Even Late-Starting Exercise Provides Benefits

Sedentary types constantly hear experts say that it is never too late to exercise. This advice is backed up by Swedish researchers, who have found that people who put off exercising until the age of 50 can still benefit from physical activity. They should know, however, that the study goes on to point out that it may take ten years for the healthful effects of their late-starting exercise to kick in. That is to say that after ten years, people who began exercising at age 50 lived as long as people who had been engaging in a high level of exercise all along. In essence, the impact of starting to exercise later in life was similar to giving up smoking. If you are an older individual who has never exercised regularly but wishes to start, a physical therapist can get you started with an appropriate exercise regimen.

Of course, whether you’re active or sedentary, sometimes accidents happen. At PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY, our certified therapists can help whether you’re recovering from surgery, a car accident, a fall, or an injury you got while exercising. We can help you recuperate no matter what shape you’re in. And if you’re interested in getting into better shape, one of our physical therapists will be happy to design a fitness program just for you. Call (928) 214-7430 today to learn about what we can do for you. Our office is located at 1515 E. Cedar Ave.

Reach For Your Wallet

The painful condition known as “sciatica” is often the result of compression or irritation of the longest nerve in the body, which runs from the spinal cord to the buttock and hip area and down the back of each leg. While compression of this nerve is often the result of a herniated disc, there is also another unsuspected cause. Oddly enough, the rear pockets in pants are located close to the sciatica nerve’s most vulnerable areas. As thick wallets in pants’ back pockets press on the sciatic nerve, they produce a sharp pain in the buttock that can radiate down the leg on that side. Fortunately, simply simply relocating the wallet to another pocket can easily avert “wallet sciatica”.

At PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY, our friendly therapists have the expertise necessary to determine the source of your sciatic pain. We will work with you, one-on-one, to create a treatment plan tailored to your unique set of needs with a focus on preventing future pain and loss of function. Call us at (928) 214-7430 to make an appointment or visit our facility at 1515 E. Cedar Ave.

Navigating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel is a debilitating condition that involves symptoms such as tingling; weakness; numbness; and or pain in the thumb, fingers, or hand. Your risk of developing carpal tunnel increases with time spent doing activities that involve forceful or repetitive finger/wrist movements. Computer and construction workers are often at risk. If you are having difficulty with sensation and grip strength you may have pressure on the median nerve, which runs through the wrist’s carpal tunnel to the hand. Left untreated, this condition can cause permanent damage to the nerve and require surgical intervention. An experienced physical therapist can teach people how to uses their hands and work tools throughout the day to minimize or prevent damage to the median nerve. Physical therapists can assess ergonomics, recommend changes to body mechanics, and suggest appropriate exercises.

Naturally, preventing carpal tunnel syndrome is ideal. But if you’re already suffering from this painful condition, then you need to call PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY today. We specialize in the treatment of hand injuries, as well as orthopedic, industrial, and arthritic issues. Our friendly therapists will work with you to design a therapy regimen and help you reduce or eliminate pain. Call us at (928) 214-7430 to make an appointment or visit our facility at 1515 E. Cedar Ave.

Don't Throw Away A Promising Future

Young athletes are developing more overuse injuries largely because many are specializing in only one sport. Among the most prevalent of these injuries are sprained elbows that are putting young pitchers’ arms at risk. In many cases, the specific problem area is the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). This relatively small, half-inch-long ligament is closely linked with maintaining elbow stability when a person throws. When the ligament tears or becomes stretched, the pitcher will likely experience pain and lose the ability to throw. This injury is also fairly common among any athletes who throw or swing their arms, such as tennis players, javelin throwers, quarterbacks, and weightlifters. All should be careful not to strain their arms by over training/over playing. The best way for young athletes to avoid overuse injuries is to cross train.

An athlete’s recovery is quicker and more successful if the injury is addressed early. Our therapists at PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY have the expertise necessary to help athletes play their best throughout the season and prevent future injury. Call us at (928) 214-7430 to make an appointment or visit our facility at 1515 E. Cedar Ave.

Shoulder Injuries Most Comon Among High Schoolers

High school players’ risk of injury varies in accordance to the sport they play, but the risk is greater for boys than girls. As for the most common type of injury experienced by young players, shoulder injuries topped the list among football players, followed distantly by wrestlers and baseball players. Boys were twice as likely as girls to experience shoulder injuries, which were three times more likely to occur during competition than practice. Sprains and strains accounted for 39.6% of all shoulder injuries, followed by dislocations/separations (23.7%), contusions (11.5%), and fractures (6.6%). The most common mechanisms of injury were player-to-player contact (57.6%) and contact with the playing surface (22.8%). According to the study mentioned above, athletes returned to play within a week of a shoulder injury in 44.8% of cases, but 22.9% of the injuries kept players on the bench for more than three weeks.

Whether you’re a student athlete, a weekend player, or a professional, injuries are just part of the game. If you’re recovering from an injury on the field or off, call PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY today. Our friendly certified therapists understand the unique needs of all kinds of athletes and create a program designed to get you back in the game. We can also help you recover from an auto accident, work injury, fall, or surgery. Call us at (928) 214-7430 to make an appointment or visit our facility at 1515 E. Cedar Ave, Ste E2.

