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As we have detailed in previous blog posts, surgical rates for both hip labral tears and hip impingment (femoroacetabular impingement or FAI) have shown a dramatic increase over the last 10 years. These increases are largely attributed to higher utilization of MRI testing and subsequent referrals to greater numbers of surgeons trained in hip arthroscopic...

Lifting Heavy to Build Strong Bones: How High-Intensity Strength Training Is Essential to Improve Bone Density

By: Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS If you’ve been told you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, it’s natural to feel cautious about movement—especially anything involving weights. Many women are advised to “be careful,” “avoid heavy lifting,” or stick to walking and light exercise. In reality, this advice is not only outdated, but may be doing you...

All of us will undergo a progressive loss of muscle mass as we age called sacropenia.  The key modifying variable is how quickly an individual loses this muscle mass over time.  Previous research on resistance training has shown a significant reduction in the rate of this loss over time among both experienced and novice weight...

Have Flat Feet? Exercise vs. Orthotics

Pes planus, otherwise known as flatfoot, is a common condition experienced by many individuals that is often associated with plantar fasciitis and development of knee and hip pain. Foot orthotics are commonly prescribed as a first line intervention for individuals with pes planus, but the research shows that short foot exercises should be included as...

Optimize Your Workouts to Your Menstrual Cycle

By: Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS During a woman’s monthly cycle, the concentrations of hormones will vary significantly. But, what we don’t often realize is that these fluctuations can affect our athletic performance. Two hormones—estrogen and progesterone—play central roles in our energy levels, recovery, and exercise tolerance. Understanding how these hormones shift across the menstrual...

Roughly 24 million American golfers participated in the sport at least once in the last year. The game of golf places unique demands on the human body not seen in many other sports. Specifically, proper swing mechanics require adequate strength and range of motion throughout the hips and spine. This is often noted in the...

The 6-week postpartum doctor’s visit is when women are often “cleared” for activity and are often advised to start slowly and gradually build exercise volume. Running is a popular activity in the postpartum population given the flexibility of scheduling exercise, weight loss and fitness benefits and ability to participate in exercise with your baby (once...