How PT Can Help You Shake Your Frozen Shoulder
Adhesive capsulitis, or as it is more commonly referred to, frozen shoulder, is a severe and long-term problem. It affects 3-5% of the general population, women slightly more than men, typically between 40-60 years old, and is 4x more likely in people with diabetes. The cause of primary adhesive capsulitis is unknown, but secondary adhesive capsulitis occurs when there is already known primary injury to the shoulder. However, the recovery process can be faster with physical therapy, and you can return to your previous full function. There are three phases of frozen shoulder: freezing, frozen, and thawing.
How PT Can Help You Put Migraines in the Past
Imagine a scene that may be familiar to you: You are moving through your day when suddenly, a migraine hits. You may have to call into school or work. You may become nauseous or dizzy. You feel pain in your head and neck. You may even only be able to feel better if you lay down in a dark, soundless room alone and wait for the migraine to pass or your medication to begin working. Migraines are a debilitating condition with over 3 million US cases each year and become very common from age 6 to above 60. But did you know there are more options for you than just medications and lifestyle changes? Physical Therapy is a worthy option to assist in the treatment and may even help you get better faster.
Why You Should Choose PT First for Neck Pain
Neck pain is a common cause of pain and lost work time in the United States and is one of the most common reasons that patients seek healthcare, with the majority of patients choosing to visit their primary care physicians first. Primary care providers may prescribe medication, imaging, and specialist referral. Once the patient sees the specialist, they may be referred to physical therapy. However, current evidence shows that early access to physical therapy, particularly via direct access (direct access to physical therapy, without the need for a referral or prescription from your physician), has been shown to decrease healthcare costs overall and improve outcomes.
What You Should Know about De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis (Pronounced Deh-KWUHR-vanes ten-oh-sin-oh-VITE-us) is the formal name for a condition that has many other more common names such as “mother’s thumb,” “mommy wrist,” “washer woman’s syndrome,” and “gamer’s thumb.” This condition is often associated with repetitive hand, thumb, and wrist use. Fritz de Quervain named this condition in the early 1900s. He was a Swiss-born surgeon, who was also responsible for introducing iodized table salt to help prevent thyroid disease, called a goiter.
Breaking Common Misconceptions About Imaging of the Spine
Low back pain and neck pain are common causes for patients to seek care from a medical provider. 84% of individuals experience low back pain at some point, and around 70% suffer from neck pain. Patients often will inquire about whether imaging (X-rays & MRIs) is needed when this happens. Throughout this blog, we will address common misconceptions regarding imaging of the spine.
Sever’s Disease in Gymnasts
Many young kids that participate in sports can have complaints of pain in their heels. This is more common in children who are actively growing and those who are very active in running and jumping sports. Young gymnasts fall into this category, and they also practice and compete barefoot, which can lead to a higher risk of injury to the foot.
What Is Hip Dysplasia?
Isn’t hip dysplasia something dogs have? The short answer is yes, but humans can also have hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia has become increasingly more prevalent over the past decade, as hip dysfunction can be a source of pain. So, what is it? A typical presentation of hip dysplasia can be when the acetabulum (the portion of the hip joint attached to the pelvis) does not fully cover the femoral head (the hip joint’s ball). However, it may vary based on a variety of factors. Hip dysplasia can be diagnosed at birth, during childhood, or even as a young adult. Hip dysplasia is most common in females born from a first pregnancy and breech delivery.
Ways Stress Can Affect Your Health
We all deal with stress from time to time, with some periods of our lives being more stressful than others. Everyone handles stress differently; some can cope with stress better than others, and some give in to the slightest bit of stress. Some use positive coping mechanisms like exercise and meditation, while others use negative coping mechanisms like substance use or other destructive behaviors. With all this increase in stress over recent years and decades, modern medicine has demonstrated within the past few years the effects stress can have on our physical and mental health, both long-term and short-term.
