Sciatica is an umbrella term used to describe leg symptoms, such as pain, numbness, or tingling, caused by spinal conditions. Irritation or entrapment of the spinal nerves as they exit the spinal canal can lead to severe symptoms and disability. The majority of these cases can be treated conservatively including Physical Therapy and possible spinal...
The use of lumbar corticosteroid injections is often utilized for patients with back and leg pain (radicular pain) and/or leg numbness, pins and needles, or nerve root weakness (radiculopathy). In an older adult these symptoms may be due to a narrowing of the canals in which the lumbar nerve roots exit (lumbar stenosis). These injections...
By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS If you’ve ever tried stretching or foam rolling only to still feel stiff, limited, or “stuck,” there’s a reason. While those tools can be helpful, they often miss a key piece of the puzzle: the joint capsule. That’s where banded joint mobilizations come in. Using a thick resistance band...
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...
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...
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...
Arm pain referred from the cervical spine (cervical radiculopathy) often is the result of nerve root compression by either bone or soft tissue in the bony canals of the neck. These canals protect the nerve roots as they exit from the spinal cord, but can also compress these neural structures leading to pain, numbness, pins and...
1. You have experienced an illustrious and diverse career in research, education and clinical work. What is the secret to your success in all of these disciplines? I have been very blessed to have such a great career in physical therapy – I firmly believe that the reason for any of the success that I...
Thoracic manipulation by Physical Therapists has previously been shown to improve pain and function in patients with elbow, shoulder, and neck pain. Authors continue to research the mechanisms behind its’ effectiveness including a beneficial cascade of events in the peripheral and central nervous system, as well as, a possible biomechanical change in the spinal joints....
Spinal manipulation, dating at least to Hippocrates’ writings, is one of the oldest known medical treatments. Currently, these treatments are commonly performed by Physical Therapists, chiropractors, and physicians to treat a variety of musculoskeletal pains. Evidence supporting spinal manipulation is primarily found in three areas: headache, neck pain, and low back pain. This data supports...
