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Tennis vs Golfer's Elbow: What are they?

As we enter the spring and we are finally about to get outside and do the sports we love, watch out for these common injuries

Injuries Explained: Volume 3: Jimmy Garoppolo

The San Francisco ‘49ers defeated the MiamiDolphins 33-17 this past Sunday, but at what cost? A line-up who lost the 3rd overall pick in the 2021 draft, QB Trey Lance, in the first game of the season were struck by another devastating loss when backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo went down.

Injuries Explained: Volume ll: TJ Watt

The NFL is back which unfortunately means so are injuries. During opening day on September 11th,Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker / edge T.J. Watt suffered a potentially season-ending torn left pectoral muscle when attempting to tackle Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback JoeBurrow.

The Truth About IASTM

IASTM or Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization/Massage was developed off of the principles that Dr. James Cyriax created with cross friction massage but the technique was said to have evolved from Gua sha (Chinese Medicine). Dr. James Cyriax was also known as the father of orthopedic medicine and has much influence in the fields of sports medicine and physical therapy.

Direct Access: How It Benefits The Patient

Direct Access is a term used in many different professions,but for physical therapists it gives us the ability to evaluate and treat a patient without the need of a referral from a MD, PCP, or OrthopedicSurgeon. Though it may be a new term to some, the direct access laws have been around for over 10 years now and throughout that time, the laws have changed in the level of access for physical therapists. For example, in the state ofPennsylvania the law states that a physical therapist can treat a patient for30 days (from the initial evaluation) before they are required to get a script from a physician so treatment can resume, but in the state of Arizona their access is “unrestricted” meaning they can see a patient as long as necessary as long as it falls within the scope of physical therapy (APTA, “Direct Access ByState, 2021).

Concussion Assessment

Just saying the word concussion at a sporting event or during a preseason practice can be intimidating and can even scare off potential athletes or parents who are looking to get their athlete more involved. A concussion, even though it needs to be taken seriously, is common in sports and the more that we research what a concussion is, how long it takes to heal and what treatments are, the less scary it becomes. Before we get into the nitty gritty of a concussion let's first go over the basics. A concussion,also known as a traumatic brain injury, is caused by a coup counter coup movement of the brain inside the skull. This movement back and forth causes a bruise to form on the outer layer of the brain. Due to this bruise, abnormal nutrient and neurotransmission within the brain occurs.

Injuries Explained: Vol. 1: Rafael Nadal

After a grueling 5 set match to advance to the quarterfinals, Rafael Nadal announced in a press conference he would be withdrawing from Wimbledon due to an abdominal muscle injury. The following day, testing results showed a 7-mm tear of the abdominals.

3 Keys To Treating Shoulder Instability

The shoulder is a complex ball and socket joint that has a variety of soft-tissue structures keeping a delicate balance between “stable” and “unstable”. Let’s quickly review the structures of the shoulder joint before we dive into our 3 keys for treating shoulder instability.

Scapular Dyskinesia

We have all heard of this basic term before “winging scapula”. What does it mean, and how does this relate to your shoulder pain? Before we go into detail on what a winged scapula is, we have to talk about the medical term. Scapular Dyskinesis or Scapular Dyskinesia is an alteration in the scapular motion and position compared to a “normal” functioning shoulder. Kibler estimated that in 67% to 100% of shoulder injuries, scapular dyskinesis could be found. This is a staggering number and continues to be a hot topic between physical therapists and other healthcare providers. Does scapular dyskinesis cause shoulder pain?Does shoulder pain cause scapular dyskinesis? Does scapular dyskinesis even exist? These are all questions that physical therapists have been asking. Those questions we will leave for another day.

Labral Injuries In The American Football Lineman

When we think of overhead athletes, the “big” sports come to mind: baseball, tennis,volleyball, etc. However, have you ever thought about football linemen? The American football offensive linemen is a position that utilizes upper body strength and stability to move defensive players around to protect the quarterback or to open holes for the running back. Even though proper blocking technique wouldn’t indicate that the offensive lineman has his hands overhead, the force placed on the shoulders when attempting to control another player trying to make a tackle can be extremely intense and could cause shear forces leading to labral pathology.

Shoulder Pain In Quarterbacks

The quarterback position has become extremely competitive over the past few years with the progression of the passing game. Quarterbacks are under the microscope more than any other position on the field from a young age, all the way into the pros. Each year we watch our local or national sports channels and hear who the up-and-coming quarterbacks will be taking the field this year. This of course, is if that player can stay healthy and “make all the throws”. As a physical therapist, I ask the question,what are the proper mechanics needed to become a great quarterback and can breakdowns in these mechanics cause injuries?

Rotator Cuff Tendonitis

The "overhead athlete" is a term we hear often, especially in baseball. However, to define what an overhead athlete truly is, you have to look at and analyze the sport.

Core Stability vs. Core Strength

Building a strong core has and will be one of the main focuses of the fitness community from competitive athletes to the regular joe trying to get a 6 pack for beach season. But what is the "core"? If you were to ask most people in the gym what the core is made up of, they would probably say the "6 pack muscles" or some might even add in the obliques. In fact, the core is much more. The scientific definition of the core is the "lumbopelvic-hipcomplex" or the area containing the diaphragm, abdominals and obliques,paraspinal and gluteal muscles, and pelvic floor and hip girdle (Bliven et al.)which is a much larger area than most people would think. So how do we train this large area of musculature that is key to performance and movement in both sport and life?

High Ankle Sprains Can Be Tricky (Especially for Football Players)

The football season has come and gone and the aches and pains of soft tissue injuries are starting to show. Athlete may be dealing with a nagging ankle injury, knee pain, or maybe even a shoulder stinger. These injuries area part of the game of football, however, they don’t have to feel as scary. In this blog post, we will dive into a common ankle injury for football players, especially athletes who handle the ball. A high ankle sprain.

Tendon Health and Aging

As we age it is not uncommon to experience increasing bouts of painful tendonitis in our bodies. Tendonitis refers to an inflammation of a tendon, which is the part of a muscle that attaches the muscle to the bone. Tendonitis can occur for a number of reasons but primarily occurs due to increased demand on the tendon.

Brain Power

The topic of brain injury has become a hot button issue over the last decade. With more and more research being conducted regarding concussions and CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in sports like professional football, the public has become more interested in how to keep their brain’s healthy as they age. While avoiding falls is of paramount importance, what can be done if a head injury or concussion is sustained after a fall has already occurred?

The Secret To Balance

There are three systems that work together to keep us balanced; the visual system, vestibular system and somatosensory system. Improving the function of these three systems with easy exercises can help you improve your steadiness on your feet.

Maintaining Strength As We Age

Have you ever woke up and said to yourself, “I feel so weak today”? If so, you are not alone. As we age we generally experience a loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. While this is a normal part of aging, for those of us with physical disabilities and comorbidities such as diabetes and obesity, this normal loss of strength can become extreme and is then classified as Sarcopenia.

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