Farnsworth Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Gabby

Don’t Hurt Yourself Sleeping

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The Sad Truth

When you slide into bed at the end of a long day, you might not think much about your sleep position.  But the way you choose to lay down on your bed can have a major effect on how you feel.  Can you actually injure yourself sleeping? The sad truth is, yes.

Ever noticed how you feel achy and painful after a night sleeping on a mattress you thought was great? If so, you have become a victim of a sleep injury. Even on the best mattresses in the world, a bad sleep position can cause injury. And although a great mattress can help you sleep in a better position, it cannot guarantee a pain-free morning if you aren’t sleeping in a way that is best for your body.  You’ve probably heard of something called a “crick” in your neck or back. “Cricks” sound like a mild annoyance, but they can actually be pretty serious. If you aren’t careful, you can injure yourself and create more wear and tear on your body.

Possible Pains

Shoulder Pains – Do you put your arm underneath your head as a pillow when you sleep? This could actually wear down the cartilage of your joint, and can lock your shoulder muscles in place – making them very painful when you try to straighten your arm in the morning.

 

Back Pains – Sleeping incorrectly on your back can cause you to strain those muscles. You may have already worn a you-shaped groove into the mattress, and the depression in the mattress will pull on your back muscles. In certain cases this can actually cause your spine to slip out of alignment if you don’t change your mattress or your sleeping position.

Elbow Injuries – Does your arm hang over the edge of your bed as you sleep? When you sleep on your back, do you extend your arms straight out to the side? If so, you may be placing extra strain on your elbows. You may actually cause the same kind of injury you can get by working out incorrectly, as placing all of the weights on your elbow joint can hyperextend the joint – causing potentially serious damage.

 

Neck Pains – If you sleep on your stomach, your neck has to twist at a weird angle. If you sleep on your back, a pillow that is too thick can strain the curvature of your spine and your neck muscles. If your pillow is too thin, side-sleeping can strain the muscles on the side of your neck.

Hip Pains – Those that sleep on their side may be used to it, but those trying to change their position from stomach or back-sleeping to side-sleeping may feel pains in their hips. Sleeping on your side without the right support can actually wear down your hip joints.

There’s Hope

Look at how you sleep, as well as how you feel when you wake up in the morning. If you feel aches and pains, it may be time to change your sleeping habits!  If you’ve hurt yourself sleeping, there’s hope.  Come and see us during your waking hours and we can help you heal.

 

 

Haglund’s Deformity

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What is it?

Haglund’s Deformity is a bony enlargement of the back of the heel bone. Sometimes it’s called
“pump bump” because the deformity often occurs in women who wears pumps and runners.

So, Quasimodo likely had this.  If there was a deformity, he had it.

Causes

The shape of your foot can contribute to the development of Haglund’s Deformity. So, if you have
high arches, a tight Achilles tendon, or a tendency to walk on the outside of your feet, you’re
more likely to develop Haglund’s Deformity than other people. But, wearing shoes with a firm,
rigid back may also contribute to the development of Haglund’s Deformity.

Symptoms

Next, the primary symptoms of Haglund’s Deformity are an enlarged bony prominence on the back
of the heel and heel pain. You might also develop blisters on your heels as a result of your shoes
rubbing against the bump.

 

Home Care

Heel pads placed in the backs of your shoes may relieve and redistribute some of the pressure.
Applying ice to the area after removing your shoes may ease some of the pain and discomfort.
Also, switching shoes can help too. If you have an otherwise normal foot, wearing open-heeled
shoes may provide relief. However open-heeled shoes may not be not a good idea if you have
tendinitis, bunions, foot pain, or a structural deformity of the foot.

Diagnosis and Treatment

A podiatrist will begin by carefully examining your feet and taking a thorough medical history. And
X-rays may be ordered to get a good look at the structure of your feet. Sometimes, an MRI or
ultrasound might be ordered as well.

Treatment will depend on the severity of the condition. And options include:

● Shoe modification. Your podiatrist can recommend over-the-counter heel pads, heel
lifts, or arch supports, or create custom orthotic supports to change the position of
your feet in your shoes to relieve pressure on the back of your foot.
● Medication. Topical anti-inflammatory medication, applied directly to the heel, may
provide pain relief. Oral anti-inflammatory medication (such as ibuprofen) can help as
well.
● Immobilization. If the area is extremely inflamed, use a custom made soft cast or walking boot to immobilize the area and allow it to heal.
● Physical Therapy
● Surgery. If none of the non-surgical methods provide adequate relief, your podiatrist
may recommend surgery to correct the deformity. Podiatrists are specially-trained foot
and ankle surgeons who can surgically re-shape the heel bone.

