Direct access physical therapy in Colorado allows patients to see a licensed physical therapist without first getting a doctor’s referral. This means many people can begin physical therapy right away, rather than waiting for a physician visit before scheduling care. If you’ve ever delayed physical therapy because you thought a referral was required, you’re not...
It is estimated that between 1-10% of vaginal births result in 3rd or 4th degree perineal tears. To learn more about the different grades of perineal tears click here. Understanding the risk factors and possible techniques for prevention of 3rd and 4th degree perineal tears, also known as obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS), is incredibly...
By: Maggie Gebhardt, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT The hip joint can be a source of pain for many people and the reason why can often be confusing. The most common thing we think of when it comes to hip pain is arthritis. However, there are many different causes of hip pain not related to arthritis...
Background Hamstring injuries are one of the most common injuries in athletics accounting for up to 20% of all sports injuries (Wing et al. 2020). Injuries can be both acute due to a traumatic injury or overuse in nature due to exposure to higher training volumes over time. Both types of injuries can lead to...
Introduction Low back pain (LBP) is a common, disabling condition with both musculoskeletal and non musculoskeletal contributions. It has been reported that greater than 80% of individuals will experience LBP within their lifetime and 20-30% of individuals are affected with these symptoms at any point in time[1]. Katz et al. reported the cumulative cost to...
The pelvic floor consists of muscles, ligaments, fascia and nerves located within the bony pelvis of women and men. In physical therapy we often discuss the muscles of the pelvic floor and may simply refer to these as the “pelvic floor”. These muscles serve essential functions including: Support for pelvic organs (bladder, uterus, bowel) Control...
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...
A recent article in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy (Deering et al, June 2020) discusses the research currently available to guide a return to exercise (including competitive sport) after pregnancy and childbirth. The short answer is, there’s not much. The article proposes a 3 phase approach to postpartum recovery in athletes. Phases...
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is defined as the involuntary loss of urine with activities that increase intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) such as coughing or sneezing. High-impact activities such as running, rotational movements, or jumping can also increase intra-abdominal pressure. Many people associate involuntary urinary loss with increased age or history of pregnancy and delivery. A number...
What’s considered “normal” when it comes to bladder health and urination? The following is some basic information I use to screen people for possible bladder dysfunction and help them better identify the habits that may be contributing to their urinary symptoms. It’s important to remember there is no exact set of normal bladder habits, but...
