If you experience lower back pain, you are not alone. In the United States, lower back pain is the leading cause of absenteeism and general disability. Because this condition is often an ongoing problem and is difficult to pinpoint and treat, you may have wondered whether massage therapy would bring relief. Massage therapy is notContinue Reading »
"Almost Daily Health Tips From Physical Therapist Tom Willemann..."
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Author: Tom Willemann
Don’t Just Stretch for Plantar Fasciitis!
Plantar fasciitis is a common orthopedic condition that affects over 1 million people a year in the United States. More than 90% of patients with plantar fasciitis fully recover without requiring surgery. Often, patients are given recommendations to take anti-inflammatories, wear shoes at all times, perform stretching exercises for the plantar fascia, great toe andContinue Reading »
3 Simple Ways to Avoid Vacation Back Syndrome
As summer is in full swing, we often have patients with back problems coming into our clinic just after returning from vacation. For many, it is the first episode, and for others, it is their second or third time experiencing back pain. Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common scenario; after extensive driving and sitting as weContinue Reading »
What Are Kettlebells? How Can They Help Me?
What Are Kettlebells? How Can They Help Me? Because Pavel Tsatsouline, a Soviet strength and conditioning trainer, popularized kettlebells in the United States, they are sometimes called “Russian kettlebells.” Popular among athletes, mixed martial artists and actors, kettlebells are showing up in more and more fitness and rehabilitation centers. While many fitness routines emphasize isolationContinue Reading »
What Is a Trapped Nerve?
What Is a Trapped Nerve? By creating a pathway from the brain to the limbs, nerves make muscles move and allow skin to feel sensations, including pain, temperature and pressure. A blocked, or “trapped,” pathway can impede the nerves’ normal processes, resulting in pain or reduced mobility. Nerves get trapped for a number of reasons,Continue Reading »
Retearing a Repaired Rotator Cuff
Retearing a Repaired Rotator Cuff No one enters into surgery lightly. Before you underwent surgery to repair your rotator cuff, you probably weighed all the pros and cons with your doctor, so it is understandably disconcerting to discover you have retorn your rotator cuff. A recent study by the American Orthopedic Society for Sports MedicineContinue Reading »
How Safe Is Soccer for Children?
How Safe Is Soccer for Children? A great sport for building endurance, dexterity, speed, agility, coordination and teamwork, soccer is a game played by both boys and girls. As far as safety is concerned, the injury rate in soccer is estimated to be between one-fifth and one-half that of football, America’s other favorite fall sport.Continue Reading »
Regaining Full Range of Motion After Knee Surgery
Regaining Full Range of Motion After Knee Surgery In order for you to walk, run, sit or kick comfortably, your knee—the largest joint in the body—must be able to move through an arc of about 130 degrees, from completely straight, or fully extended, to completely bent, or fully flexed. Two muscle groups control this motion:Continue Reading »
How to pick a good shoe
How to pick a good a shoe I just got an email from one of my patients. Apparently I left a lasting impression after I commented on her very stylish sneakers but rather poor support . After bending her sneakers in every possible direction and tossing it on the floor of my clinic she realized what I thought of herContinue Reading »
Stenosis and Leg Pain
Stenosis and Leg Pain It may seem counter-intuitive, but the pain you feel in your legs may actually be caused by a problem in your spine called stenosis. As we age, areas of the spinal column can become pinched or narrowed, resulting in the constriction and irritation of nerves surrounding the spine. This may resultContinue Reading »