Farnsworth Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Orthopedic Physical Therapy

pain

That’s a Stretch

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Stretch Yourself

When life gets crazy, it’s easy to forget to take care of ourselves.  Setting aside a few moments to do something to better your health and the way you feel can make a big impact on your day.  One quick and simple thing you can do for your health is stretch. There are many effective stretches that target certain muscle groups and issues.  Below you’ll find a couple common stretches that you can do daily that target muscles that often get overworked and strained in our day to day lives.

Neck

First on the stretch list is the neck.  Let’s face it, you probably do things throughout your day that are not very kind to your neck. Whether it’s hunching over your phone, cleaning up after the kids, or straining over your work computer, your neck puts up with a lot.   Give your neck a stretch by tilting one ear towards your shoulder while standing upright.  Once you’ve stretched you neck as far as feels comfortable, open your hand on the side you’re tilting away from, turning your palm outward.  This allows your neck to stretch a little bit further.

Calf

Next, is a calf.  For those of us who spend a lot of time on our feet this stretch can be a lifesaver.  Sore feet are caused in part by tight calf muscles.  And for those who may suffer from plantar fasciitis this stretch can be especially helpful.  You’re going to need one extra item: a towel.  Place your heel on a soft but stable surface like a rug or yoga mat. Roll up a towel and place the ball of your foot on it. Step forward with the other foot. Do this with your knee straight instead of bent.  Hold it for a good half a minute and then switch to your other foot.

Give yourself a few minutes to stretch.  You’ll feel better.

Written by Tom Farnsworth PT

Little League Elbow

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As a state, Arizona is beginning to see a decrease in numbers of people who are diagnosed with the Corona Virus. There are beginning to be less restrictions and people are cautiously returning to activities. One activity my children participate in is youth baseball. They are between the age of 10 and 13, and children in these ages are normally pretty healthy. There have been several instances that have come up with my children’s friends and teammates which can be extremely painful and reduce their ability to participate in athletics. These are problems in the growth plate. I have witnessed this mostly in one body part: the elbow.

What is it?

The issue at the elbow almost exclusively occurs due to the repetitive action of throwing. This is why this is commonly called Little Leaguer’s Elbow. The medical term for this is Medial Epophysitis. This is basically an irritation on the inside of your elbow joint caused by repetitive motions. Excessive throwing causes a lot of stress on the inside part of the elbow which can be sometimes too much for growing bones and muscles. In extreme cases, part of the bone can actually break off. This typically happens in youth athletes between the ages of 8-17, when bone and muscle growth is most likely to occur.

Does my kid have it?

Typically, there is no specific incident that leads to this injury, but there can be. Usually, the young athlete will begin feeling pain on the inside of the throwing elbow where the bump is. This is where several muscles attach. The pain will worsen with the activity and if it gets bad enough, they will not be able to throw anymore. It will be fairly tender to the touch and you may notice swelling.  Pain when extending their elbow or wrist flexion is also a common occurrence.

What do we do about it?

If you notice your child has this, there are two things to immediately do.

  1. STOP THROWING!!! With repetitive stress injuries, the very first thing is to stop doing what is causing the pain. In this case, throwing. It is very important to not push through and play with this injury as it can lead to a much more serious condition.
  2. ICE: Ice at the initial stages can reduce swelling and irritation.

With all injuries that deal with soft tissues (muscle, tendon, ligament) there are several stretches and exercises which can be done. Almost always, the muscles on the palm side of your athlete’s forearm will be very stiff, and most times weak. These muscles should be stretched lightly and strengthened. The two stretches which are important are these:

With your elbow extended, gently extend your wrist to where you feel a gentle stretch on the palm side of your forearm. Hold for about 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.

Now, do the exact opposite. Hold for the same amount of time about 3 times.

Strengthening the forearm, wrist, and shoulder muscles of your throwing arm is extremely important. These should be prescribed specifically for the individual athlete.

How long does it take to heal?

The answer to this question really depends on the severity. It can be anywhere from a few weeks, to 1-3 months.  Coaches and leagues take special care with pitch counts depending on ages and this is an excellent thing to do, however any position player who throws often can be at risk. If you want to prevent this, a doctor or a physical therapist can identify the most important activities to do in order to prevent.

