Currently in the United States the majority of citizens can access their Physical Therapist without a prescription from their physician. As shown in the map above, arbitrary restrictions on this access has been put in place through state legislatures with strong influences from special interest groups. In Colorado, patients can access their Physical Therapist without...
In our experience, a sub group of patients who have successfully returned to sports after an ACL injury continue to be at risk for future injury. Physical Therapy interventions can significantly reduce the risk of future injury to either an athlete’s involved or uninvolved leg. Athletes who complete their prescribed Physical Therapy visits have both...
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...
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)....
Ankle sprains are one of the most common sports injuries and one of the most common we encounter at Mend Physical Therapy. These injuries lead to pain, lost practice and games, as well as chronic balance impairments up to 1 year after the injury. As our manual therapy and exercise treatments have evolved we are seeing...
In previous posts on ACL injuries we have discussed the rising incidence of knee injuries across multiple sports and events. As we enter ski and snow board season Mend will help manage an increased number of these injuries. The lower extremity is the most commonly affected body region for ski injuries with 1 in 3 injuries...
Despite having no symptoms, many of us will develop age-related changes in the musculoskeletal structures of our bodies, similar to the aging effects on our skin. These findings are most prevalent on highly sensitive imaging techniques such as MRI and often lead to unnecessary and costly medical procedures. Our shoulders are also prone to development of age...
My approach to treating ankle sprains has changed dramatically since I began working with athletes in the late 1990s. The PRICE (protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation) approach has been replaced with a clinically superior movement approach designed to reduce pain and facilitate a return to an exercise program. The PRICE approach was effective to...
Concussion recognition and management has improved dramatically over the last decade. Coaches and Physical Therapists are able to both recognize the signs and symptoms of concussion and direct the athlete to the appropriate health care treatment. Without proper management concussions can have serious and deadly consequences for the nervous system and musculoskeletal system. Lynall et...
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...