By: Maggie Gebhardt, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT For runners in Boulder and Lafayette, efficiency is key. One overlooked factor in running performance is 1st toe extension. What is the Windlass Mechanism in Running? The Windlass Mechanism involves the big toe lifting (extending), which tightens the plantar fascia and arch. This action helps the foot become...
By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS If you live in Colorado, being active is part of life. Hiking, skiing, trail running, biking. But here’s something most people don’t realize: the previous American College of Sports Medicine resistance training guidelines had not been significantly updated in nearly two decades, meaning much of what people believed about...
By: Kristin Carpenter, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT Low back pain affects 60–80% of people at some point in their lives (Roth, 2022). For athletes and active adults in Boulder County, back pain can be especially frustrating because it interferes with training, outdoor activities, and performance. Whether you enjoy barbell training, cycling, running, skiing, or CrossFit,...
Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain is a frequently overlooked source of low back and hip pain in athletes. The SI joints sit at the base of the spine where the sacrum meets the pelvis, playing a critical role in transferring force between the trunk and lower body. When irritation or dysfunction develops in this joint, athletes...
An ACL tear does not automatically mean surgery is required. In the past, reconstruction was commonly recommended for nearly every ACL injury. However, more recent research shows some patients can achieve similar outcomes with structured physical therapy compared to surgery followed by rehabilitation. Studies comparing early surgery with early physical therapy have found no significant...
ACL injuries are among the most common serious knee injuries in alpine skiing because the sport combines speed, uneven terrain, and sudden directional changes that place rotational stress on the knee. When a skier falls with the ski fixed in the snow as the body continues to rotate, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) can tear....
By: Kristin Carpenter, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT If you’re a woman in your 40s or 50s and suddenly experiencing more joint pain, muscle aches, or back pain, you’re not imagining it. Many women notice new or worsening musculoskeletal pain during perimenopause, the hormonal transition leading up to menopause. These symptoms can feel confusing especially if...
VO2 max is an individual’s maximum utilization of oxygen during exercise. It remains the gold standard for measuring an individual’s cardiovascular fitness, but this measurement is also strongly correlated to our health and lifespan. Authors have shown VO2 max is a better predictor of future health than commonly utilized tests such as blood work and...
By: Chelsey Vasquez, PT, DPT, PRPC and Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS For many women, childbirth recovery includes more than just sleep deprivation and adjusting to life with a newborn. Perineal tearing during delivery is extremely common and can sometimes lead to lingering pelvic pain, scar sensitivity, or pain with intercourse months after giving birth....
By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS and Chelsey Vasquez, PT, DPT, PRPC Breastfeeding is a beautiful bonding experience during the postpartum period but it often requires moms to spend long periods leaning forward and looking down at their baby. In our Lafayette Physical Therapy clinic we have found this position, over time, can lead to:...