We’ve all been there before. It may have been after a long run or a heavy workout. Maybe you helped your friend move into a new home or had a long day of work in the yard. You may have even just slept wrong and now it’s there. Back pain. This is, without a doubt, the most common problem we encounter in outpatient physical therapy. In fact, 9 out of 10 people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. From weekend warriors to years of chronic, nagging pain, if you’re a living, breathing, human being, you will one day experience back pain (if you haven’t experienced it you know someone who has and, I’m sorry to say, chances are that you will in the future!). So why do we get back pain? And more importantly, what are some things we can do about it? Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT, shares some tips, advice, and even a free home exercise program to help you feel better.
In my opinion, one of the best parts about working where we do is our amazing facilities! All of our Fit Stop PT clinics sit adjacent to world-class gym facilities with literally millions of dollars of machines and gym equipment at our disposal. That being said, we get quite a few questions from quite a few gym patrons regarding various injuries. One of the most common is the shoulder. If you’ve spent any time lifting weights you know that the shoulder is one of the most-susceptible joints to injury. Today one of our shoulder specialists, Toby Bluth, PT, DPT, is sharing 5 tips to avoid shoulder pain while exercising regularly. Try some of them out and see if you can help eliminate your shoulder pain in the gym!
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!
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.
You’ve dealt with it for years. You’ve tried injections, braces, and altering your activity but nothing seems to help anymore. It’s finally time to do it – you’ve decided a knee joint replacement is in order. Before going under the knife, however, there are a few things you should know! Today one of our physical therapists, Tyler Bluth, MPT, is sharing some key information that everyone should know prior to going in for his/her knee surgery.
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.
As we roll into another beautiful spring and summer here in the great state of Utah, we also roll into another biking season. We enjoy some of the best mountain bike terrain and scenic road cycling vistas in the country. Today Toby Bluth, PT, DPT discusses one of the more common cycling injuries that can happen when we take a tumble- an acromioclavicular (AC) joint separation. In fact an AC joint separation is one of the more common injuries affecting the shoulder joint in general. Today we’ll discuss exactly what the injury is and how to find out if you need to get your shoulder pain looked at by a physical therapist.
Ah the beginning of summer… a time to finally get outside, only to realize the havoc winter hibernation has wrought on your previously shapely body!
If you’re like many, this is a time when you’ve finally decided to drag yourself off the couch and get back into shape with some running. Or maybe you’ve been running for a while and have decided to kick up your training intensity for the big race (you overachiever, you). You’ve run hard, but your shins start burning somethin’ fierce, stopping you in your tracks.
Why do your legs decide to rebel just as you’re starting something so good for them? What are those blasted shin splints and more importantly, HOW can you get rid of them and get back to running (not to mention the rest of life) ASAP???
We’ve all been there before – maybe it was after a long weekend of lots of yard work. Maybe it was after sitting for a long time on a car ride or a long day at the office. Perhaps you even experienced it bending over to pick up the toothbrush that you dropped (I kid you not – I’ve seen it before!). Back pain can hit us anytime and anywhere. It can range from “I’ll take a couple of Ibuprofen pills” and be fine to “not getting out of bed for three days” and hobbling your way into the doctor’s office or emergency room. Not all back pain is created equally. Determining the exact cause of your back pain is crucial to receiving the best care and promoting the quickest recovery. Today one of our doctors of physical therapy, Cameron Garber, is discussing 5 of the most common types of low back pain and sharing some advice that can potentially help you to feel better.
“I hurt my ______ the other day. What should I do about it?”
As a physical therapist this is a question that I get A LOT. Even more since becoming a physical therapist/blogger! What you do in the first 48-72 hours after an injury can actually have a dramatic impact on the course of your healing! As swelling and inflammation settle in it’s important that you manage these responses appropriately to decrease pain, maximize healing, and ultimately get you back to your activity faster. Today I’m talking about 4 crucial steps you need to take immediately after an injury to feel better faster and get back to health sooner…
