Injury Prevention
Path of least resistance is not always the best option – sometimes it is better to have some stiffness
There are three possible relationships between movement and musculoskeletal pain syndromes. There is either too much movement, not enough movement, or an optimal amount of movement. When a muscle tendon unit and/or joint is flexible, hypermobile, or unstable there is too much movement. When a muscle tendon unit and/or joint is stiff or hypomobile there…
Read MoreIntellectual humility and tolerance for ambiguity
When dealing with musculoskeletal pain syndromes uncertainty and ambiguity can cause unease and frustration for both patients and clinicians. The goal is to stamp out uncertainty, but not to stamp out ambiguity. Ambiguity may contain uncertainty. But they are different. Uncertainty is something that is not clearly or precisely determined, something unknown. Uncertainty implies that…
Read MoreHow to improve the quality of a selfie video to facilitate motion analysis
In a previous article, I described how sharing selfie videos with healthcare professionals can facilitate motion analysis for the management of painful musculoskeletal syndromes, injury prevention, and performance enhancement. This article describes how to improve the quality and standardize the process of capturing selfie videos to facilitate the motion analysis process. I am a healthcare…
Read MoreUsing a selfie video for motion analysis
A selfie video can enhance motion analysis for the diagnosis and intervention of painful musculoskeletal injury, for injury prevention, and for enhancing movement performance. A selfie video is a video recording that you take of yourself, also called a velifie A selfie video can: Provide opportunities for reflective self-learning. Provide visual data regarding comparing…
Read MoreMuscle “stretch weakness” – How does the length of a muscle affect its ability to generate force/tension?
As a muscle contracts and shortens it can generate a greater amount of force/tension. However, as the length of the muscle becomes shortened or slack or lengthened or too long the muscle loses its ability to generate tension/force. The relationship between muscle length relative to a muscle’s ability to generate tension/force follows the Goldilocks principle.…
Read More“Deme Bones” – inter-limb deviation related to the musculoskeletal pain syndromes
“The toe bone is connected to the foot bone” is the common reframe from the old gospel song “Dem Bones.” The concept of mechanical connectedness or regional interdependence applied to musculoskeletal pain syndromes suggests that in addition to examining a patient’s local area of complaint examination of the adjacent joints above and below the primary…
Read MoreShould we discharge from Physical Therapy
Why is the terminology “discharged from Physical Therapy” used? I have not heard of anyone being “discharged from dentistry”. I have not heard of anyone being discharged from massage therapy. The meaning of “discharge” is – to relieve of a charge, load, or burden; or to release from confinement, custody, or care; or to set…
Read MoreHalf Seat Lateral Wedge for Lateral Pelvic Tilt Sitting
Shoe lifts or lifts in the shoe are a common treatment for leg length discrepancy. Why are lifts not used for lateral pelvic tilt when sitting? In a previous blog article, I described lateral pelvic tilt and anatomical versus functional lateral pelvic tilt. Lateral pelvic tilt can result from individual structural variation, and defective chair or…
Read MoreWalk this way – Run this way
What way should we walk? What way should we run? Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder wrote the script for the movie “Young Frankenstein” in which the character Igor the hunchback shows Dr. Frankenstein “this way”, and hands him his cane, expecting Dr. Frankenstein to mimic his hunched, contorted shuffle, which Dr. Frankenstein cordially does. This…
Read MoreTelehealth PT Benefits – Statutory Barriers Across State Lines
With the weakening of the covid 19 pandemic, I expect the utilization of Physical Therapy services by telehealth will decline. However, the necessity of learning to provide and receive Physical Therapy services via telehealth uncovered benefits of this service model including: Eliminating time spent traveling to and from appointments and time spent waiting for care…
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