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Does spinal decompression therapy work?

Does spinal decompression therapy work?

You may have heard about non-surgical spinal decompression on TV or radio ads.  You may have heard the claims that it can be a wonderful miracle which eliminates your back and neck pain. The truth is…it can be.  If spinal decompression is the right treatment for you it can be a critical component in relieving your pain.  It can also backfire and increase your symptoms.  The question lies in whether or not it is the right treatment for you.  As the experts in musculoskeletal treatment, your physical therapist is the best choice for learning if spinal decompression will help treat your symptoms. Today one of our spine care specialists, Cameron Garber, PT, DPT is sharing some insight into this treatment method so you can make an educated decision on whether or not it’s right for you.

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How to decrease neck tension and headache

How to decrease neck tension and headache

I have a question for all of you fellow laptop cradlers and cell phone junkies:  Are you often plagued by neck or shoulder pain or tightness which slowly works its way up the back of your head and becomes a nagging headache?  Often you eventually feel the headache settle behind your eyes and you can even get blurry vision.  More often than not you blame it on your desk, on staring at the computer screen or on your work.  Although these are contributing factors, the biggest problem is with your posture!  Today one of our spine specialists, Cameron Garber, PT, DPT is talking all about shoulder and neck tension/pain – what it is, why you get it, and what you can do to eliminate it!

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5 Great Stretches For Low Back Pain

5 Great Stretches For Low Back Pain

Who amongst us hasn’t experienced some degree of low back pain before? Collectively it’s the most-common complaint we see in our physical therapy clinics. Luckily there’s a lot that PT can do for it, and all it starts with stretching structures that are tight and strengthening areas that are weak. Today one of our low back pain experts, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT is sharing 5 of his favorite stretches to help relax that tight back and alleviate some of the pain you may be experiencing. Read more below!

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Do Inversion Tables Help Low Back Pain

Do Inversion Tables Help Low Back Pain

Will an Inversion Table help my Low Back Pain?

As a physical therapist, I have heard many, many very interesting treatment approaches for low back pain (LBP).  We as human beings have actually gotten pretty creative in treating LBP.  From the more mainstream approaches of modern medicine, to the more “alternative” approach, there is much to choose from out there.  Because of the myriad of options, it can be pretty difficult to know exactly where to start, and what to focus on.  Today one of our back pain specialists, Toby Bluth, PT, DPT, weighs in on one of these treatments – inversion tables. Learn the how, why, and what behind this treatment and whether or not you could benefit from it! Keep reading for more…

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5 Tips To Stay Active This Winter

5 Tips To Stay Active This Winter

Well, it’s that time of the year again. The Christmas tree has been taken down and New Year’s party preparations are in full swing. Along with the New Year’s celebrations typically come New Year’s resolutions – this is a time for us all to pause and reflect on our lives and things we want to do better in the upcoming year. Inevitably the most-made resolution is to “lose weight” or “be more healthy” – but rarely do people come up with a concrete plan on how to make that happen. One of the best ways to improve your fitness is to increase your daily activity and make this change permanent. I know sometimes it’s difficult to get in some activity in the winter months, but it certainly doesn’t have be! Today on the Fit Stop Blog one of our exercise specialists, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT, is sharing 5 of the absolute best ways to increase your daily activity even when the weather outside is frightful! Keep reading for more!

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5 Most Common Types Of Hip Pain

5 Most Common Types Of Hip Pain

In our Fit Stop clinics one regular complaint that we hear from our patients and gym members is related to hip pain.  Whether it occurs in the front, the side, or the back – it’s amazing how debilitating pain in this area can be! One would think that issues in this area should be fairly straight-forward to rehabilitate.  However, given the multiple muscles, tendons, joints, and bones that are located in this area this pain can actually be quite tricky to diagnose. Today we have one of our orthopedic specialists, Toby Bluth, PT, DPT, here to discuss the 5 most common kinds of hip pain as well as the most likely cause of that pain. Keep reading for more!

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6 Essential Tips For Cold Weather Running

6 Essential Tips For Cold Weather Running

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All too often we hear from patients “well – winter is here. It looks like it’s time for me to hang up the running shoes for another year.” In fact, nothing could be further from the truth! If done correctly, the winter months can still be an excellent opportunity to get out and get in some great time on the jog trail. Today one of our running specialists, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT, shares 6 essential tips to ensure healthy and successful cold-weather running! Here we go…

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10 Tips To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

10 Tips To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Did you know that the average American gains 5 pounds between November and December? With the parties, the appetizers, the drinks, and all the delicious holiday desserts, it’s no wonder that “Holiday Weight Gain” is a very real thing. Well today we’re combating holiday poundage and taking back our health on the Fit Stop Blog! We have one of our fitness experts, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT here to discuss 10 simple tips you can try out this year to stay fit and active through the holidays! Try them out! Keep reading for more…

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What is Home Care Physical Therapy?

What is Home Care Physical Therapy?

There are many different facets of the physical therapy profession. Most of the time when we think “physical therapy” we primarily think of sprains, strains, post-surgery, and sports rehab. But did you know that’s only a very small part of what physical therapists do? Many work in hospitals (inpatient settings) to help people recovering from an illness, accident, or surgery. Others work in neurological settings and help those who have experienced a brain or spinal cord injury. Still more, other physical therapists work in a “Home Care” or “Home Health” setting – they come to the homes of those patients who are “homebound” or unable to come to physical therapy without assistance. But did you know that Fit Stop actually employs a home health PT? Here to tell us more about it today on the Fit Stop Blog is our home care specialist, Tyler Bluth, PT, MPT. Keep reading to learn more!

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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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