Physical Therapy

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.

It’s that time of year everyone! Whether we like it or not, summer is drawing to an end which can only mean one thing: Back to school time! Whether you yourself are in school or you have a child in school it’s important to establish or re-established healthy habits to ensure success and a happy well being. Making sure to get to bed at a routine time is crucial for successful learning. Having everything ready to go the night before to limit stress in the morning is very helpful routine to establish as well.

Working as a physical therapist assistant one injury that is always prevalent among all ages is back pain. Most people have experienced some back pain in their life for one reason or another. There is some evidence that suggests inversion therapy may help relieve back pain.

Exercise. Sometimes it’s really hard to do it. It’s not that it is actually hard but the idea of it can seem daunting. You are cozy on the couch watching your favorite show. And you don’t want to get up. So why do it? Studies show that exercise is as effective as antidepressants to elevate your mood.

While the average height of men and women has increased over the centuries, we are now in an age of actively making ourselves shorter. With cell phones, lap tops, desktops, tablets and more, we are contributing to shrinking ourselves by constant slouching- also known as poor posture.

Hip replacements and knee replacement are very common with a growing senior population with varied outcomes. The use of robots to perform or assist in these surgeries may be the solution to eliminate human error and are being used more frequently.

Taping for injuries has a long history, but it has really evolved over the past few decades. While in the past taping had been used to prevent movement in the hopes to limit pain, kinesiogy tape is now more widely used to reduce pain while allowing maximum range of motion.