Sciatica – a Pain in the Butt! If you have had sciatica, you know how painful it can be. Sciatica is kind of a “catch-all” term used to refer to pain that refers down the leg and is caused by an irritated nerve or neural structure. Most commonly, sciatica is associated with back pain. Despite how common sciatica can be …
I Had A Hip Replacement, So Why Do I Still Have Groin Pain?
A Common Surgery, a Rare Outcome Total hip replacements are one of the most common orthopedic surgeries in the US, and will soon be approaching 500,000 performed every year. Unlike other common orthopedic surgeries, which aren’t always as successful, total hip replacement is actually one of the most successful orthopedic surgeries. Just like any surgery, however, complications can occur. After surgery, …
Is Low Back Pain in Dancers a Major Problem?
How Common is Low Back Pain? Low back pain is the most common cause of disability worldwide, and the number of people in the United States that report having it in the past month is somewhere near 1 out of 4. Dancing is a rigorous sport. Male dancers often have to lift females over their heads or in awkward positions, and …
Which Nerve is Causing Your Pain?
by Kirstin Weible, PT, ScD Neuropathy or Radiculopathy or Radicular Pain? Oh My! Numbness, tingling, burning, and pain in the lower legs and feet or arms and hands can be uncomfortable and interfere with a person’s daily life and activities. The culprit of these unpleasant symptoms can be difficult to determine without a few subjective answers and clinical tests. Two …
Knee OA? New study Confirms PT is Better than Shots
Shots Are Common – But Should They Be? If you have knee OA in the US, you have about 50% chance of getting an injection.1 Despite exercise being the most recommended treatment for knee OA, only about 10% of people ever get referred to a physical therapist. In fact, the use of PT declined between 2007 and 2015.2 In my clinical practice, …
Disc Injury? Here’s What You Need to Know
by Kirstin Weible, PT, ScD, COMT What’s with my disc? Between each vertebra lies an intervertebral disc. It is made of many layers of outer tissue similar to what a ligament is made of, called the annulus fibrosus, and a softer gel-like center, called the nucleus pulposus. Behind the disc is a space called the intervertebral foramen (“foramen” means “hole” …
Knee Arthritis? Study Shows You Have a Very Good Shot at Avoiding Surgery with Physical Therapy
If you have osteoarthritis (OA), you know that learning about it and what it means for you can be confusing. Often, the x-ray is reviewed and minimal advice on how to proceed and what the outcomes mean for you are given. If you’re smart enough to ask, you might find out that about 1 in 4 people having knee replacement surgery (the …
How Much Pain is Too Much to Keep Riding?
KIRSTIN WEIBLE, PT, COMT The Kennedy Stages of Tendinopathy provide a useful gauge on when and how to grade activity in cases of soft tissue pain (muscles, tendons, etc.). It is not always necessary to stop activity completely, but it is not always a good idea to just push through the pain either. The stages suggest the following: Stage …
Top 3 Things to Keep You Cycling Longer
Cycling is big in Tucson. We have the weather, the roads, and the people to make it enjoyable. Before you get out there this winter, take a look at the top three things you can do to ensure that you can rack up the miles without tallying up your aching body parts. 1 – Don’t increase your mileage too quickly. …
Is This Pain on My Bike Normal?
Is Pain Normal? Is pain normal when it comes to biking? Is it something we should just expect and “deal with?” The short answer is no. There are many adjustable components on your bicycle, and proper positioning of those components can go a long way in eliminating and preventing pain while enjoying cycling. There are well-researched ideal angles of movement and …
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