Physical therapy can play a very important role in helping people both manage their diabetes and prevent many of the complications that arise from this chronic condition. 

Diabetes is a chronic disease that currently affects 34.2 million adults in the United States alone, according to the CDC. In addition to making it difficult for individuals to regulate their blood sugar, diabetes can cause a variety of physical complications that can negatively impact a person’s quality of life. 

If not properly treated, diabetes can lead individuals to experience: 

• Limited mobility in the hands and feet
• Decreased tolerance for physical activity
• Weakness and chronic physical pain
• Increased chance of experiencing heart disease, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and other complications

Physical therapy can help individuals with diabetes on their quest to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle. A licensed physical therapist can work with you to create a personalized plan that helps you:

• Improve your mobility and flexibility: A physical therapist can work with you to stretch your muscles and improve your range of motion over time so that you feel more comfortable when engaging in physical activity.
• Help you build strength and endurance: A physical therapist will work with you to help you regain energy and improve your strength over time.
• Treat chronic pain: A physical therapist can address and treat any pain triggers and use a variety of treatments to help you manage your pain.
• Treat and prevent sores: A physical therapist can help you practice proper wound care and advise you on how to prevent sores from developing in the future.

Maintaining an active lifestyle can help you improve your health and manage your diabetes. If you’d like more information about working with a physical therapist to develop an exercise program that is right for you, please contact us.

Herniated disc pain is one of the most debilitating ailments affecting individuals from age 30 and up. Herniated discs in the lower back and neck can irritate nearby nerves, causing individuals extreme pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, and/or legs.

The pain caused by a herniated disc can be extremely uncomfortable and can negatively impact an individual’s quality of life. Fortunately, while surgery is used as a last resort, many individuals suffering from a herniated disc are able to treat and manage their pain without it.

We offer the following tips to help individuals manage pain caused by herniating discs.

• Relieve Inflammation with Hot and Cold Treatment: Applying a heating pad or ice pack to the affected area can help you relieve inflammation and reduce pain.

• Avoid Movements that Can Trigger Pain: Avoiding any physical movements or activities that can further aggravate your spine such as bending up or down or lifting heavy objects.

• Improve Your Strength and Range of Motion: Having a good range of motion can help relieve pressure around the affected area and reduce the chance of muscle imbalance. 

• Improve Your Strength and Flexibility: Tight or weak muscles can worsen the pain. A licensed physical therapist can work with you to improve strength and flexibility and reduce pressure on your herniated disc and spine.

• Reduce Pressure on the Area: Avoid sitting for long periods of time, laying down on your stomach, or wearing heels to avoid placing additional stress and pressure on your back and spine. 

A treatment plan that involves physical therapy can help individuals decrease pain from a herniated disc in only a matter of weeks. We invite you to contact us for more information about working with one of our physical therapists to help you manage your pain.

Arthritis is a common ailment that can drastically impact your quality of life and affect you at any age. Individuals who focus on improving their range of motion and follow a strength training plan can significantly minimize arthritis symptoms. 

Individuals suffering from arthritis often tend to avoid certain movements to prevent triggering their pain. Unfortunately, this often contributes to poor mobility which can cause stiff joints and result in chronic discomfort. 

A licensed physical therapist can work with you to improve your mobility and strength, and reduce joint pain caused by arthritis in the following ways: 

Increasing range of motion

Maintaining a good range of motion can help patients feel less stiff and makes it easier for them to perform everyday tasks. A licensed physical therapist can work with you to improve mobility in a way that is safe and comfortable. 

Addressing pain triggers

Environmental factors can often worsen arthritis symptoms. A licensed physical therapist can work with you to identify pain triggers and help you make the necessary adjustments to your environment. 

Improving muscle strength for better joint support

Weak muscles can cause stiffness and stress on your joints, and further aggravate your arthritis symptoms. A physical therapist can work with you to develop a strength training plan that addresses your specific pain. 

The right treatment can help you address arthritis triggers, reduce pain, and improve your everyday life. Contact us to learn more about working with a licensed physical therapist to develop a plan to treat and manage pain caused by arthritis. 

Digging out boxes of holiday decorations, hauling packages to and from the car, hiding gifts away on the higher shelves at the back of your closet … the Holiday Season certainly requires its fair share of bending, lifting and reaching. This, coupled with the cooler weather, makes December the ideal time for a refresher on proper lifting methods. 

Back pain, after all, can put a real damper on the Holiday Season. 

