Category Archives: Upper Body

Recovering After Elbow Surgery

Elbow surgery to reconstruct a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is a common procedure performed on athletes who engage in overhead throwing activities, such as baseball, tennis and volleyball, and gymnastics. In these activities, the UCL can be stretched, torn or otherwise damaged from the constant stress of overhead motion. To mend a torn UCL, […]

Tenolysis and Beyond: Rehabilitation & Recovery

Restoring Wrist and Finger Movement After Tenolysis What is Tenolysis? Tenolysis is a surgical procedure performed on the fingers or wrist to address issues caused by scar tissue formation after a crush injury or surgical repair of a ruptured tendon. The scar tissue binds to the tendon or sheath, interfering with the tendon’s normal sliding […]

Physical Therapy for Ménière’s Disease

Some people may think that they are just clumsy if they briefly lose their balance or feel as if the world is moving while they are standing still. In fact, these people may have a disorder called Ménière’s disease, a serious, episodic, progressively debilitating inner ear condition. People with this disorder generally exhibit all four […]

Restoring Range of Motion After Elbow Replacement

Total elbow replacement refers to a surgery that creates an artificial joint. Damage to your elbow can initially occur from badly broken bones, severely torn tissues, a tumor in or around the elbow, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, or unsuccessful previous surgery. Your normal elbow joint is comprised of two bones— the humerus in the upper […]

Elbow Excellence Through Tommy John Surgery

One of the major advancements in sports medicine in the last 35 years, surgical repair of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is named for Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John, the first person to successfully undergo the procedure in 1974. John returned to the mound two years later . This procedure, invented and pioneered by […]

Radial Head Resection: Fracture Surgery & Recovery Guide

A common type of elbow injury in athletes, a radial head fracture tends to occur when a person falls on an outstretched hand. In this case, the radial head—located at the end of the bone—breaks in a way that makes realignment a challenge. Understanding Radial Head Fractures Radial head fractures can significantly affect daily life, […]

Understanding Dupuytren’s Contracture: What You Need to Know

Shake Hands with Dupuytren’s Contracture What did Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Samuel Beckett have in common? The answer is Dupuytren’s contracture. What is Dupuytren’s Contracture? Dupuytren’s contracture is a progressive, slow-moving condition that affects the connective fibrous tissue in the hand. It is characterized by the thickening and shortening of the palmar fascia, the […]

Flexing Your Flexor Tendons After Surgery

Because recovery from surgery to repair flexor tendons (the tendons that control the movement of your fingers) can be challenging and slow, many people become frustrated after about two months. Why does it take so long to regain the ability to fully bend or straighten your finger? For one thing, effective rehabilitation requires patience and […]

Why Does My Right Elbow Hurt When I Lift Things?

Even if you do not play a racquet sport, you might have lateral epicondylitis, or “ tennis elbow .” This is the common term for the painful irritation or degeneration of the tendons that connect the elbow muscle, known as the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB), to the bony bump on the outer part of […]