Most people who report a sudden onset of back pain find that it alleviates within a relatively short period of time without significant medical intervention. An example of this could be someone performing a lift of a heavy object off of the ground and “throwing out” the lower back. A few days of rest and […]
Allowing Tendonitis To Heal
I hate tendonitis and the misery that it brings. The loss of function, the psychological frustration that comes with having pain with motion, and visits to health professionals are annoyances that many of us who have tendonitis must endure. Tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon that usually stems from repetitive stress or overuse. We commonly […]
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 […]
What Does a Shoulder Labral Tear Feel Like?
From personal experience I can attest that labral tears can hurt quite a bit. What we will be discussing today in this blog post are a few ways to differentiate between shoulder labral tear pain and pain associated with other shoulder problems. For the sake of brevity, we have already described the basic anatomy of […]
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 […]
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 Do I Stabilize an Unstable Shoulder?
A significant percentage of the population has “unstable” shoulders, or shoulders that have the ability to move into ranges that place one at risk for orthopedic injury. Also known by the medical community as “multi-directional instability,” loose shoulders are fairly easy to identify. If you suspect that you have an unstable shoulder, ask yourself the […]
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 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 […]
What Exactly Is the Rotator Cuff?
The Anatomy Ah, the infamous rotator cuff. Nearly everyone knows someone who has injured it, but what is a rotator cuff? During my physical therapy career, I have heard individuals call this a rotator cup, rotary cuff, rotor cup, and many other alternatives, but do not worry because we understand what you mean. First, a […]
Why Does My Knee Cap Dislocate?
The most common type of knee dislocation is sideways toward the outside of the leg. This is usually due to weakness in the quads, more specifically the Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO). The VMO is the innermost quad muscle that provides stability and allows the knee cap to move properly. When this muscle is weak, there […]
What Is the Easiest Way to Test the Knee for ACL Tears?
The “Lever Test,” or “Lelli’s Sign,” is a relatively new method devised to give us a quick and easy assessment of ACL integrity. What makes this test brilliant is its simplicity and reliance on the concept of using an intact ACL to demonstrate a simple fulcrum or “see-saw.” (Think back to your elementary school days […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]