Blog

Mend Physical Therapy Blog and Injury Information
Using Rucking to Improve Your Fitness and Bone Density

Rucking, the straightforward yet powerful exercise of walking with a weighted backpack, combines the benefits of bone density health and strength training. The added weight provides a resistance that engages various muscle groups, promoting strength and muscle development throughout the body. This not only enhances overall physical fitness but also contributes to improved metabolism and...

Concussion Increases Risk Of Future Knee Or Ankle Injury

Concussions are a common injury with an estimated incidence of 600 cases each year for each 100,000 people.  Previous researchers have found movement impairments in athletes following concussion which may contribute to the increased injury risk seen in concussed athletes vs. their healthy peers.  Researchers have found athletes who sustain a concussion are at a...

How To Prevent Neck Pain

Neck pain is a common condition affecting up to 80% of the population at some point in their lives.  Unfortunately, without treatment neck pain can become recurrent in nature.  In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we treat neck pain with a combination of manual therapy, exercise, and education.  Treatment by Physical...

Will My Meniscal Tear Worsen If I Don’t Have Surgery?

The meniscus are found on the inside and outside of each knee.  They provide cushion and stability between the two bones joining at the knee.  A meniscal tear is one of the more common knee injuries and can occur with trauma such as compression and rotation (ex. cutting) or occur with aging.  The latter tear,...

Novice And Experienced Weight Training Participants Are Not Lifting Heavy Enough

Strength training participation is increasing as more and more Americans realize the health benefits of this form of exercise.  Current research continues to support the mental, emotional, and physical benefits of strength training.  Strength training principles require participants to select a weight designed to fatigue a given muscle within the desired reps.  For example, if...

What Is Genitourinary Syndrome And Why You Should Know About It

What is GSM? Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is a relatively new term that describes various signs and symptoms associated with menopause. These include genital symptoms (vaginal dryness, burning, and irritation), sexual symptoms (dryness, pain, discomfort, and impaired function), and urinary symptoms (urgency, dysuria, and recurrent UTIs).  During menopause, the production of estrogen and progesterone decreases....

What Is The Best Form Of Exercise For Patients With Patellar Tendinopathy

Patellar tendinopathy is a painful condition along the tendon below the knee cap commonly diagnosed in jumping or bounding athletes.  In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we often encounter this diagnosis among patients who did too much too soon or too little for too long.  Tendons require consistent loading through exercise...

Will PRP Help With My Patellar Tendon Pain?

Platelet Rich Plasma continues to gain in popularity for the treatment of a variety of musculoskeletal conditions.  Currently, the clinical application of PRP significantly outpaces the amount of research backing its’ utilization in patients.  Explaining in part why this treatment is often not covered by insurance companies for the treatment of these conditions. Patients in...

Non Surgical Treatments For Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse (or “POP”) occurs when the muscles and connective tissues that support pelvic organs weaken causing descent of the organ (or organs) from their original positions into the pelvic cavity. The type of prolapse depends on where the weakness occurs and what organs are affected. Organs can prolapse independently of one another or...