Five simple ways you can stay active

Too many of us have an all-or-nothing attitude when it comes to staying fit. This attitude makes it very easy to find excuses not to stay active. We’re too “slammed” at work for the gym. Our kids’ activities are keeping us in the car — and off the jogging path — for long hours.  These […]

Why you should be treating arthritis pain without the meds

Osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis. Gout. Psoriatic arthritis. There are many different types of arthritis that could be making your movements painful.  Arthritis is a catchall term used to describe more than 100 different kinds of joint pain and joint disease. The broadness of this category is likely one reason that more than 54 million Americans suffer […]

Physical therapy-based treatment options for your arthritis pain

Joint pain. Stiffness in your joints. Difficulty walking or playing with your grandkids. These are just some of the effects arthritis can commonly have.  For the more than 54 million Americans who have arthritis, physical therapy can be an excellent option. Using physical therapy to treat arthritis might not be a new suggestion for you. […]

How to prepare for surgery with physical therapy

Physicians usually recommend surgery as a treatment only if they believe conservative treatments will not work. Surgery is invasive and risky and causes a lot of pain afterward when you’re recovering. However, sometimes it is the right choice for helping you with your pain or injuries. When you need to have surgery, it’s important to […]

Can you regain strength with ALS with exercise?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive condition that has no known cure. Over time, it slowly deteriorates your muscles, limiting your range of motion and even affecting your ability to eat food or breathe. While ALS has no cure, there are still treatments and techniques that can help. One technique you may want to […]

Three benefits of breaking up scar tissue with physical therapy

Sooner or later, most people experience some type of injury that can lead to the development of scar tissue. Scar tissue is tough tissue that develops in your muscles after a tear or incision heals. Because surgery involves incisions in the muscles, it’s normal to develop scar tissue after an operation too. Scar tissue is […]

Five conditions that cause chronic headaches and neck pain

An occasional minor headache is usually no cause for alarm, but chronic headaches and neck pain can cause you to miss out on the important things in life, like quality time with your family.  Neck pain and headaches are often connected because of conditions in your neck that spread pain into your head. These are […]

What causes elbow pain when bending and straightening my arm?

You rely on the use of your elbows for many of your actions throughout the day. Getting dressed, taking a shower, cooking, gardening and many other activities all require the use of your arms and the elbows. When one or both of your elbows are in pain when bending and straightening your arm, it can […]

What’s the best treatment for fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a condition that doctors define as having chronic pain at 11 of 18 predetermined points in the body. It’s also a fairly common issue since this condition is estimated to affect up to 12 million Americans.  If you’re one of the people with this condition, you might be wondering what the best treatment […]

I can’t bend my knee without pain — what do I do?

Dealing with knee pain is becoming more and more common. One group of researchers report that knee pain increased more than 65% between 1974 and 1994. It’s also clear that this trend has continued, since almost 20% of people suffer from knee pain every year.  If you can’t bend your knee without pain, you might […]

Which exercises work best for elderly spinal stenosis patients?

Feeling pain in your lower back, buttocks and upper thigh could be signs that you have lumbar spinal stenosis. The likelihood is even higher if the pain doesn’t run down the leg, since this rules out other issues like sciatica. As many as 500,000 Americans could currently have spinal stenosis, and it’s especially common in […]

Use these two exercises after a hip replacement

Hip osteoarthritis is a serious issue, and up to 27% of adults over 45 have signs of this hip issue. The result is that more than 300,000 total hip replacements per year are done to treat patients with serious hip osteoarthritis.  Physical therapy can have huge benefits for patients after their hip replacement. One study […]