Blog

Rotator cuff injuries span the spectrum from acute strains to chronic tendon pain (tendinopathy) and rotator cuff tears. Physical Therapy remains the gold standard, first line treatment for all rotator cuff injuries due to its’ cost and clinical effectiveness treating these disorders. A Physical Therapy first strategy has been reinforced by recent research demonstrating equivalent...

Shoulder pain remains one of the most frequent reasons patients seek care from a Physical Therapist.  Although many diagnoses create symptoms in the shoulder region, rotator cuff tendon pain is one of the most common.  Descriptions of tendon pain such as tendinitis are being disproven by the research due to a lack of inflammatory process...

Achilles Tendon Problems Achilles tendinopathy commonly occurs in runners and jumpers, with up to 50% experiencing the condition in their lifetime(1). Not all those affected are active with 33% of individuals reporting a sedentary lifestyle(2). Individuals with this condition report pain, stiffness, and loss of function with daily and recreational activities. This condition was originally...

Patellar tendonitis (tendinopathy) is common among jumping athletes requiring repetitive jumping, landing, and squatting movements.  This overuse injury was thought to have a inflammatory component (ex. tendonitis) but more current research supports the term tendinopathy.  This term indicates a disruption in tendon fiber characteristics and alignment leading to a loss of its’ tensile strength.  Resting...

Rotator cuff tears are a common injury in middle to older aged adults. Tears can be gradual or degenerative in nature associated prior injury (tendinopathy) or acute and traumatic from a fall or sudden trauma to the shoulder. The severity of the injury including tear depth and size, as well as, the number of tears...

Isometrics, muscle contractions without movement of a joint, have been utilized for many decades as a form of strength training and performance, but have recently been highlighted as an effective treatment for tendon pain. In our Boulder Physical Therapy practice, isometrics are helpful to initially load a tissue after surgery or injury, as well as,...

What are the best exercises for gluteus maximus?

Whether you want to increase your back squat, shave some time off your Fran score, or take fewer breaks on your uphill skin, you will need to focus on glute strength. The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body, and is responsible for hip extension, lateral rotation, and abduction...