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…
Clicking, popping, catching, grinding… all are symptoms we hear regularly about the jaw. But what is this jaw pain you’re experiencing and how can physical therapy help? Today we have Tyler Bluth, PT, MPT, writing for us; he is going to explain tempero-mandibular joint (TMJ) pain and why physical therapy might be your best bet at helping it to feel better.
There are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there in the healthcare world. This is especially true of the physical therapy profession. You’ve probably heard anything from “physical therapists just treat knee injuries and sprained ankles” to “physical therapy hurts so bad!” With so many different stories from so many different sources it’s hard to know what’s true and what’s not. Luckily for us, Cameron Garber (PT, DPT) is here today to help us debunk some of these fallacies. Below are five o the most-common myths about physical therapy and the answer to what you can really expect instead!
One of the questions we get asked a lot in the clinic is “so – are you a doctor?” or “what do I call you?” There have been some fairly recent changes to the curriculum physical therapists have to go through in grad school to earn their title; Toby Bluth (PT, DPT) is going to explain it to us today and hopefully clear up any of the confusion that may be out there. Keep reading to learn more!
What do you do when your back is killing you but you don’t want to kill your budget? With the rising cost of copays, tests, and medical imaging, people often ask us “what is to be done? What’s the best treatment I can get for my back pain without breaking the bank, also?” Recent research done at the University of Utah shows that physical therapy may be the answer for finding cost effective treatment.
To me there’s nothing more therapeutic than waking up before anyone else in the house, lacing up my running shoes, popping in my earphones, and taking off running. It’s my “me time”. It’s my time to separate myself from distractions and be alone with my thoughts. Of course, the benefits of running certainly don’t stop there! The last time I was out on a run I got to thinking about all the health benefits associated with running (pay attention to that word “health”… not just physical. Emotional, mental, behavioral, psychological, etc are included!). When I got home I compiled my list of reasons why I feel like everyone should run, and wanted to share them with you! From losing weight and disease prevention to joint health and “me” time – here are my top 10 reasons why you should be running…
Do you need a physician referral to see a physical Therapist? The answer may surprise you!
As a physical therapist (PT) working in a health club setting, I frequently have gym members stopping by with questions regarding their most recent ache or pain. Often times we decide that physical therapy would help speed up the healing process and the person desires to set up an initial evaluation. It is at that point the question almost always comes up, “do I need to go get a doctor’s referral to start physical therapy?”
“Just walk it off.” “Give it a couple of days.” “Put some ice on it and take some ibuprofen.”
Do any of these sound familiar? I would one or any combination of these three things is how we treat 90% of our injuries 90% of the time. Fortunately in most cases minor injuries will get better without too much external effort on our part. But what happens when you don’t seem to be improving? How do you know when you should go consult a doctor about an injury? Knowing that early intervention is key to quicker and more complete rehabilitation, when is the time to stop waiting and get help? Today Alan Bluth shares with us 6 signs that your injury is serious enough to warrant additional medical attention.
It’s a good question… one which most people don’t fully understand. You or a family member have likely worked with a physical therapist (or “PT”) in the past, but it may have been in very different settings. You may have seen a physical therapist for a knee injury or back pain, but then also have a friend who worked with one to walk again in the hospital. It can be confusing that both therapists are actually a part of the same profession. Even many physicians have limited knowledge about the scope and range of specialized services provided by physical therapists. So today we wanted to shed a little light on this situation… what is physical therapy, who are physical therapists, and how will you benefit from going to see one.
