Colorado remains one of the fittest states in the Colorado with low rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other diseases associated with low activity levels. Specifically, our home town of Boulder remains of the fittest cities in the country due to its’ high percentage of citizens who meet or exceed the U.S. Surgeon General’s...
In our previous posts we have documented the weakness and atrophy of the foot’s “core” muscles among patients with heel pain. Heel pain is one of the most common foot and ankle diagnoses we see in our Boulder Physical Therapy Practice. This condition is commonly treated with manual therapy and exercises targeting the lower...
Resistance training is an essential part of any training program due to its’ ability to reduce injury risk and improve sports performance. Adolescents can safely resistance train if they are properly supervised and can perform movements correctly. One of the foundations of any strengthening program is the squat. The squat is an incredible training tool...
Knee osteoarthritis is a common condition in aging adults leading to pain and reduced performance of daily and recreational activities. Manual therapy and exercise remain a hallmark of conservative care for this condition and have been shown to delay or prevent the need for a total knee replacement. In addition to exercise, corticosteroid injections are often...
A common question we receive in clinic is how many repetitions should I perform of this strengthening exercise? Clearly, enough repetitions are needed under a given load to promote beneficial changes within the tissues for improvements in both healing and performance. Ranges of repetitions range from < 5, 8-12 reps, and >15 reps depending on...
There are few treatments more effective for the prevention and treatment of injuries and musculoskeletal conditions than resistance training. Unfortunately, many Americans are not performing enough strengthening to prevent the loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) which begins to occur in the 3rd decade of life. After age 30 we begin to demonstrate a progressive loss...
In our fast paced, instant gratification world we want solutions to our problems the same day as their arrival. This is no different in low back pain, a common, costly condition affecting over 90% of adults. Patient’s hurting from low back pain symptoms often turn to the internet, friends, or their primary care physician for...
As ACL injuries continue to rise among professional and recreational athletes Physical Therapists will continue to rehabilitate these athletes in order to allow them to safely return to sports. In our practice in Boulder, we commonly see athletes over the course of 6-9 months post operatively as they develop the strength, balance, and sport specific...
The 3 inevitable events in our society include death, taxes, and low back pain. Many of us will experience a significant episode of low back pain in our lives but the vast majority of these symptoms are not associated with serious pathology such as fracture or cancer. In our previous posts on low back pain we...
Temporomandibular Disorders (TMJ/TMD) Problem TMJ/TMD are a major cause of non dental jaw and facial pain. Approximately 18 million word days are lost annually per 100 million full time working adults due to symptoms of TMD (2). Women have a 3:1 greater ratio of incidence compared to men between age 30 and 50 (1)....