Last year over 500,000 thousand arthroscopic knee surgeries (scopes) were performed in the Unites States making it one of the most common orthopedic surgical procedures. In a previous post we highlighted some of the evidence behind this surgery showing it is not superior to a sham or placebo surgery for degenerative meniscal tears. In addition,...
Knee Osteoarthritis is a common condition affecting many middle aged adults which leads to pain, loss of range of motion, and decreased function. Physical Therapy remains the primary choice for conservative treatment, but often these treatments are combined with injections to the knee joint. Corticosteroids are an inexpensive injection designed to reduce pain and inflammation...
Total knee and hip replacements are among the fastest growing surgeries in our country. Physical Therapy remains the first line treatment for patients with knee and hip arthritis, but in patients with severe osteoarthritic pain and loss of function joint replacement remains a good surgical option. In prior research among patients undergoing these procedures there is...
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...
Tears in the meniscus, cartilage within our knees, can occur due to injury or degeneration attributed to the aging process. The latter is a much more frequent scenario and often these tears are found on MRIs of patients without knee pain. These false positive results cast doubt on the direct correlation between a picture of...
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...
Patients have a choice for where they attend Physical Therapy even if directed to a single PT practice by their physician. Unfortunately, physician owned physical therapy practices, either on or off site, are on the rise around the country and referrals are being driven to these practices due to financial incentives. These practices often utilize...
At Mend, we provide every patient with an individualized exercise program specific to their condition. These programs are focused to deliver optimal results in the least amount of time possible. Exercise is one of our most powerful interventions to eliminate pain and restore function without the use of more risky medications or surgery. The...
Our imaging technologies have made tremendous improvements in their ability to detect abnormalities in our body. These positive findings may or may not be related to our current symptoms including stiffness, giving way, or pain. We have seen improvements in the sensitivity of these tests where we are able to detect individuals with the condition...
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common condition in middle to older age and is a leading cause of pain and disability among this population. Our prior posts detailed improvements in cartilage thickness occurring in individuals with mild knee OA after a lower body exercise program. In advanced stages of knee OA or with a progressive...