Rotator cuff repairs, shoulder labral repairs, acromioplasty, humeral fractures, and other shoulder surgeries inevitably require the usage of a shoulder sling as a means of protecting the surgeon’s work and allowing early healing of the involved tissue. I have yet to meet a surgeon who does not prescribe the usage of a shoulder sling immediately […]
Managing Expectations When Recovering from a Labral Repair
I have seen many clients with post-operative shoulder labral repairs. It is a frustrating injury that takes time to recover from. Being the recipient of two labral repair surgeries myself, it is my opinion that the key to recovery with a labral injury is managing expectations. The shoulder labrum is a fibrous, or rigid type […]
Post-Surgical Ankle Boot? Please Get a Lift For Your Other Shoe!
Many of us know someone who has suffered trauma to the ankle or foot (fractures, surgeries etc.) that requires the usage of a giant, cumbersome immobilization boot. Ankle boots are a necessary evil: They protect the joints and bones of the lower leg and allow for bones and soft tissues to heal. The problem that […]
Do Your Ribs Move?
The ribs and the ribcage have many purposes. They protect many of the internal organs; they serve as attachment sites for many muscles that control the arms, pelvis, and neck; and they assist in the breathing process. Your ribs must be able to move fluidly in order to assist in all of these tasks. In […]
I Can’t Open My Hand All the Way: A Look at Dupuytren’s Disease
Why can’t I open my hand? There is an interesting phenomenon in the world of hand illness called Dupuytren’s disease. It is a progressive illness that causes a contracture on the palm of the hand, making it difficult to fully open. This causes many problems including the following: difficulty being able to grasp difficulty with […]
Heat vs Cold: What to Use and When
When seeing new patients the same confusion comes up. They don’t know when to use a heating pad versus an ice pack. This article should help explain the theory of when to use what and will give you some easy guidelines. Physiological Response to Heat When the body temperature increases, the blood vessels become dilated, […]
My Shoulder Blades Are Not Even!
Take a look at anyone’s resting shoulder blade position from behind the next time you are at the pool or at the beach. If you look closely, you may notice that many people’s shoulder blades, or scapulae, do not sit evenly. Two common observations to see are one shoulder blade sitting higher than the other […]
Two Long-Term Effects of Ankle Sprains
Most athletes, high-heel shoe addicts, and the chronically clumsy have encountered ankle sprains. The swelling and pain that result from turning one’s ankle can last for months and be very limiting in the short term. What most people do not address, however, are the long-term effects of ankle sprains. I have seen patients with lower […]
Physical Therapy Related Medical Abbreviations
Have you ever been confused by medical abbreviations written by doctors and therapists? Here is a list of common orthopedic abbreviations and definitions. THA: total hip replacement TKR: total knee replacement MMT / LMT: meniscal tears DDD: degenerative disc disease (spinal) DJD: degenerative joint disease (peripheral joints) FX: fracture HNP: spinal disc herniation RC: rotator […]
When Can I Start Working Out After Shoulder Surgery?
At PhysioDC, we hear this question all of the time. It is a vague question, because it depends entirely on what type of procedure/repair you had on your shoulder. IN GENERAL, here is a basic protocol for many types of rotator cuff repairs, labral repairs, bankart repairs, and acromioplasty. It goes without saying that you […]
Sleeping Comfort after Shoulder Surgery
Rotator cuff repairs, labral repairs, acromioplasties, and shoulder replacement surgeries are performed on countless patients every day in the United States. Although rehabilitative protocols differ depending on the surgery, there is one common complaint shoulder patients have regardless of the type of surgery. Most patients are not equipped to deal with the pain associated with […]
Dealing with the Aging Process
A common cause of orthopedic injury is over-training. Working out at the gym, playing your favorite sport, or even walking can be the root cause of a multitude of orthopedic injuries. The key to managing these types of injuries may lie in adjusting your routine to fit your age. People in their teens and twenties […]
How Obesity Affects Your Joints
Most of us have heard the warning about obesity as it pertains to general health. Diabetes, coronary heart disease, gastrointestinal issues, and osteoarthritis are all common health concerns that are all associated with overweight patients. Here is one additional reason to lose weight that you may not have considered: Obesity, particularly as it pertains to […]
Soccer Injury Treatment
We see injuries stemming from sports every day here at PhysioDC. Sports that involve high velocity collisions in particular can be devastating in countless ways. Throughout our blog, we highlight specific sports and correlating injuries that commonly occur while playing these sports. Ankle Injuries Ankle traumas are very common injuries, given that running and changing […]
Suffering from Trigger Finger?
The common definition of “trigger finger” involves a person who enjoys or is perhaps likely to discharge a firearm. The medical definition of a “trigger finger” is quite different. Trigger fingers (sometimes referred to as stenosing tenosynovitis, ugh) are quite painful. Typical symptoms include a painful range of motion of the finger(s) with bending and […]
Why Is My Index Finger Numb?
As a follow up to our previous article entitled “Why Are My Ring Finger and Pinky Finger Numb?” we thought that it would be worth addressing one of the other major nerves that innervates the hand, namely the median nerve. The median nerve has sensory innervation to the tips of the thumb, index finger, and […]
Why Won’t My Shoulder Rotate?
Deficits in the shoulder’s ability to rotate both internally and externally occur in patients with shoulder pain all of the time. Today we will be talking about internal rotation deficits. This is clinically referred to as “GIRD” (Glenohumeral Internal Rotational Deficit). The following photos illustrate how GIRD presents. Note that with the patient’s attempt to […]
Hip Labral Repair Rehabilitation: What To Expect
The hip labrum is a cartilaginous ring that extends around the outside of the hip socket as seen in the illustration below. Hip labral tears manifest as sharp, nagging pain deep in the hip or the groin areas. Pain associated with a hip labral tear may also refer down the thigh towards the knee. Car […]