As one of the most common conditions treated by physical therapists, back pain and injury will even about 80 percent of all Americans at some point in their lives, making it one of the top causes of disability in the U.S. Fortunately, it’s a condition that’s preventable, and one of the ways of doing this is to learn proper lifting techniques. 

But, preventing back pain isn’t the only concern when we talk about proper lifting. Using the proper techniques for lifting and carrying awkward and/or heavy objects is about minimizing strain on the entire body. 

The goal, in other words, is to put yourself in a position that allows the body’s musculoskeletal system to work as one cohesive unit, without putting too much strain on one area, such as the lower-back or shoulders. 

So without further ado, strongly consider the following tips for proper lifting during this Holiday Season … and throughout your lifetime: 

Warm Up: 

Don’t ever assume your body’s ready to lift heavy objects without first being thoroughly warmed up. Take the time to stretch you lower back as well as your legs and hips. Also, do a few jumping jacks to get the blood flowing to the muscles in your body. 

Get Close 

Avoid reaching for a heavy or moderate-sized load. Get up nice and close to the box or object to minimize the force (in the arms, shoulders and back) needed to lift, and always hold it close to your body. 

Bend & Lift with the Knees 

We’ve all heard this before, and it’s true. But in doing so, keep your back straight and your body upright as you lower yourself to the object in question, then use your legs to rise back up. 

Get a Grip 

This seems to go without saying, but if you can’t get a strong, comfortable grip on the object in front of you – even if you know you can carry the weight – don’t try to be a hero. Find someone to help you or an alternative way of getting the object from A to B, such as a hand cart or dolly. 

Reverse the Steps 

When you get to where you’re going, set the item down just as you picked it up – but in reverse. Keep it close to the body, lower with the legs and move slowly and deliberately. You can just as easily injure yourself setting objects down as you can picking them up. 

In addition, keep from twisting or reaching while lifting and/or carrying a load. Don’t rush through the process of lifting, and if you’re tired, put the work off until later 

And finally, if you do feel pain during or after lifting, or you have an injury or condition you feel is holding you back from moving properly, visit a physical therapist for a full assessment prior to trying any sort of heavy or awkward lifting. 

We all know that visiting your physician for an annual physical is critical in maintaining long-term health, just as dental exams twice each year helps ensure oral health throughout a lifetime. But what about annual check-ups with a physical therapist? 

According to physical therapists across the country, including those with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), annual physical therapy checkups provide the third critical (and often overlooked) piece in long-term health and preventative care. 

“The annual physical therapy checkup provides something that no other health provide checkup provides,” said physical therapist Lisa Culver, senior practice specialist with the APTA. “By using the movement system as the lens to look at how a person’s doing, we can play a part in disease prevention, help patients take better control of their health, and avoid or better manage a lot of chronic conditions.” 

This includes identifying weaknesses, limitations, defects and other factors affecting one’s musculoskeletal system – issues that could lead to discomfort, pain or injury. Based on the results of a physical therapy “checkup” examination, a physical therapist is able to provide clients with individualized treatments and/or programs meant to help prevent future, movement-limiting issues. 

“Too often, I hear older patients as, ‘Why didn’t someone tell me this earlier,’” wrote Carole B. Lewis in the Atlas of Science. Lewis works in the George Washington University’s College of Medicine, Department of Geriatrics. “Their forward head, their muscle weakness, ankle inflexibility or balance issues did not develop overnight.” 

“Annual physical therapy screens and exercise programs starting at age 50, or younger, could prevent injurious falls, reduce compression fractures and improve quality of life,” Lewis added. “Most people know that physical therapists are essential to rehabilitation after surgery or accidents, but too few realize that physical therapists are the key to optimal aging.” 

Physical therapists are highly-educated, licensed health care professionals who help patients reduce pain and improve or restore mobility. During a preventative checkup, a physical therapist will evaluate such things as movement/injury history, balance, aerobic capacity, functional strength, flexibility and quality of movement (i.e., gait, reach, bending, etc.). 

In addition, a physical therapist will work with each person to address any personal limitations, weaknesses, pain or other impairments that may be holding them back from reaching their lifestyle and movement goals. 

“Everyone, but especially middle-aged and older persons, will benefit significantly from annual screenings conducted by physical therapists … much like annual dental checkups,” Lewis said. 

Physical therapy exams and/or assessments should also be considered: 

• Whenever one experiences pain, discomfort or strain when doing an activity they enjoy; 
• Whenever one is considering a new fitness or training program, or starting a new sport; 
• Following the completion of post-surgery rehab, when trying to resume normal activities; or 
• After any surgery or condition that has led to bed rest. 

