The physical benefits of aerobic and resistance exercise are well known and established, but we are learning more about the emotional and mental health benefits of daily exercise. The National Institutes of Health reports 19% of American adults will be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and more than 30% may develop an anxiety disorder in...
Flexibility remains one of the most commonly assessed and prescribed areas in health and fitness. A significant amount of time and resources continue to be dedicated to this mode of exercise often at the expense of more valuable areas including aerobic exercise and strength training. Although mobility focused Physical Therapy exercises have their place and...
Plantar heel pain, including plantar fasciitis and plantar fasciosis, is associated with pain along the heel and arch of the foot worsened with prolonged standing, walking, or running. This diagnosis is also associated with intense pain first thing in the morning or upon standing after prolonged sitting. Researchers report athletes, active, as well as, sedentary...
Foam rolling is an effective home exercise to improve muscular pain, flexibility, and performance. Our previous blog posts detailed the performance benefits of performing foam rolling either before or after your exercise workouts. Our current understanding of the mechanisms behind these benefits are based on two categories: local circulation and improved stretch tolerance. As our...
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a relatively common condition affecting older adults. Narrowing of the bony canals surrounding the spinal nerves due to arthritis and/or loss vertebral disc height increases the probability of nerve compression. Patient’s often describe leg pain greater than back pain, as well as, associated numbness, pins and needles, or weakness in their...
Few things remind me of how far we have come as a profession than ultrasound. Early in my career we utilized ultrasound and other modalities to help reduce a patients pain. Initially touted as a medium to deep tissue heating and healing, ultrasound has now fallen out of favor due to the lack of research...
Our bodies require calories to run effectively and efficiently. The vast majority of our daily caloric needs are required to support our body’s metabolism and cellular functions. Roughly 10-20% of our daily calories go toward fueling our exercise participation each day. If these burned calories are not replaced by increased consumption a caloric deficit is...
Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm abnormality diagnosed by physicians. A multi modal treatment plan, including medications, procedures, and exercise, is often indicated to help control the progression of the arrhythmia and improve an individual’s quality of life. Patients cleared by their physician to begin or continue an exercise program often report significant...
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a relatively common condition in older adults with an estimated incidence of 1 in every 1000 adults over 65 years old. Age related changes in the spine lead to increased weight bearing across the posterior elements of the spine, arthritic changes in spinal joints, and decreased cross sectional area in the...
Non Steroid Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen are the most common drugs listed on our patients intake paperwork. Patients are often using these drugs due to their beneficial effects on pain and inflammation. Due to being sold over the counter these drugs are often thought to be free of side effects, but they...
