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Tag: Physical Therapy New York

New Age Physical TherapyBlogPhysical Therapy New York
Physical Therapy
By nxg Uncategorized , , ,

Loss of Knee Extension Range of Motion and Physical Therapy

After knee surgery, there are times when the patient has not been informed of what happens if they do not engage in physical therapy during their optimal moments. Surely, it can be very painful right after the anesthesia wears off and the patient just wants to rest. 

Rest is important. However, it’s also important to get that leg moving right away. Usually, the patient loses their functional knee extension range of motion when they lose that time or when a patient declines the therapist to push them because of the pain, or refuses to do the exercise or the stretches. Either of these things could cause this.

 Is it too late? Maybe not. Depending on how long it’s been since the surgery, their age, and other underlying conditions, when a patient goes back to physical therapy fully committed to their program, one may have gains in range of motion.

 What will Happen in Physical Therapy?

The physical therapist will measure your range of motion both in the healthy leg and the leg with the loss of extension to take note of what is normal for your body. They will also check your kneecap mobility, knee joint movement, and soft tissue restrictions. 

Studies show that restrictions in the kneecap are correlated to a loss of knee extension. The scarred knee-tendon can prevent movement as well.

Once measurements have been made, the PT will use manual therapy to mobilize the joint, apply tissue manipulation to remove any scarred tissue and apply some force to stretch the area.

The physical therapist will also load a stretch on the patient, usually a low-load, long-duration stretch with weights that can comfortably allow for gaining in the range of motion a little bit at a time. Additionally, the patient has prescribed stretches they can do to actively apply pressure for extensions, and other strengthening exercises that support the knee.

If you have a loss of range of motion in your knee after surgery, don’t wait. Call your Physical Therapy New Hyde Park, NY and see what they can do for you.

Physical Therapy
By nxg Uncategorized , , , ,

Importance of Sleep for Recovery after Injury

In this day and era, a lot of people are having a tough time going to sleep, staying asleep, or getting enough sleep. We as human beings are trying to adapt to living with all the technology around us while at the same time dealing with the demands and stress of life, and even still living through COVID.

Sleep is important for recovery. Our brain does a lot of things during sleep that helps with recovering from mental stress as well as from physical injuries. If you get enough hours of sleep, your body releases hormones to regulate cortisol (your stress hormone) which in turn indirectly affects the way you recover. The less stressed you are, the your body is heading towards the optimal state for recovery. You will end up getting a better quality of sleep in turn and your sleep cycle will improve.

During sleep your body also releases growth hormones which helps to repair damaged tissue. Being sleep deprived will prevent this and y our recovery rate will be on the decline.

How Do I get Enough Sleep?

Stay away from technology and white light 1 – 2 hours before bedtime. It is pretty tough these days especially with all the smartphones and Netflix binge. Set up an alarm for yourself, get in the habit of turning everything off and dim the lights if you can.

You can do some reading or journaling with a yellow/orange light on. Perhaps do some reflections/meditations, or some light stretches or a nice hot bath from the hard day at work. Your body will thank you for it and you will fall asleep more readily. Dedicate the time you will go to bed to get your self at least 6 – 8 hours of sleep.

Exercise can help too but avoid it right before bed as it can keep you up. It has shown to reduce and manage your stress better, improve your cardio, and losing an extra couple of pounds will improve your insulin resistance that in turn will help you keep the weight off. The heavier you are, the worse it is for your knees and ankles, your circulatory system, your heart, and even on your mind.

Your sleep position can be important too. If you are a back sleeper, the pillow can be relatively flat as it just needs to support the curve on the neck. Get more guidelines from Physical Therapy New York, NY. Therapist will guide you.

Grip strength
By nxg Uncategorized , , , ,

Importance of a Strong Grip

Grip strength is important in a variety of situations, from activities of daily living to sports and other hobbies. This motion involves the muscles of the hand and the forearm.

Putty: You can purchase these relatively easily from a sporting goods store or online. You can practice squeezing it for about 5 min per day to improve strength and motion. 

