Bell’s palsy is a form of temporary facial weakness. It results from damage or trauma to the 7th facial nerve. It presents as drooping of the eyelid and corner of the mouth, drooling, dryness of the eye or mouth, impairment of taste, and excessive tearing in one eye. Most often these symptoms usually begin suddenly and reach their peak within 48 hours and lead to significant facial distortion.

Do you feel like no matter how much you exercise, you cannot see any changes?

Well, you are not alone! Turns out, our body gets used to the same exercise routine.

What is a bursa? A bursa is a fluid filled sac that helps things move easily at the major joints in the body. A Bursa appears at a junction of a tendon on the bone. It protects and brakes the shocks of the joint. The structures nearby the bursa can move with minimal friction due to irritation. There are over 150 bursae. Sometime these bursae become inflamed or irritated, resulting in a condition called bursitis. This happens most often in the shoulders, elbows, knees, and feet.

After an operation or severe injury to your foot you are most likely to be non-weight bearing or have limiting weight bearing as directed by your doctor. Here’s what you should know.

Last week I discussed Osgood Schlatter’s Disease. Today I’m going to talk about another issue that can occur during adolescence known as Sever’s disease. Sever’s disease known as calcaneal apophysitis is an inflammation of the heel. This is due to repetitive small traumas from traction of the Achilles tendon at the bone growth center of the calcaneus (heel bone). This causes calcaneal apophysis damage.

When I was little I had heard the term growing pains and I thought it was just a phrase used for not getting my way when I wanted something. It turns out growing pains are real. It can happen in a few different places in the body, but today I’m going on focus on Osgood Schlatter’s disease. Osgood-Schlatter Disease is a form of knee pain that occurs in some adolescents. The area right below the kneecap becomes inflammed. This is where the tendon from the knee attaches (patellar tendon) to the tibia.

Living in such a condensely populated area, most everyone who lives in the DC area has been in a car accident or been rear ended. Sometimes there is no injury to the parties involved but more often than not there is. The most common injury that occurs is what’s known as whiplash. Whiplash is a neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck. This occurs most often with a sudden impact of being hit in a car because while our torso is secured our head and neck isn’t.

The need for surgeries is something that will always be constant. However, the way that we recover from them is constantly changing. A decade ago, bedrest and limited activity after orthopedic surgeries was the norm. However, through the advancement of technology and the abundance of therapeutic resources at our fingertips the game has changed. Studies show that physical therapy in conjunction with a prescribed home exercise program increases the speed and likelihood of a full recovery.