Testosterone is an important sex hormone in the body primarily secreted by the gonadal organs. It is an essential hormone for fat free or muscle mass, bone density, energy levels, libido, and even red blood cell production. Similar to many body systems, testosterone production begins to decline around age 30 with the rate of decline...
The United States witnessed a significant increase in life expectancy over the 20th century with much of the improvement attributed to improved sanitation, vaccinations, medications, and access to healthcare. In addition, significant improvements in lifestyle factors were also noted including nutrition, smoking cessation, and exercise. Exercise plays a unique role in aging due to its’...
Exercise is a common consideration each day for most adults, but immediate and long term life, work, and family barriers routinely block our best intentions. Despite its’ well established benefits, only 1 in 5 Americans meet our national guidelines on exercise each week. Those who do meet these guidelines each week have made exercise a...
I first joined the APTA as a student when a Physical Therapy professor required us to show our student APTA membership card before we could return to class. At the time I had only a vague idea of what the APTA did for myself and the profession, but over the years I have come to...
Distance runners are a frequently injured group of athletes with up to 90% reporting a running related injury requiring time off from training or competition. Authors report low back pain is one of the most common sites of pain likely secondary to underlying core and hip weakness. Runners repeatedly land with 2-6 x times their...
Knee arthritis is a common condition affecting many middle to older aged adults. Its’ prevalence makes it one of the leading causes of disability in our country preventing these individuals from participating in their life, work, and recreational activities. Physical therapy including patient education, manual therapy, and exercise remains a first line treatment for this...
How can you give me a proper diagnosis without feeling my muscles or joints? Most physical therapists will tell you: “I am highly confident of my diagnosis after the question and answer portion of the visit.” And it’s not just blind confidence. Research studies have examined this concept and found that 83% of diagnoses are...
What you can expect during your Physical Therapy telehealth visit For many of us, telehealth is a whole new world with lots of unknowns. We want to make the process as easy and effective as possible to make sure you get the most out of your appointment. Here are the most frequent questions we get...
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine is changing the way healthcare is delivered. Most healthcare companies, including physical therapists, have moved online in an effort to maintain social distancing guidelines. But with change comes the fear of the unknown. How will physical therapy work if not done in person? Is it as effective? Is it...
Rolling is a popular soft tissue intervention for range of motion, performance, and pain relief. Participants have a wide variety of tools to choose from including foam rollers, lacrosse balls, and sticks. Each tool is designed to target an individual sore or painful spot (trigger point) in a given muscle or a tight long muscle...