Farnsworth Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Orthopedic Physical Therapy

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I Have a (Shoulder) Hunch…

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Good Posture

Good posture isn’t just for taking pictures with your family, there are real impacts to overall health that result from hunching shoulders. Our lives day to day shape our posture. Allowing bad posture to happen makes it more difficult to fix.  Over time, if you keep your shoulders hunched your muscles will become trained to think hunched shoulders and a bent neck are natural.

A Life That Leads to Hunch

Looking at our phones and sitting at a computer has become a major part of all of our lives. Unfortunately, both of these encourage really poor posture. Often, hunched shoulders develop unconsciously through a few different ways. It could be unsupportive chairs, frequently carrying heavy objects, or avoiding attention in uncomfortable situations. Hunched shoulders  negatively impact your appearance and body language. It also creates stress and pain in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. If left untreated poor posture can lead to chronic pain, fatigue and even difficulty breathing.

Diagnosis

Our physical therapists can judge if you have hunched shoulders and how severely. There are also simple tests you can do at home that can show if you have hunched shoulders. An easy way to check is to have a family member or friend look at your posture. One indicator is if you appear to be slouching even if you try standing up straight. Another sign is if the palms of your hands face behind you when you are standing at rest. With normal posture your thumbs face forward, and your palms face inward but hunched shoulders will force your thumbs to point inward and your palms to face back.

If you are experiencing low back, neck or shoulder pain, a physical therapist will be able to assess your posture and determine the source of your discomfort. If you are experiencing posture related symptoms, a physical therapist can develop personalized treatment plan aimed at correcting the corresponding weakness. Hunched shoulders could be a sign of more complicated weaknesses or dysfunction as well so it’s important to speak with a medical professional as soon as possible.

Treatment and Exercise

There are ways to treat and prevent hunched shoulders. A physical therapist will provide you with a unique exercise and stretch routine to address weaknesses or dysfunctions discovered during your initial evaluation. Just as the muscles and joints had learned to hold poor posture at rest, they can be strengthened and trained to hold good posture.

Stretches at Home

Handclasp

The handclasp stretch is simple and can be done every day. Standing up straight with your hands by your sides, reach your hands behind you to clasp them together.

Gently, pull your shoulders back, while being careful not to allow your neck to push forward.

Your shoulders should be pulled back until your chest opens and a deep stretch is felt. The position should be held for 30 seconds.

Shoulder Blade Squeeze

This basic exercise reminds your body what good posture feels like and helps build strength throughout the day.

Sitting up tall, you should move both of your shoulder blades together, as if trying to hold a tennis ball between them. As they flex, your shoulders should move down and away from your ears.

This position should be held for 10 seconds and repeated 10 times.

Come and See Us

There are many more stretches to be done at the physical therapy office and at home.  Come see our expert therapists who will teach you the stretches and exercises that will be most beneficial for your condition.  We will get you standing upright and in family picture shape in no time.

Vertigo

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A Common Ailment

Vertigo is an ailment that effects many people at various points in their lives. A trained physical therapist can often help your vertigo symptoms. The most common cause of vertigo is due to something called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV for short. It’s due to a problem in your inner ear. Everyone has small structures called otoconia in your inner ear. These are normally located in the utricle and saccule in the inner ear. These structures allow us to sense where we are in space. They can become dislodged into the semicircular canals and cause BPPV.

(Not to be confused with the classic Alfred Hitchcock movie, which is much more fun.)

BPPV Symptoms

  • Symptoms increase when you move your head and change positions, most commonly rolling over in bed, bending over or when you look up.
  • Common to have occurrences at the hair dresser or dentist.
  • Vertigo occurs within 1-30 seconds and resolves within 60 seconds when in the provoking position
  • Nystagmus (repetitive, uncontrolled eye movements) occur.
  • Nausea is common

 

Causes

  • Vertigo can occur randomly
  • Occurs in people with certain vestibular pathologies,
  • Trauma: car accidents, head injuries.

 

Can Physical Therapy Help?

A trained physical therapist can perform maneuvers in a few minutes that, most of the time, can resolve BPPV within 1-2 sessions. It really can be that simple! If you are suffering with this problem, schedule an appointment and get help! There are often people who live with this condition for months and even years without knowing how quickly a therapist can help them resolve it.  Not every type of vertigo can be solved with physical therapy, but we have helped so many people find the relief they have desperately needed.  Let our therapists evaluate you and see if this treatment is right for you.

 

 

All the Rest

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Everyone Needs It

An often overlooked but crucial part of recovery and healing is rest. Rest allows the body time to repair and rebuild between workouts or therapy appointments. This is true for high level, elite athletes, as well as those of us who are… not.  No matter who you are or what your goals are, rest is vital for your health and recovery.

 

Rest comes in many forms, both physical and psychological. These include, but are definitely not limited to, adequate sleep, nutrition, massage, cryotherapy (ice) and recovery tools such as percussion massage and compression boots. Even taking the time to relax and de-stress is a major way to let your body heal and recover.

 

Sleep

One of the easiest ways to elevate your healing is to get quality sleep every night.  Sleep may be one of the most important things you can do for yourself.  Sleep allows the body time to recover, repair and replenish stores that were depleted after workouts, injuries, and treatments. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night.  However, sleep is very individual, so try getting different amounts of sleep to determine what your body needs to recover and have you feeling your best. Here are some tips to getting more quality sleep:

  • Try blackout curtains or a sleeping mask to darken your room.

 

  • Avoid eating a large meal just before bedtime.

 

  • Avoid exercising right before going to bed.

