Tag Archives: physical therapy

Walking on a Brand New Ankle

While knee and hip replacements have become more common, orthopedists are now performing an increasing number of ankle replacements as well. Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) treats ankle arthritis that may result from the normal wear and tear of aging, or from an injury such as a dislocation or a broken ankle—arthritis that can eventually lead […]

Rehabilitating a Fractured Radial Head

The elbow is a complex joint formed by a trio of bones in your arm: the radius and the ulna in your forearm and the humerus in your upper arm. The part of the radius bone nearest to the elbow, called the radial head, can fracture after an injury from a tumble, during which you […]

Healing Spinal Fractures Without Surgery

The thought of “breaking your back” is pretty scary, but more than 700,000 people a year fracture their spines and do not even realize it. In fact, many of them brush off the symptoms (backaches, loss of flexibility and a tendency to appear “hunched”) as a normal part of aging. While such fractures may not […]

Colles’ Fracture: Causes, Treatment, & Physical Therapy Rehabilitation

Colles’ Fracture: Don’t Strike Out When You Break Your Wrist You walk out of your house, trip on the sidewalk and attempt to break your fall with an outstretched arm. Immediately afterward, you notice pain, swelling and an inability to move your wrist. You have likely just sustained a broken wrist (or Colles’ fracture), one […]

Stiff Back: Not a Good Way to Start the Day

Morning back stiffness can stem from a large number of conditions, from the mundane to the exotic. In an otherwise healthy individual, it can simply be the result of fluid accumulation in the spinal disks during the night. This can result in stiffness or pain in the back. Preventing morning stiffness can be as simple […]

Taking an Arch Look at Foot Pain

If you look at your foot from the side, you should notice an upward curve in the middle. Called an arch, this curve is formed by tight bands of tissue that attach at the heel and foot bones. Generally speaking, there are three types of arches: low (present in 20% of the population), high (present […]

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS): Causes, Triggers, & Treatment Guide

The Light at the End of the Carpal Tunnel What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) affects as many as one in 20 Americans. It occurs when the median nerve—the nerve that controls movement and sensation in the palm of the hand, thumb, and fingers—is compressed as it travels through the carpal tunnel. […]

How to Treat a Dislocated or Jammed Finger

Unjamming a Jammed Finger Many people have dislocated a finger at some point in their lives. While these minor injuries often occur while playing sports such as basketball, they can also be the result of falling onto an outstretched hand or catching your finger between two objects. Whether you’re an athlete or just going about […]

Rewiring the Brain After a Stroke

If you or a loved one has suffered a stroke, the road to recovery can be long. While the brain injury suffered by stroke patients cannot be reversed, recent strides in understanding the brain have helped us make great progress in restoring function so that many patients can live as independently as possible with a […]

Giving Your Knee a Lube Job

A thick, naturally occurring liquid that lubricates the joints, hyaluronan (also called hyaluronate) becomes thinner in people with osteoarthritis of the knee. If you are one of the millions of adults living with osteoarthritis of the knee, your physician may prescribe hyaluronic acid injections to ease pain and stiffness. An injection of hyaluronic acid may […]