By fitstoppt 10 Aug, 2015 Advice, Exercise, FAQ, Injury, Pain Management, Physical Therapy at home, best, elbow, exercise, how to, pain, physical therapy, rehab, rehabilitate, treat, workout 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.
More By fitstoppt 01 Aug, 2015 Advice, Exercise, FAQ, Healthcare, Injury, Pain Management, Tips exercise, fascia, fasciitis, foot, heel, pain, plantar, walk, walking, workout CLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN TO PART ONE OF THIS POST
INCLUDING “WHAT IS PLANTAR FASCIITIS” AND “WHY DO YOU GET IT”
In a previous post I discussed the what and why of plantar fasciitis (PF). To put it simply, PF is one of the most painful conditions I treat as a physical therapist, and also one of the most challenging to treat. There are a myriad of options available for treatment, however, there is no tried and true single treatment available to cure PF. But before you get too discouraged, read on to learn about the best approach to treating your nasty PF pain using physical therapy.
More By fitstoppt 31 Jul, 2015 Advice, Exercise, FAQ, Fitness, Health Tips, Injury, Knee Pain, Pain Management, Physical Therapy, Running, Tips, Uncategorized best, exercises, knee, knee pain, pain, patellofemoral, physical therapy, PT, treatment What is Patellofemoral Pain?
“Patellofemoral pain (PFP)” may not be a familiar term, however there is a good chance you are familiar with the pain associated with this condition (especially if you are young and active!). PFP has also been referred to as anterior knee pain or chondromalacia patella. According to the journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy (JOSPT), PFP is the most common reason that active people seek health care. In fact, JOSPT states that 2.5 million runners are diagnosed with PFP each year. It is also interesting to note that women are at higher risk for developing PFP, and the pain is most often recurring, meaning even after the pain has gone away, it is pretty likely it will come back. Recurrence rates have been cited as high as 90%. So what is the problem? What is patellofemoral pain, why do you get it, and what are some things you can do to fix it?
MoreCLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN TO PART ONE OF THIS POST INCLUDING
WHAT IS TENNIS ELBOW AND WHY DO YOU GET IT?
As discussed in this previous post, tennis elbow can put a damper on even the most routine of activities. It happens to everyone – from weightlifters and tennis players to receptionists and at-home mothers, I have had many patients seeking treatment from us at the Fit Stop because that nagging elbow pain just won’t get better. I have even had patients that need treatment following surgical procedures to try try and fix their elbow pain. Most of the time the surgeries performed are successful, but there is always increased risk with surgery. Why not give the conservative approach a try before considering going under the knife?
One of the more important aspects of physical therapy treatment for tennis elbow is the home exercise program. You’re simply not going to see improvement unless you do your homework. Today, I wanted to share with you 4 of my favorite home exercises for tennis elbow:
More By fitstoppt 01 Jul, 2015 Advice, FAQ, Health, Health Tips, Healthcare, Knee Pain, Pain Management, Physical Therapy chondroitin, fitness, glucosamine, health, joint, pain, supplements, wellness As physical therapists we deal with joint pain on a daily basis. A common question we get from our patients is “Is their something I can take, a supplement of some sort, that can help my joint pain? I’ve heard glucosamine and chondroitin is helpful. What do you think?” Today on the Fit Stop Blog Toby Bluth, PT, DPT, shares the best answer to hopefully help you clear up some facts about these supplements and joint pain. Keep reading for more!
More By fitstoppt 22 Jun, 2015 Advice, At Home, Exercise, Fitness, Health, Health Tips, Injury, Pain Management, Physical Therapy, Tips, Workout active, advice, back pain, exercise, injury, pain, physical therapy, PT, wellness “My hip hurts out here on the side.”
“It feels like someone stabbing me right here.”
“I can’t do stairs; I can barely walk!”
Your hip joint is highly mobile. As with any highly mobile joint in our bodies we have structures designed to decrease wear and tear and promote lifelong movement. One of these structures is a small, fluid-filled sac called a bursa. Most of the time they perform their proper function flawlessly, but what happens when they start to hurt? Today one of our doctors of physical therapy, Toby Bluth, explains hip bursitis – what it is, how you get it, and even a physical therapy exercise program you can do at home to help it feel better.
More By fitstoppt 19 Jun, 2015 Advice, Back Pain, Fitness, Health, Health Tips, Low Back Pain, Pain Management, Physical Therapy advice, back pain, ergonomic, function, health, lifestyle, low back pain, physical therapy, PT Take a mental image of your posture right now. If you’re like most of us, you’re slouching down in your chair, back and shoulders rounded with your head forward and tilted down. While this may feel comfortably lazy, your positioning could be a major contributor to neck and back problems. But don’t despair – today is your lucky day! Read on to find out how 5 simple changes in ergonomics could help solve your neck or back pain!
More By fitstoppt 18 Jun, 2015 Advice, At Home, Exercise, Fitness, Health Tips, Healthcare, Injury, Pain Management, Physical Therapy active, advice, back pain, exercise, faq, function, health, healthy, injury, physical therapy, PT, wellness As a doctor of physical therapy, one of the simplest and yet most valuable pieces of equipment that we have in the clinic is the foam roller. This one simple tool offers numerous exercises with a myriad of benefits: increase joint flexibility, improve posture, injury prevention, and injury recovery (to name just a few!). Today on The Fit Stop Blog, I wanted to share with you my 10 favorite foam roller exercises to ascertain you enjoy a full summer of sun-filled, healthy, injury-free moving!
More By fitstoppt 10 Jun, 2015 Advice, Exercise, FAQ, Fitness, Health, Injury, Pain Management, Physical Therapy, Tips advice, ankle, back pain, faq, injury, sprain, strain So, you’ve sprained your ankle? First of all, my condolences… I at least hope it happened doing something fun rather than a stroll off a curb that ended a little too quickly. But there you are barely hobbling around, pinned between the choice of playing it cool like nothing happened, or basking in the pity party that’s coming your way as you writhe in pain (you’d better believe that I’ve done both)! But the question is – what do you do now? What are the best steps to take after you sprain your ankle to help you heal better and recover faster? Keep reading to learn more…
More By fitstoppt 08 Jun, 2015 Advice, Back Pain, Exercise, Fitness, Health, Injury, Low Back Pain, Pain Management, Physical Therapy, Tips, Workout advice, back pain, faq, health, injury, low back pain, pain, physical therapy, PT Who amongst us hasn’t experienced some degree of back pain in their lives? Whether it was after a long weekend doing yard work, lifting up your child, or even just sleeping on it wrong, there are many things that can set off pain in you lower back. In fact, low back pain is one of the most-common complaints that we see as physical therapists. Today, Toby Bluth, DPT, will be discussing one specific type of back pain that typically affects those over 50 years old – stenosis. Dr Bluth explains what stenosis is, why you get it, and even shares 5 of his favorite exercises to decrease pain and symptoms.
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