Health Blog

Arthritis: Pain Relief and Management

Jun 29^th  2012 

Arthritis is common in adults especially the elderly of 65 years and more but it can also affect all ages as well. A simple definition of arthritis is the swelling or inflammation of the joints.

Usually, the first thing most arthritis sufferers try is to take over- the-counter medications to relieve the pain. Aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, and Aleve are some of these.  If this option doesn’t work, the pain may worsen to the point where surgery will be considered (joint repair or replacement).

Aquatic Therapy – Exercises for Rehabilitation

Jun 21^st  2012 

Aquatic therapy is an exercise program that is done in a pool of water. It can be beneficial to a variety of physical conditions and injuries. The patient can use the water’s physical properties in the healing process and in performing exercises. The water provides a safe and comfortable environment that allows patients to do their exercises more freely without the strain of gravity.

Aquatic therapy Exercises

• Leg raise.

Elbow pain – Conditions and Treatment

Jun 21^st  2012 

Elbow pain is a very common medical condition and its causes can be varied. An accurate diagnosis of the cause is needed so appropriate treatment can be implemented and elbow pain is eliminated and full functionality is restored.

Let’s talk about these conditions and treatment for elbow pain.

• Tennis Elbow – is a common cause of elbow pain and is observed in manual laborers and sports enthusiasts.

Arthritis – What you need to know

Jun 14^th  2012 

Arthritis is the inflammation of the joints. These range from inflammation of a joint to the area around joints. The joint connects the bones and provides support and helps movement. The cartilage protects the joint which allows smooth movement. It also acts as a shock absorber when the joint is undergoing pressure like when running. Arthritis happens when the cartilage breaks down within joints. As the cartilage deteriorates, the joint is left unprotected and the bones rub together, resulting to pain, inflammation, stiffness and restricted movement.

Sports Injury and You

Jun 14^th  2012 

Participation in sports activities is increasing as it is an enjoyable way to burn extra calories to get rid of excess fat and lose weight but it also results to injuries. Some of the causes of sports injury are:

• Using poor improper equipment
• Accidents
• Poor training practices
• Going beyond the body’s limits
• Not in good enough shape to participate in these activities
• Not warming up properly

Some of the most common sports injuries are cuts, blisters, sprains, minor head injuries, swollen muscles, fractures, concussions and dislocations.

Elbow pain – Common Causes

Jun 8^th  2012 

The elbow is a complex joint used to push, pull and to rotate the forearm. Elbow pain is commonly caused by injury or strain to the muscles, the bones or the tendons of the elbow. Although elbow pain normally isn’t serious, it can affect a patient’s life since the elbows are often used in normal daily activities.

Elbow pain is commonly caused by the following:

• Golfer’s Elbow or Medial Epicondylitis – elbow pain caused by this condition is due to the inflammation on the inner part of the elbow.

Aquatic Therapy

Jun 4^th  2012 

Aquatic therapy is a therapeutic procedure that seeks to improve bodily function through exercises performed in the water. Its goal is to rehabilitate a patient with chronic illness or after an injury without applying stress on the joints which is common to exercises done outside the pool or water.

Aquatic therapy can offer unique physiological as well as physical benefits to patients. They can enjoy the freedom of movement in the water since buoyancy decreases the stress and weights on the injured joints.

Physical Therapy Techniques for Back Pain

May 31^st  2012 

Before a more aggressive treatment would be considered, patients with back pains are usually referred to physical therapists first as an initial treatment option. Physical therapy is aimed to reduce the pain, restore function and educate patients how to prevent the back pain from re-occurring.

Physical therapy techniques for back pain  include heat therapy, mobilization, massage and exercises. Stabilization and strengthening of the lumbar spine is also a very important aspect of the rehabilitation program as well as teaching the patients about body mechanics and posture.

Physical Therapy and Foot Pain Treatment

May 28^th  2012 

Physical therapy and foot pain treatment often go hand in hand when it comes to ensuring a quick and almost painless recovery for the patient.  Foot pain is mostly caused by ill-fitting shoes, overuse or injury.  Medical conditions and structural defects like diabetes and arthritis can also cause foot problems.

Here are some common causes of foot pain and how physical therapy can help:

Achilles tendinitis happens when the Achilles tendon of the lower leg is injured.  This can be caused by intensive exercise and other activities that tend to overuse the calf muscles and the tendon. Physical therapy and foot pain treatment comes in by doing the following steps:  resting, applying ice to, compressing and elevating the affected area.

Rehabilitation after a shoulder injury

May 24^th  2012 

Rehabilitation after a shoulder injury is a treatment plan that aims to restore full functionality to the shoulder through exercises after a shoulder injury or surgery.  It also includes learning the body mechanics and the proper posture to prevent recurrence.  There are four goals when it comes to rehabilitation and these are to reduce pain, to improve movement, to improve function and to regain strength.

After a shoulder injury or surgery, it is expected to feel weakness of shoulder joints, limited range of motion, and muscular incoordination.