Athletico Health Resources

Editor’s Note: Today’s post is written by Betsy Schack, OTR/L. Betsy is an occupational/hand therapist at Athletico Skokie and Athletico Park Ridge.

Does it seem like you can’t get through the day without having pain in your elbow? You go to lift your laundry basket, pull a door open, or even try to twist off the cap to your water bottle and feel pain or soreness. Elbow pain is one of the most common problems occupational/hand therapists treat. Two of the most common elbow diagnoses are tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. Depending on the cause and location of your pain, it can be treated easily and effectively with a few simple steps. (more…)

When I treat a patient after an ankle sprain, I am never surprised to find out that this may not be the first time they sprained their ankle. I often have younger athletes in the clinic after their second or third ankle sprain and find out that they never had any formal treatment after the first one. So why are recurring ankle sprains so common and how can we prevent them? (more…)

March is National Athletic Training Month and athletic training has evolved as more and more people find out that athletic trainers’ expertise has applications far beyond athletics. Sure, working with on the field (or court – it is time for March Madness) may be the backbone of our profession, but there is an ever-expanding list of non-traditional settings that athletic trainers are making an impact. Below are 10 settings you might not have realized utilized athletic trainers. (more…)

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that is defined by low bone density and loss of bone tissue, which puts one at an increased risk of fracture particularly of the spine, hips, and wrists. This can occur when not enough new bone is formed or when old bone is reabsorbed too quickly. In either case an imbalance between bone formation and bone resorption occurs. (more…)

So here we are, three entries deep into the “It’s All in the Hips” saga. We’ve covered gluteus medius and its role in stability. We’ve also talked about the gluteus maximus and its importance in power production. Today, we’ll take a journey to the front of the hips to talk about the hip flexors. (more…)

Millions of individuals sit at a computer for prolonged periods of time for their job or for recreation. One of the most common complaints of individuals who work at a computer for many hours a day is neck and upper back pain. Improper computer setup could be the main factor in why these symptoms are occurring. It is essential to have a proper ergonomic setup to decrease risk of overuse injury in the muscles and joints. Below are a few main areas of your workstation to be mindful of to ensure a proper ergonomic setup. (more…)

Most people think about massage and think back rubs, neck rubs, and relaxation. But did you know that there are many other conditions that massage therapy can be used for? Clinical massage therapy (site-specific treatment with a goal in mind) can be an effective treatment for many medical conditions. (more…)

There is a lot of focus on pre-natal lower back pain, but clinically I treat many women in this population that experience upper back (thoracic spine) pain as well. Upper back pain during pregnancy can occur at any point, but is most common in the third trimester. This occurs for several reasons. (more…)