Patient Education

How Physical Therapy Can Help Your Rotator Cuff Tear

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50% of people over the age of 80 have a rotator cuff tear.  That's crazy to think about isn't it?  We're so used to thinking about a rotator cuff tear as such a painful, limiting diagnosis that oftentimes requires surgery.  Sometimes it is painful and limiting - but did you know 2/3 of tears are asymptomatic.   

Only 5% of people with rotator cuff tears have surgery.  Where does that leave the other 95%?  

In recent years, we've found that outcomes of treating patients with Physical Therapy for their rotator cuff tears is close to equal to those of surgery - and the outcomes are long-lasting...

Do your patients know this?  

Educate them.

Here's how...

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Shoulder Impingement Exercises That Work

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That repetitive overhead motion - whether it's in workers or athletes - really takes its toll on the shoulder. 

Maybe this is why Shoulder Impingement is the most frequent cause of doctor's visits for musculoskeletal conditions.

We see this all the time in PT, don't we?

On top of the nagging pain, our patients are left wondering what is going wrong in their shoulder...

And we need to educate them!

This week's Patient Education article is all about Shoulder Impingement:

  • What is it
  • What is pinching what
  • Why the position and control of the shoulder blade is so important
  • What to mobilize and what to strengthen to help improve

Plus a few great exercise videos patients can start on in their recovery...

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Frozen Shoulder Exercise and Advice

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A Frozen Shoulder can be a frustrating diagnosis - pain and stiffness for months and months - leaving your patient to wonder if it will ever go away.  

This week's patient education article will give them answers and give them 5 stretch videos they can do from home. 

Plus, there's advice and exercise for your patients who are immobilized after a shoulder injury or surgery - to prevent the shoulder from getting stiff.  

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Go-To Tips For Achilles Tendinitis

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Achilles Tendonitis can be a nagging injury...and your patients are looking to you for advice of what to do...

They want to know:

  • Which stretches they should be doing
  • Which strengthening exercises they should be doing
  • Tips for relief

Here we'll cover the basics of Achilles Tendinopathy for your patients to understand what's going on and how to get better...

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Ankle Sprains - Exercises For Rehab And Prevention

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Ankle sprains are the most common injury in sports and the most common joint injury in daily life - we see them all the time.

Since it's so common - people should know what to do immediately following an ankle sprain, shouldn't they?

It would also be helpful if they knew a few simple exercises that will help them recover and also prevent future ankle sprains.  

This week's Patient Education article gives your patients the basics for acute treatment following an ankle sprain, and a simple, proven exercise progression with videos to help recover and prevent future injury.  

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