It’s YOUR Health, Know the Why
How to Stabilize Your Core: The Transverse Abdominis
When you think of the core, what muscles do you think of? Most people will say the abs and maybe the obliques or the lats; however, there are so many deeper muscles that contribute to the stability of your core, support your spine, and assist in breathing! This month on the blog, we will be discussing strengthening all aspects of the core. In addition, we will focus on 1 muscle that is so often overlooked but does so much….the transverse abdominis (TA).
The Hip Joint: An Essential Component in Treating and Preventing Knee and Low Back Pain
The hip joint, in my opinion, is one of the most overlooked joints in the body when it comes to fitness and injury prevention. While hip pain is not nearly as common as low back or knee pain, it is the culprit behind both of these in many cases. The hip joint is a ball and socket joint. It is the articulation of the acetabulum in the pelvis (socket) and the head of the femur (ball).
Desk Jobs: Preventing Aches and Pains
After the previous crazy year and a half, we have had more people than ever work from home and spend more and more time sitting for work. People who sit for 8 or more hours per day are at increased risk for diabetes, anxiety/depression, decreased bone density, musculoskeletal pain, and reduced circulation, putting them at greater risk for stroke or heart attack.
MS Symptom Management: How PT Can Help
Throughout this series, we have discussed the many symptoms commonly experienced by people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and discussed ways to help improve and sometimes wholly resolve those specific symptoms. I thought the best way to give you an overview of what physical therapy can do for you was to provide some case examples. I provided information about how I structured their care plan and included three specific exercise programs.
MS Symptom Management: Imbalance
In recent studies, it has been found that about 54% of people with MS report they had a fall in the previous two months, and 63% reported a fall within the last nine months. Falls can result in minor to significant injury, but they can also contribute to a loss of confidence, progressive limitation of activities, and social isolation. Many factors can lead to falls, including biological factors directly resulting from the MS or medications, behavioral characteristics, and environmental factors.
MS Symptom Management: Gait Impairments
One of the most concerning symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is falling or a new impairment in movement, particularly walking/gait. This is usually when people start to seek out physical therapy; they want to do everything in their power to maintain their ability to walk. There are many possible causes and gait impairments, many of which can be treated and significantly improved with physical therapy.
MS Symptom Management: Spasticity
Spasticity is the result of the demyelination of the nerves that regulate muscle tone. People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) may have spasticity, which occurs when there is a quick stretch to the muscle, causing it to spasm. An example of spasticity would be during the walking cycle when the foot is flexed quickly by the ground; this can apply the quick stretch to the muscle causing the foot to "jump" a few times. The muscle spasm can lead to imbalance or even falls.
MS Symptom Management: Muscle weakness
As related to Multiple Sclerosis (MS), muscle weakness is somewhat like fatigue; there are primary and secondary causes. MS is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. It causes demyelination and damage to the axons/neurons themselves, leading to lesions we see on MRIs.
MS Symptom Management: Fatigue & Heat sensitivity
It used to be believed that people with MS should not exercise due to fatigue as it may trigger a relapse or worsen symptoms associated with the disease. However, research in the past 20 years has changed the way of thinking significantly. Many studies have found significant improvements in exercise capacity and fatigue after participating in an appropriately dosed exercise program.
Vertigo: Testing and Treatment for BPPV
Vertigo, specifically BPPV, can bring on significant feelings of anxiety and fear. So many times, my patients are very nervous and fearful when they come in for their physical therapy evaluation, which actually makes their symptoms of dizziness so much worse. In many cases, they have already been to the emergency room, doctor's office, ENT, or even a neurologist before getting a physical therapy referral. They have had many tests run with no significant findings or results.
Vertigo: An Overview of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
Have you ever felt like the room was spinning around you or that you were tilting or translating in space when you were actually lying or sitting completely still? Unfortunately, many people suffering from BPPV regularly experience this sensation with position changes throughout the day.