Blog

Hip Osteoarthritis Background Hip Osteoarthritis (OA) is considered one of the most serious musculoskeletal problems secondary to its impact on patients’ pain and disability, as well as, the economic impact on our healthcare system. 20% of the aging population will experience hip OA and the condition is a predictor of current and future func- tional...

Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis) Background Plantar fasciitis/fasciosis is the most common cause of heel pain. Patient often complain of pain upon their first steps in the morning, sharp pain under the heel which may spread into the arch of the foot. These symp- toms are often worse on a return to standing or walking after...

One of things I enjoy about the profession of Physical Therapy is its’ constantly changing nature of the medical evidence behind what we do.  Often I come across a new article or research report, which challenges my previous line of thought about an injury or treatment and requires me to change.  Achilles Tendinopathy is commonly and...

Elbow pain on the outside of the elbow is most common in individuals’ aged 30-50 y.o. and effects 1-3% of the general population (Shiri et al. 2006).  Risk factors for this condition include blue collar workers utilizing repetitive gripping and manipulation in the work place, smokers, and tennis athletes.  This condition has previously been described...

Knee Pain Background Anterior knee pain is a term used to encompass many conditions affecting structures of the knee. The majority of these cases can be attributed to patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) or an abnormal tracking of the patella on the femoral groove secondary to changes in lower extremity alignment, muscle imbalance, or training errors...

Previously we wrote about the positive impacts of exercise on the body’s tissues.  The benefits of exercise is based on the ability of your rehabilitation program to properly load and unload an injured tissue allowing it to remodel and heal.  The optimal amount of load is key with both ends of spectrum, over doing it...

here are not many more controversial topics in the exercise science literature than stretching.  While most believe stretching is an important component of a fitness or rehabilitation program the debate occurs on the timing, frequency, duration, type, direction, and intensity of the stretching program.  Recently, a large push in corrective exercise programs involves mobilizing joints...

Eccentric exericise, where our muscles contract and lengthen, is an essential part of any exercise program.  Its benefits of strength, flexibility, and injury prevention are well known in the literature and have been discussed on our prior blog posts.  Eccentric exercise as pictured above has a unique stimulus on the structure of the muscle and...

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...

Knee arthritis (knee OA) is the most common form of osteoarthritis and affects many individuals in middle to older age.  This condition can be found on x ray or MRI testing in both asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals.  The high rates of false positive imaging findings require a thorough subjective and objective examination in order to make a...