Health blog Category: strength
Back or Neck Pain?
When you have an ache or pain it can leave you scratching your head as to where the pain is truly coming from. Just because it hurts in that part of your leg or arm, doesn’t mean that is where the problem is coming from. Is it a bulging disc, muscle strain or did you just over do it?
Being a physical therapist is much like being a mechanic for the body. Where is that pain coming from, what type of pain is it, are you out of alignment, what are you not able to do that you want to get back to, how is your body moving incorrectly, etc.?
Rotator Cuff Trouble
An irritated shoulder with certain motions or when we sleep, is a sign our rotator cuff could be giving us trouble.
Strength and stability of the rotator cuff is needed to relieve that pain or irritation and to help us complete all of our daily activities such as:
- Brushing our hair
- Brushing our teeth
- Lifting objects overhead
- Throwing a baseball
Rotator Cuff Anatomy
The rotator cuff is the group of four muscles that surround your shoulder joint, guiding and controlling the way your shoulder moves.
Read full blogBone Health and Fitness by Walking
Walking is a great step to improve bone health and fitness. It is one of the easiest ways to get a workout and it offers many physical and mental health benefits. So, lace up your shoes and go for a walk.
Bones and Muscles Strength
Walking is a low impact exercise, which means that it is gentle on your joints. Unlike running, the amount of stress placed on your joints is much less when walking making it a great exercise alternative for those with knee, hip or back problems.
Read full blogCommon Causes of Low Back Injuries
Back pain is a primary cause for sick-days in working environments and can cost employers up to $1,685 per employee every year. Unfortunately back injuries are quite common and can happen for a multitude of reasons. Fortunately, there is a effective way to treat these injuries. Take a look below to see what causes back pain and how to address these injuries.
Anatomy of the lower spine:
The low back is made up of the lumbar spine, sacrum, and coccyx.
Read full blogCore Strength & Abdominals
What is core strength?
Typically, when you think of core strength, you think of six pack abs, right? But that is actually the superficial layer of core muscles, specifically the rectus abdominis. There are 35 different muscle groups the core consists of, as seen below. Core strength refers to the muscles that stabilize the torso during all activities, postural control and even breathing. Without proper core strength, our body is unable to perform tasks in our everyday life, pain free.
Read full blogSources and Reasons for Back Issues
Back pain can come from multiple different sources and can occur for a number of different reasons. The muscles, lumbar discs in between the bones and the joints of the spine can all be sources of back pain. These are all things that coming to PT can address as well!
So what can I try when experiencing a bout of pain?
- If you injured your back after carrying/lifting or twisting try icing it 10-12 minutes 2-3 times per day.
Hip Injuries: How Common They Really Are
Hip injuries are very common in the general population due to the stress through the joint on a daily basis, so it’s no surprise that you have experienced an injury.
The three most common injuries that occur in the hip joint include:
- Hip Impingement
- Labral Tears
- Arthritis
It is important to understand the structure of the hip before we can discuss hip injuries.
Hip Anatomy
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint.
Read full blogEngaging Our Core Muscles
Have you heard anyone tell you that you need a stronger core? This is because the core is the body’s support system, it helps to stabilize and transfer forces from the upper body to the lower body. This does not mean you need six pack abs, but the deeper muscles that support your spine need to get stronger.
What makes up the core?
- transverse abdominis
- obliques
- rectus abdominis
- erector spinae
- diaphragm
- multifidus
- hip musculature
- pelvic floor
When your core is not strong you are more prone to injury.
Read full blogCommon Neck Injuries
Your neck is a vital yet vulnerable part of your body due to its ability to move in many directions while holding the weight of your head (average wt 10 lbs). While neck pain (cervical spine) is not as commonly treated as low back pain (lumber spine) millions of people will experience it at some point in there lives. While the majority of everyday neck pain and stiffness will alleviate over time without surgery it is important to understand neck pain and causes.
Read full blogStrain in Our Flexor
A lot of us have found that we have been spending a lot more time sitting whether it is while we are working from home, learning from home or spending time sitting on the couch catching up on new tv shows. Some of us have also started working out from home and taking longer walks outside as the weather as been nice. Going from sedentary to very active can cause some to experience a hip flexor strain.
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