A very complex joint in the body, the hip is formed by a ball on the end of the thighbone (femur) that sits in a socket formed by a cavity (acetabulum) in the pelvic bone. The ball is held in place by a very powerful ligament, and both the ball and socket are covered byContinue Reading »
Exercise is essential—there are no two ways about it. But for many people, the ability to exercise is severely affected by their environment, especially people who live in areas with cold winters like us in NJ. Fortunately, a drop in temperature does not have to mean a drop in your exercise routine. Your exercises canContinue Reading »
False. Everyone talks about strengthening the ab, trunk and hip muscles to avoid an injury to your back. I believe a strong core can indeed prevent many back injuries when lifting, and can assist a person in maintaining good posture and form. However, it has been shown that after longer than 3 minutes of sitting,Continue Reading »
Avoiding asthma attacks while exercising in winter is best accomplished by preventing cold, dry air from getting into your bronchial airways. One way to do this is to exercise indoors when it is cold. Swimming in an indoor heated pool, where the air is comfortably warm but not overly humid, is an option that worksContinue Reading »
Your favorite green golf course is covered in white snow and ice. While your friends in warmer climates continue to improve their games, your clubs remain in the closet. But cold weather does not mean you cannot work on becoming a better golfer. Mental and physical strength can be honed throughout the year. As winterContinue Reading »
Diet and exercise go hand in hand for people who want to lose weight and maintain good health. High-protein diets, such as the Atkins and South Beach Diets, are popular because they generally result in quicker weight loss than do diets featuring more carbohydrates. But is the high fat content of a mostly protein dietContinue Reading »
The Rutgers S.A.F.E.T.Y. Clinic (Sports Awareness for Educating Today’s Youth ™) is a three-hour program that meets the “Minimum Standards for Volunteer Coaches Safety Orientation and Training Skills Programs” (N.J.A.C. 5:52) and provides partial civil immunity protection to volunteer coaches under the “Little League Law” (2A:62A-6 et. seq.)This clinic will be presented by Tom Willemann, Board Certified Physical Therapist specializing inContinue Reading »
The menisci are cartilages in the knee that protect the joint from stresses of activity. Pivoting actions that cause the knee to twist pose a risk for meniscus tears. The injury is common among tennis players, but it can also result from deep knee bending, squatting or lifting a heavy object. If you haveContinue Reading »
When you hear the term “eccentric,” you may think of a quirky aunt or a piece of shabby but chic furniture. In the physical therapy world, however, this term has a much different and very important meaning. Eccentric exercise—active contraction of a muscle while it is lengthening—has gained popularity in recent years among both athletesContinue Reading »
For all my athletes that enjoy running please follow this link The Health Center for Runners from the American Physical Therapy Association. On the web site there is a free E-book: The Physical Therapist’s Guide to Healthy Running to download for information for friends and family. Many great topics are covered: Pregnancy and Running Barefoot Running InjuriesContinue Reading »