Mobility exercises designed to improve range of motion within an affected joint or tissue are a valuable part of any rehabilitation program. Previously clinicians prescribed various bouts (3 x 30 seconds) of static stretching in an attempt to lengthen short muscles. Current research has shown these prescriptions are ineffective at changing muscle length and instead...
With the hypervigilance in abstaining from opioid prescriptions due to the opioid crisis, there has been an effort in determining alternate ways of providing analgesic effects for those in chronic pain. One of the most consistent modalities to help benefit with treatment is exercise. There has been many studies exploring the analgesic effect of exercise...
Low back pain remains the most common musculoskeletal diagnosis seen by primary care providers including Physical Therapists. While the majority of cases of low back pain are not serious in nature symptoms tend to be recurrent and can become chronic (> 3 months) if left untreated. As low back pain progresses from acute to chronic...
Physical Therapy interventions including manual therapy and exercise remain the primary intervention for patients with knee arthritis. These treatments have been shown to delay or prevent the need for costly, more invasive treatments including total knee replacement. Prescribed Physical Therapy exercises are designed to reduce pain, improve mobility, and increase a patient’s leg strength. Stronger...
Money and time is some of the finite resources in life. As our lives become busier with work, family, and life commitments our exercise time must become more effective and efficient. One of the biggest and most common mistakes individuals make in the gym is an ineffective cardiovascular or strength training intensity selection. Although any...
The acronym R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) has been utilized for decades in the clinical and self management of acute injuries. Clinicians have updated RICE to PRICE adding in protection of the injured area, but this acronym needs further updating. In general, the 4 of the components of this self treatment approach have merit...
In America we face a energy crisis where the CDC reports 1 in 3 adults and shockingly 1 in 5 kids are obese. The imbalance between caloric intake and caloric expenditure has literally tipped the scales and created an growing obesity problem. In Colorado we have seen our blue state (low levels of obesity) turn...
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the bony canals in the spine which surround the nerves which supply our lower extremities. The condition is common among aging adults, > 60 years old, and can lead to symptoms such as single or bilateral leg pain, numbness, pins and needles, and/or weakness. Often leg symptoms are...
Patellofemoral pain, or pain around the kneecap, is one of the most common types of knee pain we treat at MEND. It impacts up to 23% of the general population and 40% of those people have persistent symptoms that can last for years! Exercise programs targeting the hip and the knee have been proven effective...
Stretching either dynamically or statically has long been shown to create both short and long term improvements in flexibility, but the mechanism of action behind this form of exercise continues to evolve. Changing human tissue takes considerable time and consistent forces. For example, consider muscle growth or bone density adaptions to exercise. Previous research on...