Prevention

(Step one, don’t wear these shoes)

Avoid shoes with rigid backs. And if you have a high arch or tight Achilles tendon, wearing
appropriate shoe inserts and/or adequately stretching the Achilles tendon can help prevent the
development of Haglund’s Deformity.However, if you do find yourself struggling with this issue, don’t hesitate to come see us at our office and we can get you taken care of.

Written by Travis Rohner PT

Exercise- For Your Health

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Exercise is good for your body.  This is a fact that most people realize.  Getting exercise regularly can aid in weight loss and help strengthen your muscles and bones. However, there are more reasons why exercise may be something you want to take seriously. At the top of the list are the mental health benefits that happen when you work out.

Self-Esteem

Exercising helps to build your self-esteem by improving how your body moves, feels and looks. Even if you don’t lose weight from exercising, you are likely still strengthening your muscles and helping your body to move as it should. It can be empowering to run longer, lift heavier weights and stretch farther than you used to.  These physical results will make you feel better, and improve your confidence and self-esteem.

Pain

Scientific studies have shown that people who exercise and stay flexible are better able to manage their pain than those who don’t. Typically, chronic pain can lower your pain threshold. This means it takes less pain to cause you discomfort. Fortunately, exercise helps to increase your pain threshold. Increasing blood flow through your body helps your joints and muscles move more freely, and that helps decrease your pain.

Brain Power

Exercise enhances blood flow throughout your body, and that includes your brain. This increased blood flow supports the survival of new neurons in your brain and helps other neurons fire up faster. Exercise has been shown to promote neurogenesis, which allows for the creation and survival of new brain cells in the brain. This allows for better cognitive function, memory recall and more creativity.

Positive Mood

There is a strong link between exercise and the treatment of mild to moderate anxiety and depression. Exercise encourages all kinds of positive changes in your body by releasing endorphins in your brain such as dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. These are known as the “feel good” chemicals because of their strong influence on your mood.  Getting regular exercise can be a huge help in managing your mood.

(That’s his positivity face.)

Stress

When you work out, you actually give your mind a chance to slow down and stop thinking about the things that stress you out. Pair this with the better sleep that comes as a result from exercising and you will see a significant reduction in your stress levels.

Do What You Can

There are so many different ways you can get exercise, ranging from weight lifting to yoga. No matter what type, doing some is better than doing none. Do what you can and not only will you reap the benefits physically, but mentally as well.

Trigger Finger

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What is it?

Trigger finger is when your fingers or thumb get stuck in a bent position – as if squeezing a “trigger.” Trigger finger  occurs in just one or possibly more than one finger. Usually, your ring finger is the trouble finger. The condition is also known as stenosing tenosynovitis for all of you physical therapy fans out there.

Wrong kind of trigger finger.

Who does it happen to?

We see trigger finger most commonly in:

  • People who have jobs, hobbies, or tasks that require strenuous repetitive motions; frequent, strong grasping or gripping, or forceful use of the fingers and/or thumb.
    • Farmers
    • Industrial workers
    • Musicians
    • Gamers
  • People who have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or diabetes
  • People between the ages of 40 and 60.

Keyboard cat would be high risk for trigger finger, but alas, he has no fingers.

Symptoms and Causes

Tendons are bands of tissue that attach your muscles to your bones. In your hand, tendons and muscles must work together to flex and straighten your fingers and thumb. Usually, tendons slide easily through a tunnel of tissue called a sheath. The sheath keeps the tendons in place next to the bones of the finger(s) or thumb. With trigger finger or trigger thumb, your tendons become irritated and swollen and can no longer easily slide through their sheaths. A bump may also form on the tendon, which makes it even more difficult for the tendon to easily glide through its sheath.

Signs and symptoms of trigger finger or trigger thumb include:

  • Snapping or popping sensation when moving the finger(s) or thumb.
  • Soreness at the base of the finger or thumb in the palm, especially while gripping or grasping.
  • Pain and stiffness when bending the finger or thumb.
  • Swelling or tender lump in the palm of the hand.
  • Locking of the finger or thumb in the bent position (in severe cases). Your finger or thumb has to be gently straightened using your other hand.
  • Inability to fully flex the finger.

The stiffness and bent position of your finger or thumb are worse in the morning. The stiffness typically lessens as you use your fingers.

Management and Treatment

For mild cases, the first step is to rest the finger or thumb and limit or avoid the activities that are causing symptoms. Sometimes a splint may be used on the affected finger to keep the joint from moving. If symptoms continue, anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, may be prescribed or steroid injections may be considered.

