Exercise has tremendous effects on our physical, mental, and emotional health. It also remains one of our most powerful strategies to reduce pain. We can all attest to the overall great feelings that occur after a challenging workout or activity. This reduction in mental, emotional, or physical pain after a single bout of exercise is...
By: Maggie Gebhardt, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT Myofascial pain can mean a lot of things, but in essence it is the painful condition that results from alterations in the muscle and fascial system of the body. Any area of the body can be affected, and it can manifest as muscle pain, referred pain, stiffness, and...
Our nervous system is excellent at notifying us to a painful (noxious) stimulus in acute situations such as touching a hot stove or stepping on a lego. Under normal conditions as the painful stimulus resolves due to avoiding the behavior or tissue healing pain is no longer represented in the brain. For reasons we don’t...
Patients in chronic or persistent pain often do not meet national guidelines for exercise each week. In particular, patients with chronic low back pain have been shown to reduce daily, occupational, and recreational activities due to their symptoms and fear of re injury. Aerobic and strength training exercise remains one of the most important interventions...
Chronic or persistent pain is defined by pain that extends beyond 12 weeks or the normal healing time for a given injury/diagnosis despite treatment. Our medical system does a great job treating new or acute pain, but has struggled to be as effective with patients dealing with chronic pain. It is estimated 1 in 4...
Exercise remains an essential intervention of any acute or chronic pain management program. The effects of aerobic exercise on pain reduction (analgesia) is well established and thought to occur through a multifactorial process involving positive neurological (peripheral nerves, spinal cord, and brain), as well as, immunological, and circulatory changes in the body. The analgesic effects...
Cupping is an intervention dating back at least 1000 years, but has experienced a resurgence in popularity due in part to the visible red circles found on many high level athletes’ bodies. Although touted to benefit multiple body systems cupping lacks scientific data from methodologically sound research studies, including randomized controlled trials. Within the musculoskeletal...
Chronic low back pain is a common condition described as pain lasting longer than 3 months in duration. At this point in a patient’s recovery, active interventions such as graded aerobic exercise and strength training take on a greater importance in a patient’s recovery. These interventions are most valuable in order to reduce the pain...
Low back pain is the leading cause of disability in our country, costing billions of dollars per year, felt by both the healthcare system and taxpayers. Acute low back pain lasting less than 30 days is a very common condition experienced by up to 90% of us during our lifespans. Thankfully, there is a very...
Exercise is a powerful pain modulator. This well-established concept has been rigorously studied and trial after trial show that low, moderate, and vigorous exercise provides short term decreases in pain sensitivity. But there is more to it than just performing body movements. Researchers are now looking at how personal expectations and education regarding exercise affects...