Category: Patient Blogs
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What is triscaphe arthritis and how do I treat it?
You may have heard of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, but have you ever heard about triscaphe arthritis? Well, if you experience joint pain at the base of your thumb where it meets your wrist — you’re likely experiencing triscaphe arthritis. Triscaphe arthritis is the localized inflammation of the triscaphe joint. This joint can be found in between the…
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How do you know if you have knee scar tissue and what can you do about it?
Scar tissue is your body’s natural response to trauma, and it gradually forms after the healing of a wound. However, built-up scar tissue can significantly impact your daily life and mobility, tightening and pulling on your surrounding skin and joints. This can restrict your movement and make daily activities difficult and uncomfortable. Your knee capsule can…
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What to do when an old ankle injury flares up
Nearly 2 million people in the U.S. experience ankle injuries each year. They can occur for a variety of reasons including intense physical activity like sports games or even just walking. Ankle injuries could include a rolled ankle, a broken ankle, ligament tears and more. If you’ve injured your ankle in the past but you occasionally still feel…
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Why can’t I put weight on my leg without pain? Here are 5 possible explanations
If you can’t put weight on your leg without severe pain, something’s likely wrong in your knee. In this article, we’ll describe a few possible culprits for your leg pain, and we’ll explain what you may want to do next. Important note: If you can’t stand at all right now and you don’t know why,…
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Why do I have nerve pain after Achilles tendon surgery?
Achilles tendon surgery may be necessitated for those who have ruptured or torn the tendon in their heel. The Achilles tendon is a cord in the back of the ankle and heel where the heel bone connects to the muscles in the calf. When the tendon becomes overstretched, it can become ruptured or torn. The tendon can also degenerate…
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Is that a pinched nerve or pulled muscle? Here’s how to tell
Pinched nerves and pulled muscles feel similar but are very different conditions. If you have a pain in your neck or back, you might think that you pinched a nerve when you in fact pulled a muscle or vice versa. So how do you tell? Well, we’ll answer that question in this article. Let’s break…
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Heat or ice for sciatica? Which works better?
Sciatica is a condition that occurs when the sciatic nerve is pinched, causing a pain that radiates out from the lower back through the hips and down the legs. Experts estimate that between 10% and 40% of people experience sciatica at some point during their lifetime. Symptoms typically last anywhere from one to six weeks,…
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Burning sensation in your lower back? Here are 5 potential causes
Back pain can take many forms. Sometimes your lower back muscles feel tight and stiff. Other times you experience a sharp pain when standing up. Often, back pain takes the form of a burning sensation in your lower back. In this article, we’ll offer some explanations for why that burning sensation in your lower back…
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How do physical therapists treat crushed foot injuries?
A crush injury is one that has been named quite literally. When a crush injury occurs, it involves a high amount of force or pressure being applied to an area of the body. This type of injury is most common for hands and feet. When you have a crushed foot injury, this just means that your foot…
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Back hurts when you sneeze? Here’s why and what to do about it
Does your back hurt when you sneeze? Wondering why? There are a few different types of sneeze-related back pain. In some cases, you might feel like you pulled a muscle when you let out a big sneeze. In other cases, you might feel soreness or a stinging sensation every time you sneeze. To help you identify…
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5 foam roller exercises and stretches for your lower back
Lower back pain can have many causes. It can stem from an injury, surgery complications, or any number of conditions affecting your spine or hips. Wherever your lower back pain stems from, a foam roller may be able to help. These polyethylene tools can help to loosen your muscles, ease soreness and reduce inflammation in your lower…
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Sciatica ice packs: Do they work, and where do you put them?
Sciatica is a condition that affects the lower back through the feet where the sciatic nerve runs through the body. When the nerve becomes inflamed or compressed due to another underlying condition, it can result in serious pain. It’s a fairly common condition, affecting a large portion of the American population. There is not a cure for…