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February 10, 2017June 9, 2017

5 Quick and Easy Tips for Easing Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a common condition involving pain on the bottom of the foot. Generally the pain is the worst in the morning. Those first few steps are typically agonizing. The pain also tends to increase at the end of the day or after prolonged standing and walking. Symptoms can be primarily in the arch of the foot, at the heel or along the entire surface heel to toe. Conditions labeled “itis” commonly involve inflammation of a part of the body. So, PF refers to inflammation of the plantar fascia, a strong connective tissue that covers most of the bottom surface of the foot. The cause of PF is most commonly related to prolonged use of poor footwear such as flip-flops or frequent running, jogging or walking while wearing unsupportive or broken down footwear with poor arch support. There are other possible causes as well because not all individuals require arch support.

Here are 5 tips that you can try to ease your PF pain… Continue reading “5 Quick and Easy Tips for Easing Plantar Fasciitis”

February 2, 2017June 9, 2017

All You Need to Know About Total Knee PT

The knee is the most commonly replaced joint in the body. Total knee replacement surgery, also known as total knee arthroplasty (TKA), is usually performed as a result of symptomatic osteoarthritis and/or degenerative joint disease due to bone on bone contact between the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shin bone). A TKA typically involves removing the bottom of the femur and the top of the tibia and replacing them with titanium alloy and polyethylene components.

Rehabilitation following TKA will typically start on the same day as surgery and last up to 16 weeks. Continue reading “All You Need to Know About Total Knee PT”

January 16, 2017June 9, 2017

Ice vs Heat Tips from a Physical Therapist

USE ICE:

Immediately after an injury and for at least the next 24 hours.
If the affected area is warm to touch.
If it feels better to you, even if it’s an old injury.
With elevation of the limb to decrease swelling.

How?
Apply for 10 minutes every 3-4 hours during the day for a new injury and as needed for an old (greater than 48 hours) injury.

Use:
A store-bought ice pack, a bag of frozen vegetables or a homemade ice pack (see instructions below). For ankle sprains a bucket of ice water works too. Continue reading “Ice vs Heat Tips from a Physical Therapist”

January 9, 2017April 21, 2017

Debunking 3 Myths about Physical Therapy

Myth #1 – Physical therapy is going to hurt.

“No pain, no gain” is not my motto in most situations. With injury, in most cases, I would want to do as much as we possibly can with as little pain as possible. There are some diagnoses that require a little more discomfort with exercise and/or manual techniques in order to reach your desired goal, but I always try to avoid high levels of pain. To give you peace of mind I always try to explain what you can expect with each treatment performed in the clinic and what it will look like at home. Continue reading “Debunking 3 Myths about Physical Therapy”

December 29, 2016April 21, 2017

Answers to the Top 5 Questions you CAN ask your PT

What will a typical session look like?

As a physical therapist at Advance Physical Therapy, I try to make every session productive, but also predictable. My goal is to teach patients independence with managing symptoms and making some form of exercise into a daily habit to improve overall health. Each session typically starts with a warm-up tailored to a specific diagnosis. Next we move to one-on-one exercise activities and manual physical therapy techniques if needed. That is followed by pain management modalities such as electrical stimulation (often called E-Stim or TENS), ultrasound, ice, moist heat, or one of many other options. This is just a typical session, it may be different for you based on your needs and goals. I am always flexible and ready to work together WITH you to allow you to meet the goals you came in with and function at your highest possible level. Continue reading “Answers to the Top 5 Questions you CAN ask your PT”