Over the last 10 to 15 years, physical therapists have focused more on using evidence-based physical therapy to determine what works best for each individual patient. What does Evidence-Based mean? This involves basing treatments on procedures that have “proven” effectiveness as published in scientific literature (like PubMed). This is in contrast to depending on just […]
Your shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint made up of three dominant bones—the humerus, clavicle and scapula. The rotator cuff consists of a group of four tendons and associated muscles that collectively work to keep the arm bone within the socket of your shoulder blade while allowing your arm to raise and rotate. Although damage to […]
Surgery can take a major toll on your body, not just for the obvious reasons. Even a minor surgical procedure requires your body to heal, expending energy and invoking immune responses that can tax your musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary systems. The more intensive the procedure, the more difficult your recovery may be. Spending time in the […]
Almost everyone has heard of total hip replacement and total knee replacement. But fewer people are familiar with total ankle replacement (also called total ankle arthroplasty). Although the ankle looks like a simple hinge joint, it actually involves much more complex movement, absorbing forces up to five times body weight. Many conditions, such as severe […]
If you are about to have your hip replaced, you will need to begin a rehabilitation program very soon after the procedure is completed. The type of rehabilitation will vary with the surgical technique used to attach the metal prosthesis to the femur. This artificial ball and stem can be affixed either with bony cement […]
Occurring in the front of the outer leg, shin splints result from inflammation to the posterior tibial tendon and related tissues . They commonly happen to runners or those who walk vigorously. Symptoms include pain in the front of the outer leg below the knee, ranging from dull discomfort to significant pain that increases with […]
If you were athletic before your pregnancy, you can continue your “normal” workouts, as long as you use common sense. For women who were not particularly active before becoming pregnant, it is a great time to begin some gentle, easy workouts. Engaging in some form of prenatal exercise has important benefits: less weight gain during […]
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. If the radial head cannot successfully be rebuilt, your physician may […]
Although the fibrous Achilles tendon is the strongest band of connective tissue in the body, it is prone to damage, which can necessitate surgery. In one scenario, most of the tendon has degenerated, and the paratenon (the tissue covering the tendon) has become inflamed (paratendonitis), causing pain. Or a person—often a middle-aged weekend athlete playing […]
Arthroscopy, a procedure using a small fiber-optic camera device, has revolutionized hip joint surgery. Often recommended for athletes or those with degenerative arthritis, it is used to remove damaged tissue or splintered-off cartilage floating around the hip joint or to reattach structures within the hip. A surgeon uses a small incision to insert a tiny […]