 

  • Keep your bedroom cool and comfortable.

 

  • Avoid using your smartphone before bedtime and while in your bed.

 

  • Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine before bed.

 

  • Stick to a sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day/night.

 

Rest During Treatment

Whether you are recovering from surgery, healing an injury, or just surviving the stresses and troubles of life, make sure you are taking the time to rest.  It’s what your body needs.  Your therapist may recommend that you rest from certain activities while you are treating the part of your body giving you trouble.  It’s important to follow these recommendations and give your body the space and time to heal.

Bye Bye Bicep!

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The “Bi” in Bicep

The front part of the upper arm is known as the bicep muscles. It consists of the coracobrachialis, brachialis and the biceps brachii. These muscles collectively will help flex the elbow and raise your shoulder up in front of your body. The most common muscle of these is the bicep brachii. It consists of two heads, hence the word “bi”. The long and the short head attach in different locations but are both effective for arm movements. Biceps are known as aesthetic muscles. However, the biceps also serve a functional purpose for everyday activity. Like other muscle tissue in the body, they can also have overuse injuries as well as traumatic injuries from these activities.

Injury

Overuse injuries are common in these muscles. They can occur in your shoulder or further down in your elbow area. Common overuse injuries occur in athletes such as overhead throwers, golfers, swimmers, and tennis players. It can also occur in non-athletes with repetitive movements. Work related duties or weakness in your rotator cuff area cause injuries too. It is important to avoid or limit movements that may have caused the injury as well as agents to help the localized swelling including ice and NSAIDs or injections. Physical therapy services can also provide relief to localized area as well as help change mechanics to prevent further injury going forward.

(We can’t all be the hulk)

A bicep tear can also occur in the shoulder or elbow attachment as well. A prolonged overuse injury, fall on an outstretched arm, or rapid twisting movement of the elbow and/or shoulder can be problematic. This can tear the bicep either partially or completely. Lifting a heavy object can also cause a bicep tear. This happens most commonly at the distal attachment. Complete tears will cause the muscle to roll into the mid arm, looking something like Popeye in the old cartoons. A partial tear may not visually be identified. Increased pain and weakness in your bicep as well as a “pop” during the activity are good indications of a tear in your bicep. These issues are typically resolved with surgical intervention followed by physical therapy to help restore normal function of the elbow and shoulder.

Recovery

Physical therapy is such an integral part of recovery for a bicep injury. Before or after a surgery, it’s  important to keep the shoulder healthy to prevent one of these injuries. If you feel that you have an issue with your bicep, feel free to contact our office to see how we can help you.

Written by Casey Badder, PT

Updated COVID-19 Protocol

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We know it’s been a long, exhausting, and upsetting year for everyone. We are excited that many of the restrictions for the Covid-19 virus have been removed due to the fact that the vaccine is available to everyone now. We are happy to let you know that every employee at both of our locations has received the Covid-19 vaccine. Because of this, we are no longer requiring our staff to wear masks. Our safety and sanitary protocols will remain very much the same as they have been all along. As a medical office, we sanitize our rooms and equipment regularly. Additionally, we have handwashing stations and hand sanitizer available to staff and patients at any time. Our patients comfort and safety has always been our number one priority. If you would like your therapist or PT technician to wear a mask when they work directly with you, please let us know, and we will be happy to accommodate your request. Masks are always welcome for unvaccinated or high risk patients, and we encourage staff members and patients who are sick to stay home. Thank you for your cooperation through these difficult times. We look forward to seeing all of your full faces!

Raynaud’s Disease

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What is Raynaud’s Disease?

Raynaud’s disease causes the fingers or toes to grow cold, change color, lose sensation due to decreased blood flow. While anyone may experience Raynaud’s disease, women are more likely to experience it.  Most of the time, this is more of a nuisance than a severe medical condition. It was discovered by a man by the name of, you guessed it, Raynaud.

Causes

While we don’t know the specific causes of Raynaud’s Disease, it occurs because the small blood vessels of the fingers and/or toes go into spasm. Your fingers or toes grow numb, and the involved body part changes colors. A lack of blood flow due to lack of oxygen makes the finger change from white to blue, then finally red due to a “flushing” of that body part with richly oxygenated blood.   When the blood flow returns to the body part, there might be swelling, tingling and mild pain.   Cold temperatures and stress are some of the most common things that trigger the Raynaud’s response.

Not all of us can be Elsa.

If the lack of blood flow is caused by a more serious medical condition, this is known as Secondary Raynaud’s Phenomenon.  Some conditions that lead to this phenomenon are atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, frost bite, and smoking.  Luckily, this condition is usually not a medical emergency or in need of immediate medical attention.

What Can I Do?

There are certain things you can do on your own to help cut down on the symptoms of Raynaud’s Disease:

  • Keep your hands and feet warm. Use gloves or potholders when getting things out of the freezer or fridge.
  • Exercise (performing finger exercises, arm circles, ankle pumps, toe scrunches, stationary bike, or choose your favorite aerobic exercise)
  • Massaging your fingers or toes to promote blood flow
  • Soaking in warm water or using a moist heat pack or microwaveable hand mitt to hands/feet to increase your circulation.
  • Managing emotional and environmental stress (practice stress reducing techniques like deep breathing, meditation, yoga)
  • Quit Smoking

Get Treated

At our physical therapy office, we have treatments and exercises that we can use to increase blood flow to the affected area and decrease your symptoms.  We also have some techniques we can teach you in person that you can use at home.

Written by Tom Farnsworth 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