Search results for: second
That’s a Stretch: Why Stretching May Not Always be the Solution
It’s good to stretch a dollar. It’s bad to stretch the truth. But what about stretching your calves? That might depend on whether you believe Dr. Google every time a search result says to stretch sore calves. Calf stretching aims to increase the range of motion (ROM) for ankle dorsiflexion. “Dorsi” is a prefix meaning…
Read MoreOrthopedic Surgery vs Orthopedic Medicine: Considerations Regarding Elective Surgery
There is a difference between someone who practices orthopedic surgery and someone who practices orthopedic medicine. Orthopedic surgeons are interested in surgical treatment of musculoskeletal problems. Orthopedic medicine practitioners are interested in non-surgical treatment of musculoskeletal problems. Dr. James Cyriax, author of “Textbook of Orthopaedic Medicine,” emphasized this difference. While some orthopedic problems improve with…
Read MorePain on Bottom of Heel: Too Much Big Toe Motion
Pain on the bottom of the heel (Plantar Heel Pain) is a complex problem with variable diagnoses and explanations. And with variable diagnoses there should be variations in treatment. Unfortunately, the common treatment recommendations do not recognize such variability. For example, the universal suggested treatment for plantar heel pain is calf stretching and stretching of…
Read MorePhysical Therapy Online
Physical Therapy Online Assessments and Second Opinions Low-cost valuable option and addition to a face to face visit Secure, easy credit card processing Damien Howell Physical Therapy has partnered with American Well to provide online physical therapy – an alternative to face to face home-based Physical Therapy visits. There may be times when an in-person…
Read MoreGait Analysis – Gait Training for Achilles Tendon Pain
The manner you walk or run can be one of the contributing factors to the development of Achilles tendon problems. If you are experiencing pain in the Achilles when walking or running working with your Physical Therapists and using slow motion video analysis the following model can provide a beginning point to solve the problem.…
Read MoreStrengthening Exercises for Intrinsic Foot Muscles
Exercises to strengthen the foot are frequently used to treat injuries to foot, ankle, knee, hip and low back. Toe curl or toe scrunching exercises is not appropriate for strengthening the muscles intrinsic to the feet. Muscles about the foot and ankle are described as either extrinsic muscles or intrinsic muscles. Extrinsic foot muscles have…
Read MoreOrthopedic post-surgical protocols & Physical Therapy
If you have the misfortune of needing to have an elective orthopedic surgery, you will likely be referred to Physical Therapy following the surgery. You will likely follow a post –surgical rehabilitation protocol. Orthopedic surgeons and Physical Therapist have developed standard protocols for each surgical diagnosis or surgical procedure. The protocol will outline the step…
Read MoreHip Pain: Gluteal Tendon Problems Postures & Positions to Avoid
Tendon problems are a common diagnosis at Achilles, knee (patellar tendon), shoulder (rotator cuff), and elbow (tennis elbow) pain. Interestingly though, pain on the side of the hip is commonly thought to be an inflammation of bursa. Recent investigation has shown that pain on the side of the hip commonly thought to be trochanteric bursitis,…
Read MoreSooner is Not Always Better than Later – Healing Recovery from Injury
Sooner is not always better than later when recovering from an injury. Biological tissues adapts to physical stress in a predictable way. There is a threshold where physical stress results in a positive adaptation of the tissue, that is, tissue grows larger and stronger. Conversely if there is insufficient physical stress tissue wastes away gets…
Read MoreAre you a half ass? – stretch weakness of gluteal muscles contributing to heel, foot, shin, knee, hip pain
There is a growing body of evidence that many repetitive use injuries such as knee pain, shin pain, heel pain, and forefoot pain can be addressed by improving the strength of the gluteal muscles. The gluteal muscles consist of gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, piriformis, and smaller less recognized muscles are commonly called “bun…
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