Tag Archives: physical therapy

Take Heart: Exercising with Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) forces patients to make significant life changes. And because the heart is a muscle and exercise is a vital part of heart health, it seems natural that physical therapy would be a great asset for these patients. But whether and how much physical therapy can help CHF patients depends on a […]

Rearming After a Stroke

Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) treats people who have had a stroke or sustained injuries that lead to limitations in the mobility of one of their arms. The unaffected arm is constrained in a sling, forcing the use of the affected arm repetitively and intensively for two to three weeks. The American Stroke Association has said […]

Knife-free Relief for Knee Arthritis

More than a million surgeries are performed every year to help people suffering from arthritis of the knee. While such surgery is sometimes the best option, two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, one in 2002 and one in 2008, found that physical therapy and medications can be just as effective as […]

Bumping Up Treatment for Ganglion Cysts

Do you have a bump on the wrist your physician called a ganglion cyst? These soft-tissue fluid-filled lumps are usually harmless, generally painless and often go away on their own. Ganglions can occur in any joint and may result from arthritis or from injury due to repetitive stress activities. If the cyst is painful, interferes […]

Is Anterior Superior? Hip Replacement Options

Patients may find recovery from a total hip replacement (THR) performed with the newer anterior (front) approach easier than that performed with the traditional posterior (back) approach. To reach your hip joint, the surgeon makes an incision in the front of your leg and separates muscles, rather than cutting and reattaching them, as would happen […]

Tennis Elbow: To Brace or Not to Brace?

Most people diagnosed with “tennis elbow,” technically called lateral epicondylosis, probably did not develop this problem by playing tennis—although, of course, tennis players are frequent sufferers. The lateral epicondyle is the bony area on the outside of the elbow, and the “–osis” refers to tiny tears in the adjacent tendons that have been caused by […]

Posterior Tibial Tendonitis: A Guide To Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

The Vicious Cycle of Tibial Tendonitis Foot pain can really slow you down, especially when it’s caused by something like posterior tibial tendonitis. The good news is that with the right approach, most people can find relief and get back to their usual activities. In this article, we’ll explore: What posterior tibial tendonitis is, how […]

Functional Ankle Instability: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment

Functional Ankle Instability: When Your Ankle Feels Unstable Do you sometimes feel like your ankle is rolling inward when you walk? If so, you might have functional ankle instability (FAI)—a condition where your ankle feels unstable, even though the joint itself is stable. This differs from pure ankle instability, which has a mechanical cause, such […]

Minor Accident, Major Pain

Fender benders with your car typically cause more annoyance than trauma. After exchanging insurance information, assessing the damage to your car and silently cursing the other driver for texting instead of watching the road, you will probably just go on with your day. But several hours later, you feel a deep ache in your neck, […]

Step Up to Therapy After a Meniscus Tear

The menisci, two semicircular pieces of knee cartilage located where the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) meet, help diffuse the forces on the knee and act as shock absorbers. Meniscal tears are common. Young athletes often tear a meniscus when twisting with the knee flexed and the foot firmly planted. Older adults may […]