Category

Orthopedic

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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August 27, 2018
Jake Reynolds
In Orthopedic

Is Exercise Cramping Your Style?

Cramping During Exercise | Blog

Most everyone has experienced cramping during various athletic events or workouts. Often times we attribute cramping to be the result of dehydration or electrolyte imbalances, but there is some literature that indicates that this may not be the most appropriate theory. While the muscle is the tissue that experiences a cramp, it may not actually be the driver behind the cramp. Instead, literature generally accepts that cramping is actually nerve mediated, whether peripherally (nerves outside of the spinal cord) or centrally (spinal cord/brain) driven is still up for debate. What is evident though, is that cramping and fatigue normally go…

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August 14, 2018
Functionize Team
In Orthopedic

Common basketball injuries and prevention tips

Basketball Injuries and Prevention | Blog

Basketball is the most popular youth sport in the US. A study by the National Athletic Trainers Association found that 22% of male basketball players have an injury that causes them to miss playing time each year. 42% of the time, that injury is to the ankle or foot, making this the most injured area. Some other common injuries to basketball players include: Lower Extremity Muscle strains such as a groin pull, quadriceps, hamstring, or calf strain Knee ligament injuries such as ACL, LCL, MCL tears or sprains Ankle sprains, including high ankle sprain Ankle fractures Overuse injuries such as patellar tendonitis, IT…

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August 6, 2018
Functionize Team
In Orthopedic, Pelvic Health

The Big Deal with DR (Diastasis Recti)

The Big Deal with DR (Diastasis Recti) | Blog

Last year, Diastasis Recti (DR) made a big splash in the news when NPR covered a story on an exercise to flatten the “mummy tummy”. While it is common for pregnant women to experience diastasis recti during pregnancy (some studies state as many as 100% of women will experience DR during their pregnancy), even those who have never been pregnant can be affected by this orthopedic condition. What is DR anyway? DR is a separation of the rectus abdominis muscle (superficial abdominal muscle) from the central connective tissue called the linea alba. The degree of separation of the muscles, sometimes…

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July 30, 2018
Lauren Sok
In Orthopedic, Pelvic Health

Redcord will Help you Move Better and Speed Up your Return to Optimal Function

Redcord Neurac Unit | Blog

When clients walk into our clinic, they often ask us, “What are those red cords and straps hanging from the ceiling?” They may look a little scary, but the system hanging from our ceiling is called Redcord. What is Redcord? Redcord is a unique treatment approach that uses one’s own body weight to restore proper neuromuscular control and functional stability for daily activities and sports. What makes it special is that you exercise while suspended from “red cords” that hang from the ceiling. These cords consist of a series of bungees, slings, handles and ropes suspended over a treatment table….

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