Farnsworth Orthopedic Physical Therapy

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Hamstrings

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Why are hamstrings important?

The hamstring muscles are a group of three muscles that sit in the back side of your upper leg, or thigh. These muscles often have limitations, either in mobility or strength. This can alter normal biomechanics during your regular daily activity or sports related activity. Some common hamstring injuries include a tear or strain of the muscle or tendon. Your hamstring muscles are also essential in low back health as you age. They are muscles that will constantly need work. They also assist in extension of your hip as well as flexion of the knee.

Issues

The attachment point of the hamstring muscles is the ischial tuberosity, which is part of your pelvis.  Tension is quite common in your hamstrings. This leads to a pulling in your pelvis. This will case a pelvic tilt and consequently, a flat back posture, which affects the normal curvature of your spine. We find this most commonly in the elderly. This can lead to weakness of the lumbar spine when your muscles are not able to contract properly and can lead to further back injuries. Stretching will improve the mobility of your hamstring muscles.  This also decreases the potential for further injury in your low back or legs.

Another common issue for your hamstring includes a muscle imbalance, in which there is a decreased strength of the hamstrings or an increased strength of the quadricep muscles. Research shows that quadricep muscles are often more powerful than the hamstrings. The hamstrings seem to fatigue quicker than the quadriceps. This can often lead to a muscle strain and occurs most commonly in the athletic population. Strengthening the hamstring muscles will help create a 1:1 ratio of strength in these muscles and decrease a risk for injury.

Come in and see us.

There are plenty of issues that occur in the hamstring which can lead to serious injury. It is important to assess the hamstrings and determine if flexibility or strengthening is better for you and to proscribe an appropriate exercise program. If you are experiencing any of these issues or feel that you could benefit from our services, please contact us.

Casey Badder PT

Clavicle Injuries

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Better Know Your Clavicle

The clavicle is the medical term for your collarbone. On one end, the collarbone attaches to the top of your sternum (the “breastbone”). The other end attaches to a bone of the shoulder blade. The clavicle provides considerable support for the shoulder. In fact, the clavicle is the only direct bony attachment that your shoulder has to the rest of your skeleton. The clavicle attaches to the sternum and shoulder blade by ligaments (strong fibrous bands of tissue). It has very few muscles to help contribute to the support.

 

Injuries

Clavicle injuries usually happen because of a trauma such as a car accident. They can also happen when you fall on your shoulder or outstretched arm. The result is either a broken clavicle or a ligament tear.

When a clavicle gets inured, you will feel pain at your shoulder blade attachments or at your sternum. Your shoulder may also have what is known as a “drop off.” This means your shoulder is lower than the other shoulder and has a noticeable step off rather than a rounded appearance. The pain may increase as your shoulder is lifted, especially when lifting over your head.

This clavicle here is broken very badly.  Ouch!

Treatment

In either case, the first treatment is to brace and support the shoulder for a period of time to allow the fracture or the ligament injury to heal. In severe or complete fractures, a doctor will need to set your fracture. The amount of time of immobilization depends on your physician’s opinion and the degree of the injury. In severe injuries, you may need surgery.

After a period of immobilization, you’ll need a more active rehabilitation program. Avoid lifting objects with your injured-side arm. Also, you will need to avoid carrying items such as purses or backpacks. At first, modalities such as ice, ultrasound or anti-inflammatory procedures may be used to help decrease the pain and reduce inflammation. Gentle range-of-motion exercises are helpful, usually in the lower ranges, avoiding overhead activity. As your range improves and your pain is reduced, the exercise program transitions to a strength program with range-of-motion overhead exercises.

Decreasing your pain level is key.

Patience Is a Virtue

Clavicle injuries may be difficult and painful to rehabilitate, depending on the severity of the injury and ligaments injured. Ligaments can be slow to heal, so rehabilitation may be slow and relatively long. It is important to have patience and not become frustrated during this time. In most cases the outcome is good. Consult your doctor or health professional for the details of your injury.

Written by Travis Rohner PT

Total Knee Replacement

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Knee Replacement

One of the most common things that we see patients for is total knee replacement. Our therapists are experts and can easily guide you through the therapeutic process.   At our office we also have specialized equipment aimed directly at helping our patients that have had knee replacements heal from surgery and get their mobility back.  Knee replacements are major surgery, but with our treatment plan you can have a successful recovery as quickly as possible.

Our Equipment

Recumbent bikes are easy to use, and put little strain on sore or injured, tendons, ligaments and joints. They also allow you to strengthen your muscles which is important after your surgery.  Our recumbent bike is a stationary bike with a bucket seat. Instead of sitting directly over the pedals, the pedals are out in front of you. This makes it easier to use, and it puts less strain on your back, knees, and hips.

This bike has adjustable pedals to help you get the customized fit that will serve you best.

 

The bender is machine that is designed to help you increase your range of motion.  It allows you to safely bend your knee and regain the flexibility that you need to get back to your everyday life.  This machine is set up with a display that shows you the angle of your knee in degrees.  You and your therapist will work together to come up with goals on how far you can bend your knee and how soon you can reach that goal.  Using that handlebars to assist your knee and leg muscles, you will soon be regaining maximum range of motion with your new knee.

