3 Reasons to Start Physical Therapy Sooner Rather Than Later
Life gets busy. Long days at work, plans with friends on the weekends, taking the kids to their activities. It can be easy to put care for oneself on the back burner and not take time for you. One thing you should never put off, however, is physical care for yourself. Whether you have nagging lower back pain or a shoulder ache you thought would resolve on its own, or maybe a stiff neck that appeared one morning when you woke up, it’s important to address the pain or injury. Fortunately, physical therapy can help manage all of these ailments and more. It’s time to make time for you, be proactive about your health, and seek physical therapy care sooner rather than later.
Cycling-Related Concussions: 3 Tips To Keep Yourself Safe
As an Athletico physical therapist and competitive cyclist, I am eager to share my love for cycling with others. Right now, I’m super excited about the Tour de France. Over the past several years, it’s been gratifying to see cycling grow in the United States as a competitive sport, a fun way to exercise, and an environmentally-friendly way to commute. All outdoor cyclists, from the Tour de France riders to the city commuters in Chicago, are at risk of crash-related injuries. One of the most common is concussions. In this blog, I will discuss what you can do, as well as what physical therapists can do, to help you protect yourself.
5 Ways Physical Therapy Can Help You Get Back to Work
People who work in labor intensive jobs are often thought of as “industrial athletes” due to the heavy physical demands of their jobs. In such settings, on-the-job injuries tend to be more common and it can be challenging to get back to work, especially when working requires lifting heavy loads, pushing, pulling, walking long distances, etc. In these situations, not only does the injured worker have to heal from their injury, but they also have to restore strength and endurance in order to return to work safely. Physical therapy after a work injury can decrease disability and impairment, so long as you are compliant with the program. Here are five ways your physical therapist can help you prepare to return to work after an injury or illness.
The Orthopedic Growing Pains of Parenting
Have you ever paid attention to the amount of times you lift or handle your newborn child or toddler throughout the day? As a parent of two growing children under the age of two, I could not help but notice (and feel the effects of) the physical demands of my kids. The bulky-but-useful changing stations, running strollers, ergo-carriers, standing towers, and bassinets all require lifting and/or carrying the child while assisting them into some (not always desired but necessary) positions. You do what you must as parents, but how exactly are you getting the job done and at what orthopedic cost? Here is a list of some common overuse injuries as well as a few tips that may prevent them with just a few seconds of extra thought and planning!
No Big Toe, No Big Deal?
Walking, running, jogging, dancing, are all functional activities we do daily without thinking about it. They simply come second nature to us and are essential to a healthy life. What if your big toe, also known as the hallux, was amputated? Would you still be able to do what you love at all or even with ease?
How Can Physical Therapy Help Your Headache?
Physical therapists are special health practitioners, but did you know they can treat people from head to toe? That certainly includes treating those dreaded headaches. Read on to learn more about headaches and the power physical therapy has in treating them.
How Long Is Too Long? When To Seek Help for Pain
The majority of individuals have experienced some form of physical pain or injury over the course their lives. Some adopt the “no pain, no gain” mentality while others seek medical attention right away. Is it ok to “work through the pain”? What about taking a “wait and see” approach prior to seeking medical care? How long is too long to wait prior to receiving medical care for pain?
Physical Therapy’s Role in the Workplace
Physical therapists play an active role in the care and prevention of Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace. Musculoskeletal pain refers to pain in the muscles, tendons, bones, joints, ligaments and nerves of the body. These MSDs are detrimental to the employee’s health, expensive for the business, and lead to lost time and turnover. In fact, musculoskeletal disorders are the largest healthcare expense in the U.S. Taken on in the form of workers’ compensation claims, MSDs account for over $50 billion dollars a year – many of which, may be preventable.