For more information about annual physical therapy checkups, contact your physical therapist with questions or to schedule an evaluation. 

As the school year gains momentum during the COVID crisis and more kids and families adjust to various levels of at-home learning, parents and instructors should not overlook what should be a standard facet of all children’s curriculum: physical activity. 

Kids need to be given time to move around, exercise and play, even as they adjust to a new structure and a new way of learning. This is critical not just for a student’s physical health, but to also ensure he or she is better able reach their academic potential. 

How does one affect the other? 

Studies show regular exercise can have a positive effect on young people’s concentration, development, self-esteem, and academic scores. It also helps them get a better night’s sleep and lowers their stress throughout the day. 

And, just like adults, kids need the chance to step away and unwind, especially during a time when they’re trying to adjust to something new and potentially stressful. Getting this time to burn off some energy will help improve their focus when it’s time to get back to lessons and learning. 

Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t also point out that encouraging regular activity also helps establish lifelong habits that can enrich a child or adolescent’s long-term health and physical development. 

School-aged kids and teens need at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

To help ensure kids can reach this activity goal while also reaping the mental and academic benefits of exercise as they learn at home, we recommend the following to parents and guardians: 

Schedule It

If your school doesn’t include physical activity as part of its daily remote-learning schedule, add it in yourself. Pick at least a couple of times each day when your student will get a chance to step away and be active. Just call it recess! 

Be consistent with times to make this a daily habit. And, if you have an indecisive child, be sure to include play or exercise suggestions that can guide them toward an activity. 

Take the Lead, Make It Fun

If you’re home with your child or children (as a stay-at-home parent or as a remote worker), join them during their recess time. Make it a fun family time by playing outside, going for walks or bike rides, doing exercises in your living room, having a quick dance party, etc. This will do you some good, too. 

Encourage Micro-Breaks

Along with regular “recess” activities, encourage your kids to stand up, stretch and move around for a minute or two every 30 to 60 minutes. Young bodies are resilient, but even kids can start to feel tightness, discomfort and pain when bending over laptops or tablets for long periods of time. 

Urge them to stand up, walk around, and do some shoulder rolls, neck rolls and back bends/twists. Don’t let them sit slouched over a desk without taking time to balance out the body. This is also a great time for them to hydrate and grab a healthy snack. 

Despite being the largest and perhaps most complicated joints in our bodies, our knees are naturally docile. 

They’re easily influenced by what’s going on above and below them, in other words, not making many decisions on their own. 

That’s why when one experiences knee pain, the true causes of the joint’s wear and tear can almost always be traced up or down the leg – oftentimes in both directions. 

The Kinetic Chain 

Tight muscles, improper footwear, bad balance, the lack of strength in the hips … all of these issues that exist far from the knees can lead to an irregular compression in the knee joint, leading to pain and possible injury. 

The knees may get all the blame, but more often we should consider them as a canary in the coal mine when it comes to movement, strength and/or balance issues. Yes, wear and tear in the knees can also become its own issue over time, but it’s possible to slow this by identifying and addressing the real issues affecting the knees. 

Case in point, a study performed by the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis found that hip strength exercises performed by female runners vastly reduced the incidence of knee pain, or “runner’s knee.” Improved mechanics through increased hip strength was credited for the reduction in pain. 

Another study, this one published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, linked the growing incidence of knee pain in the U.S. (65 percent from 1971 to 2004) to the same steady rise in obesity. 

A Holistic Approach 

Studies like these simply support the general approach physical therapists take when treating knee pain as well as most other pain and injury issues: always take into consideration patients’ entire kinetic chain, from the feet up through their bodies. 

That’s why when someone walks through our doors of our clinic and says they’re experiencing knee pain, our physical therapy team doesn’t just look at their knees. We approach the issue globally. 

At our clinic, we evaluate everything from the feet up through the hips, otherwise we’ll likely miss the real cause of the patient’s issues. Such an evaluation should always include an analysis of movement, balance, flexibility and strength. 

Treatments for knee pain may include a mix of remedies that includes the use of proper footwear/orthotics, the establishment of a flexibility program, strength and balance exercise regimens, and perhaps even a plan to shed some excess body weight. 

Get Physical Therapy 

If you regularly experience knee pain while you’re going about life and doing the things you most enjoy, it’s always a good rule of thumb to get yourself evaluated by a physical therapist. Call us today to schedule an appointment. 

If your knee’s chirping, so to speak, that’s usually a good indication that something elsewhere in your body needs some attention. 

Is running bad for your knees? 

Physical therapists say this is a common question among both avid runners and those who may start running for exercise or to participate in that first 5K. 

