Health blog Category: walking
3 Indicators to See a Physical Therapist for Sciatica
Sciatic nerves run from either side of our lower back down to each of our legs. That’s why a classic sign of sciatica is having a shooting pain on one side only. While compression of one of our sciatic nerves can literally be a “pain in the butt,” it doesn’t always require medical attention. Yet sometimes physical therapy is the best bet to banish sciatica symptoms.
So how can you tell when to go it alone, and when to call a physical therapist?
Read full blogHip, Knee, and Ankle Joints Are All Affecting Us
The knee joint is the second most complicated joint in our body and has to move in many directions. The knee and hip work in tandem allowing us to walk, run, squat and kneel. When either our hip, knee or ankle have problems moving, the other joints can be strained causing pain. Therefore, even if we have pain in your knees, it could be a problem stemming from your hip or ankle.
Most problems in the knee or hip come from either too little activity or too much activity.
Painful Knees Could Be Indicating a Hamstring Injury
If you’re are having trouble walking, squatting, or experiencing pain around your knee area, you may have a hamstring injury.
Our hamstring muscle group is located on the back side of our 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, your knee bends into a flexed position, when they relax, your knee is able to straighten back out.
Read full blogKnee Injuries Don’t Just Occur In Sports
Whether it is sports related or just degenerative changes that occur as you age, at one point or another you have probably experienced a knee injury. Some of the most common injuries are osteoarthritis, ligament injuries and meniscus injuries. All of these cause pain, weakness in your knees and a decrease your ability to participate in some activities.
Ligament injuries more commonly occur with the more active patient population.
Sports such as soccer and basketball that involve jumping, planting of the leg, or a change in direction can cause ACL tears.
How Common are Hamstring Injuries…
While hamstring injuries can happen to an athlete during a practice or a game, it’s actually much more common for you to experience hamstring problems related to everyday activities.
How many times a week or even a day do you have to do any of these things?
- Bending at waist
- You have to reach down to pick up your child’s toy or put some documents in a lower filing cabinet drawer.
How to Prevent Injuries When Running
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
- Burn Fat
- Reduce Your Cancer Risk
- Strengthen Your Core
- Improve Your Sleep
- Reduce Your Risk of Osteoporosis
- Boost Your Mood
- Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes
- Reduce Your Risk of Blood Pressure and Heart Disease
- Boost Your Immunity
Preventing Injury: Running Ritual Musts and the Importance of Stretching
These tips are essential for optimizing your running dexterity, whether you’re an indoor treadmill devotee, an outdoor roadrunner or a trail running enthusiast.
Ever Walked With a Limp due to Knee Discomfort…
Knee discomfort can begin for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, knee discomfort 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 problem could start after you walk up more stairs one day than you normally do or just by stepping down awkwardly from just one or two steps. Sometimes knee discomfort just occurs for no apparent reason.
Read full blogWhat our walking says about our muscles and joints
When an expert assesses your walking they are looking at what referred to as your gait. This term “gait” takes into account what all of the joints in your legs and also your trunk are doing when you move one leg and stand on the other for support. Any change in your walking pattern can cause a problem in any part of your body, even if that problem seems to be isolated to just one body part.
Read full blogWhat Makes this Joint Snap, Crackle and Pop…
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.
Read full blogDiscomfort While Standing
Have you ever gotten up in the morning and felt pain in your heel when you put your foot down on the floor? You’re probably wondering why your foot would hurt after you’ve been off your feet and sleeping all night. One of the most common causes of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis arises from the inflammation of the thick band of tissue on the bottom of the foot. The plantar fascia inserts right into your heel bone, also known as the calcaneus.
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