There are few body parts we could say are more useful and necessary in our daily lives than our hands. We use them so frequently in our work, our play, our hobbies and chores, that it’s easy to take them for granted. That is until we start to experience stiffness, pain or weakness that affects our ability to perform even the simplest of tasks.
Workplace injuries can have a significant impact on both employees and employers, and it’s in everyone’s best interest to prevent them. A healthier, safer work environment with fewer injuries will also be more productive and less costly. This is one of the important roles of occupational medicine. More than just helping workers recover from injuries,
Over the past few years, remote work has surged in popularity, with millions of people trading traditional workspaces for home offices. For many people, working remotely provides flexibility and convenience, but there are also health challenges that come along with the change in lifestyle. Traditional office workers have to walk to the car for their morning commute,
Modern technology has done some amazing things for our society. We are more connected than ever before, with instant access to more information than previous generations could have imagined. Technology has changed the way we live, the way we communicate, and the way we work. Of course, not every change is an improvement. One of the unfortunate effects of our current information age is a drastic increase in sedentary living.
From car repairs to plumbing problems, people are now trying their hands at many things that used to be left almost exclusively to professionals. With so many do-it-yourself resources available, people can quickly learn how to perform tasks that they otherwise may not have even considered. Just pull up a step-by-step walkthrough online, or watch a YouTube or TikTok video.
Sports can be a great part of an active, healthy lifestyle, but injuries can sideline even the most careful athlete. Fortunately, many common sports injuries – such as strains, sprains, and overuse issues – can be prevented. A combination of proper warm-ups, strength training, good technique, and adequate recovery can help keep your body strong and injury-free.
If you’re struggling with stiff or achy hips, you’re not alone. Hip pain is common, affecting people of all ages and activity levels, often making daily tasks like walking, sitting, or even sleeping uncomfortable. While the causes of hip pain can vary, some of the most common culprits include:
Humans have been trying to live longer for all of recorded history. From the ancient Mesopotamian poem, The Epic of Gilgamesh, through medieval alchemists’ search for the Philosopher’s Stone, up to today’s more scientific investigations, our species is absolutely obsessed with overcoming our own mortality.
While death is still as inevitable as ever,
It’s well known that physical activity is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle. It can reduce the risk of several common mortality factors, including arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, coronary heart disease, stroke and more. However, people don’t often think of physical therapy as a means of creating a more active lifestyle. Physical therapy doesn’t have to be just about recovery – it can be a proactive approach to enhancing your quality of life.
The beginning of a new calendar year is often full of optimism and hope, as many of us resolve to live better and improve our lives over the next year. A common resolution is to improve our exercise habits and health. Unfortunately, many times these resolutions will be short-lived or unfulfilled altogether. So, as we turn the page on 2024 and make our way into another new year,
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, an estimated 10 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis. An additional 44 million have low bone density, putting them at increased risk of developing the disease in their lifetimes. While it’s more common in adults over 50, and more likely to effect women than men, the truth is osteoporosis impacts millions of lives of either sex every year.
Our bodies can present many different challenges as we age, including joints that become stiffer and less flexible. Aging joint cartilage can become thinner, ligaments can shorten and become less flexible, and loss of muscle strength can put extra pressure on your joints. As a result, joints can feel stiff and uncomfortable. This discomfort can be even greater in individuals dealing with osteoarthritis.
There’s a growing trend in the world of physical therapy. Many patients that are soon to undergo surgery are opting for a pre-surgical healthcare intervention intended to reduce complications and enhance post-surgical recovery. This intervention is known as preoperative rehabilitation, or prehabilitation (prehab if you’re really into brevity). The proponents of prehabilitation cite its many perceived benefits and low risk (for most people),
After an injury, the race toward recovery can seem more like a marathon than a sprint. It can be hard to get started with such a long road ahead. The painful truth is that early intervention can mean the difference between a fast track to full recovery and a prolonged struggle with pain and limitation.
One of the under-appreciated aspects of a regular exercise routine is the impact it can have on improving your balance and stability. While we tend to focus on enhanced strength and flexibility, the truth is that improved balance and stability – particularly as we age – can play a major role in preventing injuries caused by falls.
People will often use flexibility-enhancing exercises to help them recover from an injury or recent surgery, but these exercises shouldn’t be reserved exclusively for recovery. Keeping your body flexible is a key part of preventing injuries in the first place, and a healthy body is important to overall well being. Incorporating some simple flexibility exercises into your daily routine can be a great way to prepare your body for an active lifestyle,
As if aging didn’t present enough challenges, 2-5% of us will eventually experience a painful condition known as “frozen shoulder”. Also known as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder is an inflammatory condition that causes stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint, and significantly reduces range of motion. Frozen shoulder typically affects people 40 and older and is more likely to occur in women.
In today’s information-rich world, it’s easy to find conflicting opinions between “experts” in various disciplines. There is no shortage of controversy around many topics that people care about. You would be hard-pressed, however, to find any doctor, dietician, or otherwise-qualified expert that would deny the connection between a person’s diet and their physical health. The nutrition we consume is inexorably linked to our body’s ability to grow,
Recovering from an injury can be a stressful experience. Aside from the physical discomfort, there can be a tendency to think about our limitations and how much less we are able to do at the moment. Questions can arise: How long will it take to recover? When can I go back to work? Will I ever again be able to run/swim/play sports,
Inflammation is a natural part of your body’s immune response to injuries. It is the process through which your immune system recognizes and removes harmful stimuli and promotes healing. In general, it is a good thing. However, when inflammation occurs in healthy tissue or goes on for too long, it can harm your body and cause a range of chronic diseases.