Archive for November 2015

Heat Or Ice For Pain?

Heat Or Ice For Pain?

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Should I put heat or ice on my injury?

We’ve all heard that you’re supposed to put ice on an injury. We’ve all heard that heat can help, too. But which one is it? And how do you know? As physical therapists, this is a question that we answer all day long from our patients, so today we wanted to share this knowledge with you! One of our sports injury experts, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT is here to answer your questions about the implications for heat vs ice when it comes to injury management. Keep reading for more!

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Best physical therapy treatment

Best physical therapy treatment

Four keys to maximize your physical therapy visits to recover faster and more completely!

For over six years now, I have been practicing physical therapy (PT) at the Fit Stop in our Heber City location.  I love my job.  I think that we as physical therapists have one of the most important and gratifying jobs out there.  We are able to play a pivotal role in decreasing pain and improving our patient’s function and quality of life in a very safe and non-invasive way.  One of the best aspects of my job is being able to see my patients get better. The majority of musculoskeletal injuries out there respond very well to PT treatment. However, sometimes it doesn’t quite work out that way.  Sometimes, a patient does not improve as much as he/she hoped.  This can be very frustrating for both therapist and patient, especially since nowadays the cost for care is generally  quite expensive for the patient.  Most patients have significant deductibles that need to be paid off before their insurance will even pay a dime for the PT.  Then, even after the deductible is met, ever increasing co-pays can deter a patient from even seeking care in the first place.  Considering these factors alone, it is understandable that a patient could get discouraged if progress with PT is not perceived to be meeting expectations.

So what can be done to give you the best chance possible of reaping maximum benefit from your PT?  From my experience over the last few years, successful PT patients generally share a few of the following common characteristics…

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How Often Should I Exercise?

How Often Should I Exercise?

One of the questions that we often get asked as physical therapists is “how often should I workout”? Most of the time this question comes from patients/people who are either just starting to workout or else have desires to start to workout more regularly. Well today one of our fitness specialists, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT is sharing his thoughts about exercise frequency – what’s the recommended amount of activity you should be getting and how often should you be working out. Keep reading for more…

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How to treat Achilles Tendonitis

How to treat Achilles Tendonitis

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Achilles Tendonitis (AT) is a relatively common pain in the Achilles tendon, the major tendon that connects the heel bone to the calf muscles.  As with any term that contains the suffix “itis”, AT indicates inflammation of the Achilles tendon.  This condition can affect anybody, but is most common in active populations (runners) who have experienced some sort of increase in training intensity or duration.  It has been reported that 50% of runners will experience AT at some point in their life. Repetitively pushing off from the ball of the foot over miles of training can definitely cause some pain and inflammation.  If you’ve been running or playing extra hard lately, have a pain in the heel or lower calf area that has been lingering for more that a few days, and is quite tender when pushed on, you probably have the dreaded AT.  So, what now?  Well, you are in luck, because today on the Fit Stop blog Toby Bluth, PT, DPT is breaking down Achilles tendonitis: what it is, why you get it, and steps you can take to help it to feel better! Keep reading for more!

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How to treat a rotator cuff tear

How to treat a rotator cuff tear

As a physical therapist, I enjoy hearing the different terminology for the rotator cuff (RC): “I think I tore my rotor cup” is one of my favorites.  However, the thought of a torn rotator cuff is never amusing and with good reason conjures up fear and worry.  In today’s post here on the Fit Stop Blog, our shoulder specialist – Toby Bluth, PT, DPT –  is discussing the rotator cuff.  What is it?  Why is it so important?  And finally, what should be done if you suspect or have been told that you have a torn rotator cuff?  

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