If you already have a stress ball at home, it works perfectly too. But if the stress ball itself is too hard for you, you should purchase the easiest level of putty to practice with, as there are different levels of rigidity.

Dumbbell Grip: If you have a dumbbell, you can grip it normally and walk across the room and back (Farmer’s Walk). Perform about 5 – 10 rounds. It should be heavy enough that it is difficult to hold onto by the 4th round or so. 

Pincher Grip: You can grab the head of the dumbbell instead of where you would grab it normally and perform the farmer’s walk, 5 – 10 rounds.

For more information, you can contact Physical Therapy New York, NY

join gym
By nxg Uncategorized , , , ,

Trying to Join the Gym This New Year?

It’s the New Year and many of us are trying to go back to the gym that we’ve been donating every month too. Perhaps it is the first time joining one. Whatever the situation might be, it’s important to think about your goals first.

Are my goals clear? What is the reason for my goals? These things have to be logical and attainable in order to make and keep up the habit. Perhaps the reason why you didn’t go back enough was one of these reasons. Or it could be that you were injured in one shape or form. 

Develop a short-term and long-term goal. Our brain needs to see the result to feel the reward on the mental and emotional levels. Having step-by-step, short-term goals that are attainable will give you the sense of reward that you need. For example, losing 5 pounds for the 1st month is an attainable goal. Make it challenging but not too challenging as that is for the long-term goal. 

Why you do what you do is important as well. “To be healthy,” seems clear but it’s still very vague. Why do you want to be healthy? Are you overweight? Perhaps losing a total of 30 pounds will let you be in the healthy weight range that’ll be beneficial for your heart as well as easy on your knees that’s been bothering you for the past year. Something like this can also be your long-term goal. After achieving your long-term goal, it’ll be management as well as developing your new goals and/or reasons.

Start easy. Perhaps going back or joining the gym is too intimidating right now because of how much work you may have to put into it or maybe because of the pandemic. Either way, the most underrated exercise can be the best one. Walking. Walking for a whole 30 minutes without any stopping has been more than beneficial to lose fat. It’s been studied many times and proven as a fact. Walk around the block many times to avoid the stoplights or just go to the park with a stopwatch. 

You can start this 3 times a week for about 2 weeks then move on to doing 5 – 7 days a week. You would shed pounds and keep it off more than you think, and you can add 5 to 10 minutes increments. You will develop your cardio and perhaps you add some speed by moving onto a jogging and then to running. Maybe you will start to add weights as your muscles are toning and developing tolerance to the exercise “pain.”  

As mentioned earlier, as you achieve your short-term goals, it is perfectly normal to change your long-term goal because you will feel different and much better. You may even join a running group, join a 5k race, or even a half-marathon. Maybe even a dancing class to keep the weights off while having fun. 

If you start to lift, perhaps you’ll join a cross-fit or some type of defensive martial arts class to keep you going. Again, remember to start with small goals. You will gain them and your body and your mind will thank you for it. For more information you can contact the Physical Therapy New York, NY.

Physical Therapy New York, NY
By nxg Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Cold Weather and Arthritic Pain

Fall is already here and you probably experienced the cold front already. This is the time that your arthritis mostly flares up because of the temperature. So what can you do? There is actually a lot you can do for yourself to help manage your pain and to reduce the frequency of arthritic flares.

The first thing would be your diet. The holiday season is here and your guilty pleasures of eating processed meats and foods high in sugar will definitely get in the way of being pain-free. You don’t have to avoid it completely. Enjoy the day that you are celebrating with your family. 

What you can do is limit your intake of these types of food because they will increase the inflammatory response in your body that will cause those flare-ups. Know when to hold back and eat more leafy greens and foods that won’t cause inflammation and your efforts will add up.

The second would be the most obvious – staying warm. You will want to layer up, especially around the area where you get the attacks. If you have it in your extremities, especially in your hands, it is important to wear gloves made for arthritis which provide compression that increases blood circulation. It is also important to keep a hot pack handy a few minutes a day to keep the area in constant circulation and warmth for a smoother joint movement, to feel better.

