Chronic low back pain can be a debilitating condition and has the potential to affect anyone. In our Boulder Physical Therapy practice, Yoga can be a cost-effective way to help reduce low back pain. This is not just something that makes intuitive sense but has been demonstrated in rigorous scientific studies that provide hard numbers...
Whether you want to increase your back squat, shave some time off your Fran score, or take fewer breaks on your uphill skin, you will need to focus on glute strength. The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body, and is responsible for hip extension, lateral rotation, and abduction...
1. Testicular pain Yes, men can benefit from pelvic physical therapy. Testicular pain is often not an issue with the testicle itself, but rather a presentation of a pelvic floor dysfunction. This may be due to pelvic floor muscle overactivity. Referral patterns of pelvic floor or even abdominal muscles can be into the testicles and...
At our Lafayette Physical Therapy and Boulder Physical Therapy clinics we are continuously working on getting runners back to the sport they love. There is great research available these days for examining the best ways to get athletes back to running. The article “External loading of common training drills: Ranking drills to design progressive return-to-run...
As a CrossFit Athlete, skier, runner, pickle-baller, or anyone in between, warming up is crucial to reduce the risk of injury and improve performance. There is a significant body of scientific research supporting the importance of task specificity and muscle activation during warm-up exercises to reduce injury and increase performance. Below we outline some considerations...
Climbing is a demanding sport that requires exceptional grip strength and finger dexterity. Because of this, climbers are at risk of developing finger injuries, including lumbrical strains, which can significantly affect their climbing ability. In this article, we will explore the biomechanics of lumbrical strain in climbing, its etiology, and management strategies. The lumbricals are...
Findings in a new study are now more than ever clearly defining the link between the brain and the gut microbiome. The study showed regular laxative use tied to increased risk of dementia. Researchers followed over 500,000 UK residents over 10 years and those that regularly used osmotic laxatives (stool softeners) or a combination of...
As many as 50% of people with chronic constipation have pelvic floor dysfunction. This dysfunction is commonly diagnosed as “pelvic floor dyssynergia,” which is a fancy way of saying the pelvic floor muscles are not coordinating correctly to have a bowel movement. When the muscles aren’t coordinated correctly, there is disruption in the signals our...
In our Lafayette Physical Therapy and Boulder Physical Therapy clinics we commonly examine and treat runners with overuse injuries. The article “Risk factors for overuse injuries in short- and long-distance running: A systematic review” examines the risk factors associated with overuse injuries in both short and long-distance running. The study involved a systematic review of...
In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we commonly are asked the question on the link between running and knee arthritis. The evidence keeps pointing to a lack of correlation between running and arthritis of the knee. Authors of the study “Running Does Not Increase Symptoms or Structural Progression in People with...