Tag Archives: Overuse Injury

March is National Athletic Training Month

March 16, 2017 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Events, Sports and Fitness

March is National Athletic Training Month! Your protection is our top priority. Athletic trainers are health care for life and sport.

Athletic trainers specialize in patient education, injury prevention, and are an athlete’s first line of defense from the time of injury to recovery. Athletic trainers work closely with coaches and parents and may refer athletes to other health care professionals such as physicians, physical therapists and surgeons when needed.

What is an Athletic Trainer?
Athletic trainers hold at least a four year degree from a BOC (Board of Certification) accredited institution. they are licensed, certified health care professionals working with athletes on and off the field. Generally they are the first responders when injuries occur during sporting events.

Athletic trainers work closely with coaches and parents and will refer athletes to other health care professionals such as physicians, physical therapists and surgeons when needed.

Athletic trainers hours are determined by sports schedules. Typically they are available after school and stay until sporting events have concluded.

For more information about our athletic trainers, and what they do visit NATA’s websites at: www.nata.org or www.atyourownrisk.org

Guidelines to Prevent Throwing Injuries

March 14, 2017 Teresa Stockton - Arm, Blog, Shoulder, Sports and Fitness

In this monthly series, we examine the proper ways to exercise and prevent throwing injuries in baseball. If you have any sudden significant increase in pain, swelling, or discoloration while performing or following exercise, discontinue immediately and contact your primary care provider.

PUSH UPS
Start on your stomach with your hands below your shoulders. Maintain a straight line from your ankles, through your hips, to the shoulders. Extend your elbows pushing your stomach away from the floor.

BICEP CURL
Begin seated with your elbow extended and palm facing forward. Bend the elbow as far up as you can without flexing your shoulder or rotating your wrist.

TRICEP DIP
Find two even surfaces to support your upper body with your elbows bent (a chair with arm rests works well). Extend your elbows pushing your body up toward the ceiling. Lower slowly.

OVERHEAD TRICEP EXTENSION
With your shoulder in full flexion overhead, hold a weight in your hand with your elbow bent behind your head. Straighten your elbow toward the ceiling without changing the angle of your shoulder.

This information was written by Advance Rehabilitation Physical Therapy, an outpatient physical therapy group with 24 locations in Georgia and Florida. Advance Rehabilitation is a physical therapy practice that focuses on providing the highest quality rehabilitation services. We specialize in physical therapy, sports medicine, industrial rehabilitation and athletic training. Our staff includes highly-trained professionals that serve as a bridge between injury and recovery to help patients get back to pre-injury status as quickly as possible. For more information click here.

See the entire Guidelines to Prevent Throwing Injuries series here:

PT News

February 16, 2017 Teresa Stockton - Blog, PT News

This Month in PT News. Featuring articles from PTandMe partnering clinics!

2. Early Intervention is the Key to Success
Written by Ben Eggleston, PTA at the Center for Physical Rehabilitation – Grand Rapids, MI

The relationship between longevity of symptoms and healing time is of reciprocal proportion? Read more

3. Overtraining Doesn’t Help, It Hurts
Written by the Therapy Team at Momentum Physical Therapy – San Antonio, TX

Working to achieve a sports or fitness goal can drive many people to overtrain in an effort to get stronger, better, faster. Read more

PT & Me Clinic Stands Above the Rest

January 19, 2017 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Events

At PT & Me we love it when our partnering physical therapy clinics shine. We are so excited that we couldn’t help ourselves, we just had to highlight one of our award winning clinics!

FRISCO PHYSICAL THERAPY – Physical Therapy Clinic – Frisco, TX
Frisco Physical Therapy was voted the BEST PHYSICAL THERAPY CLINIC in Frisco, Texas by over 32,000 readers of the Frisco Enterprise Newspaper. Clinic Director Colby Pigg, MPT graduated with honors in 1999 and has more than 18 years of experience in physical therapy. Perhaps one of the reasons Frisco Physical Therapy stands out among the crowd is the variety of services it offers to its patients. In addition to general orthopedics the licensed physical therapists in Frisco offer:

• Balance and Fall Prevention Programs
• Cancer Related Fatigue Program
• TPI Certified Golf Fitness Intructor
• Primal 7 and TRX Suspension Training
• Game-Ready Vasopneumatic Cold Compression

We are super excited for Colby and the rehab team at Frisco Physical Therapy for the honor they received by their community. We are certainly looking forward to all of the great things to come. More information about Frisco PT can be found at: www.friscopt.com

Work Related Stress & Increased Risk Zones: Part 2 of 2

January 17, 2017 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Industrial Rehab

THE SOLUTIONS

• Alternate Heavy Tasks with Light Tasks

• Develop Lifting, Carrying and Push / Pull Guidelines within limits and set up Lift Teams if necessary

• Provide variety in jobs to eliminate or reduce repetition (i.e., overuse of the same muscle groups)

• Adjust work schedules, work pace, or work practices

• Provide recovery time (e.g., short rest breaks)

• Modify work practices so that workers perform work within their power zone (i.e., above the knees, below the shoulders, and close to the body)

• Modify work environment to minimize work related stress (e.g., seating, lighting, workstation, process flow, angle of access to loads)

• Rotate workers through jobs that use different muscles, body parts, or postures (Administrative improvements, such as job rotation, can help reduce workers’ exposures to risk factors by limiting the amount of time workers spend on “problem jobs.”)

