Top 5 Misconceptions of Physical Therapy By Phil Piserchia, PTA 1) Myth:Going to Physical therapy will hurt. Truth: Although you might experience minimal pain or discomfort at the beginning of your treatment, the main goal of physical therapy is to minimize pain and discomfort. A good physical therapist will work within your pain threshold to
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Lymphedema is characterized by an abnormally high accumulation of lymph fluid in the tissues of the body either due to a birth defect or damage to the lymphatic system through surgery or trauma. Lymphedema occurs when lymphatic load (amount of lymphatic fluid) outweighs transport capacity (amount of fluid lymphatic system can transport) resulting in lymphedema
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Sciatica refers to the pain that radiates along the path of the sciatica nerve, which branches from the lumbar spine of the lower back through the hips, buttocks, and down the leg. Nearly 90% of sciatica cases are discogenic in origin and most likely caused by a lumbar disc herniation. It may be accompanied by neurologic
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It is believed that ~80% of people will experience some sort of back or neck pain at some point in their lives. Sometimes the pain forces the person to see a doctor who performs an MRI. The results come back and show spinal stenosis. The first question many people ask is, “do I require
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Regular exercise is one of the pillars of healthy living. It improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, and protects against a variety of diseases. Just like a healthy diet, exercise can contribute to general good health and therefore to a healthy immune system. It may contribute even more directly by promoting
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Here are some suggestions for dealing with the stress you may be feeling from the Covid-19 pandemic. First, a couple of thoughts about stress. The relationship between stress and increased pain has been well studied, providing clear evidence that increased stress leads to increased nervous system response and increased inflammation, which in turn results in
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When someone thinks of physical therapy, what most often comes to mind is treatment in a clinic or in a hospital. The therapist is on hand providing instruction on exercise and function as well as hands-on manual treatment. Perhaps heating pads, ice pack, or electric stimulation is included as well. However, there is another option.
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Whether it’s the big UFC match on TV, the Karate Kid or Tai-Chi classes at your local YMCA, you have probably heard about martial arts from someone. You may have asked yourself what’s all the commotion about. What’s the deal with martial arts? Martial Arts are a relatively broad term referring to many combat and
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(CP) is defined as a cluster of different conditions that affect neuromotor development resulting from non-progressive injuries or lesions in the brain. CP can occur prenatally, perinatally, and postnatally and is accompanied by symptoms such as gross motor impairments, seizure disorder, and disturbances of sensation, cognition, communication, perception, and balance. Most children with CP are
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Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) occurs due to a mechanical disorder of the inner ear system. Crystals (otoconia) become displaced from one section of the inner ear (macula of the utricle) and travel to another area of the inner ear (one of the three canals in the ear). BPPV affects about 1-2% of the population
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