Another way is to get some sunlight. During this season, the morning comes late and the sun goes down earlier. Perhaps you are just staying inside because it’s so cold. Chances are, you may not be getting enough of the sun to get the daily vitamin D that you need. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with more flare-ups as well as lower tolerance to pain. 

You can take vitamin D supplements but also adding at least 20 – 30 minutes of a daily brisk walk can be highly beneficial to you. As mentioned previously, you get your vitamin D naturally as well as getting cardiovascular activity in your walk which increases your circulation, temperature, and muscle tone.

The next thing is, you guessed it, exercise. As mentioned earlier, exercise will help strengthen the surrounding muscle around the joint. This puts less pressure on the joint and therefore, fewer flare-ups. 

In physical therapy, you will be taught exercises that will help target the muscles surrounding your specific joint. It’s important to be taught the exercises in the correct way, or preferably in a modified way to meet your current conditions. 

Perhaps you have less range of motion or have other underlying conditions that get in the way of performing an exercise. Speak to your physical therapist about the exercises that you can do. They can not only help with your exercises but provide some manual therapy, tissue work, and stretches to relieve the stiffness in your body to optimize your body for exercise and maintain or increase your level of fitness. 

You may need to visit more frequently in the beginning, but as you get better you can probably go in once a while to relieve the stiffness as well as update your exercise program to either modify or advance into it as you get stronger. One thing to note is that you can also incorporate yoga and pilates to help. 

Yoga will help with the flexibility and toning of the muscles and pilates strengthens the muscle, bone, as well as joints. Get in touch with your Physical Therapy New York, NY for an evaluation and find out what your best options are today.

Preventive Physical Therapy for School Athletes
By nxg Uncategorized , , , ,

Preventive Physical Therapy for School Athletes

Do you have a child signed up for a sports team? Or perhaps you are in a team yourself. Chances are, he or she may acquire some type of injury during their sports activities. If one will train their coordination, balance, and motor control based on their sports – preventative physical therapy can help avoid injury or lessen the degree of injury with a faster recovery rate.

It is very common to have injuries among athletes. Some of the most common injuries are rolled ankles, strained hamstrings, and rotator cuff tears. These can occur because of wear & tear, repetitive movements through non-optimal motions of specific joints, over-training and/or not enough rest in between training.

Rolled ankles – common in any sports that involve running and jumping. Once a rolled ankle occurs, it is quite easy to re-injure the same ankle because most of the time, the athlete often needs to get back into the get sooner than the body demands.

In order to prevent this, one would train in balance and reflex movements as well as strengthening the lower extremities and the core muscles. An example of balance training would be standing on one leg for 10 seconds and increasing the time as he or she gets stronger. Another form of advanced balance exercise can be standing on a Bosu ball or a balance board.

In preventing hamstring strains, the athlete would need to strengthen the hamstring muscle, increase flexibility in the quadriceps muscle, and train instability and core. Training stability can be done by balance exercises such as standing on one leg, same as for the ankles. You can also perform lunges which trains both hamstring and quadriceps muscle at the same time.

For rotator cuffs, it is important to strengthen in different planes of motions of the shoulder as well as for the surrounding muscles.
Exercises using the elastic bands are a great way to strengthen the shoulders – moving in external and internal rotation, abduction and adduction, flexion and extension, and even doing hand walks on the wall moving in different directions with the bands around the wrists are great ways to strengthen the rotator cuffs.

In Physical Therapy New York, NY, your physical therapist will work on the athlete based on the need of the athlete as well as adding different and complex activities to involve specific movements for the specific sports. Your insurance may not cover for preventative physical therapy. You can call your physical therapist to ask for specific pricing for preventative physical therapy and ask what they can do for your child or for yourself.

Vertigo BPPV
By nxg New Age Blog , , , , ,

What is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)?

Vertigo is when you feel everything is spinning around you or on the inside of your head, which happens abruptly. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), is one of the most common causes of vertigo. It can arise when there is a physical issue inside the ear canal with crystals. 

