We’ve all come to normalize pain in our lives in some sense. At some point, you may have sought out therapy for the various aches and pains you’ve experienced, but did you know that pelvic health physical therapy was an option for painful sexual intercourse or dyspareunia? In fact, I can’t keep track of the amount of times I have heard from a patient or a friend who thought it was normal to have pain with sexual intercourse. Statistics show [...]
Have you ever twisted or “rolled” your ankle? If so, then you likely experienced an ankle sprain. It is one of the most common soft tissue injuries in sports, with some studies reporting 23,000 ankle sprains per day in the United States. 80% of ankle sprains, for both athletes and “weekend warriors”, involve the lateral ankle ligaments. So what happens when you twist your ankle? The lateral ligaments (anterior talofibular, posterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments) of the ankle joint are [...]
What is Cervical Dystonia? Cervical dystonia, also known as spasmic torticollis, is considered to be a motor system disorder in which the neuro-functional connections in the brain are affected. This can cause involuntary, often painful muscle contractions and decreased motor control of the cervical spine musculature. Multiple systematic reviews have shown that physical therapy in conjunction with medical intervention including botox injections can have positive impacts on patients with cervical dystonia. Physical therapy offers a wide variety of treatments for [...]
What is Vertigo/BPPV? Do you find yourself dizzy when you roll over in bed or when going from a lying to a sitting position? Does the room seem to spin around you? Do you feel unsteady or nauseous after changing position or turning your head?If so, you may have something called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) - more commonly known simply as “vertigo”. BPPV (Vertigo) occurs when the small calcium-carbonate crystals (called otoconia) within your inner ear become dislodged and [...]
Do you have knee pain, shoulder pain, hip pain, sciatica, low back pain, or chronic neck pain that hasn’t improved fully with traditional orthopedic or physical therapy treatment? Is your ability to perform fitness activities, sports activities, or normal daily work activities limited by this pain? Are you ready to explore the modern approaches to dealing with persistent/debilitating pain? Are you a person that has an identified tear, bulge, or degeneration? Have you been told they aren’t a candidate for [...]
Body Myths: The Pelvic Floor Edition We get a lot of information about our bodies from all sorts of sources today (your Instagram feed, the news, and even your friendly neighbor who’s been on “WebMD” a few too many times…) So what is the truth and what is a myth? We will start with the “Pelvic Floor” which remains a mystery to MANY of us. So let's set the record straight: “Wetting yourself with every sneeze, cough, or belly laugh, that’s [...]
Q: What is a “High-Intensity Resistance Exercise”? The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) defines high-intensity resistance training to be loads of at least 70% of your 1-rep max (1RM). This level of resistance is thought to be required in order to produce muscle growth (hypertrophy) and strength gains. Q: Is high-intensity resistance training appropriate for me? High-intensity resistance training may not be appropriate for you if you have: Cardiovascular disease Joint disease/injury Post-operative limitations Weight-bearing restrictions Q: How can [...]
No, I am not talking about your friend, partner, or mother-in-law... I mean is the pain in your butt that has never felt quite right since you tweaked it way back when. What is a hamstring injury? Do you have generalized discomfort or an achy sensation when you strike the ground while walking or running, during or after a workout, or even when you sit? Your hamstrings are the muscles along the back of your thigh that run from your [...]
How many of you remember spending half an hour standing in a circle with your teammates before practicing counting “1…2…3…” as you gradually stretched individual muscle groups? My guess is, probably most of you. As we continue to move into an age of analytics within sports, the efficacy of warm-ups in their ability to decrease injury risk and prepare athletes for sport is gaining more attention. In The Past Traditionally, warm-up programs have consisted of short bouts of aerobic activity [...]
Is knee pain ruining your swagger? Have you been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, chondromalacia, or a meniscus tear? Are you concerned that you’ll need surgery or that you won’t be able to enjoy your favorite activities? Well, you can jump to the conclusion that there is hope to overcome the difficulty with the right therapeutic approach and knowledge. What about the “damage” that has been seen on x-ray or MRI? Normative studies show about 65% of asymptomatic people above the age [...]