Talk May Not Come Cheap

Your cell phone’s unlimited minutes plan may come at a cost that has nothing to do with your monthly bill. Prolonged flexing of the elbow may give rise to tingling and pain in the forearm and hand, which are symptoms that are being increasingly reported by cell phone users. While the popular term used to refer to these symptoms is “cell phone elbow,” the medical term is “cubital tunnel syndrome.” No matter what term you use to describe the painful symptoms, it is caused by compression of the ulnar nerve, which runs along the bony bump on the inside of the elbow. Repetitive and prolonged stretching of the nerve while holding the elbow bent causes it to misfire and short circuit. “Cell phone elbow” responds best to prompt treatment. For more severe or chronic cases physical therapy may help relieve your symptoms. Treatment may include switching to a headset, massage, and the use of ultrasound to loosen scar tissue that sometimes forms around the ulnar nerve as a result of inflammation.

Our therapists at PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERPAY are experienced at relieving symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome. Call us today at (928) 214-7430 to make an appointment or visit our facility at 1515 E. Cedar Ave, Ste. E2.

Sending Kids Packing

While no one remembers exactly when schoolchildren began looking more like they were heading off on mountain expeditions than to the classroom, we are sure that overloaded backpacks can lead to back pain and other physical ailments. The good news is that, when worn properly, backpacks are better than book bags at distributing the weight of books and other paraphernalia. To begin with, the contents of a backpack should not exceed 15 percent of a student’s body weight. In addition, so that the load is allocated as intended, students should use (and tighten) both shoulder straps and hip belt. Otherwise, a child may bend forward at the hips or arch the back, which can cause the spine to compress unnaturally. Wearing only one shoulder strap of a backpack leads to poor posture and muscle pain in the shoulders and neck. Adults and college students should follow these recommendations as well.

If you or your child are suffering from neck, shoulder, or back pain give the therapists at PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY A CALL. We can help eliminate your pain and provide you with the knowledge you need to prevent future symptoms. Call us at (928) 214-7430 to make an appointment or visit our facility at 1515 E. Cedar Ave, Ste. E2.

Love Match

Tennis elbow, lateral epicondylitis, affects 1% to 3% of adults, but it affects tennis players and many workers at significantly higher rates. Lateral epicondylitis is an overuse injury that occurs at the point where the tendons of the forearm muscles attach to the bony prominence on the outside of the elbow or the lateral epicondyle. Pain is typically at the elbow and forearm, especially when bending the wrist. While prevention is largely associated with improved technique among tennis players and revised motions among workers, there has been debate about which treatment produces the best results for those already suffering from the condition. Five Cochrane reviews and a new meta-analysis and systematic review conclude that physical therapy, consisting of a combination of ultrasound, deep-friction massage, and exercise, is remarkably successful over the long term.

You don’t need to be suffering from tennis elbow to benefit from physical therapy. At PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY, our compassionate therapists can help you whether you’re recovering from an automobile accident, a surgery, arthritis, or something as simple as an imperfect backhand. We work with you to create a program to get you back in the swing of things. Call (928) 214-7430 today to learn about what we can do for you. Our office is located at 1515 E. Cedar Ave, Ste. E2.

Getting a Firmer Grasp

Symptomatic hand osteoarthritis affects one in five people over the age of 55. Osteoarthritis is wear and tear of the joint that is fairly common in hips, knees, hands and the back. When this is present in the hands it can significantly limit the ability to perform daily activities or enjoy hobbies. Although physical therapy can’t reverse joint damage it can help to improve hand function and decrease the pain caused by osteoarthritis. A physical therapist evaluates the patients’ level of inflammation, pain, loss of function, and their lifestyle to develop a treatment plan. Treatment can include education in joint protection, gentle stretching, pain management, and bracing. Most insurance companies will cover physical therapy treatment for acute arthritic conditions.

If you’re suffering from osteoarthritis and looking for the one-on-one personalized care that the disease requires, call PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY today. Our certified therapists specialize in treatment with a personal touch – we will work with you to design a therapy regimen tailored to your unique circumstances. Call us at (928) 214-7430 to make an appointment or visit our facility at 1515 E. Cedar Ave.

We've Got Cyclists' Backs!

It is fairly common for avid cyclists to complain of back pain, which affects an estimated 30 to 70 percent of cyclists. The good news is that a fix for the problem may be no more complicated than adjusting their bicycle seats. This recommendation is made on the assumption that back pain arises among cyclists when the angle formed by the spine and pelvic bone is too large. To address this potential problem, cyclists are urged to tip the front ends of their bicycle seat down by 10 to 15 degrees. Doing so may help relieve back strain. On the other hand, if back pain persists, cyclists may want to have a physical therapist evaluate their pedaling posture.

