stretch

Physical Therapy Exercises for Neck Pain

November 4, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Many people suffer from neck pain. Here are some exercises to help alleviate some of that pain from an article posted on LIVESTRONG.com ,written by Joshua McCarron . For more questions call our studio at 619-756-7500!

Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images Physical Therapy Exercises for Neck Pain

Neck pain can range from mild to debilitating.

If you’ve ever experienced pain in your neck, you’re not alone. According to a 2010 study published in the journal “Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology,” neck pain affects up to 20 percent of the population each year. This pain can range in severity from a minor annoyance that slightly disrupts your day to a debilitating condition that leaves you unable to turn your head. Your neck pain may be the result of a chronic, degenerative problem, or occur due to acute trauma from a fall or accident, so visit your doctor to determine the cause of your neck pain. However, most neck pain is not serious, and physical therapy exercises can often help.

Isometric Push

Isometric pushes help to strengthen the muscles on all sides of your neck. Place your palms against your forehead with your fingers pointing up, and gently press your head into your hands. Then, place your hands on the back of your head and do the same thing. Repeat the exercise with one hand placed on the side of your head, pushing against the resistance of your hand. Repeat on the other side. Hold each push for five seconds, rest for three and continue. Throughout each push, keep your neck straight, and do not bend your head forward.

Shoulder Blade Squeeze

Stand or sit comfortably with your back straight, and bend your arms close to 90 degrees. Keep your arms close to your body and squeeze your shoulder blades back together as far as you can without pain. Hold them like that for five seconds, then relax. Do 10 repetitions.

Chin Tuck

The chin tuck is a straightforward movement that gently stretches the back of your neck. Sit or stand with your back straight, and slowly tuck your chin down until you feel a mild stretch in the back of your neck. Hold the stretch for three seconds, and repeat 10 times.

Flexion and Extension

Flexion and extension movements stretch your neck in all directions. Flexion refers to bending your head forward, and extension is when you move it back. Move your head gently, especially during the extension movement. Allow gravity to stretch your neck muscles, with no extra effort from you. Begin by dropping your chin to your chest. Then, circle your head to bring your right ear toward your right shoulder. Continue the circle to the right, until you return to the starting position.

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Physical Therapy Exercises for Runner’s Knee

July 3, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Running is a popular form of exercise, but can be very hard on your body. Keith Strange offers some good exercises to help with “runner’s knee” in this article posted on Livestrong.com. For more questions give us a call at 619-756-7500!

Runner’s knee is an overuse injury that can result in pain when bending your knee.

Runner’s knee, or patellofemoral pain syndrome, is a condition that causes a dull or aching pain around or under your kneecap, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. This condition can be aggravated by walking up or down stairs or when squatting down or bending your knee for an extended period of time. Treatment for this condition often includes exercises designed to help you build strength and flexibility in your thigh muscles.

Standing Hamstring Stretch
Stand in front of a chair or stool that is about knee height. Place the heel of your injured leg on the stool with your toes pointing toward the ceiling. Lean forward at your waist until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh. Hold this stretch for up to 30 seconds and relax. Repeat. Be sure that you keep your shoulders positioned directly in line with your hips when performing this stretch.

Standing Quadriceps Stretch
Stand in front of a counter or wall for support. Place the hand of your uninjured side on the wall with your uninjured leg farthest away from the wall. Bend your injured knee and reach down with your other hand and grab your foot around your ankle. Use your hand to pull your ankle toward your buttocks until you feel a stretch along the front of your thigh. Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds and relax. Repeat.

Quadriceps Sets
Sit down on the floor with both legs extended in front of you and your toes pointing toward the ceiling. If necessary, you can place a rolled-up towel under the back of your injured knee. Press the back of your knee into the towel by contracting the muscles along the front of your thigh. Hold this contraction for about five seconds and relax. Repeat. You can ensure that you’re performing this exercise correctly by placing your hands on the front of your thigh to feel your muscles contract.

Straight Leg Raise
Lie down on your back with your injured leg extended and your toes pointing toward the ceiling. Bend your other knee and place the sole of your foot on the floor. Keep your injured knee straight and lift your heel about eight inches off the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds and use a slow and controlled motion to lower your heel back to the floor. Repeat.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: corrective exercise, exercise, flexibility, hamstring, injury, knee, overuse, pain, physical therapy, quadriceps, running, san diego, strength, stretch

Benefits of the Use of Ultrasound in Physical Therapy

June 26, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

If you have ever thought of using ultrasound for physical therapy, take a look at this article by Erica Jacques for more information. Give us a call at 619-756-7500 if you have any additional questions!

Ultrasound can help to prepare a muscle for stretching.
Ultrasound, according to Alain-Yvan Belanger, is the most commonly used modality in physical therapy today. Its use dates all the way back to the 1880s. Ultrasound machines generate sound waves that are higher than the frequency we can hear. The effect of these sound waves on the body’s tissues produces a number of benefits.

Deeper Heat
According to Belanger, the way ultrasound generates heat is through the vibrations caused by the sound waves. When tissues vibrate, this increases friction all the way down to the molecular level, causing the temperature of the targeted tissues to rise. This is a benefit of ultrasound over a traditional hot pack, which cannot penetrate into deeper musculature or joint tissues. Ultrasound heads are available in a variety of frequencies that can target a variety of depths, which gives a skilled therapist the ability to send heat exactly where she wants it to go. Some conditions that may benefit from this deeper heat, according to Belanger, include osteoarthritis and phantom limb pain.

Deeper Stretch
The deep heat generated by ultrasound can help to relax a tense or strained muscle. According to Spine Universe, this can help to minimize muscle spasms and shortening often associated with tension or injury. Spine Universe reports that ultrasound therapy has the added benefit of increasing range of motion.

Tissue Healing
Ultrasound’s deep heat is thought to have a healing effect on deep tissues. According to Belanger, ultrasound actually affects the metabolism of soft tissue cells. In addition, these cells often become more receptive to healing fluids, which are present in the increased blood flow generated by ultrasound. Because of this, Belanger goes on to report that ultrasound’s healing benefits may be useful in treating surgical wounds and soft tissue lesions.

Scar Tissue Control
Another benefit of ultrasound is its acoustic effect. The waves generated by ultrasound cause tiny vibrations in the cells of the soft tissues. These microvibrations, as Belanger describes them, have an effect on the fibers that form scar tissue. Over time, ultrasound used in this method can actually prevent some scar tissue from forming, and may be able to break some scar tissue down. Examples of success in scar tissue management are episiotomy scars as well as Dupuytren’s contracture, which is caused by excessive scarring in the tissues of the palm. As with its thermal effects, ultrasound used to break up scar tissue can also maintain and increase range of motion.

Reduced Pain
Some of the pain control from ultrasound comes from the mechanical results of the treatment itself. These include the decreased muscle spasms and muscle tightness as well as tissue healing. However, an added benefit of ultrasound comes not from what it does, but what it can help a physical therapist do. Combining the heating and healing powers of ultrasound prepares muscles for other therapeutic treatments that reduce pain, including stretching and strengthening.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: healing, health, physical fitness, physical therapy, reduced pain, san diego, stretch, tissue healing, trainers, training, ultrasound

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