Ankle Sprains Part I: Causes, Symptoms, and Phase 1 of Rehab

Football player and Cross Country runner with grade III ankle sprains

The infamous ankle sprain!  In general, ankle injuries make up about 17% of all running injuries, half of these account for lateral ankle sprains. For the most part a large number of people experience them, and aside from icing and resting the first few days, many of your future patients will not know what to expect or do.

This Part 1 post will help provide some acute guidance on what an ankle sprain is, its different categories, symptoms, and phase 1 of rehab.

Continue reading...

What You Can Do For A Wrist Sprain

Ahhh, the infamous fall on an outstretched hand...it often leads to instability in the wrist - a wrist sprain.  

Your patient is experiencing pain, weakness, clicking, and instability in her wrist and you are her guide...

How do you know if surgery is necessary?  Or if PT can help?  Here is a simple article that explains things for your patient...

continue reading...

Colles' Fractures | Improving Wrist Stiffness

🤛 Do you work with patients with Colles' Fractures? 

Most patients get a cast or wear a brace and move on with their lives, oftentimes without a PT referral.

😒But we've found that a common impairment following Colles' Fractures is limited mobility in the wrist... something we can help with!

🔥Here is an educational article you can share with patients along with a simple progression of exercises to improve wrist mobility and function...

continue reading...

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

Ever experience knee pain, and have been told it is IT-Band Syndrome? 

Did you know what that meant? Or how that came about? 

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) is another overuse injury experienced by some athletes, more so runners and cyclists. According to Ferber et al it is the second leading cause of lateral knee pain in runners (2). It is most commonly described as a friction injury at which the tendon “rubs” over the lateral femoral condyle of the knee creating pain (1) that can present as sharpness, burning, and sometimes swelling. 

This short post goes into explaining what ITBS is, what researchers have found the culprit to be to developing this injury, and some things to think about it in order to feel better. 

Continue Reading ...

How To Treat Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is the most common ulnar nerve entrapment in the upper extremity...

Great news for us therapists and for patients is that simple advice to change contributing positions or repetitive motions will, oftentimes, be all the patient needs to see a major reduction in symptoms.

Nerve gliding techniques have also been shown to be beneficial in reducing symptoms and getting patients back to function...

continue reading...