Category Archives: Upper Body

Returning to the Tennis Court After a Lazy Winter

As winter fades away and the weather turns warmer, many of us jump right back into our favorite outdoor sports without any preparation, setting ourselves up for injury and frustration. Tennis is a physically demanding sport, so it is a great idea to ease into the new season with a sensible, sport-specific fitness plan. Tennis […]

Core Reasons to Strengthen Your Core

Everyone seems to be talking about “core strengthening,” but many people don’t know what this phrase means. The body’s “core” refers to the muscles around the abdomen, pelvis, back, shoulders, chest and hips—the body’s center of gravity—all working together in a symphony of movement. As a result, it plays a role in virtually all activities. […]

My Back Pain Always Returns! What Can I Do?

After the common cold, the most common reason Americans miss work is back pain. Unfortunately, once you have experienced back strain or injury, it can easily become a recurring problem. Many cases of back strain are due to the way we live—sitting at desks all day, hunched over a computer, with little physical activity. Unless […]

Skiing and Thumb Injury

Skiing falls can often cause injury to the inner ligament of your thumb, caused by the force of the pole against this area of the hand during a fall. This area, a band of fibrous tissue connecting the bones at the bottom of the thumb, is known as the ulnar collateral ligament. This injury is […]

MRI Signals Rotator Cuff Changes

The four muscles that constitute the rotator cuff wrap around the shoulder joint, helping guide the shoulder through its range of motions while simultaneously providing stability to the joint. At the ends of these four muscles are tendons, which attach to the humerus, or upper arm bone. If the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) your doctor […]

Regaining Normal Rotator Cuff Function After Surgery

Surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff is often a last-resort treatment, one that requires extensive rehabilitation to return your shoulder to full range of motion without pain. For most people, full recovery will take from 4 to 6 months, depending upon the reason for the surgery, the type of surgery and the patient’s level […]

When Backing Up the Car Becomes a Pain in the Neck

That pain you feel when turning your head while backing up your car is probably due to tightness in the muscles of your neck and upper back, often the result of years of poor posture. To improve your posture, keep your neck in a “neutral” position, with your chin more tucked in than pushed forward. […]

Regaining Strength After a Rotator Cuff Repair

Whether you have had arthroscopic surgery (the least invasive kind), mini-open or open surgery to repair a rotator cuff tear, it takes at least four to six months to regain much of your strength and range of motion (ROM). Recovering well, however, is as important as recovering quickly. Therapy after rotator cuff repair proceeds in […]

Does a Herniated Disc Mean Surgery?

Back pain can put a severe crimp in your daily activities. One cause of such pain is a herniated disc, also called a slipped or ruptured disc. A common condition of the lower back that seldom requires surgery, herniated discs are most common in women and men aged 30 to 50 years, although they also […]

Recurrent Back Pain After a Herniated Disc Removal

One reason back surgery “fails” is that the area operated on was not, in fact, the area causing the pain. Because the back and its nerves are so complex, this often cannot be foreseen before surgery. In fact, back surgery more commonly alleviates leg pain than back pain, because it is easier to trace leg […]