Tag Archives: physical therapy

Foot Pain in Dress Shoes

Have you ever had a long-anticipated night on the town spoiled by sore feet? The source of your discomfort just might be those pretty shoes you have chosen to wear. Women’s dress shoes are often narrower and less cushioned than shoes worn day-to-day, which may make them uncomfortably confining. And women, young and old, have […]

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 […]

Ankle Sprains: Not All Are Created Equal

A sprained ankle is a very common injury, with approximately 25,000 people—athletes and non-athletes, children and adults—experiencing it each day. An ankle sprain affects the ligaments , tough elastic bands of tissue on the outside of the ankle that connect the ankle bones to each other and protect the ankle joint from abnormal movements, such […]

Chronic Ankle Instability: Causes & Treatments

Understanding Chronic Ankle Instability (CAI) Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is more than just a sore ankle. It’s an uncomfortable condition in which the outer (lateral) side of your ankle feels like it might “give way” when you walk, move or even stand. If, in fact, it does “give way” with a turn or sprain, the […]

They Said They “Pinned” My Mother’s Hip – What Does That Mean?

“Pinning” is shorthand for surgical repair of a broken hip . In all likelihood, your mother suffered a fracture at or near where the femur (the large bone at the top of the leg) enters the hip joint. Also called “internal fixation,” this common procedure involves stabilizing the broken bones with steel rods, screws and/or […]

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 […]

Strengthening the Rotator Cuff After Surgery

When rotator cuff surgery is needed, the surgeon has to take into consideration whether or not fatty infiltration has occurred. Ideally, the surgeon can perform the surgery at an early enough stage before fatty infiltration becomes an issue. What is fatty infiltration? Sometimes, when the rotator cuff tendons have significantly pulled away from the bone […]

Trigger Point Dry Needling

Dry needling is a technique physical therapists can use  to treat myofascial pain. The technique uses a “dry” needle, one without medication or injection, inserted through the skin into areas of the muscle, known as trigger points. It helps to reduce pain, improve flexibility, and restore normalized movement when combined with corrective exercises. In addition, […]

Treating Degenerative Meniscus Tears

During the aging process, the fibrous cartilage between the thighbone (femur) and the shinbone (tibia) within the knee can degenerate and become prone to tearing. These cartilages—the medial meniscus and lateral meniscus—act as shock absorbers, thus protecting the joint surfaces from undue wear and tear, which can lead to arthritis. When you run, walk or […]

Continuing Pain After Carpal Tunnel Surgery

Even after undergoing surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome, some patients are still bothered by occasional tingling and numbness in the affected hand . Carpal tunnel syndrome involves the median nerve, which runs down the forearm, through the wrist and into the hand where it provides feeling and power to the palm, thumb and middle fingers. […]