Low back pain is the second most common reason patients seek care from their primary care physician. In addition, it is one of the most common reasons people seek care at our Boulder Physical Therapy practice. Due to its’ high incidence in the population, low back pain has become a significant financial burden on our...
We written many blog posts on ACL injuries as they continue to be a risk to our youth and amateur athletes in Boulder County. Thankfully, evidence shows we are able to screen athletes at risk for future injury as well as reduce their risk through Physical Therapy strength, balance, and conditioning programs. Another group at...
Spinal manipulation is one of the oldest treatments in recorded history and is presented utilized by multiple professions including Physical Therapy. Physical Therapists perform spinal manipulation for patients suffering from head aches, shoulder, neck, pelvic, or low back pain. The mechanisms behind the pain relief found with this treatment are currently being investigated, but we...
We have written about running benefits on our mental, emotional, and physical health in previous blog posts. Consistent physical activity through the life span has been shown to have significant beneficial effects on our health including decreased risk of disease and improved health and well being. A new article highlights the impact running can have...
Our previous posts have documented the success of Physical Therapy treatments on sciatica, radiating pain down the back of leg, compared to other conservative treatments and surgery. Specifically, no differences have been noted between surgery and PT at long term follow up. Another medical intervention for sciatica includes non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These...
We have previously written on the effectiveness of foam rolling as a warm up or cool down technique, as well as, a treatment for muscle pain and soreness. Utilizing a foam roller for 1-2 minutes on major muscle groups can lead to immediate changes in range of motion and flexibility likely due to improvements in...
Photo Credit: charlieweingroff.com In our prior posts we have described the injury risks associated with athletic activities. There will always be an inherent risk with athletic participation but current research is identifying Physical Therapy tests which can help predict future injury. These test batteries involve movement assessments of functional positions such as squatting, jumping, and...
Our prior posts have documented some of the research supporting the use of caffeine in both strength training and endurance events. Caffeine has many effects including increased alertness and decreased perception of pain and fatigue. These effects on the central nervous system allow an athlete to train harder and longer at a given intensity when...
In prior posts we have described the importance of running economy. Runners with improved economy, similar to miles per gallon in a car, will be able to run at lower percentage of their VO2 max at a given intensity compared to a less economical runner. Economical runners demonstrate improved performance in both training and competition....
Post operative immobilization is often utilized after ACL surgery in an attempt to support the knee joint. The reasoning behind the bracing includes reducing abnormal forces across the knee, patient comfort, and reducing the risk of injury to the recently repaired tissues. Research has currently not found a strong benefit of early post operative bracing for...