Category Archives: Health and Wellness

Trigger Point Dry Needling

| May 10, 2017

Dry needling is a technique physical therapists can use  to treat myofascial pain. The technique uses a “dry” needle, one without medication or injection, inserted through the skin into areas of the muscle, known as trigger points. It helps to reduce pain, improve flexibility, and restore normalized movement when combined with corrective exercises. In addition, […]

Decreasing Cartilage Loss in Osteoarthritis

| May 9, 2017

Although some over-the-counter nutritional supplements have been advertised as capable of rebuilding cartilage in arthritic joints, the claims most often do not stand up under scientific scrutiny. To protect damaged cartilage, the most important things you can do are strengthen the muscles that support the joints in your body affected by osteoarthritis and make them […]

Morning Stiffness

| December 30, 2016
Do your joints crack and your muscles ache when you get out of bed in the morning? This could simply be a sign of aging, or it could be a symptom of one of several medical conditions that can cause morning stiffness. If it takes you longer and longer to get going in the morning [...]

Understanding Gout and Exercise: Kick The Pain Of Gout

| December 30, 2016
Can Exercise Cause Gout Flare-Up? Answer: The fact is, while exercise itself does not directly cause a gout flare-up, high-impact or strenuous activities can trigger or worsen an existing flare-up by putting additional stress on the joints. This is because gout brings severe joint pain from uric acid crystals, making exercise a challenge. To stay [...]

The Orthopedic Word on Running Shoes

| December 30, 2016
Athletic stores are filled with shelf after shelf of shoes designed for running—enough to make your head spin. But how do you know which shoe will be best for you? Do you take the salesman’s recommendation, or do you consult a professional? How do you know whether one brand of running shoes is really better [...]

The Tale of the Brightly Colored Tape

| December 30, 2016
As you watched the games from Rio this summer, you may have noticed a significant number of athletes wearing brightly colored tape on their knees, shoulders or torsos. Fans of this tape, invented in 1979 by a Japanese chiropractor, claim it can enhance athletic performance by prolonging the effects of physiologic work. Traditional athletic taping [...]

Exercises That Keep Incontinence at Bay

| December 30, 2016
Walk into any fitness center or physical therapy practice, and you probably won’t see anyone doing pelvic floor exercises to help manage urinary incontinence. But that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. First, you can’t tell that someone is doing pelvic floor exercises; the exerciser seems to be at rest. Second, and more important, pelvic floor [...]

Minimizing Your Risk of Zika Virus

| December 30, 2016
Since Zika virus was first discovered nearly 70 years ago, minor outbreaks in humans have occurred throughout the world, usually in tropical regions, with the first large outbreak occurring about 10 years ago. Recently, scientists have connected Zika virus with birth defects. As the climate continues to change, Zika virus will likely become more prevalent [...]

Keep Cool and Stay Hydrated

| December 30, 2016
As temperatures climb, it’s important to satisfy your thirst when you are active—especially during workouts—even if you don’t feel thirsty yourself. But what fluids are best to drink when you exercise? Sports drinks or water can be a matter of personal preference, but unless you are pushing yourself very hard in hot, humid conditions, water [...]

Don’t Let Ragweed Stop Your Fitness Routine

| December 30, 2016
Whether you are a walker, runner, cyclist or golfer, you probably look forward to early fall, when the dog days of summer are behind us and temperatures become milder. Yet for the 23 million Americans allergic to ragweed, this time of year can be prime allergy season. Although we usually associate seasonal allergies with the [...]