Running is one of the most common recreational and athletic activities in Boulder, CO. Despite improvements in shoes, training methods, and exercise programs participants in this sport continue to see high injury rates most commonly in the lower body. In our Boulder Physical Therapy practice we frequently treat these injuries to accelerate an individual’s recovery...
Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) are the most common gastrointestinal disorders in the general population, accounting for about 40% of GI problems seen by doctors and therapists. FGID are disorders of gut-brain interaction, meaning the normal motility of the intestines or the sensitivity of the nerves that innervate the intestines are impaired. However, upon imaging, there...
Headaches are a universal experience, affecting millions worldwide. They come in various forms, from the dull ache of a tension headache to the debilitating throbs of a migraine. Sadly, these painful episodes significantly disrupt daily life, causing missed work, reduced productivity, and emotional distress. While medication delivers temporary relief, many seek long-term solutions. Fortunately, physical...
The trapezius is a large muscle that extends from the base of the skull, down to the T12 vertebra, and out to the scapula and clavicle. This muscle plays a crucial role in performance and injury prevention for rock climbers. Its function is to stabilize the scapula during shoulder movements such as the pull up,...
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is the descent or tissue laxity of the front (bladder), back (rectum), or top (cervical) aspect of the vaginal wall. With less support from connective tissue and muscles of the pelvis, the bladder, uterus, or rectum can press on the vaginal wall contributing to increased pelvic pressure or bulge sensation. The...
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylalgia is the most common reason for elbow pain and 2nd most common overuse injury in the arm after the shoulder. Lateral elbow pain was previously described as an inflammatory condition, but we now know this condition affects the muscles’ common insertion point where the tendon meets the...
Low back pain remains one of the most common symptoms seen by both physicians and Physical Therapists. Physical Therapy remains the gold standard for the conservative treatment of low back pain due to its’ clinical effectiveness and cost savings vs. other forms of treatment including usual care. In our Boulder Physical Therapy practice we consistently...
At our Boulder pelvic physical therapy clinic, we often see the cause of a pelvic floor dysfunction being tension, not weakness, of pelvic floor muscles. This applies not just to those that identify as female, but those identifying as males as well. Muscles that are holding more tension than they should, cannot properly function. So...
During the rehabilitation of rock climbers, many respond favorably to manual therapy techniques such as dry needling and joint mobilizations. Physical Therapy spinal and extremity joint mobilizations are slow passive movements applied to a patient’s joint surfaces. These interventions have been shown to decrease pain, improve range of motion, and increase the immediate force production...
Lateral elbow pain (aka lateral epicondylalgia, aka tennis elbow) is a very common condition experienced by rock climbers. The most common cause of lateral elbow pain is chronic degeneration of the tendons that attach at the lateral epicondyle of the elbow. These structures become painful with the repetitive stress of climbing, particularly with crimping, pinching,...
