In our prior posts on heel pain and plantar fasciitis we described the growing evidence supporting the utilization of treatments by Physical Therapists including manual therapy and exercise. This treatment approach is supported by established clinical practice guidelines and is more effective than modalities including ultrasound and other passive interventions. Interestingly, despite the evidence only...
Low back pain is the most common reason patients seek out the care of their primary care physician and Physical Therapist. Physical Therapy has been shown to be an effective first line treatment for both managing the symptoms of low back pain, as well as, preventing their recurrence. Manual therapy techniques performed by Physical Therapists...
Treatment of the thoracic spine utilizing joint mobilization or manipulation is a excellent treatment approach to accelerate the recovery of patients dealing with neck, elbow, and shoulder pain. Utilizing a regional interdependence approach where areas adjacent or distant to the site of pain are treated by the physical therapist, in addition to the painful area, lead...
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common condition in middle to older age and is a leading cause of pain and disability among this population. Our prior posts detailed improvements in cartilage thickness occurring in individuals with mild knee OA after a lower body exercise program. In advanced stages of knee OA or with a progressive...
Our prior posts on tendon injuries have described the structural changes that take place with chronic symptomatic tendinopathies. The disorganization of tendon fibers and the body’s attempts to heal the injured tendon are best viewed on ultrasound or MRI imaging. MRI is a very sensitive tool, but lacks specificity meaning a positive finding may or...
Elbow pain on the outside of the elbow is most common in individuals’ aged 30-50 y.o. and effects 1-3% of the general population (Shiri et al. 2006). Risk factors for this condition include blue collar workers utilizing repetitive gripping and manipulation in the work place, smokers, and tennis athletes. This condition has previously been described...
Knee Pain Background Anterior knee pain is a term used to encompass many conditions affecting structures of the knee. The majority of these cases can be attributed to patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) or an abnormal tracking of the patella on the femoral groove secondary to changes in lower extremity alignment, muscle imbalance, or training errors...
Neck Pain Background Information Neck pain affects 10-15% of the population at any one time, with a lifetime incidence of 22-70% (1). Only 6% of patients with neck pain report resolution of symptoms at one year (2). A recent systematic review demonstrated the prognosis from idiopathic neck pain is poor (3) and 50-75% of patients with neck...
Lateral Elbow Pain and Lateral Epicondylalgia Lateral epicondylalgia, also known as tennis elbow, is an overuse injury involving the common origin tendon of the wrist and finger extensors. Patients with this condition often report pain in the lateral elbow exacerbated by gripping, lifting, or manipu- lating objects with their hands. Previously thought to be a...
Knee Arthritis Background Information Osteoarthritis (OA) costs have risen to 13.2 billion dollars per year and is the leading cause of disability in adults (1). Knee OA is the most common area affected and leads to mild to moderate disability in more than 10% of adults over age 55 (2). Up to 70% of...