? Is it one muscle? Is it a joint? What exactly is the rotator cuff? Why is it important?
Read full blogNeed Some Convincing to Start Running? Here are 10 Reasons
Whether you are pounding the pavement for a short jog or you’re a routine racer, running is great cardiovascular training. It is a gratifying way to maintain overall fitness. Although the act of running itself may initially seem daunting if you’re not an avid runner, you will reap the physical benefits within a few weeks. The key is to start slowly and add distance incrementally to decrease the risk of injury.
Here are the top 10 health benefits of running:
- Improve Longevity: Running 1.5 – 2 hours 20- 30 minutes per week can increase your lifespan by 5-6 years!
Muscle spasms happening in the back?
Lower back pain is very prevalent in our society and can greatly limit your ability to bend over to empty the dishwasher, tie your shoes, or to sit at your desk at work or stand in line at the grocery store. Unfortunately, many people think it is just something they have to “live with.”
The number one complaint is pain and stiffness localized to the low back which is worsened with standing, walking, or prolonged positioning.
Hate using stairs because of joint discomfort?
By Cierra Washington, ATC
What exactly is patellofemoral pain? Patellofemoral pain is a general term used to describe pain that resides in the front of the knee and around the kneecap, also known as the patella. Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, PFPS, is also known as both runners’ and jumpers’ knee due to the type of athletes who commonly complain of the problem. Based on the nicknames of PFPS, most people tend to believe that it can only occur in athletes or those who participate in high intensity sports, however it can also occur in the older and more sedentary populations.
