I was sitting in the car the other week with a friend who asked me if it was safe to crack his own neck. He demonstrated his maneuver: he grabbed his chin with one hand and the back of his head with the other and gave an extreme, rotational “jerk” to his neck. The popping […]
Meniscus Surgery: What Can I Expect?
Meniscal surgery is the “bread and butter” procedure performed by most orthopedic surgeons in the country. In my physical therapy practice, it is one of the most common post-surgical diagnoses that we see. A short anatomy lesson: there are two (2) menisci that are found in each of your knee joints. They are horse-shoe shaped […]
Is Sleeping On My Side Bad For My Shoulder?
Especially for those of us who already have to deal with shoulder pain, the answer is a resounding “yes.” As a quick experiment, lie on your side. Think about the positioning of your shoulder as you lie on top of it. Most people will unconsciously position the body so that the bottom shoulder is forced […]
Why Does My Knee Crack?
One of the most common questions asked by knee patients is, “Why does my knee click?” There are several distinctively annoying sounds that can come from the knee: some of them are not worth worrying about, and others are more problematic. Here is a list of some of the more common knee noises and what […]
Strengthen Your Scapular Muscles!
The scapula, otherwise known as the shoulder blade, plays a vital role in shoulder mechanics. If the shoulder blade is not controlled well via the muscles that attach to it, problems ranging from neck pain to rotator cuff tendonitis are often the result. Scapular strengthening is often overlooked both in patients that are trying to […]
Shoulder Pain With Yoga? Adjust your “Downward Dog”!
The bones and tendons of the arms are not anatomically equipped to bear the brunt of our weight. If they were, we would still be walking around on all fours. The yoga “downward facing dog” position places us “on all fours,” placing abnormal stress on the tendons of the rotator cuff as the shoulder joints […]
Ankle Sprains and Hip Strength
Inversion ankle sprains, or sprains that involve the ankle turning inwards, are a very common injury both with athletes and with sedentary people. This type of injury often needs physical therapy, and there is much published research and data in relation to why these injuries occur, how to rehabilitate sprains, and how to prevent repeat […]
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 […]
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,” […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
How to Properly Deal with Finger Fractures & Sprains
We have been seeing a lot of finger fractures and sprains as of late. Here is my list of finger facts that you may find useful if you ever have to deal with a finger trauma and subsequent rehabilitation. 1. Don’t panic If your finger is crushed, jammed, sliced, slammed, or otherwise traumatized, in all […]
Right Side Dominant: Do We Have A Problem?
Yes, you actually might have a problem if you are “too right-sided.” Let me start by saying that our brains are naturally wired to be right side dominant. If everything goes well in utero, during childbirth, and during our early developmental stages, one can expect to be right-handed. It so happens that this is the […]
Low Back Problems Can Be a Real Pain in the Butt
After suffering a low back injury a few years back, I realized I needed to make some changes. I had always been very active and strong. I could lift far more than the average person. I played multiple sports as a youth and continued through my young adult life. I worked hard labor jobs from […]