“It feels like someone is digging an ice pick in the bottom of my foot.”
As an orthopedic physical therapist, there are few injuries we treat that are as debilitating as plantar fasciitis. This sharp, stabbing pain in the bottom of the foot happens with every step the person takes. As one who has experienced it before I can tell you three things for sure about plantar fasciitis: 1) it’s difficult to treat, 2) it takes time, patience, and consistency to treat, and finally 3) there is hope and it can be cured! Today on the Fit Stop Blog our foot and ankle specialist, Toby Bluth, PT, DPT, is discussing this miserable issue… what it is, why you get it, and some home exercises you can do to help it feel better! Keep reading for more…
None of us want it. Many of us need it. A lot of us eventually break down and get it.
Knee surgery.
We’ve seen it from just about every angle imaginable: “I blew out my ACL skiing,” “I tore my meniscus playing _____,” “It’s been bone-on-bone for years,” and my personal favorite – “It was an old high school football injury from ___ years ago”. Whatever the reason and whatever the surgery, did you know there are some important steps that you can take following your surgery that will help you to heal better, quicker, and with decreased pain? Today on the Fit Stop Blog, one of our knee specialists, Tyler Bluth, PT, MPT, is sharing everything you need to know following your knee surgery to get back into action as quickly as possible. Read more below:
I’ve come to conclude that knee pain is just a fact of life. Whether it was high school football, an old skiing injury, or just the wear and tear of a healthy life, your knee joints are a common area for pain to occur. Luckily, however, there’s a lot that you can do to help mitigate some of this pain and remain as functional as possible! Today Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT is sharing 6 tips to keep your knees healthy, active, and pain-free! Keep reading below… More
One of the main things I enjoy about being a PT is being able to see people progress and improve their lives, and being able to play a role in that process. I have the privilege of working with some pretty amazing people. People that work incredibly hard to achieve their maximal physical potential, despite some pretty difficult circumstances. From the devastating effects of a tragic car accident, to rehabilitation following major surgery. From the weekend warrior with Achilles tendonitis, to those struggling with the debilitating effects of progressive neuromuscular disorders, we see a broad spectrum of injuries and physical limitations at the Fit Stop Physical Therapy. One of the questions that we inevitably get asked by patients who are approaching discharge from our care is “what now?”. “What’s the next step?” They’ve started down a path to health and wellness and want to continue to take better care of their bodies. Today Toby Bluth, PT, DPT shares his thoughts on taking the next step in transitioning from PT patient to attaining healthy fitness and exercise goals. Keep reading for more…
Muscle strains – what they are and what you can do to help heal them.
We’ve all been there before (some of us more than others!) – it’s that one lift that was too heavy, the one sprint that was too fast, and even that one motion that tweaked things just right. Yep – today we’re talking pulled muscles here on The Fit Stop Blog! As a physical therapist this is a problem that I encounter in my patients on a daily basis. Knowing what they are and knowing the steps you need to take after it happens is vital to improving healing time and maximizing your potential for recovery. Today is all about muscle pulls – what they are, how they happen, and information you need to know to help you make a speedy and complete recovery.
4 Tips To Protect Your Back While Lifting and Carrying
Did you know that 9/10 people will experience some form of back pain in their lives?! As a physical therapist I have literally seen just about everything – from heavy lifting and falls to simply “I bent over to pick up my toothbrush”. Some of the most-common injuries that we encounter are a result of lifting and carrying objects. This is a frustrating situation that sets the patient back quite a bit, often resulting in missed days at work or play. The most frustrating part for me is that this situation can be avoided altogether with a little bit of education and exercise. Today one of our back pain specialists, Toby Bluth, PT, DPT will discuss proper lifting mechanics – what’s right, what’s wrong, and what you can do to avoid injury:
Planks are one of our most-recommended exercises to increase abdominal strength. As far as core exercises go, you would be hard-pressed to find one single exercise that works as many muscles as efficiently as planks do. But what happens when planks hurt? One complaint that I hear often from my patients is that they feel a “pinch” in their lower back while doing planks. Today on the Fit Stop Blog I wanted to share with you the top three reasons why you may be experiencing back pain while planking and what you can do to correct this problem. We’ve even included some video instruction to explain it to you a little more effectively! Check it out below…
As a Doctor of Physical Therapy for the past six years at the Fit Stop, elbow pain is probably the second most common arm ailment I treat (following issues related to shoulder pain). This annoying pain in the elbow is usually due to something called “lateral epicondylitis” or “tennis elbow”. What is odd, however, is that only a few of these patients have actually developed this condition from playing tennis!
So what’s the deal? What is lateral epicondylitis and how can PT help this limiting condition? Today on the Fit Stop Blog Toby Bluth, PT, DPT discusses tennis elbow – what it is, why you get it, and what physical therapy can offer you to help you feel better.
Chances are pretty good that at some point or another, you have experienced shoulder pain. In fact, it’s one of the top three complaints we typically see here in our physical therapy clinic. It seems like everything from throwing and working overhead to even just sleeping on it wrong can cause some shoulder pain. So at what point do we need to be concerned that it’s serious? How can we differentiate between “shoulder pain” which will go away in 1-2 weeks versus something more serious like your rotator cuff? Well today Tyler Bluth, PT, MPT, sheds a little light on that subject. Read all about what it rotator cuff pain and what you should do if you suspect you might have it:
The core… In today’s world of fitness this is a buzzword that occurs quite frequently. You hear it all the time – “keep your core tight”, “great core exercise”, etc. You’ve probably even heard it from one of us as your physical therapist a time or two. But what exactly is the core? What are the core muscles, how are they trained, and why are they so important? Today on the Fit Stop Blog, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT is answering your questions about core muscles and giving you some advice how to keep yours strong. Keep reading for more… More
