In 2012, a colleague and I - with some help from Dr. Michael Wong - conducted a research study on individuals with chronic heel pain.
We found no differences between involved and uninvolved feet in plantar fascia thickness and no difference in dorsiflexion or great toe extension.
We did find, however, a significant difference in tactile acuity...
What do these findings tell you?
Here's an article all about Plantar Fasciitis: risk factors and treatment options. Plus some more info on chronic heel pain and how we can better educate our patients...
Cracking Joints: What's That Sound?
How many times have you heard a patient tell you their joints pop or crack? Then, inevitably, they follow-up with "Is that bad?"
I always tell my patients that, if they're not having any pain or instability with the cracking, then its completely normal.
What is it that actually causes the cracking sound inside your joints, though?
And what could be going on if there is pain associated with the cracking sounds? Or instability? Should you be concerned? Let’s explore…
Getting The Most Out Of Physical Therapy: A Patient's Guide
As a Physical Therapist, I’ve worked with – and treated – a lot of patients. I’ve had experiences with satisfied patients who have called me a miracle worker. On the flip side, I’ve also had patients who disagreed with my treatment altogether. And then there are those who were simply indifferent. If I’m completely honest with myself, I can reflect on – and learn from – each experience, regardless of the outcome, to improve patient care moving forward.
Over the years, I’ve taken notes on how to better my interactions with patients to get the best possible results. I’ve also noticed that, although each patient is unique, those who have successful outcomes share a common set of attitudes and disciplines.
I’d like to share with you these best-patient-practices, which I hope can serve as a guide to help you get the most out of your time in physical therapy.
4 Tips for Buttock Pain With Driving
Summer is the time a lot of our patients will be taking vacations, many of which will be long road trips. How many times have you gotten the complaint of buttock pain following a particularly long car ride? What are some potential sources of this pain?
My opinion: Secondary Piriformis syndrome. Most car seats are designed like buckets to put us in a slouched, relaxed position - it's comfortable at first, but after a couple of hours, we start squirming. With a posterior pelvic tilt and flexed spine, the major pressure points are at the Piriformis.
Here's a simple explanation of how Secondary Piriformis Syndrome can be a likely source of buttock pain - along with a few other possibilities. More importantly, there's also 4 tips for your patients to improve their positioning and prevent buttock pain during long car rides...Continue reading...
What Can Balance Training Do For Your Patients? [Exercise Progression Video]
What do a 15-year-old soccer player and an 85-year-old bridge player have in common? They can both benefit from balance training. Bobby’s goal is to prevent another ankle sprain. Edna’s goal is to prevent another fall. Whoever you are: young or old, fit or sedentary, athlete or office worker, you can benefit from balance training.
Here we'll take a look at how the Visual, Vestibular, and Somatosensory systems contribute to balance, why balance training is so important for different groups of people, and – most importantly – how you can help your patients improve their balance with video progression of exercises...