Health blog Category: physical therapy
Ever Twist, Move or Lift Something the Wrong Way?
By Xavier Thompson, ATC
Back discomfort can be debilitating no matter what your walk of life. People living with back pain are often plagued by the inability to sleep, stiffness or difficulty with activities that they love. These may include running or hiking, gardening, walking the dog or playing with their grandchildren. Back pain is something we treat lots of patients for and they may be young athletes, active parents or older adults.
Ever done too much, too soon?
At various points of the year, we see an uptick in activity for various reasons, Maybe it’s New Year’s resolution time or the weather is getting warmer or more 5Ks are available to sign up for. Whatever the reason for starting or increasing your activity level, it is important to know that if you’ve been sedentary for a while, rushing into any activity sport can lead to serious injuries.
There are two types of injuries to be aware of when starting a new activity: acute and overuse.
What is a Strain and How to Prevent It?
By Rachel Herrmann, DPT
What is a back strain?
Lower back pain is one of the most common issues seen in an outpatient physical therapy clinic and the vast majority of people will experience some form of back pain at least once throughout their life. There are many different causes of low back pain, but one common cause of back pain is due to muscle strain. Muscle strains can occur to any muscle throughout the body.
Planning to break out the flip flops
By Rachel Herrmann, DPT
Ankle and foot pain are common throughout the spring to summer months. Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, and posterior tibialis tendinitis are among the most common of the gradual onset foot and ankle pain during this time. Why are these issues so common around this time of the year? This is the time of year when the flip-flops and flimsy sandals come out. This is also the time of year when people start doing a lot more activity than they had been doing over the winter, especially, when a vacation rolls around.
Stiffness, Tightness or Swelling in a Joint
By Angie Austin, LPTA
Knee pain is something that everyone will experience at some point in their lifetime. Having knee pain can be the result of many factors and affects all ages. As physical therapists, we work with patients to educate them about their problem in addition to how it can be corrected. So don’t sweat it! We are here to help!
The knee is a large hinge joint that gives you the ability to bend and straighten your knee.
What is the function of the Rotator Cuff?
May 22nd 2018By Kieran Loving, ATC
Who hasn’t used their shoulder at some point? Shoulders are primary movers in daily living for the upper body. At the center of ALL shoulder injuries is the rotator cuff. People frequently 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?
Concussion Signs, Symptoms and Red Flags
It seems everywhere you turn you see something about concussions and head injuries in the news, sports or media. However, there is still lots of confusion and misunderstanding surrounding concussions. What is a concussion? Why does it happen? What do we do to treat it? Most people believe that a concussion will just get better on its own within 7-10 days like the common cold or flu. Let’s camp out here for a moment.
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that alters the way the brain functions.
Ligament Problems, Meniscus Issues and Arthritis Discomfort
Knee injuries are one of the most common injuries that we see in physical therapy, whether it is sports-related or just degenerative changes that occur as we age. Some of the most common injuries are sprains and strains, osteoarthritis, ligament injuries and meniscus injuries. All of these cause pain, weakness and a decrease in functional activities.
Ligament injuries
These injuries more commonly occur with the more active patient population.
Read full blogWhat’s the point of a disc?
By Kieran Loving, ATC
Between each vertebral body is a cushion called an intervertebral disc. Each disc absorbs the stress and shock the body incurs during movement and prevents the vertebrae from grinding against one another. The intervertebral discs are the largest structures in the body without a blood supply. So they are the ‘sneakers’ for your back. They absorb each and every step, jump or load that you place through your spine.
How to Progress A Running Program to Keep It Interesting
By Xavier Thompson, ATC
One of the most common complaints that runners have after committing to a running program is that their running plan becomes “stale”, “predictable” or “boring.” A primary reason for these feelings is a lack of progression. Running at the same pace for the same distances or for the same duration over and over again can wear you out quickly. As much as it may be tempting to just get out and run a little, taking time to plan can go a long way in terms of keeping your mind and body sharp as well as preventing injury.
