Exercise Archives - Damien Howell PT

Hormone replacement therapy tendon repair post-menopause

The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which individuals with limited competence in a particular domain overestimate their abilities. It is when we lack competence that we are most likely to be brimming with overconfidence. The following is a description of how it applies to me. I know everything Early in my career as…

Mom’s words of wisdom make sense

Mother’s Day is a fun time to review some old wives’ tales that abound in the health and wellness arena. My mom used to say, “the difference between a man and a boy is that a man walks around a puddle and a boy plods right through them.” At the beginning of a walk or…

Exercise prescription – Art & Science

Exercise while not a drug can behave like one. Exercise can help in the management of chronic diseases and offer pain relief for individuals suffering from musculoskeletal pain syndromes. Like prescribing drugs, the concept of dosage applies to exercise prescription. A dose-response to exercise is not unlike drugs however the minimum dose, dose-response, and maximum…

Mountain Athlete: 2-Dimensional Video Slow-Motion Analysis

I have been asked to present a continuing education webinar to members of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The theme of the program is Human Performance the “Mountain Athlete” What is a “Mountain Athlete”? Athletic activities that occur in the mountains are skiing, climbing, Spartan racing, adventure racing, trekking, adventure racing, mountain biking, and…

Potential Prevention Strategy for Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps

Exercise associated muscle cramp (EAMC) is a painful, spasmodic, and involuntary contraction of muscle that occurs during or immediately after exercise. The exact mechanism or cause of EAMC still remains unclear. There is a consensus the first aid treatment of EAMC is to stretch the affected muscle. However, Coppin and colleagues conclude that regular stretching…

As a patient, how do I get my healthcare provider more engaged in my care plan?

The goal of any relationship between a healthcare provider and patient is that both parties feel they are invested in favorable health outcomes. How they get there is the question. The underlying assumption is that a high degree of engagement from the provider and the patient will result in better outcomes, costs less, and may…

How to exercise to lose weight when exercise is painful

High body mass index (BMI) is significant factor in low back pain, osteoarthritis; hip osteoarthritis; knee osteoarthritis, plantar heel pain. Weight loss intervention for pain reduction Decreasing body weight is an effective intervention to decrease musculoskeletal pain. Research by Stephen Messier at Wake Forest U, looking at individuals with painful osteoarthritis of the knee who…

Osteoarthritis – Bad News More Than Good News

Osteoarthritis occurs in a joint when there is more degeneration of the joint cartilage than regeneration of the joint cartilage. Cartilage is a soft tissue on the ends of bones. Cartilage provides a smooth surface to allow free movement of joint, provides a cushioning, and for joint stability. Cartilage tissue is poorly designed for repair…

Sooner 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…

Stiffness – Resistance to Change: Good or Bad?

In the realm of health and fitness, the term stiffness often has a bad connotation. In reality, being stiff can have positive benefits. When something is stiff, it is difficult to change. When the range of motion of a joint is limited, it is also described as stiff. There is an optimal range of motion…