Testimonial

Of course, it’s best to not take our word for it when it comes to how good we are at rehabbing knee replacements.  Instead, take the word of one of our recent patients:

“I came to Farnsworth Physical Therapy after a total knee replacement for rehab.  Everyone was professional, friendly, caring, and encouraging.  Tom, my therapist, was interested in making sure I met my goals.  They helped me to progress while they worked on lessening my pain.  I highly recommend this facility.”  -Christie Cobb

 

Written by Tom Farnsworth PT

We’ve Moved!

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We’ve Moved to a New Location

We’ve enjoyed our old location at the NE corner of Greenfield and Guadalupe for over 20 years. However, the time has come for us move and expand.  So we searched far and wide and found the perfect location for our new physical therapy office.  Our new office is located on the SW corner of Greenfield and Guadalupe.  That’s right, we’ve moved all the way across the street!

A Fresh Space to Better Serve You

Our new location has plenty of space and a comfortable layout to help us best serve our patients.  Our top priority is always our patients and we are excited to welcome you to our new office.  We think you will be pleased with our new and improved space.

 

Our new gym.

Our new office is a stand alone building.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Labrum Issues

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The Labrum

The labrum is a cup-like structure in the shoulder that reinforces the socket portion of the ball-and-socket joint. The joint in the shoulder is rather shallow. This causes it to rely on the labrum as well as the surrounding rotator cuff muscles. It is composed of fibrocartilage which doesn’t easily regenerate on its own.. Damage to the labrum occurs from repetitive stress to the area. An injury to the bicep which attaches to this part of the shoulder, as well as dislocations to the shoulder joint can cause damage as well.

Tears

A labral tear is most commonly seen in overhead athletes. These are athletes such as volleyball or baseball players, or to those who have repetitive dislocations of the shoulder. A SLAP tear happens when you tear the upper part of your labrum from forward to back. This high energy, quick movement  can cause this to happen as it puts unwarranted stress on your bicep and labrum. A Bankart tear happens when there are recurrent dislocations of the shoulder joint. This can tear the lower portion of your labrum. This causes shoulder instability over time, which causes the shoulder to dislocate multiple times.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a labral issue include shoulder instability and weakness. You may also experience pain in the shoulder joint. Other symptoms can include grinding, clicking, or catching when you move your shoulder. Depending on the severity of the injury, you may need surgery to help correct it. As mentioned before, there is little to no regeneration of this part on its own. However, physical therapy and cortisone injections will help restore the mobility and strength. If physical therapy fails or if the initial injury is severe enough, surgery may be warranted to correct the torn labrum. This surgery can include arthroscopic cleaning of the joint, removing the torn areas, and/or relocating the bicep to prevent further stress to the area. The surgeon will determine that based on the patient situation and injury severity.

Treatment

Physical therapy is an integral part of rehabilitation of a labrum injury. This is true whether surgery is needed or not. If you have had a sports related injury, multiple shoulder dislocations or any of the symptoms above, please do not hesitate to contact our office for further evaluation.

 

Written by: Casey Badder PT

Sever’s Disease

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Sever’s Disease

Sever’s disease is a painful condition that can happen to children as they grow. It happens when the tendon that attaches to the back of the heel (your Achilles) pulls on the growth plate of the bone of the heel. The stress over and over again on the growth plate causes pain and inflammation.

It happens most often to physically active children between the ages of 8 and 14. This pain is often made worse by lots of physical activity or when the Achilles tendons are tight. Pain can also be worse during a growth spurt, when the bones grow faster than the tendons. This increases how much the tendon pulls on the heel.  While it is painful, Sever’s disease is not a serious condition. It doesn’t cause long term damage or arthritis and often resolves once the growth plates close.

How do I know if my child has it?

The following are some signs that your child may have Sever’s disease:

  • Heel pain in one or both heels, which often comes and goes
  • Pain that gets worse when doing activities activities, especially with new or strenuous activities
  • Pain may cause limping or walking on toes to avoid putting pressure on the heels
  • Pain that is worsened by running or jumping
  • Pain with pressing on the back of the heel
  • Pain is worse upon waking

What helps Treat it?

Ice: Ice their heel for 15 to 20 minutes when the have pain or after activities. Remember not to put the ice directly on skin. Use a towel or other cloth between the ice and their skin.

Rest: Rest from physical activities, especially running and jumping, while having pain. Take rest breaks between activities.

Shoes: Always have your child wear a well-cushioned pair of supportive shoes. Don’t allow them to walk around in bare feet. In some cases, special gel inserts for the shoe called heel cups may help.

Pain Relief: Anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen can be used as needed for pain and swelling. Be sure to read the directions on the bottle in order to give the correct dosage for your child’s height and weight.

Stretching: Stretching their calf muscles can help loosen tight Achilles tendons and help decrease the pull of the tendons on the growth plates.

Road to Recovery

In most cases, Sever’s disease goes away on its own. The important thing is to make sure your child gets rest, treatment, and time to heal. Symptoms might get worse if your child tries to play through the pain.  Your child can gradually increase the amount of activities they do when they don’t have symptoms. Remember, this is a disease that can come and go.  Sever’s disease usually goes away completely when their growth plates close.

Written by Travis Rohner PT

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Areas Served:

Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Apache Junction, Tempe, Globe, Gold Canyon

Postal Address

Gilbert Office
730 N. Greenfield Rd.
Gilbert, AZ 85234
Phone: (480) 633-0666

Mesa Office
342 N Val Vista Dr. Suite 106
Mesa, AZ 85213
Phone: (480) 325-3310