Why Does My Hand Fall Asleep at Night?
Numbness and tingling in your hand can be described as “your hand falling asleep.” But what does this really mean? Tingling and numbness is a type of nerve pain that typically subsides with the limb’s movement. In this case, the pain is usually due to restricted blood flow. The tingling can feel uncomfortable and unpleasant, but it is only temporary. Sometimes people complain of waking up in the middle of the night with numbness or tingling in their hand or arm, they may not experience these symptoms during the day, or the symptoms are not as noticeable.
Why You Shouldn’t Put Off Your Ankle Pain
We’ve all tweaked our ankles at some point in our lives. Some of us have even done it so forcefully that we have sprained a ligament, broken a bone, or strained a muscle. Hopefully, you took appropriate care and are feeling better, but often in my practice, I hear the dreaded phrase, “oh yeah, that’s my bad ankle. It never got better after I did (insert something youthful and nostalgic here).”
There are two forms of untreated ankle issues I see in the clinic regularly. The painful ankle that is effectively avoided or the stiff ankle that the patient thinks is normal. Both can have long-term effects on ankle health and wear and tear on the knees, hips, and even low backs.
Things You Should Know About Diastasis Recti
Whenever there is a large expansion experienced throughout your trunk, all of the abdominal muscles will be affected. Normal weight gain during pregnancy, abdominal weight gain in the absence of pregnancy, and having an abdominal surgery are all reasons someone may be diagnosed with Diastasis Recti (DRA). A Diastasis Recti means a separation of the abdominal muscles and their associated fascia that holds them together at the midline of the trunk. An abdominal separation greater than .9 to 2.7cm along the midline of the abdomen from the sternum (breastbone) to the pubic symphysis (joint between your left and right pelvic bone), is considered DRA. DRA by itself is not the main issue; the symptoms that may arise are more prevalent in determining the relevance of having a DRA. Some individuals are asymptomatic and may not seek physical therapy care to address it.
2 Conditions You Didn’t Know a Pelvic Rehabilitation Specialist Could Treat
Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation is beneficial for all genders. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists treat patients with numerous conditions, such as Erectile Dysfunction, Pelvic Pain, Constipation, and Urinary Incontinence. To understand how a Pelvic Rehabilitation Specialist may help you, you must explore the purpose and function of the pelvis.
How to Succeed in PT following ACL Reconstruction Surgery
“I don’t really have the words right now, definitely not the right ones at least,” this was the quote from Odell Beckham Jr. following his 2nd ACL tear during Superbowl LVI. Most people know that an ACL tear is a common knee injury that requires a long, tenacious recovery. Once an ACL is torn, the risk of re-tear or tearing the opposite side is 20-35% more likely4. The above statistic may be alarming and is why ACL reconstruction rehabilitation needs to be taken very seriously.
Do I Need to Stretch My Ankles?
If you have been inside a gym or physical therapy office, you may have heard the phrase “stretch your calves.” This phrase can mean so many different things to so many different people. Let’s take a few minutes to clear up the confusion, and ensure everyone gets the most out of their exercise routine.
Importance of Work Conditioning For Employers and Employees
In 2019, the CDC estimated that 2.4 million workers sustained work-related injuries. Work injuries carry a unique set of stress for the injured worker combining the recovery challenges with the unknown ability to return to work.
Many patients are prescribed physical or occupational therapy to address pain and loss of function associated with their injury. Often, the injured workers can fully recover and return to their prior physical ability. Yet achieving this goal only addresses one of the two concerns for the injured worker. After regaining function, the injured worker is often left wondering if they will be able to make a full return to work.
Why You Should Choose PT First for Low Back Pain
Low back pain is a common disorder that affects 84% of adults at some point in their lives. The good news about this is that most back pain gets better without needing imaging (Xrays, MRIs). In most cases, imaging is an unnecessary intervention, particularly in the first six weeks, that costs a significant amount of money to patients. One study found no long-term difference between patients who underwent surgery and those who only did conservative management (therapy) for sciatica. Also, it was found that low back fusion surgery was not more effective than conservative management (therapy) when treating chronic low back pain in patients with lumbar spine pathologies and leads to greater long-term complications such as instability above and below the level of fusion.
