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Evidence Does Not Support Utilization Of Surgery Over Physical Therapy For Most Musculoskeletal Conditions

The vast majority of musculoskeletal conditions and diagnoses are not life threatening or time sensitive and allow for conservative treatments, including Physical Therapy, to be utilized prior to surgery. In our Boulder Physical Therapy practice we commonly see outcomes consistent with the current research on the utilization of Physical Therapy instead of surgery for common...

  Tendon injuries are one of the most common sports injuries seen in our Lafayette and Boulder Physical Therapy clinics. Most often overuse in nature, tendon injuries can significantly limit an individual’s ability to perform their daily and recreational activities. Tendinopathy, formerly known as tendinitis, describes the chronic cellular chemical and structural changes that occur...

Tendinopathies, the artist formally known as tendinitis, are common orthopedic and sports medicine conditions affecting both athletes and the general population.  Repetitive overload (overuse) of these structures creates a reactive followed by degenerative process in the affected tendon.  These injured tissues have not been shown to have significant numbers of inflammatory cells but rather show...

Achilles tendinopathy is the most common tendon injuries seen in our Boulder Physical Therapy practice. Patients often present with pain along the mid portion of the achilles tendon during walking, hiking, running, or jumping activities. The greatest risk factors for this condition include a loss of ankle flexibility (dorsiflexion) and calf weakness. Both of these...

A recent clinical practice guideline was published advising clinicians and patients on the management of achilles tendon injury (tendinopathy).  These guidelines are based on both the available medical research and medical opinions from experts in the field.  The Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy reported the following for management of mid portion achilles tendinopathy...

Photo Credit: Scott, A. CMAJ. 2011. Mead, M. Transl Sports Med. 2018. Tendon injuries have previously been diagnosed as tendonitis and were believed to be marked by an inflammatory process in the tissue.  Our current knowledge on these injuries has been improved by a better understanding of the disease process behind tendon pain.  Current research...

Achilles Tendinopathy is a common injury to the lower leg found in runners, jumping athletes, and sedentary individuals.  In our previous blog posts on Achilles Tendinopathy we have described the impact of this diagnosis on the active population.  Physical Therapy remains the gold standard for conservative care focusing on restoring joint mobility and strength to...