Category

Orthopedic

December 3, 2018
Functionize Team
In Orthopedic

8 Tips to Prevent Shin Splints

Shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), is a term used to describe symptoms of pain in the front of your lower leg and at times along the inside of the lower leg, next to the shin bone (tibia). It occurs when too much stress is put on the tibia or when the muscle next to the tibia is overworked. It most commonly happens from high-energy exercise or sports that involves running and jumping, and at the beginning of a sports or training program. Thankfully, shin splints can often be treated effectively, and, with proper progression of…

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November 26, 2018
Functionize Team
In Orthopedic

80% of Americans Experience Back Pain, But 100% of PTs Know How to Prevent It

Got back pain? You’re not alone. Eighty percent of Americans suffer from low back and neck pain at some point in their lives. Let that sink in. With such great odds that you—or someone close to you—will one day become a statistic, wouldn’t it make sense to arm yourself with preventive strategies and knowledge? Physical therapy is a good place to start. By performing a thorough evaluation, a physical therapist can identify the muscular, postural and skeletal limitations that could one day lead to an episode of back pain. As part of the assessment, she will observe as you perform…

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November 19, 2018
Jake Reynolds
In Orthopedic

Shoulder Pain in the Hip:

Did you know that having weak gluteal muscles could contribute to shoulder pain? If you’ve ever spent time with a physical therapist, chiropractor, or masseuse you may often hear them say the phrase: “Everything is connected.” This seems like a vague way to explain your symptoms, but when you understand functional anatomy you know that the human body is a series of connected chain links that are interdependent on one another to make up a strong chain.                  It is well known that the shoulder is the most commonly injured body region in…

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October 29, 2018
Functionize Team
In Orthopedic

Bone Health: What You Should Know

Healthy bones can help you stay strong and active throughout your life. If good bone health is achieved during childhood and maintained, it can help to avoid bone loss and fracture later in life. For healthy bones, it is important to maintain a physically active lifestyle and eat a balanced diet with plenty of calcium, vitamin D, and perhaps other supplements as needed. Physical therapists can design a unique program for you to help keep your bones healthy. Osteoporosis is a common bone disease that affects both men and women (mostly women), usually as they age. It is associated with low bone…

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October 22, 2018
Functionize Team
In Orthopedic

Soreness vs Pain: What’s the Difference?

There are many benefits to exercise, including the potential for improved physical and mental well being. However, there may also be some physical discomfort associated with these activities due to the stresses placed on the body. When experiencing discomfort, it is important to understand the difference between exercise-related muscular soreness and pain. Muscular soreness is a healthy and expected result of exercise. Pain may be indicative of injury. But pain is personal, and the degree of injury does not always equal the degree of pain. Also, different people have a different pain tolerance. Understanding pain is helpful to managing pain. Individual…

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October 15, 2018
Functionize Team
In Orthopedic

6 Balance Exercises You Can Safely Perform at Home

Dangerous falls are common in people over 65 years of age and can result in serious injury, and even death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.5 million older people are treated in the emergency room for fall injuries each year. The average health care costs related to falls is $35,000 per fall. Performing safe home exercises can help strengthen your lower body to reduce your overall fall risk. Always check with your health care provider before beginning a home-exercise program. A physical therapist can evaluate your balance and let you know which exercises are safe for you to…

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October 8, 2018
Functionize Team
In Orthopedic

5 Tips to Improve Your Swimming Stroke and Avoid Injury

Swimming is a low-impact exercise that works all the muscles in the body. That’s why many injured athletes turn to the pool to maintain fitness and rehabilitate an injury at the same time. This does not mean that swimming is an injury-free activity. Shoulder injuries are the most common injury in swimming, and a proper swim stroke technique is crucial in injury prevention of them. Here are 5 things to focus on to improve your swimming stroke and avoid injuries: 1. Bilateral Breathing The ability to breathe comfortably on both sides is important while swimming the freestyle stroke. By changing…

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October 1, 2018
Functionize Team
In Orthopedic

5 Common Myths About Low Back Pain

5 Common Myths About Low Back Pain image

Low back pain is common. At some point in their lives, 80% to 90% of the adult population will experience low back pain. Unfortunately, studies show that many people with low back pain don’t get treatment that aligns with best evidence-based practices. Here are 5 common myths associated with low back pain: Myth 1: Spinal manipulation (mobilizing the joints in the spine) is the best method for treating low back pain. A study showed that exercise was proven to be more effective than manipulation (only 10% required manipulation). Myth 2: Ultrasound and electrical stimulation are proven to aid recovery from…

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September 10, 2018
Lauren Sok
In Orthopedic

Enhance your Running Performance with a Running Gait Assessment

Running Assessment

Did you know that the physical therapists at Functionize Health & Physical Therapy offer Running Gait Assessments?  If you are a runner, this is something you should consider. Not only will it enhance your running performance, but it will keep you running injury-free long into the future. What is a Running Assessment? Our physical therapists will complete a comprehensive evaluation of your strength, flexibility, and running mechanics to see where things are going wrong in your run. We use a video gait analysis program to identify areas that are prone to breakdown and teach you ways to prevent and treat…

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September 3, 2018
Functionize Team
In Orthopedic

Assess Your ‘Movement Health’ to Lower Your Risk of Back Pain

Movement Health | Blog

Americans spend more than $87 billion each year on low back and neck pain treatment, according to a study in the Journal of American Medical Association. To prevent that figure from rising further, we must find ways to prevent the high rate of back pain incidences from occurring in the first place. And that means getting real about how we move during a variety of activities throughout the day, whether we’re working at a desk, tending to a garden or lifting a heavy object. The path to better management of patients with back pain begins long before the first stab…

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