When using a foam roller to decrease muscle pain/tightness, place it on the tender muscle. Roll the whole length of the muscle until you find a tender point. Spend 20-60 seconds on the tender point. You can either hold the foam roller over the tender point using your body weight or you can gentle slowly roll over the area. Spend no more than 5 minutes on a muscle. Be careful not to spend too long on one specific area because it can cause increased pain and bruising.
Kinesiotape is a 100% elastic tape with a breathable design, developed in 1970s and introduced clinically in mid-1990s. Kinesiotape has the ability to be stretched to certain levels of tension depending on the purpose of each particular taping technique. Kinesiotape is non-constrictive, providing support and stability while still allowing a muscle or joint to move through a normal range of motion. To learn about the benefits of Kinesiotape for an injury, check out below:
The Benefits of Exercise after 60
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What is dry needling?
How does it work?
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Should I try dry needling?
Obesity is a complex health disorder in which excess weight gain puts an individual at high risk for osteoarthritis and several life-threatening medical conditions. Although the obesity epidemic is currently affecting millions of Americans across the country, each person’s battle with obesity begins right at home with personal lifestyle choices.
Contributors to obesity include:
Effects of obesity may include (but are not limited to):
Step-by-step on how to Fight Obesity:
**Remember!! Every pound lost is a success! Small amounts of weight loss have been shown to have substantial benefits including reducing knee and hip pain from arthritis, increasing blood flow through the body and heart, and improving overall quality of life!
The physical therapy cap limit for 2016 is as follows:
1. The first cap is $1,960
2. The second cap is $3,700
After you reach the first cap, your physical therapist must convey medical necessity of continued physical therapy services in the medical documentation. As long as continued physical therapy is considered medically necessary by Medicare, further physical therapy treatment will be covered by Medicare. The physical therapy cap restarts in 2017.
If you have any questions, please contact Harbor Physical Therapy at 443-524-0442.
Do you ever want to give your therapist a standing ovation, but are unable to? Well the sit to stand exercise is a good exercise to strengthen the muscles in the abdomen and thighs to help with this activity. With improved strength comes improved balance and overall function. Here’s the proper way to perform the exercise:
1. Sit in middle or toward front of chair with your knees bent and feet flat on floor.
2. Slightly lean forward with your head and shoulders, while simultaneously lifting you buttocks from the chair. Use your hands as little as possible (or not at all, if you can)
3. Keep your back straight as you come up, so that you feel your abdominal/low back muscles do the work.
4. Slowly sit back down.
5. Keep back and shoulders straight throughout exercise.
6. Repeat. A good number to shoot for would be 5-10 repetitions.
The goal is to be able to increase your reps and require less use of hands as you become stronger.
Not performing your home exercises while undergoing physical therapy and even after discharge from physical therapy is comparable to taking only half of a prescribed antibiotic. You will not get the maximum outcomes from your physical therapy. The goal of the home exercise program is to re-condition the body, restore function, and reduce/manage symptoms.
Exercising at home helps to condition the body between physical therapy sessions. If a person relies only on physical therapy sessions and does not perform a home exercise program, the body will not build improved function or retain muscle memory between sessions.
Common reasons for not performing the prescribed exercises are decreased home exercises include pain with exercises, lack of motivation due to perceived lack of improvements, unhappiness from the loss of function caused by the problem, and just being plain busy. If you fall under any of the above categories, talk to your physical therapist so a practical and tailored exercise program can be developed and followed that match your lifestyle.
Hydration isn’t just important during physical activity. Sitting in the sun on a hot or humid day can cause dehydration. Being thirsty isn’t the best indicator of your need to hydrate, as it means you are already dehydrated. A good rule of thumb to tell if you are properly hydrated is to pay attention to the color of your urine. Pale and clear urine means you’re well hydrated. Dark urine means drink more fluids. Drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated. Also, certain foods include a high percentage of water, such as fruits and vegetables.
