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Mend Physical Therapy Blog and Injury Information

Meniscal tears, either traumatic or degenerative in nature, are a common source of knee pain in patients presenting to our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics.  Degenerative tears most commonly observed in middle or older aged adults have become a recent topic of interest in the media and medical research.  Authors and researchers...

Will My Meniscal Tear Worsen If I Don’t Have Surgery?

The meniscus are found on the inside and outside of each knee.  They provide cushion and stability between the two bones joining at the knee.  A meniscal tear is one of the more common knee injuries and can occur with trauma such as compression and rotation (ex. cutting) or occur with aging.  The latter tear,...

What Is The Best Form Of Exercise For Patients With Patellar Tendinopathy

Patellar tendinopathy is a painful condition along the tendon below the knee cap commonly diagnosed in jumping or bounding athletes.  In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we often encounter this diagnosis among patients who did too much too soon or too little for too long.  Tendons require consistent loading through exercise...

Will PRP Help With My Patellar Tendon Pain?

Platelet Rich Plasma continues to gain in popularity for the treatment of a variety of musculoskeletal conditions.  Currently, the clinical application of PRP significantly outpaces the amount of research backing its’ utilization in patients.  Explaining in part why this treatment is often not covered by insurance companies for the treatment of these conditions. Patients in...

Physical Therapy Prior To Knee Replacement Improves Outcomes After Surgery

Manual therapy and exercise remain the key conservative treatment interventions for patients with knee arthritis. In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we successfully treat knee pain and lost function associated with knee arthritis. In some individuals conservative interventions are not enough to improve function and they may elect to undergo a...

Physical Therapy Prior To Total Knee Replacement Improves Post Operative Recovery

Knee osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease world wide and one of the leading causes of disability. Thankfully this condition is successfully managed conservatively utilizing Physical Therapy interventions including manual therapy and exercise. Previous research has shown these Physical Therapy interventions can postpone or prevent the knee for knee replacement. In some cases, conservative...

What Are The Best Treatments For Patellofemoral Pain?

Patellofemoral Pain, or pain around the knee cap, is the most common source of knee pain. Although common, patellofemoral pain can lead to significant limitations in daily, occupational, and recreational activities. Left untreated, 50% of patients with patellofemoral pain report symptoms at a 5 year follow up. In our Boulder Physical Therapy practice we commonly...

Research Finds Little To No Clinical Benefit For Arthroscopic Surgery For Knee Arthritis Or Degenerative Meniscal Tears

Arthroscopic surgery remains a common procedure for patients with knee arthritis and degenerative meniscal tears despite medical evidence questioning its’ utilization. Previous research papers have not shown a clinically significant benefit for this procedure and some have shown it has not outperformed a placebo surgery for these conditions. The increasing evidence has led to medical...