• Provide hands-on practice when new tools, equipment, or procedures are introduced to the workforce (review counter balancing of tools and take advantage of gravity flow in product movement)

• Use several types of visual aids (e.g., pictures, charts, videos of actual tasks in your workplace and the “right way to perform tasks”)

• Hold small-group discussions and problem-solving sessions

• Give workers ample opportunity for questions
• Industrial Athlete directed Exercises and Stretches (make them specific to those areas under most stress perform at beginning of day, when leaving for lunch and end of day)

• Ensure proper protective equipment (PPE) is available and used properly

• Research ergonomic assistive aids to accommodate heavier load lifting and movement

• Review packaging of items and research if handles or alternative coupling can be incorporated

• Review exposure to heat and cold extremes and take necessary precautions

• Minimize exposure to vibration (this can be done through tool selection, gloves, or limiting your time of exposure)

• Posture (change or modify your body position periodically throughout the day to relieve stress)

Part one of our Work Related Stress & Increased Risk Zones can be found here

Sources:
1) American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
2) Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES)
3) National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH)

Exercising Do’s and Don’ts

January 12, 2017 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Sports and Fitness

In the last post of our 5 part series on exercising do’s and don’ts, we examine the proper ways to exercise at the gym from start to finish. If you have any sudden significant increase in pain, swelling, or discoloration while performing or following exercise, discontinue immediately and contact your primary care provider.

UPRIGHT ROWS

START POSITION
• Standing with feet shoulder width apart
• Palms facing back when holding onto barbell.
• Hands spread apart a bit wider than shoulder width.
• Maintain proper posture throughout exercise.

ENDING POSITION
• Barbell lifted up to chest height with elbows flexed pointing outward.
• Forearm should be aligned with upper arm horizontally.

DON’T
• Swing body back and forth.
• Lift feet off ground.
• Allow elbows to point upward.
• Raise past shoulder height.

OVERHEAD TRICEP EXTENSION

START POSITION
• Seated with feet flat on the ground.
• Hold dumbbell vertically behind head with shoulders slightly out and 90 degree elbow flexion.
• Maintain head upright throughout exercise.

ENDING POSITION
• Dumbbell held above and slightly behind head.
• Elbows fully extended.

DON’T
• Lift feet off ground.
• Lift up from bench.
• Swing body back and forth.
• Let your head lean forward.
• Bring your elbows inwards towards the ears.

This information was written by STAR Therapy Services, an outpatient physical therapy group with six locations in Houston, Texas. At Star Houston Therapy Services, their number one priority is the patient. They strive to provide individualized treatment with hands-on, compassionate care. They perform comprehensive evaluations and encourage patient input for treatment planning and goal setting. For more information click here.

View the complete Exercising Do’s and Don’ts series below:

Work Related Stress & Increased Risk Zones: Part 1 of 2

January 10, 2017 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Industrial Rehab

INCREASED RISK ZONES
All Risks Increase with Duration, Frequency and Magnitude.

• Excessive Force

• Repetition of Activity (Can irritate tendons and increase pressure on nerves)

• Awkward Posture (Can compress nerves and irritate tendons)

• Sustained Static Posture (Can restrict blood flow and damage muscles)

• Unsupported Positions

• Motion (Increased speed or acceleration when bending / twisting, can increase the amount of force exerted on the body)

• Compression (Grasping sharp edges like tool handles, can concentrate force on small areas of the body, reducing blood flow and nerve transmission, and damaging tendons and tendon sheaths)

• Inadequate Recovery Time (Overtime, lack of breaks, & failure to vary tasks)

• Vibration of Tools (From vibrating tools, can decrease blood flow, damage nerves, and contribute to muscle fatigue)

• Whole Body Vibration (From driving trucks or operating subways, can affect skeletal muscles and cause low-back pain)

• Effects of Temperature (Cold temperatures can adversely affect a worker’s coordination and manual dexterity while Heat stroke can be very serious as when the body becomes unable to control its temperature, it rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down.)

• Environment (Slip/Fall hazard-Uneven Floor Surfaces)

• Material Handling Guidelines:
Weight Loading over 50lbs
Lift Speed greater than 5/minute
Vertical Lift Exceeds 3ft
Carry over 1 minute
Sustained Push/Pull over 30 seconds
Static reach holding tasks over 1 minute

Part two of our Work Related Stress & Increased Risk Zones can be found here

Sources:
1) Ergonomics: The Study of Work, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA 3125, 2000 (Revised)
2) T. R. Waters, “Manual Materials Handling”, in: Physical and Biological Hazards of the Workplace 2nd. Edited by P. Wald and G. Stave. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2002.
3) Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/ National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) © Fit2WRK 2015 R.Gagne

Exercising Do’s and Don’ts

December 13, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Sports and Fitness

In the fourth installment of our “At The Gym” series we examine how to exercise at the gym from start to finish. If you have any sudden significant increase in pain, swelling, or discoloration while performing or following exercise, discontinue immediately and contact your physician or therapist at your next therapy session.

