http://physicaltherapy.about.com/ Get the latest headlines from the About.com http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hh http://www.about.com/ 118 20 en-us 2012-02-14T20:33:14Z Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:33:14 +0000 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/19/cell-phones-can-be-a-distraction-during-physical-therapy.htm <p>The other day in the clinic I was working with a patient alongside my colleagues when my patient's cell phone rang. It wasn't a basic cell phone ring either. The ringtone was an instrumental version of "Just a Friend" by <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://randb.about.com/od/photogalleries/ig/2007-ASCAP-Rhythm-Soul-Awards/Biz-Markie.htm">Biz Markie</a>, which was a popular hip hop song in 1989. It has a catchy tune, and my co-workers and I chuckled a bit.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/19/cell-phones-can-be-a-distraction-during-physical-therapy.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/19/cell-phones-can-be-a-distraction-during-physical-therapy.htm Sun, 19 Feb 2012 22:24:10 +0000 2012-02-19T22:24:10Z http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/14/electrical-stimulation-helps-improve-muscular-function-after-total-knee-surgery.htm <p>After <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://orthopedics.about.com/od/hipkneereplacement/tp/kneereplacement.htm">total knee replacement (TKR)</a> surgery, many patients suffer from weakness in the quadriceps muscle group. This muscle, located on the top of the thigh, helps to straighten the knee. Weakness in the quadriceps can last for years after TKR and can limit normal functional mobility which may lead to increased disability.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/14/electrical-stimulation-helps-improve-muscular-function-after-total-knee-surgery.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/14/electrical-stimulation-helps-improve-muscular-function-after-total-knee-surgery.htm Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:33:14 +0000 2012-02-14T20:33:14Z http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/13/was-your-physical-therapist-at-the-combined-sections-meeting.htm <p>This past week, you may have noticed that your physical therapist was not in the clinic as usual. That's because he or she may have been attending the Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). This year the meeting was held from February 8th through the 11th and took place in Chicago, Illinois.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/13/was-your-physical-therapist-at-the-combined-sections-meeting.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/13/was-your-physical-therapist-at-the-combined-sections-meeting.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:03:56 +0000 2012-02-13T21:03:56Z http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/07/chewing-the-fat-in-physical-therapy.htm <p>One of the most rewarding aspects about being a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/typesofphysicaltherapy/a/What-is-Physical-Therapy.htm">physical therapist</a> is the opportunity to meet a lot of people. I enjoy helping my patients move and feel better, and I love chewing the fat with them to learn about what makes them tick. Most people are pretty fine folks who often share funny stories or witty quips. Here is a recent encounter that I had:</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/07/chewing-the-fat-in-physical-therapy.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/07/chewing-the-fat-in-physical-therapy.htm Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:35:22 +0000 2012-02-07T19:35:22Z http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/02/six-more-weeks-of-winter-six-more-weeks-of-skiing-six-more-weeks-of-foosh-danger.htm <p>So Punxsutawney Phil poked his head out of Gobbler's Knob early this morning and saw his shadow. The groundhog from central Pennsylvania has confirmed that there will officially be six more weeks of winter.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/02/six-more-weeks-of-winter-six-more-weeks-of-skiing-six-more-weeks-of-foosh-danger.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/02/02/six-more-weeks-of-winter-six-more-weeks-of-skiing-six-more-weeks-of-foosh-danger.htm Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:11:35 +0000 2012-02-02T22:11:35Z http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/31/foosh-injuries-in-physical-therapy.htm <p>This past summer, my <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://newlyweds.about.com/od/celebrations/a/milmothersday.htm">mother-in-law</a> fell off the back of a moving truck while my wife and I were packing up our house to relocate. She suffered a FOOSH ...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/31/foosh-injuries-in-physical-therapy.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/31/foosh-injuries-in-physical-therapy.htm Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:15:56 +0000 2012-01-31T20:15:56Z http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/31/what-is-a-goniometer.htm <p>If you have attended physical therapy, then you may have been poked, prodded, and measured. Your physical therapist usually starts a plan of care with an initial evaluation. During the evaluation, information about your condition is collected. Your physical therapist may measure your <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/orthopedicsandpt/a/strengthmeasurement.htm">strength</a> or measure your <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/typesofphysicaltherapy/f/What-Is-Range-Of-Motion.htm">range of motion</a> with a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/abbreviationsandterms/g/Goniometer.htm">goniometer</a>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/31/what-is-a-goniometer.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/31/what-is-a-goniometer.htm Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:47:31 +0000 2012-01-31T13:47:31Z http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/28/non-surgical-spinal-decompression-for-low-back-pain-does-it-really-work.htm <p>Every Sunday morning, I see really big advertisements in the newspaper for a revolutionary new product to help treat <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/backpain/a/Physical-Therapy-For-Low-Back-Pain.htm">low back pain</a>. Non-surgical spinal decompression promises to help eliminate low back pain or sciatica and improve your function and quality of life. The trade name for many of these decompression units are the VAX-D, the DRX 9000, or the SpinalAid system. (Fancy, space age sounding names, right?) But <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/devicesandorthotics/f/Spinal-decompression.htm">does spinal decompression really work</a>?</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/28/non-surgical-spinal-decompression-for-low-back-pain-does-it-really-work.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/28/non-surgical-spinal-decompression-for-low-back-pain-does-it-really-work.htm Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:09:39 +0000 2012-01-28T15:09:39Z http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/26/physical-therapy-for-a-broken-wrist.htm <p>Winter weather here in the northeast US brings snow and ice on the roads and sidewalks. One common injury often seen in physical therapy clinics is a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/Physical-Therapy-For-Seniors/a/Colles-fracture.htm">Colles' fracture</a>. This common wrist fracture occurs if you fall onto your outstretched arm. The force of the fall causes the distal end of the radius to break and become displaced, leading to severe pain and swelling.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/26/physical-therapy-for-a-broken-wrist.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/26/physical-therapy-for-a-broken-wrist.htm Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:20:12 +0000 2012-01-26T22:20:12Z http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/22/do-inversion-tables-help-low-back-pain.htm <p> <img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/physicaltherapy/1/0/R/2/inversion-table.jpg" height="170" width="170" alt="An inversion table. Image: Price Grabber.com" style="float:right"> I am often asked in the clinic if inversion tables really work for people with <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/backpain/a/Physical-Therapy-For-Low-Back-Pain.htm">low back pain</a> (LBP). Many of my patients have seen advertisements on TV or on the internet that promise pain relief and functional improvement with the use of inversion tables. But <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/devicesandorthotics/f/Inversion-tables.htm">do inversion tables really help low back pain</a>?</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/22/do-inversion-tables-help-low-back-pain.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://physicaltherapy.about.com/b/2012/01/22/do-inversion-tables-help-low-back-pain.htm Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:44:40 +0000 2012-01-22T20:44:40Z