Weightlifter’s Shoulder

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Weightlifter’s Shoulder is a term that describes painful wear and tear of one end of your collar bone. It’s an injury that happens due to overuse.  It causes small fractures that can be quite painful and effect your range of motion. In some instances, something called osteolysis or bone breakdown occurs.

It’s called Weightlifter’s Shoulder because weightlifters are commonly affected due to the repetitive motions and heavy weight put on the shoulder joint when lifting weights. However, they are not the only ones affected. Jackhammer operators, baseball and football players and even soldiers can develop this problem.

Symptoms

The symptoms of this condition include tenderness over the front of the shoulder. You may also have pain while doing bench presses or dips, or you may be unable to do a push up due to the pain.  If you’re experiencing these symptoms it is very important that you do not try and push through the pain.  This will only lead to further damage and a longer healing process.

(Not being able to do a pushup due to lack of exercise is not a symptom.)

What Causes this Condition?

Repetitive stress from training and lifting can be a cause. For example, when your elbows drop below or behind your body during bench press, excessive traction on the AC (acromioclavicular) joint occurs. As a result, your shoulders extend too far.  If the bone does not have a chance to heal prior to your next workout, your shoulder can become painful and suffer from reduced strength and range of motion.

How to Treat It

Treatment for weightlifter’s shoulder usually starts with physical therapy and no surgery. This may include rest and changes in weight-training activities. You have to avoid over-training so that your joint can heal.  We can also help with suggesting modifications and design strength training for your condition.

(Rest is very important)

For those who don’t improve with therapy alone, or have a lot of damage to the shoulder joint, an arthroscopic surgery may be recommended. During the surgery, the surgeon removes portions of the damaged end of the collarbone in a procedure known as “distal clavicle excision”.  It is usually an outpatient procedure.  Most patients are able to return home the same day.

Physical Therapy is often recommended after surgery to improve strength and restore range of motion. Fortunately, most patients suffer no loss of function in the shoulder after surgery and are able to resume normal activities following rehabilitation.

Written by Travis Rohner PT

 

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

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Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a syndrome that affects the nervous system. It has been called by many names including, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), Sudek’s atrophy and shoulder/hand syndrome. The condition is more prevalent in women, but can be present in all age groups and genders. The exact cause is unknown, although it usually associated with an injury or physical trauma such as a fracture, crush injury or surgery. CRPS also tends to show up in the extremities; but it can happen anywhere. Early treatment may improve the long-term outcome but doesn’t guarantee complete recovery.

 

CRPS can become functionally limiting both in terms of range of motion and strength. The constant pain associated with the syndrome can make work and activities of daily life very difficult and frustrating.

 

Signs and Symptoms

 

CRPS symptom progression has 3 stages. The first stage begins as burning pain, swelling, stiffness, excessive sensitivity, and increased sweating in the area. This stage can last from 1-3 months.

 

As CRPS progresses into the second stage, which may last for 3-6 months, the pain becomes more intense and the swelling increases and may spread out from the affected area. Hair growth in the area may decrease. In the hands or feet, nails may become brittle and cracked. On X-rays the bone may show loss of density. The muscles begin to atrophy or diminish in size.

 

Stage 3 begins any time after 6 months. The condition may be permanent and some of the muscle changes may become irreversible. The pain may progress to such intensity that it is incapacitating. Bone density continues to decrease. Range of motion continues to decrease as a result of avoiding motion due to pain.

 

Treatment

 

The goals of treatment are to decrease swelling and pain, maintain or improve range of motion, educate about the condition to reduce or eliminate frustration associated with it, and restore function.

 

Swelling can be decreased with cold compresses, contrast baths, compressive wrapping or massage. Massage, however, may be difficult because of the pain and sensitivity.

 

 

Decreasing the pain and sensitivity is done through several methods. Moist heat can sometimes help. Desensitization is another means. Desensitization can include the use of electrotherapy. Gradual acclimation is another way. It begins by touching the area lightly with a soft material such as tissue paper for several minutes at a time throughout the day. As the area of sensitivity decreases, the tissue is switched to a soft cloth with slightly more pressure. As the sensitivity decreases again, the material is changed to a rougher type and the pressure is increased.

 

Therapeutic exercise can be help to return strength, range of motion and function. Your health professional can show you the specifics of the rehabilitation program. Quite often the exercises involved with CRPS will include weight-bearing activities to help.

