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 […]
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 […]
Shoes Make Your Feet Weak!
We are a culture that worships shoes. Companies have reaped untold billions from our insatiable desire to wear cool kicks. There is indeed a shoe for all occasions. There are shoes marketed specifically for nightlife, formal work settings, soccer, hiking, swimming, and one hundred other activities that I cannot think of. I am not immune. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Turf Toe: A Therapist’s Personal Experience with Injury
Believe it or not, physical therapists are not immune to injury. At PhysioDC, the therapists have all been through some orthopaedic injury or surgery at some point in their lives. PTs tend to live fairly active lifestyles. The fact of the matter is, while living an active lifestyle is healthy for you in a cardiovascular […]
Running Pearls
Any great course or lecture needs to have a few “take home” messages that stick with you. I had the pleasure of taking a course this weekend that dealt specifically with running. Here are some pearls that I picked up… 1. Cadence is a measure of how many steps a runner takes per minute. For […]
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 […]
