Tom Willemann Health Tips

"Almost Daily Health Tips From Physical Therapist Tom Willemann..."

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Navigating Recovery After a “Ship” Fracture

Navigating Recovery After a “Ship” Fracture

A scaphoid fracture refers to a fracture of the wrist—specifically the bone shaped like a boat, which is why it is often called a “ship” fracture. A fracture of this bone can result from falling on an outstretched arm, sustaining a direct blow to the wrist or receiving a severe twist of the wrist. ForContinue Reading »

The Case of the Wandering Kneecap

The Case of the Wandering Kneecap

Kneecap dislocation occurs when the patella, or kneecap, slides to the outside of the joint, thus stretching and possibly tearing the ligaments that hold it in place. Kneecap dislocations fall into two categories Those involving an accident, such as a blow to or a twisting of the knee, are called traumatic dislocations. Atraumatic dislocations occurContinue Reading »

Physical Therapy for Skier’s Thumb

Physical Therapy for Skier’s Thumb

Thumb injuries are quite common, especially among skiers. During a fall, a skier’s thumb can easily catch against the ski pole, resulting in a tear of the ligament that stabilizes the thumb. This ligament, known as the ulnar collateral ligament, normally keeps the thumb from pointing too far away from the hand. Treatment Treatment dependsContinue Reading »

Static versus Dynamic Stretching Prior to Competition

Static versus Dynamic Stretching Prior to Competition

One of the recent debates is over static stretching prior to competing to achieve maximum performance.   After reviewing several articles these are my recommendations for STRETCHING for DAY of COMPETITION:   Warm up with gentle jog or stationary bike for 10 minutes Perform static stretching one hour prior to competition and %25 to %50Continue Reading »

Recovery Solutions After Radial Head Resection

Recovery Solutions After Radial Head Resection

A common type of elbow injury in athletes, a radial head fracture tends to occur when a person falls on an outstretched hand. In this case, the radial head—located at the end of the bone—breaks in a way that makes realignment a challenge. Some patients may require a step after radial head removal, whereby anContinue Reading »

Training in Planes

Training in Planes

Many trendy buzzwords and catch phrases are often used in fitness circles, with the phrase “training in planes” heard quite frequently. The concept, which has nothing to do with aviation, sounds interesting, but what does it really mean? Simply put, every move we make involves one of the following three planes of motion in theContinue Reading »

Why You Need Crutches After Meniscus Surgery

Why You Need Crutches After Meniscus Surgery

Why You Need Crutches After Meniscus Surgery If only surgical treatment worked so perfectly that the patient would hop off the operating table, cured, with no painful recovery required. For knee surgery, that is not the case. Today, most surgical procedures on the crescent-shaped, fibrous knee joint cartilage called the meniscus are performed with tinyContinue Reading »

Treating a SICK Scapula

Treating a SICK Scapula

When a scapula, or shoulder blade, is described as SICK, it doesn’t mean ill; it is actually an acronym invented by researchers/physicians who observed a syndrome involving the shoulder areas of professional baseball players. It stands for Scapula Internal rotation, Coracoid pain and Dyskinesia (SICK), the conditions that make up this syndrome. Because the scapulaContinue Reading »

Straightening the Curves of Scoliosis

Straightening the Curves of Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a condition in which the spine is curved toward either the right or left side. Thus, the upper back seems to be rounded, the lower back appears to curve inward (swayback), and one shoulder and/or hip looks higher than the other. While most cases among both genders are mild and require no treatment,Continue Reading »

Preparing for Ski Season Before Hitting the Slopes

Preparing for Ski Season Before Hitting the Slopes

After looking forward to ski season all year, the last thing you want is to be sidelined with an injury or sore muscles due to improper fitness.  Because skiing is a physically intense activity, you need to be in peak physical condition when you hit the slopes. This can help you avoid injuries common inContinue Reading »