If the condition does not respond to non-surgical treatments or continues to recur, then we will recommend surgery.

Written by Clint Bunker PT

All Is Swell That Ends Swell

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Swelling is a natural part of your body’s healing process after an injury. When your body needs to heal an injury, it will make it swell by sending blood, lymphatic fluid and special repair cells to the injured area. Too much swelling, on the other hand, or swelling that lingers too long, can slow your recovery by making the injured area more painful and less mobile. So, what can you do to keep yourself at a healthy level of swelling?

(This dog is swelling because he ate a bee.  Do not be like this dog.)

The first resource you have is compression. Compression is very effective. It can be achieved various ways. The most common way to compress a swollen limb is to wrap an ace bandage around it. When you wrap an injury it’s helpful to “grade” the pressure.  That means that you need to make the wrap tighter close to the injury and looser on the end closer to your heart.  Also, compression garments offer a convenient form of compression.  These can be worn all day which can help them be more effective. Most running or athletic stores sell knee-high compression socks for athletic performance that can also be used to manage swelling. These are great if your swelling is in your ankles or lower legs.

 

Another major way to work on swelling is through muscle pumping. Your veins, the vessels that bring blood BACK to the heart, rely on the pumping action of your muscles to move blood back toward your heart. Veins have valves that prevent back-flow but the real action comes when we use our muscles.Your lymphatic vessels also rely heavily on the muscle pump. Long story short, you can help your body get rid of excess swelling by contracting your muscles.  The way you do that is by using them! Exercising the muscles around the swollen area is critical to getting rid of swelling.

Elevation is another tool you can use.  Have you ever noticed that swelling improves first thing in the morning and gets worse throughout the day? When you’re sleeping at night, you’re in a gravity-neutral position, so it’s easier for your body to process the swelling. Throughout the day, gravity pulls the swelling back into your limbs. Elevation is the least effective tip on this list. This is partly because elevation really only works if your swollen limb is ABOVE YOUR HEART. Plus, elevation is usually not very active, and activity and pumping of your muscles. But if you can make sure to elevate the injury above your heart, it can be one more swelling trick up your sleeve.

(This guy has got his injury above his heart.  He gets points for that.  But maybe find a more comfortable place to lay down.)

 

Your last major weapon against swelling is ice.  Ice is especially helpful in the first 24-48 hours after an injury. The cold from ice causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of the vessels) which helps push the swelling out. Another benefit of ice is its analgesic effect. Ice can really help reduce your pain level. If you have pain and swelling, ice is going to come in handy.  Apply ice for 10-15 minutes.  Make sure to put a barrier like a cloth or pillowcase between the ice or ice pack and your skin.  Frostbite is not something that anyone wants.

(Elsa is icing and elevating, she gets it.)

 

These are some resources you can use at home.  If you have a serious injury, see a doctor, and see us for physical therapy.  We have added techniques and targeted exercises that can help you heal quickly and safely.

 

 

Consistency: The Secret Ingredient

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The Secret

When it comes to helping our patients heal there is one factor that stands out, and that is consistency.  At our office we have great equipment to help us strengthen muscles, stretch tendons, and increase mobility.  Our therapists are experienced experts that pinpoint the sources of your pain and other troubles.  They can even teach you exercises to do at home that can have a major effect on your recovery.  But without one secret ingredient all of these resources may come up short.  That ingredient is consistency.

(Don’t tell anyone.  Or actually go ahead, it’s fine)

What Do We Recommend

When you are going to physical therapy, and especially at first, it is very important that you are as consistent as possible.  For most injuries and issues the recommended schedule is to come in  three times per week, for the first four weeks.  Consistently having appointments for your issue is a major step you can take to make sure you recover as quickly and completely as possible. If you are not able to come in consistently and often, it’s much more difficult to tackle the problems you may be experiencing. This is even more important for our patients recovering from surgeries.   Muscles, tendons, joints, and nerves all respond best to physical therapy treatments that are applied consistently.  When you can only receive treatment off and on, you may not see the progress you want.

Make room for the important things in your schedule.

At Home

As you are going through the process of physical therapy your therapist will likely have exercises that they can teach you to do at home that are designed to help you heal the part of the body that you are working on. Since you can’t be at the physical therapy office every day, doing these exercises will ensure that you keep improving.  The patients that we have that see the most success are the patients who come in consistently and who do the at home exercises too.  If you want to get better and get better quickly, then the secret ingredient is consistency.

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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