In ballet, first position is so much more than having your toes pointed outward. It has been said that dancing ballet is like being a duckling. A duckling glides effortlessly across a body of water, but what we don’t see is the constant work happening below the surface. If it looked hard to pull off […]
What Is Normal Hamstrings Length?
Depending on whom you ask, you may get different answers. One thing is for sure, men tend to have less flexibility than do women. Take a look at the attached picture, Phillip’s leg is making roughly a 70 degree angle with the table. At this point in his range, I am feeling some resistance from […]
Should I Use Ice or Should I Use Heat?
Here is a basic list that tries to answer the epic question: Ice or Heat? 1. Ice is generally advised for acute injuries, particularly during the first two weeks following tissue damage. Ankle sprains, sports injuries, back spasm, or most sudden orthopedic injuries that cause swelling and inflammation are a few examples. 2. Heat is […]
Microfracture Knee Surgery Rehabilitation
Microfracture procedures are becoming more popular as a means of attempting to salvage a severely arthritic knee. The concept behind microfracturing is relatively simple: a surgeon uses a small needle to make tiny punctures in the surfaces of the femur, tibia, or patella (all of which make up the joint surfaces of the knee). This […]
What Does a Partial Rotator Cuff Tear Mean?
The rotator cuff muscles provide stability to the shoulder joint and are responsible for coordination of the fine movements of the shoulder. The rotator cuff muscles originate on the scapula (aka shoulder blade) and taper down into tendons as they attach onto the head of the humerus. When we hear the term “rotator cuff tear,” […]
Are You a “Motor Moron?”
Do you have one of those friends that is always getting hurt for no particular reason? You know – that friend that always manages to trip over their own feet or stumble into inanimate objects. This is also the same friend that manages to cut themselves, regularly, when trying to cook or slams their fingers […]
Is My Office Chair Too Large?
Too many people sit in a chair all day that is simply too large. Here are some simple things that you can check to see if you need to consider “upgrading” your chair. 1. Both of your feet should comfortably be touching the ground. Dangling feet are a very bad thing, as you are losing […]
Floor Barre Practice for Dancers
Efforts to prevent injury for dancers are far and wide. There are many techniques utilized. The major thing done, as with most athletes, is cross training. Dancers don’t necessarily go into the gym to run miles, stack up heavy weights or bust out the agility ladder, although some do – dependent on their style of […]
Addressing the Inflammatory Process of your Injury
Often times when people have an orthopaedic injury, it is accompanied by pain. Pain is message of discomfort that is brought to our attention by our nervous system from a specific type of nerve. Pain has many different types of sensations or characteristics including, but not limited to, sharp stabbing, dull ache, burning, tingling, or […]
Experiencing Stiff Hands?
Muscles all over the body have the potential to become stiff and restricted from daily activities. When I evaluate a patient for the first time, I often ask them which of their muscles feel chronically tight. The most common replies are the hamstrings and the muscles of the neck. Even though we use our hands […]
Ankle Stability and Trail Running
I don’t get trail running. It is needlessly dangerous. I was walking my dog on a trail in Rock Creek Park the other day and played witness to a poor chap falling on his ass and sustaining one heck of an inversion ankle sprain. I had to help him get back to the street. Thank […]
What to Expect from Physical Therapy: Team Players Do Better!
You’ve waited on dealing with an injury for quite some time, because you’ve heard the jokes about physical therapy that don’t make it sound so appealing. “Don’t you know that PT stands for pain and torture?” Because of either pain or loss of function, you finally find yourself in physical therapy. What can you expect? […]
Comprehensive Guide for Dancers Staying in Shape During the COVID-19 Pandemic
As I am writing to you, it is May 2020 in the Washington, D.C. area. There is a stay at home order for most states, and people have been encouraged to only go to public spaces for essential things such as groceries or medications. People are struggling in so many ways with social distancing. People […]
The “Safe” Position of the Hand
Have you ever wondered why a hand is casted in the following position when it is healing from a fracture? (See photo above) This certainly is not the typical resting position of the hand, but there is indeed a rationale as to why the “safe position” works better than other positions for prolonged periods of […]
Meniscal Transplant: Janaye Is “Over This”
Despite her brief moment of smiling in the photo, Janaye is “over this.” She self-reports this surgery as the most difficult one that she has had to date. Recall that Janaye has had many, many knee surgeries. (Read our previous posts: Part 1 & Part 2). Here are a few interesting points in regards to […]
Why All The Fuss About the Gluteus Maximus?
The buttock, the derrière, the bum, the can, the posterior, and many more nicknames abound for the gluteus maximus, the largest single muscle in the body. The gluteus maximus is a vital supporter of both the lower back and the legs. With normal mechanics, the gluteus maximus powers our bodies with walking, stair climbing, and […]
Can You Balance on One Leg?
Take your shoes and socks off. Stand on a flat surface and try to balance on one leg with the stance knee slightly unlocked. Can you do this ON EACH LEG for ten seconds without losing your balance or having to use your other foot to touch the floor? If you cannot, you need to […]
Lessons Learned From Breaking My Ankle
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Labor Day weekend 2009 will forever be burned into my memory for two reasons. The first reason is that I almost died. The second reason is that it forced me to look at my body in a way that has directed me in how I treat patients with movement dysfunctions and orthopedic […]
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