 

It is important to understand the psychological problems associated with this condition so you can cope with any emotional stress. Because of the constant nature of the pain associated with CRPS, counseling may help. Your health professional can refer you to the proper source.

 

The use of all the treatment methods as stated above may help to break the pain cycle, decrease pain and improve overall function. It is important for you to maintain independence in the activities of the day, both in work and leisure activity.

Written by Clint Bunker PT

 

Concussion? We Can Help.

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Concussion

A concussion is defined as rapid acceleration and deceleration of the brain tissue within the skull. This type of injury occurs most often in a car accident or sports related injury. A concussion  is estimated by the CDC to happen over 3.8 million times per year. Unlike many issues, this injury can be difficult to manage and treat on your own since it is an injury that you can often not see.

What are the Symptoms?

Common symptoms following concussions can include dizziness, headaches, light and noise sensitivity, vision changes, difficulty with focusing on tasks, and difficulty thinking. Another common symptom following a concussion is difficulty in sleeping.This is related to the trauma and your brain working harder than it normally does for routine tasks.

Treatment

Immediately following this injury, rest for the body and brain is effective. If symptoms persist longer, physical therapy intervention can be extremely effective. The treatment includes balance testing and progression, memory recall, vestibular rehabilitation, and cervical spine treatment. The goal is to restore normal mobility and decrease headaches present caused by tension in the surrounding tissues. Treatment techniques are slow and progressive in nature. We start out with low demand on the body, both physically and mentally.

The goals of concussion treatments include allowing the patient to return to full activity performance, whether that be playing sports or returning to a full work shift. Ultimately, your individual brain’s reaction to treatment will determine how quickly you will progress.

As with most efficient therapeutic experiences, communication between the therapist and referring physician is crucial.  This is true for returning to sports or to work activity. Making sure the patient is progressing at the right pace, not too fast or slow, is important. The doctor can help with these progressions based on imaging results following an injury. If you feel that you are suffering from concussion-like symptoms, or have recently had a head injury, please feel free to contact our office for consultation.

Written by Casey Badder PT

Head, Shoulders, Geeze My Phone!

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Is your phone killing your back and neck?

Are you reading this on your phone right now? If so, you might be doing the “smartphone slouch”. You’re tilting your head forward and downward to hunch over your phone.  You may not know this, but the human head weighs somewhere around 10 to 12 pounds.  But when you tilt your head forward it can cause strain on your back, neck and shoulders that is equal to you having a much heavier head.  How much heavier? Well at 15 degrees of forward tilt it equates to your head weighing 27 pounds. At 30 degrees forward, the strain on your neck equals a 40 pound head.  A 60 degree tilt is the same as if you had a 60 pound head!  That is some serious strain!

No one wants a head that big.

 

As you tilt your head, you also move your shoulders forward into a rounded position, which is another aspect of poor posture. All this excess strain creates extra wear and tear on the structures of your neck, upper spine and back.  The average person is on a computer or smart device between 2-4 hours every day.  That’s a lot of potential pain and strain.

What Can I do?

So how do you get your work done and use your phone and save your back and neck?  First, if you have to do extended work, don’t do it on your phone.  It’s much better if you do long tasks on a desktop computer.  If you have to do it on a laptop, make sure you’re positioned where you can have good posture.  Then, when you do have to use your phone, don’t hunch over it.  Instead, lift your phone up higher rather than tilting your head and rounding your shoulders forward.

 

Being aware of your posture is a great first step to relieving the pain of living life in the age of the smart phone.  But it’s almost inevitable that you’re going to have some pain and strain from time to time.  Here are a couple of things you can do to bring some much-needed relief to your upper back and neck.

First is the scap squeeze. It gets its name from your scapula, also known as your shoulder blades.  The goal is to squeeze your shoulder blades together.  Sit or stand up tall with your arms at your sides.  Keep your shoulders relaxed and down, not shrugged. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for 6 seconds, then relax.

 

Second, a lat pull down can help correct your posture and strengthen the muscles that will keep you from straining.  On a lat pulldown machine you’ll want to grab the bar with your hands shoulder width apart and be sure to pull the bar down to your chest and not behind your head.  You can see here and example of proper technique.  The goal isn’t to do this exercise with the most weight possible, but to get good steady repetitions in that will engage the muscles that help your posture.

 

Staying mindful of your posture, along with these simple stretches and exercises will help you beat the smartphone slouch.

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

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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