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 »
Protecting and Repairing Meniscal Injuries Although some athletes return to the game soon after a meniscal injury and others take months to recover, there is a good reason for this variation. To repair this athletic injury, especially common in soccer or football, treatment depends on the type and severity of the injury, the activity levelContinue Reading »
Put One Foot in Front of the Other…Every Day Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise accessible to just about everyone. It is safe, simple and does not require practice, and evidence has shown that walking can be crucial to maintain senior physical and mental health. A recent article published in the Journal of the AmericanContinue Reading »
Strength Training Benefits in Older Adults Strength training has benefits for all ages, but it can be a neglected part of an exercise regimen for men and women aged 50 years and older. Research suggests that when performed correctly, strengthening exercises are a safe way to improve fitness and health, even in older adults whoContinue Reading »
Stretch or Not to Stretch? Just because your back or calf feels tight doesn’t mean you should stretch it. I discuss this often with my patients. Maybe you simply need to get stronger. Feelings of “soreness” or “tightness” in any area is not a blanket recommendation to do one or the other. I just beganContinue Reading »
Should I have surgery? I always recommend friends, patients and family to get an physical therapy evaluation before they undergo an orthopedic surgery. The reason is twofold. Evaluation ensures that loss of strength or range of motion is not the root cause of their problem. Various studies have shown that osteoarthritis may be present butContinue Reading »
How to pick a good physical therapist If you are recovering from surgery or an injury you may be spending a lot of time with your physical therapist. Continuity is key. When I graduated from physical therapy school I worked in a clinic that required that the same physical therapist treat the same patient eachContinue Reading »
Core Training to Relieve Lower Back Pain After the common cold, lower back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor. Although lower back pain is easy to recognize, its causes are many, varied and often unclear. Thus, one of the greatest challenges facing physical therapists is to match the suspectedContinue Reading »
This question came up after my uncle’s recent trip to California after just retiring from the New York City MTA. In the week following his retirement, he had a loss of balance, caught himself stepping forward, which resulted in him straining his calf muscle. After this occurred, he saw an orthopedist who told him toContinue Reading »
It’s no secret … staying active during the winter months is really important! Recently, I wrote a blog (you can find it HERE) about what’s called the “Winter Effect”. In a nutshell, I tend to see a lot of patients – especially those with spine related issues – with aches and pains after winter hasContinue Reading »