To look at it closely, there are structures called the otolith organs which have crystals inside to make them sensitive to gravity. The organs utilize these crystal’s positions in regards to gravity to let us know what position our head is at. 

When the crystals get displaced from their main location, they can travel down to the semicircular canal and make us sensitive to changes in our head’s position that can make us feel very dizzy. 

It commonly happens when a person gets out of bed in the morning or looks under the table/bed. Changing sudden head position with rotation can reproduce symptoms.

Vertigo can be debilitating to your daily life if it is left untreated. In some cases, it can be very severe and the person can fall to the floor or lead to vomiting during the episodes. 

If you have been diagnosed with BPPV specifically, it is wise to turn to a physical therapist. He or she will evaluate you and may perform an Epley Maneuver to correct what’s going on inside your ear. It is best not to eat anything 3 – 4 hours prior to your physical therapy in order to avoid nauseating feelings. 

Your physical therapist of Physical Therapy New York, NY will also give you specific exercises to build a tolerance to different head positions and to work on your balance. 

If you do have other symptoms in addition to vertigo such as a really bad headache, loss or weakening of other senses, tingling or numbness in your limbs, please seek your doctor immediately as it may be something more serious. Take note of what happens when you are experiencing these sensations and let your physician know.

Otherwise, you can still go to your doctor to find the right diagnosis. If it is BPPV, it is easily solved with physical therapy in few visits. 

foot injuries
By nxg Uncategorized , , ,

Golfers and Foot Injuries

Golf involves several mechanics in different parts of your body. In a golf swing, the shoulders move in an arc, the le and the right foot moves differently during each part of the swing, as well as the amount of pressure being applied to each foot, and the way the hip and knees move can lead to different injuries depending on your form.  

Today we will focus on the 2 most common foot injuries related to golf. Lateral ankle sprains and intermetatarsal neuromas.  

A lateral ankle sprain can occur when the leg is gliding over the ankle, as in a golf swing. Through repave and excessive moon, the lateral ankle ligaments can become “loose” which can make it easier to sprain it. 

When pain and inflammation first occurs, the doctor usually will prescribe some an-inflammatory medications, as well as icing the area and perhaps even braces or orthotics to give it some stability.  

But once it’s sprained, physical therapy is recommended to allow the physical therapist through manual therapy for proper healing, as well as strengthening the surrounding muscles to increase stability in the ankle and even work on loading the ankle with the right amount of force and range to correct your form during your swing.  

An intermetatarsal neuroma is a benign growth of the nerve issue that is caused by constant irritation from repaving force applied on the nerve in the 3rd interspace. This happens not in the foot that drives the swing but the non-dominant foot. 

So the le foot for the rights and the right foot for the lies. If you have an intermetatarsal neuroma, you will most likely feel a burning, numbing, and shooting pain to your toes. As with the lateral ankle sprain, the doctor will recommend a variety of treatments to reduce inflammation. 

Your Physical Therapy New York, NY will work with you on your goals for proper healing as well as fixing your mechanics for your swings to prevent further injury.  

If you have ever felt pain in your ankles or feet during or are golfing that is not going away, it is probably best to see a physical therapist to assess what may be happening in your lower extremities that may be causing the problem. When these issues are addressed early and corrected, the recovery me is faster and you would avoid any future injuries. 

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis
By nxg Uncategorized , , , , ,

Working/Schooling from Home and De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis

Since COVID-19, there has been an increase in computer use…

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, also known as radial styloid tenosynovitis is pretty common in those working in front of the computer

The common Misconception with Computer Use and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Studies have found that computer use is not linked with CTS. However, it doesn’t mean that it does not cause disorders of the arm. Most likely you would have developed De Quervain’s tenosynovitis OR you would already have CTS but have been exacerbated recently in addition to the computer user.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by pressure on the median nerve at the base of the palm. 

The carpal tunnel is a channel on the palm side of the wrist that protects the nerve and the tendons that bend your fingers. Added pressure to the nerve can cause pain and weakness in your wrist and hand. 

