Strength training is an essential part of any workout program. Participants should aim for 2 to 3 workouts per week targeting major muscle groups of the upper and lower body. Multi joint movements such as the squat or deadlift provide a more effective and efficient workout compared to single joint exercises (ex. leg extension machine)....
Hip arthritis is a painful condition causing pain, loss of range of motion, and lost function in many middle to older aged adults. The pain from hip arthritis is multifactorial in nature arising from the cartilage and joint surfaces as well as the surrounding soft tissues. Physical Therapy consisting of manual therapy and strength training...
Spinal manipulation is one of the oldest medical treatments dating back to Hippocrates and the ancient Egyptians. Theories behind its’ beneficial effects are as old as spinal manipulations use but many have erroneously detailed a purely mechanical effect of the treatment. It is not uncommon to hear patients report, “my spine was out of position/alignment/place...
With access to miles of paths and acres of open space running remains one of the most popular outdoor activities in Boulder. Despite its’ accessibility, low cost of participation, and health benefits running related injuries keep many from training or competing at their preferred levels. One recent area of research has focused on gait retraining...
Hip impingement (FAI) is one of the fastest growing orthopedic surgeries, but much of this growth has outpaced our current understanding of this condition. A key question involves the additional bone development (cam and pincer lesions) found among athletes. Many of these athletes remain asymptomatic despite having positive findings of impingement on x ray and...
photo credit: radiopaedia.org Magnetic resonance imaging of musculoskeletal pain has long been known to find various pathologies, including herniated disks, tendon tears, and spinal stenosis, which may or may not contribute to an individual’s symptoms. These spinal and extremity findings are common in pain free individuals especially over the age of 30 years old. As...
The basics of sleep, hydration, and nutrition are the low hanging fruits of performance. Easy to access, albeit hard to change at times, but extremely impactful on our overall health and wellbeing. The cognitive and physical benefits of breakfast are well established and the timing and contents of the meal has been shown to influence...
Shoulder pain remains one of the top 3 reasons patients seek care from their primary care physician and Physical Therapist. The most common diagnosis causing pain among these patients is subacromial impingement syndrome. Impingement can be found along with rotator cuff tendon pain (tendinopathy) or partial rotator cuff tears on clinical exam and imaging. Impingement...
In our previous blogs we have discussed the errors most exercise participants make when selecting intensity (amount of weight) while at the gym. Humans are often poor estimators and when it comes to strength training they often select weights below the intensity required to promote optimal strength and muscle gains. Trying to base a weight...
One of the most common questions we receive in our Boulder Physical Therapy practice involves how much pain should be felt with exercise. This is a complicated answer dependent on many factors including but not limited to the nature of the injury. In general, the field of sports medicine is moving away from a purely...