Off The Cuff Comments

Are you or someone you care about suffering from shoulder pain that limits your activity? The anatomical design of the shoulder joint leaves it vulnerable to injury. Unlike the hip joint, which has such a deep socket that the leg bone would stay in place even without the support of surrounding muscles, the shoulder is rather like a golf ball on a tee. Only the four muscles that compose the rotator cuff and a host of tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and accessory muscles keep the arm bones in place. This unique construction is what gives the shoulder the greatest mobility of all the joints, but it also makes it vulnerable to injury due to stress and overuse. Keeping the muscles strong is key to having a healthy shoulder.

Our friendly therapists at PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY can help alleviate your shoulder pain. We are experienced at treating common shoulder problems including rotator cuff injuries, tendinitis, frozen shoulders, torn ligaments and tendons, arthritis, cumulative trauma disorders, cartilage damage, and bursitis. Clients benefit from individual exercise programs that keep them working, lifting their children, or throwing a ball. Call (928) 214-7430 to learn more. We are located at 1515 E. Cedar Ave, Ste E2.

Gaining Strength

Strength training offers seniors, in particular, the ability to sidestep frailty, disability, and the loss of independence that often accompanies aging. Despite widespread acknowledgment of strength training’s benefits, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there has been only a slight increase in the percentage of people who have added strength training to their exercise routine in recent years. In the United States, slightly less than 22 percent of adult men and 18 percent of adult women engage in strength training twice per week. These percentages are well below the government’s Healthy People 2010 goal of having 30 percent of American adults making strength training part of their health regimen.

Everyone can benefit from some strength training, seniors in particular. If you want to start pumping iron, contact PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY today. If you are arthritic or have some other condition that hinders your ability to engage in strength training, a physical therapist may be of significant assistance. Our caring and experienced therapists can create a strength-training regimen that is tailored to your needs and abilities, so that you gain strength without hurting yourself. We can update your current program to be used with our equipment, home equipment, or at another gym. Call (928) 214-7430 today to learn about what we can do for you. Our office is located at 1515 E. Cedar Ave.

Watching Your Back

About four out of five Americans experience back pain at some point in their lives. However, with a few preventive steps, many episodes of back pain can be averted. The part of the back that is most vulnerable to aches and injuries is the lower (or lumbar) region because common activities such as bending and sitting place stress on the discs that lie between vertebrae in that area. To avoid low back problems, it helps to increase the strength and flexibility of the core trunk muscles. The stomach crunch is a good exercise for strengthening the abdominal muscles, which help support the spine from the front. A variety of fun core exercises can be done using an exercise ball.

Of course, preventing back pain sounds good, but if you’re already suffering from an aching back then you need to call PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY right away. Our physical therapists have helped many clients learn proper postures and body mechanics to avoid repetitive stresses at the spine. We will work with you to create a program tailored for your unique needs. We can also demonstrate a set of core strengthening exercises that will help prevent a recurrence of back pain. Call (928) 214-7430 today to learn more about our wide range of services or visit our office at 1515 E. Cedar Ave.

Fighting Neck Pain

People plagued by chronic neck pain may benefit from exercises that are designed to strengthen neck muscles. Those who may benefit most from these exercises are individuals who sit at computers for prolonged periods. According to recent research, when women with work-related neck pain regularly practiced five specific muscle-strengthening exercises, they experienced significant and long-lasting relief. These exercises, which involve the use of hand weights, include the dumbbell shrug, the one-arm row, the upright row, the reverse fly, and the lateral raise. Performing three of these five exercises on a rotating basis (but always including the shoulder shrug) three times a week for 20 minutes per session brought relief from chronic neck pain. Each of the exercises was performed in three sets of 8-12 repetitions, with the weight load gradually increased to twice the original weight in ten weeks.

If you’re suffering from neck pain, for whatever reason, contact Personal Care Physical Therapy today. Our caring and experienced therapists can show you how to perform these exercises and offer other suggestions and therapies that will help you decrease your neck pain and prevent a future recurrence. We can also help you during recovery from a fall or automobile accident. Call (928) 214-7430 today to learn about what we can do for you. Our office is located at 1515 E. Cedar Ave. (E-2), Flagstaff.

EXERCISE AFTER DISC SURGERY

If patients have doubts about returning to activity and exercise after disc surgery, a recent review of 14 randomized control trials reveals that it is safe to do so. In fact, the study said that, following surgery for a prolapsed lumbar disc, exercise appears to be a beneficial part of the rehabilitation program. Researchers found that performing some type of exercise after surgery was associated with significant improvements in pain and functional capability in the short run without increasing the risk of another operation. Moreover, high-intensity exercise programs were found to be slightly more effective than low-intensity programs in reducing both pain and disability. This study shows that physical therapy as soon as possible after lumbar disc surgery promotes recovery.

Whether you’re recovering from lumbar disc repair or some other procedure, properly supervised exercise and physical therapy can aid in recovery from almost any surgery. At PERSONAL CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY, our caring and experienced therapists know just what sort of activity will most likely get you back on your feet. We can also help you during recovery from a fall or automobile accident. Call (928) 214-7430 today to learn about what we can do for you. Our office is located at 1515 E. Cedar Ave.

P.S. After any type of surgery, patients should engage in rehabilitation regimens that are specifically designed to meet their particular needs instead of simply resuming their old exercise routines.