Tag Archives: physical therapy

Don’t Be Felled by a Fear of Falling

Fear of falling increases as we age—and with good reason. About one of every three adults aged 65 and older falls each year. In 2010, more than 2.3 million nonfatal falls were treated in emergency rooms, resulting in more than 662,000 hospitalizations. A staggering 95% of all hip fractures are related to falls. In people […]

Degenerative Disk Disease: Getting Your Discs in Order

Understanding Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) What is Degenerative Disk Disease? Degenerative disk disease (DDD) is a common cause of back pain that happens when the intervertebral disks in your spine start to break down. Your spine is comprised of a column of bones called vertebrae, with gel-filled disks between them to absorb shock. Made up […]

When IT Causes Knee Pain

IT band syndrome is a nickname for iliotibial band syndrome, a condition affecting the thick, fibrous band of tissue that runs from the pelvis to the top of the shin and keeps the knee stable and functioning when you walk or run. When the IT band becomes irritated or inflamed, patients feel knee pain that […]

Don’t Get Apoplectic Over Apophysitis

Your preteen soccer player comes home from practice complaining of knee pain, and there is a tender swelling at the top of his shin. Your 8-year-old starts limping and talking about a gradually increasing ache in his heel. In both cases, the culprit may be apophysitis, a relatively common condition where an apophysis—a type of […]

The Recipe To Relieve A Baker Cyst: Treatments & Physical Therapy

Understanding a Baker’s Cyst Knee pain can disrupt your life, making everyday activities uncomfortable. If you suffer from knee pain, the culprit might be a Baker’s cyst, an accumulation of joint fluid that creates a bulge at the back of the knee. The bulge is noticeable, and a physician can usually diagnose it accurately by […]

ACL Repair: Your Tissue or Someone Else’s?

If you have torn your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the main ligament that stabilizes the knee, and are scheduled for reconstructive surgery to repair it, your surgeon could use either an autograft or an allograft. What is the difference between the two? An autograft is a piece of tissue removed from your body and used […]

TENS Ways to Alleviate Pain

One approach used in a rehabilitation program, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses an electric current to stimulate muscles to contract. Electrical impulses are thought to interrupt messages sent by pain receptors from the nerves to the brain. If the brain does not receive these messages, it does not recognize pain, and you do not […]

When Your Shoulder Blade Is “SICK”

Do you have a “SICK” scapula? No, not sick with a fever or a cold, but SICK—an abnormal condition of the shoulder blade. This condition is characterized by Scapular malposition: The scapula has moved to an abnormal position on the rib cage. Inferior medial border prominence: The scapula protrudes abnormally along the back. Coracoid pain […]

All About Hip Impingements & How Physical Therapy Can Help

Femoracetabular Impingement (FAI): The Pain of a Pinching Hip If you’ve been feeling a sharp pinch or a deep ache in your hip, it might be due to a condition called femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). This discomfort, often described as a “pinching” sensation, can make simple daily activities, like walking, sitting, or even sleeping, feel uncomfortable. […]

Flexing Your New Replacement Knee

Deciding to have your knee replaced can lead to many logical concerns regarding safety, rehabilitation and whether the increase in quality of life makes the procedure worth the trouble. Not everyone will regain full range of motion after total knee replacement. Depending upon the specific nature of your injury and knee replacement, however, a full […]