MILITARY SHOULDER PRESS
* How to exercise at the gym top tip: It is generally not recommended to do this exercise due to undo stress and strain at the shoulder joint.
If you do choose to do a military press, avoid bringing the bar behind the head and make sure that the elbows don’t pass 90⁰ at the bottom of the repetition.

START POSITION
• Seated with back against the seat (if available), with feet flat on the ground.
• Barbell held above head with elbows fully extended and wide grip to facilitate 90⁰ bend at the elbows at the bottom of the rep.

ENDING POSITION
• Bring barbell down until your elbows are bent at 90⁰ with the barbell in front of your face.

DON’T
• Lift feet off the ground.
• Lift off the seat.
• Arch your back.
• Bring barbell down to chest.

MACHINE CHEST PRESS

START POSITION
• Seated with back against the seat and feet flat on the ground.
• Arms out to your side and elbows flexed at 90⁰ but not coming back past your body (This picture shows the arms back a little too far with the angle at the elbows being a little too deep. Most chest press machines are built so that you have to start in this position which can compromise the shoulder if lifting heavy. If adjustable start in a position a little more forward than this).

ENDING POSITION
• Back against the seat.
• Elbows fully extended.

DON’T
• Lift feet off the ground.
• Lift off the seat.
• Bring bent elbows past your body.

CHEST PRESS

START POSITION
• Lay flat on bench with feet flat on the ground.
• Arms out to your side at 90⁰ with elbows flexed at 90⁰.
• Palms facing lower extremities.

ENDING POSITION
• Elbows fully extended.

DON’T
• Allow elbows to come down past bench height or 90⁰ bend.
• Left feet off the ground.
• Arch your back.

CHEST FLY

START POSITION
• Lay flat on bench with feet flat on the ground.
• Dumbbells touching each other with palms facing each other with elbows slightly bent.

ENDING POSITION
• Arms out at your side at 90⁰ with elbows flexed at about 120⁰.

DON’T
• Lift feet off the ground.
• Arch your back.
• Allow elbows to come down past bench height.

Knowing how to exercise at the gym, can build confidence and reduce the likelihood of injury. View the complete Exercising Do’s and Don’ts series below:

McKenzie Method: Diagnosis & Treatment

November 1, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Back, Blog, Manual Therapy

MECHANICAL DIAGNOSIS PHASE:
This system is based on the symptomatic and mechanical responses of patients to various repeated movements or static loading forces(that is a mechanical evaluation). It allows the classification of patients into broad, rather than tissue-specific, categories and thus leads to the formulation of treatment. Rather than seeking to make a diagnosis, which is the identification of a disease by the means of its signs and symptoms, The McKenzie system concentrates on syndrome identification. A syndrome is a characteristic group of symptoms and pattern responses characteristic of a particular problem. The system is now widely used to classify and treat patients with mechanical disorders.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION PHASE:
• Explanation of problem to patient and reason for required exercise program
• Time scale
• The appropriate loading strategy, or strategies needed to manage the condition demonstrated to and practiced by the patient.
• The repetitions and regularity of exercise program explained to patient
• The expected pain response explained to patient

ASSESMENT PHASE:
• Symptomatic diagnosis
• Mechanical Diagnosis

PATIENT MANAGEMENT PHASE:
• Patient education component of management
• Information about the problem itself
• What patients can do to help themselves
• Information about tests, diagnosis and interventions
• Active Mechanical Therapy component:
• The specific exercises should be demonstrated to the patients, they should practice these, the expected pain response should be explained, as well as any warnings against lasting aggravation of their condition and as necessary progressions and alterations should be given.

This information was written by Hamilton Physical Therapy Services, L.P., an outpatient physical therapy group with five locations in Mercer County, New Jersey since 1978. Their modern state-of-the-art facilities are equipped to offer patients an excellent opportunity to reach their optimal functional abilities. Managed and operated by physical therapists mandates that patient care is our number one priority. For more information click here.

Protect, Stretch & Rest: General Tips

September 13, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Industrial Rehab

These are some general healthy tips to remember during your day-to-day activities.

• If you are doing strenuous, household or outdoor work protect your hands with gloves in order to prevent injury and/or loss of moisture.
• Take frequent breaks or switch to a new activity. Overuse of repetitive motions, such as pressing buttons, can cause tendonitis of the elbow or lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
• If you find yourself sitting at your computer for hours each day, stop each hour and stretch your fingers, arms and the rest of your body to help prevent injury to your bones, joints and muscles.
• If you have pain during your activity, stop. Pain is one of the ways your body is letting you know that you are overextending a particular muscle group.