Athletico Health Resources

Millions of Americans undergo surgery each year. Physical therapy is one of the best healthcare decisions you can make before and after surgery to ensure you heal properly. This blog will discuss tips to help you prepare for a surgical procedure as well as what to expect after the procedure.

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Unfortunately, jammed fingers are common on job sites, during contact sports, a fall, or when doing some weekend warrior activities while crossing heavy chores off the to-do list. But when is it more than just a jammed finger? When should you seek professional medical treatment?

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Head, shoulders, knees, and toes – football is a rigorous sport and can be the source of various injuries. Some injuries are more common, and some are less common. Some injuries heal quickly with rehabilitation, whereas others heal slowly and may require surgery. Let’s look at some of the more common injuries in football.

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Building strength and muscle mass is a goal that many have (and these two attributes will typically go hand-in-hand), whether the person wants to be healthier, look better, help improve athletic performance, etc. These people all have similar goals of improving as much as they can. With new information about the importance of muscle mass and strength for overall health, starting your strength and muscle gain journey as soon as possible is of high importance. But where to begin? How do you navigate the process? There are so many resources on muscle gain and strength building, and it is easy to get lost in the noise. This blog will lay out tips to help you along this journey and give you a framework to draw a plan.

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Hip injuries in dancers comprise about 17.2% of all muscular and bony injuries. These injuries are often hard to diagnose because many have overlapping signs and symptoms. Injuries can occur for a variety of reasons. Some injuries are traumatic from a fall, contact, or another impact like a fracture or an avulsion (where a muscle can yank on its bony attachment and pull some bone loose). Additional injuries can come from overuse and result in tendinitis (or other tendinopathies), bursitis, snapping hip, strain, or a labral tear. Some are bony, like Femoral Acetabular Impingement (FAI) or dysplasia. Whatever the cause, a hip injury can be frustrating for a dancer.

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Squats are a foundational exercise movement. When you squat, you move at multiple joints via the action of several major muscle groups. A squat involves a hip hinge and bending at the knee and ankle. A squat is also a functional movement. Every time you sit down in a chair or get up from a seated position, you move through a squat pattern. Despite the familiarity of this movement pattern, it is easy to make errors with your squat form. So here are some tips to help you squat better (and maybe even with less pain or less risk of injury).

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I decided to become a physical therapist a long time ago when I shadowed a local physical therapist for a week. During that week, I was able to see the wide variety of patients he was able to help and guide through their recovery. He saw young and old, athletic and deconditioned, and confident and anxious. This was when I realized the tremendous impact a physical therapist can have on a patient’s life. From there, I fully committed to becoming a physical therapist, and now I’m well into my sixth year of working as one for Athletico. Being that it’s National Physical Therapy Month, I sat down and reflected on the many reasons why I love my job.

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Physical therapists regularly work to help patients reduce pain and improve function. There are a variety of different treatment techniques that are used to accomplish these tasks. There are even several different settings in which physical therapists can be found. Athletico is an example of outpatient physical therapy, but physical therapists also work in inpatient, acute care, skilled nursing, and school-based settings. In this blog, we’ll look at the role of physical therapists in each setting.

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