It’s a question that highlights a common concern about running – that it’s an activity that’s good for the heart but bad for the knees. 

For most people, though, the answer is a resounding no. 

The Evidence 

A majority of runners can rest assured there’s really little evidence that running, when done properly, damages the body or increases a person’s risk of developing arthritis in their knees. 

In fact, research has shown the opposite. 

According to an analysis of multiple studies, for example – findings that were published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy in 2017 – 10.2 percent of non-runners develop osteoarthritis in knees or hips, while these ailments develop in just 3.5 percent of recreational runners. 

Further research has revealed that when it comes to the risk of developing osteoarthritis, running takes a back seat to other, more worrisome factors like knee injury history, genetics, occupational exposure to risky movements, age, and obesity. 

Movement is Medicine 

This and other research simply support the much broader viewpoint that living a more sedentary lifestyle puts one at a much higher risk of chronic pain and conditions, like osteoarthritis, than living a more active life. 

In fact, a phrase used often by physical therapists – “movement is medicine” – most often holds true. 

Unless someone has other underlying conditions that make running difficult or which cause more wear and tear on the muscles and joints – such as bad form or overtraining – runners can rest assured that recreational running is safe on the knees and joints. 

What About Common Running Injuries? 

That’s certainly not to say runners are immune to pain and injury. Issues like runner’s knee, shin splints, Achilles and foot pain, and so on are experienced by thousands of runners every year. 

These conditions, however, are often due to issues such like bad running mechanics, muscle imbalances, improper footwear, overexertion, or not enough rest and recovery between workouts. 

Physical therapists regularly work with runners of all ages and levels to identify these underlying causes of pain and injury. Through professional running and movement assessments, as well as a physical examination of affected areas, PTs can pinpoint, then address, the true sources of the pain. 

They can can then ensure the safety and longevity of runners through one or a combination of strategies, like strength and flexibility exercises, the establishment of better running mechanics, new running shoes/insoles, or the development of a more individualized exercise regimen. 

We often don’t consider the long-term impact that practicing the fine arts can have on the body. 

Yet, according to physical therapists, dancers, musicians, visual artists and even performing artists are not immune to experiencing pain and injury related to their crafts. 

Artists of all types express themselves in ways that require various levels of strength, flexibility, balance, precision and dexterity. Over time, this can have a real impact on their bodies, issues that may manifest as discomfort, pain, injury and movement limitations. 

With the most potential for stress on their bodies, dancers, of course, may experience some of the same types of injuries as jumping athletes. But, artists who practice other, lower-impact crafts are not immune from the long-term stress of practicing, creating and performing. 

Musicians, for example, often have to train their bodies to bend, reach and grip in incredibly tense and precise ways for long periods of time. Even visual artists may find themselves bent tightly over a piece over long stretches, which can lead to a number of potential musculoskeletal disorders. 

The following are some common issues that can develop within various populations of fine artists: 

Dancers 

Along with the potential for acute injuries, dancers of all types are prone to overuse injuries in the hips, knees, ankles and feet. Injuries like hip impingement, tendonitis in the hip flexor or Achilles tendon, runner’s knee (patellofemoral pain syndrome), stress fractures, and even the development of arthritis are common in dancers. 

Musicians 

Those who play string, percussion or wind instruments can, over the long term, also develop overuse and repetitive strain injuries (RSIs). RSIs are in pain the muscles, nerves and tendons caused by repetitive movements. 

Conditions such as tendonitis, bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and thoracic outlet syndrome can be painful. They can also affect a musician’s strength, endurance, and ability to properly grip their instrument. 

Visual Artists 

Visual artists such as painters and sculptors are also not immune to RPIs and overuse injuries (i.e., tendinitis, carpal tunnel, etc.). 

The focus and precision that goes into artists’ efforts can cause them to work for long periods of time without a break – sometimes in awkward positions and postures – adding tension and strain to the body. 

Performing Arts 

Covering a broad spectrum of people, from actors to stage and lighting designers, injury trends in the performing arts are more difficult to track. However, excelling in this field requires mental and physical endurance. Performing artists often work and practice long hours while wearing multiple hats, often crossing into other elements of fine arts such as dancing, music and visual arts. 

The need to create or perform artistically is so strong in some people, it can seem to rival their need to breathe. So, when pain, weakness or discomfort starts to affect your work, it’s important to get in to see a physical therapist early for an assessment and treatment, if required. 

Physical therapists can also identify the potential for painful conditions before they occur, providing clients with exercise and treatments for strengthening their bodies to avoid injury.