Health blog Category: physical therapy
Myth Busters – Physical Therapy Edition
Myth:
I need to see a doctor and get a script to go to physical therapy
Fact:
In the state of Virginia, you can be treated and seen for physical therapy for up to 30 days without a script from a doctor. After the 30 days is up, you will be required to have a signed script from your doctor to continue with your care if your PT provider has not already received one.
Read full blogCommon Foot and Ankle Injuries
Foot and ankle injuries are common across all populations. Whether you’ve stepped wrong off a curb, slipped in the shower, have trouble standing for more than a few minutes, or have noticed a structural issue physical therapy can help fix the problem. We’ve seen it all when it comes to foot and ankle injuries. A few of the most common are:
Common Injuries to the Foot
- Plantar fasciitis
- Fascia on the bottom of the foot becomes tight.
Common Hamstring Injuries
Before we even begin talking about common hamstring injuries, let’s talk about some anatomy and get an understanding of what the hamstring even is and what it helps us do!
Your hamstring is the group of muscles in the back of the leg. The hamstring is made up of 3 muscles including the:
- semitendinosus
- semimembranosus
- biceps femoris
These muscles help flex the knee and extend the hip.
Read full blogWhat is a Return-to-Sport Program? And Why is it Important?
A return to sport program is an integral part of a physical therapy program that helps you return to your higher-level, sports-specific goals. Here at LSTC, once you have progressed past basic strengthening, are pain free, and no longer need hands-on treatment, you will transition into the return to sport program. You will work with certified athletic trainers to assess your sports goals and get you back to play!
What does the program consist of?
Read full blogPatellofemoral Dysfunction
Pain around the knee or knee cap is generally referred to as Patellofemoral Dysfunction.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a condition in which the tissue or bone around the knee is damaged due to injury or overuse. This is commonly seen in athletes but can occur in nonathletes as well.
Causes:
- Muscle imbalances – ITB tightness, VMO weakness
- Alignment of the knee cap
- Overuse or repetitive activity – such as stairs, kneeling, squatting movements
- High impact activities – sports
Pain will generally decrease with rest and ice, but may return with resuming activity.
Read full blogPreparing for an Upcoming Sports Season?
An impending sports season can be daunting when you feel like you’re not ready. But, there are many steps you can take to make sure your mind and body are prepared! Read below to see what actions you can take to make sure you are ready to perform at your best this season! This isn’t a comprehensive list, but a good start to get you going!
Condition!
To perform at it’s best, your body needs to be adapted to its demands.
Read full blogAnkle Sprains
Ankle sprains are a common injury for people. Ankle sprains are when your ankle “rolls” either in or out and causes the ligaments in your joint to stretch. The most common ankle sprain is when your foot rolls inward and you have pain on the outside of your ankle. This can happen from playing sports, or just stepping off a curb wrong. If not treated properly you can have chronic problems with your ankle such as:
- Decreased rain of motion
- Recurring ankle sprains
- Pain
When ankle sprains first happen you might experience any of the following signs or symptoms:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Tenderness in or around the ankle
- Limited range of motion
- Inability to bear weight
- Pain with ankle or toe movement
To help with the initial pain of the ankle sprains:
- Elevate your ankle
- Ice your ankle as soon as you can for no more than 20 minutes
- Wrap your ankle with an ACE or compression wrap to help reduce some of the swelling
You should consult a medical profession to make sure your ankle injury not anything more serious and to help get you back to your favorite activities.
Read full blogTendonitis vs Bursitis
Tendinopathy is a common issue with physically active individuals. Tendinopathy is a generic term for conditions that deal with overuse injuries with a tendon (tendonitis/tendinosis). A tendon is end of a muscle usually were stress is usually concentrated.
Tendinopathy signs and symptoms usually include:
- Pain during or after exercise
- Reduced exercise tolerance
- Usually the pain worsens as time goes on without physical therapy.
The most common places to have this issue are in the shoulder, elbow, knee, Achilles tendon and gluteal tendons.
Bursitis is the irritation of fluid filled sacs in our body called bursaes.
Read full blogSciatica – A True Pain in the Butt
WHAT IS SCIATICA?
Sciatica is the inflammation of a nerve that travels from the back down to the foot. This means, sciatica can cause pain in your back, buttocks, hamstring, calf, shin, or foot depending on where the nerve is irritated.
It can also be a referred pain from spinal levels L4-S2 sending pain signals to the body parts that they innervate in the regions as listed above.
Read full blogWhat to Expect for Pre-op Physical Therapy
Pre-op or what is also known as “prehab”, can be seen a couple of different ways. This can be before surgery is even scheduled to see if the help of physical therapy and exercise can reduce your risk of needing surgery or it can be a few weeks or days before your scheduled surgery to provide exercises to do leading up to the big day.
No matter what kind of prehab you have, going to these appointments is more important than you think!
Read full blog
