Author Archives: Kimberly Daliagon

Regaining Full Range of Motion After Knee Surgery

In order for you to walk, run, sit or kick comfortably, your knee—the largest joint in the body—must be able to move through an arc of about 130 degrees, from completely straight, or fully extended, to completely bent, or fully flexed. Two muscle groups control this motion: the quadriceps on the front of the thigh […]

Treadmill Rehabilitation After Stroke

The treadmill used by a person after experiencing a stroke is not your average gym model. It is specially designed to help the rehabilitation process, walking in particular. In locomotor treadmill training, a harness secures the patient and helps support some of his or her body weight. As the patient gains strength and the skills […]

Healing a Shoulder Injury

The shoulder joint has the widest range of movement in the body, but mobility is achieved at the expense of stability. The labrum, a ring of thick, fibrous cartilage running around the edge of the shoulder socket, holds the bones in place, extends the joint to make it more stable and provides cushioning. When it […]

How to Prevent and Treat a Stress Fracture

Although it’s usually so small that it can’t be detected with conventional x-rays, a stress fracture is a very real crack in a bone. Most stress fractures occur in the tibia or fibula (lower-leg bones), the metatarsal or navicular bones of the foot, or the heel. The fracture develops over a period of days or […]

Recognizing and Treating a “Mini-stroke”

No permanent damage results from a transient ischemic attack (TIA), sometimes called a mini-stroke. It is caused by a short-term blockage of a blood vessel supplying blood and oxygen to the brain. Although its effects—which can include trouble speaking, dizziness, blurred vision and weakness on one side of the body, among other signs—last less than […]

Strong Quads Help Fight Osteoarthritis

Many individuals experience pain from osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, the “wear and tear” version of arthritis. It can occur in any joint but is especially common in the knee. Your knee is a complex joint where the thigh bone (femur), a lower leg bone (tibia) and the kneecap (patella) come together. These bones […]

Kids: A Pain in the Knee

If your child experiences knee discomfort, it could be due to Osgood-Schlatter disease. Although temporary, this condition can be a source of pain and swelling. Most children suffering from Osgood-Schlatter disease also experience a tender bump just below the kneecap. The pain associated with this condition appears when children, whose bones are growing rapidly, are […]

Ankle Injuries: Rehabilitation Approaches

Ankle injuries are among the most common athletic hindrances. Jumping sports such as basketball and volleyball produce the majority of ankle injuries, although nonathletes can easily injure an ankle simply by stepping onto an uneven surface, such as a stone. Rehabilitation following an ankle injury is crucial to managing pain and preventing future injury. There […]

Walking: An Effective Tool for Weight Loss and Maintenance

The simplest exercise available is placing one foot in front of the other and walking. Because this is something we do every day, it is often overlooked as a valuable tool for weight loss. A 140-pound person walking at a moderate pace for 20 minutes will burn approximately 92 calories while increasing heart rate, thus […]

Selecting the Proper Running Shoe

You might think that buying a pair of running shoes is more an issue of fashion than a serious decision that takes any technical consideration. Nothing could be further from the truth; in fact, selecting the proper running shoe is pivotal to protecting your joints from injury. Shoe technology now incorporates different types of construction […]