As climbers, we know that finger strength and endurance are key factors in our performance on the wall. That’s why it’s essential to stay informed about the latest research on the finger pulley system—the intricate network of tendons and ligaments that support our finger joints. In this article, we will explore the findings of a...
One of the most common questions we hear at our physical therapy practice regards single-sided injuries. After breaking an arm or leg, for example, a patient will ask if they should be exercising the muscles on the “unaffected” side of their body. It’s certainly reasonable to worry about muscle loss on one side of the...
The effects of pregnancy on bone health in premenopausal women can lead to changes in bone mineral density (BMD). During early pregnancy, there is an increase in bone remodeling, which can result in a decline in BMD. The magnitude of BMD loss during pregnancy varies among studies and skeletal locations, ranging from less than 1%...
In our Boulder Physical Therapy clinic we are often asked what is the most important muscle to work on with exercise if you’re training or looking to train handstands. When it comes to muscles in the shoulder, there’s one that seems to be more important than the rest for handstands. A study by Kinoshita et...
Knee arthritis is one of the most common knee pain conditions treated in our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy offices. Physical Therapy remains the gold standard of care for the conservative treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Multiple research studies support the utilization of manual therapy and exercise for patients with this condition. Including articles...
Women can experience a lot of undesirable symptoms during perimenopause, including reduced energy levels, dramatic mood changes, and incredibly uncomfortable hot flashes. Many also notice changes in their body composition, including the loss of lean muscle mass and increased abdominal fat. Put another way, perimenopause is stressful for everyone; however, it can be especially frustrating...
Dementia is one of the most common mental health disorders affecting many older adults around the world. Authors estimate 50 million around the world suffer with this diagnosis at a staggering cost of 1 trillion dollars a year. Although the causes of dementia are multifactorial previous researchers have shown many modifiable risk factors, including smoking,...
A lot of clients I work with in our Boulder Physical Therapy practice report wrist pain in their handstands. While there can be multiple contributors to wrist pain, including a loss of upper body mobility or strength, one of the most common issues I see is lack of overhead shoulder mobility. When the arm is...
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...
At our Lafayette Physical Therapy and Boulder Physical Therapy clinics we are continuously working on getting runners back to the sport they love. There is great research available these days for examining the best ways to get athletes back to running. The article “External loading of common training drills: Ranking drills to design progressive return-to-run...
