5 Exercises to Improve Shoulder Health
Shoulders are the most mobile joint in the human body, offering a wide range of potential movements and positions they can get into during our daily life. The shoulder’s mobility relies on muscles, ligaments, and tendons as a source of stability rather than bone like the hip joint. Due to their nature, the shoulder is also commonly injured, with 18-26% of the population having some shoulder issues at any given moment. To combat this phenomenon, I will provide exercises aimed at improving overall shoulder health and longevity, with some nice side effects of improved posture and increased muscle tone. A good routine to follow with the following exercises is to perform 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions to supplement your current training routine.
What Does Preventative Physical Therapy Look Like?
Most of us had our first experience with physical therapy after we sustained an injury or underwent surgery. It should be no surprise that we often think of physical therapy as something we do after an injury or post-surgery. But did you know that physical therapy is often used as a preventative tool? Preventative physical therapy may be more valuable than we realize, as the old adage tells us, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Let’s dissect what preventative physical therapy looks like.
Can PT Help Prevent Heart Disease?
The short answer is YES! Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. With a widespread problem, we should consider all of our options for prevention.
How Much Do You Know About Back Pain?
Many people throughout their lives have encountered back pain. In fact, as many as two-thirds of adults will be affected by back pain at some point in their lives. Anyone that has had to deal with back pain knows how difficult it can be. However, back pain comes with difficulty in determining what treatment options are best, what will happen if I can’t work, and what can I do to make sure this back pain doesn’t happen again.
Hip Pain When Walking?
Hip pain, in general, can be caused by a wide variety of reasons. Hip pain can be caused by the hip itself or the back. It can also be caused by muscle weakness and/or joint stiffness. The hip joint typically causes pain in the front or “groin” of the hip. The hip bursa or muscular dysfunction can cause pain felt on the outside of the hip. The SI joint, low back, and muscles of the back of the hip can cause pain felt on the backside of the hip. But for starters, why do I have hip pain when I walk?
Physical Therapy After a Heart Attack
An unexpected cardiac event, like a heart attack or an open-heart surgery, is an extremely scary experience. I’ve witnessed this first-hand as I was beside my father when he suffered a heart attack in October 2021. Thankfully, he survived the heart attack, but my father underwent an open-heart surgery quickly after that. His ongoing recovery process has been life-altering for our family, but his commitment to cardiac rehabilitation (cardiac rehab) has been critical in returning to a healthy life. For those of you that are going through this yourself or have loved ones that have experienced a cardiac event, here are some things to consider related to physical therapy after a heart attack:
Tips from a PT: Maintaining Endurance During the Winter
Winter is when many of us hibernate inside to watch Netflix and make sweet treats in the kitchen. But if you are someone looking to build your endurance for later in the year – such as for a race or general fitness – you do not want to take these winter months off before resuming activity in the spring. If you are usually active in the other three seasons of the year, it would greatly behoove you to maintain regular activity in the winter months. Winter is the perfect time for endurance athletes to take it a little easier and focus on building and maintaining their base for a more efficient aerobic system. Here are some tips to consider during the cold months:
Common Injuries in the Aging Athlete
More and more health care providers are seeing an increase in “Boomeritis,” a term coined by Nicholas DiNubile in 1999, referring to the musculoskeletal injuries that the aging athlete in the baby boomer generation, 1946-1964, are experiencing. This group of athletes is the first generation to grow up exercising and continue exercising well into their 70s. The musculoskeletal injuries in Boomeritis include tendon, muscle, and ligament tears and stress fractures. While these injuries can happen at any age, physiologic changes with age make this generation more susceptible to developing these problems.