Inflammation and swelling of the surrounding wrist’s tendons can contribute to the pressure on the median nerve which can lead to CTS. 

Extreme wrist positions, as well as a lot of finger use, especially with a lot of force or vibration, can all contribute to CTS. 

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

It usually starts with burning, tingling, or numbness in the palm and fingers which are often noticeable at night. As it progresses, the symptoms are noticeable in the day and often worse when holding items. 

The weakness of the hand and more constant numbness if the pressure on the nerve continues. You may see that you lose something unexpectedly or have a weakness in your grip. 

What is De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis?

It’s a condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist. It hurts to lift any pots of pan, doing any heavy household chores. Any exercise that relies on constant hand or wrist movement can make it more immoral. 

Symptoms

Pain and swelling near the base of the thumb. Difficulty moving the thumb or wrist while making grasping or pinching motion

What can I do When Using the Computer?

Keep your wrist in on neutral position when working with a keyboard or mouse.

Setting up your keyboard so that your elbows are bent at 90 degrees and forearms parallel to the floor will be the ideal position. That goes the same with the mouse as well. 

Swelling

You can also try using ice packs to reduce the swelling/inflammation in the area as well as trying to give your hand a rest when you don’t need to use the computer.

Physical Therapy

Visit Physical Therapy New York, NY and a physical therapist will evaluate you and will determine if you have De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. Your treatment will involve various stretches and exercises you can do at the clinic as well as at home. 

Colles fracture
By nxg New Age Blog , , , ,

Physical Therapy for “Colles’ Fracture”

What is “Colles’ Fracture“?

A Colle’s fracture is a break in one of the bones of the forearm near the wrist. The fracture can occur if you fall with an outstretched hand, with the end of your radius bone breaking and getting pushed toward your inner wrist. This fracture is one of the most common but most challenging outpatient fracture. This is most common in people with osteoporosis or elderly women.

Common Signs of a Colles’ Fracture

If you have suffered trauma to your wrist or have fallen onto your hand or wrist, you may have a Colle’s fracture. Common signs and symptoms of a wrist fracture or Colles’ fracture include:

– Pain and swelling in the arm, wrist or hand

– Bruising

– Decreased mobility in the wrist

– Visible lump on the back side of your forearm

Initial Treatment

If you suspect you have a Colles’ fracture, you should seek medical attention right away. Otherwise, it may result in serious complications with permanent loss of arm and hand function.

Because of the pain and swelling that occurs with a fracture, you may wish to put ice on your wrist and hand until you get to your doctor or emergency room.

It is important to have the fracture reduced. Your doctor situates the broken bone or bones manually in the correct position so that appropriate healing can take place. Another option is to have a surgical procedure call open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) when the case is severe.

Once it’s been reduced, it must be immobilized with a cast or a brace and may be required to wear a sling. You may need to visit a physical therapist to learn how to properly wear your sling. It is essential to keep the bones immobilized so that proper healing can take place.

How Can a Physical Therapist Help?

After about four to six weeks of immobilization, your doctor may remove the cast and be referred to physical therapy. The physical therapist will evaluate your strength, function, range, pain and swelling. If you had an ORIF procedure, the therapist will assess your surgical scar tissue.

Your physical therapist will develop an appropriate plan to improve the impairments and functional limitations that you may have. Your PT may prescribe a specific exercise program after your Colle’s fracture such as:

– range of motion exercises for the hand, wrist, and elbow

– strength exercises that focus on hand, wrist and elbow.

– various treatments and modalities to help decrease the swelling and pain.

– scar tissue massage and mobilization to help improve the mobility of your scar

You should notice that your mobility, strength, and function are improving while your pain and swelling are decreasing after a few weeks of physical therapy. While the fracture should be fully healed six to eight weeks after injury, you may still be limited for up to 12 to 16 weeks.

A Colles’ fracture can be a scary experience as you will have limitations in your basic abilities as well as your recreational activities. Physical Therapy Queens, NY can help you improve your functional mobility to ensure you can quickly and safely return to normal activity.