All posts in Health

What Do Physical Therapists Treat

What Do Physical Therapists Treat

When you think of a “physical therapy patient” what comes to your mind? I’ll bet that for most people it’s someone who just had surgery and is rehabilitating their knee or shoulder. While it’s true that many conditions we treat are following surgery, did you know that the majority of our patients never set foot in an operating room?! Today on the Fit Stop Blog, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT, is discussing some of other common conditions we treat as physical therapists – some that you may not even know we treat! Keep reading for more…

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Best Exercises For Whiplash

Best Exercises For Whiplash

We’ve all  likely heard of whiplash before.  However, if you’ve never actually experienced this type of an injury, you can never truly appreciate the pain and length of rehabilitation that can often be related to it. It is a nasty injury that usually takes a long time to get over.  So what is whiplash? What are the best exercises after you have suffered a whiplash injury and what can your physical therapist do to help speed the recovery process?  Today on the Fit Stop blog we’ve got one of our spine specialists, Toby Bluth, PT, DPT, answering those questions and sharing with us some of the best exercises for rehabilitating your neck.

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5 Exercises Every Runner Should Be Doing

5 Exercises Every Runner Should Be Doing

I love this time of year – the sun is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, the trees and flowers are blooming, and spring is in full swing. Of course with spring comes the start of a different time of the year… RUNNING SEASON! It’s time to get the running shoes out and get out there and hit the road! Did you know you can actually run longer, faster, and injury-free if you’re strong in the right muscle groups? We’ve got our resident running expert, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT here with us today discussing 5 essential exercises that every runner needs to be doing. And they are…

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When Should I See Someone About My Back Pain?

When Should I See Someone About My Back Pain?

How many of you have ever had an injury? Okay, okay – put all your hands down. Now how many of you have had an injury that lasted a little longer than normal? Maybe you thought “if I just rest it and give it time it will get better on its own” and then after 2, 3, 6, even 24 weeks it was still hurting you. It honestly happens to all of us. But what if there were a way to know when you should probably call up your doc for an injury that just won’t get better on its own? Well you’re in luck – today we’ve got one of our resident back pain specialists, Cameron Garber, PT, DPT here discussing important signs that will indicate to you whether your back will get better on its own with time or if you need to jump on the phone and get an appointment scheduled…

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Physical Therapy for Osteoarthritis

Physical Therapy for Osteoarthritis

A common question we get here at the Fit Stop goes something like this: “My (fill in with any joint:  knee, hip, shoulder, etc) has been hurting for quite some time now.  My doctor tells me I have arthritis.  There’s not really anything I can do about it, is there?  Can Physical Therapy help at all?”  Have you ever had this thought before? Truth be told there is A LOT that PT can do to alleviate the pain associated with arthritis.  Today on the “Fit Stop Blog” Toby Bluth, PT, DPT will be talking about the most important treatments that PT can provide to help alleviate the painful effects of arthritis.

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How to avoid exercise-related injury

How to avoid exercise-related injury

Most of us have been through the cycle before. You’ve come to realize you need to start working out regularly in order to get healthier. Your new workout plan is going great for a couple of weeks when suddenly – WHAMMO – something starts hurting that didn’t hurt before you started. You take some time off rehabbing this injury and after a  couple of weeks it starts to feel better, but you fail to pick up your fitness routine where you left off. Suddenly you’re back to your same old ways – thinking maybe one day again you’ll try working out.

As a doctor of physical therapy I see a lot of patients for a lot of different reasons. Some of these injuries are traumatic; some develop slowly over time. But I can say with a certain degree of confidence that many (if not most) of these injuries could actually be avoided if people would stick to the following six tips:

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What is a muscle cramp and how to prevent them

What is a muscle cramp and how to prevent them

We’ve all experienced it before.  Whether it woke you up from a dead sleep, pushed long and hard on the basketball court, or have been putting in extra miles in preparation for that upcoming race, muscle cramping can be debilitating  and very painful.  Cramps can literally, stop us right in our tracks, and put us out of the game.  Luckily, the pain is typically brief, lasting for a few seconds until we are able to simply “stretch it out”.  But what is the deal with muscle cramps anyway?  And most importantly, is there anything that can be done to prevent them in the first place?  Today on the Fit Stop blog one of our experts, Toby Bluth, PT, DPT, will answer all your questions about muscle cramping – what they are, why you get them, and how you can prevent them!

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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 Fitness Resolutions You Need To Make For 2015

5 Fitness Resolutions You Need To Make For 2015

Ah, New Year’s. A time where we’re encouraged look back on the year that was and make some changes for the year that is coming. Did you know that the most commonly-made New Year’s resolutions have to deal with you health and fitness? Regardless of where you are on the fitness spectrum, all of us could benefit from some renewed goals and amplified commitment. Today one of our health and wellness experts, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT is sharing 5 fitness resolutions that you should make for 2016 to make it the healthiest yet!

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