Category Archives: Conditions We Treat

Conditions We Treat Category for all Conditions We Treat custom posts.

Hip Help

Dancer’s muscles often have predictable strengths and weaknesses. Here are a few exercises that you can try right now to begin addressing common muscle imbalances related to the hip.

Flexibility:
See our previous article on hip flexor stretching via this link.

Strength:

Will Physical Therapy Help My Injury?

Often times the question “Can you fix this?” comes up. The answer to that question depends on many factors, such as:

  • What is your injury?
  • How long have you had it?
  • What kinds of activities do you need to be able to do?
  • How committed are you to the process?

When you enter into Physical Therapy, you are committing to a partnership with your care team (Physical Therapists, Athletic Trainers, Physical Therapy Assistants, Doctors, and others).

Here is a self-quiz to help you clarify your commitment to getting better. Try rating each one of these questions on a scale of 1-3.

1 = I don’t see myself doing that regularly at this time
2 = I think I will commit to doing that most of the time
3 = I am 100% committed to the plan

Items to rate:

1. I will make time in my schedule to attend and actively participate in my rehab as my Physical Therapist prescribes. 

  • (Many injuries are 2-3x/week for 5-6 weeks. This varies based off of your injury, so ask your PT what your prescription is).

2. I will make time to do my home exercises as prescribed.

  • (Many injuries take about 30 minutes/day of home exercise or self care such as ice. This varies based off of your injury. Ask your PT what you should be doing).

3. I will consistently avoid performing movements that can make my injury worst.

4. With the help of my rehab team, I will change daily habits or athletic techniques that may be contributing to my injury.  

Scoring:
11-12 = You are likely to see quite a bit of improvement
8-10   = You are likely to see some improvement
<8      = Your plan would benefit from revision so that you can start to see results

Have you ever had an injury? Do you have one now? Give this quiz a try and share your thoughts!

*This article is designed to help increase awareness of factors that
determine successful outcomes when rehabilitating an injury. It is not
intended to diagnose, treat, or replace professional medical advice or care.This article was written by Meredith Butulis, DPT, MSPT, ACSM HFS, CPT.

 

Leg Length Differences: Look to the Pelvis for Answers

Leg length differences are thought to affect more than 50% of adults (Cummings et al , Spine, 1993). Leg length differences of more than 5 mm can predisposed people to asymmetrical joint wear, pain, or injury (Cummings et al, Spine, 1993).

There are many causes for one leg to be longer than the other. Often, the leg difference can be due to a sacroiliac dysfunction or your pelvis being “out of line.” Sometimes this manifests as low back pain, hip pain, knee pain, ankle pain, or even shoulder and jaw issues. The good news is that in many cases this can be corrected.

 

Does this affect you? Here is one person’s story.
There are many stories out there; see if this one is like yours. Feel free to share your experiences as well.

 

A huge thank you to those Pilates Instructors, and Personal Trainers from around the Twin Cities who took time today to attend continuing education on how to design programs to help people with leg length differences and sacroiliac issues have less pain and improve function.

 

Here are of some of the exercises presented. They are intended to serve as a review for those who attended the continuing education seminar, as well as spark some ideas and questions for anyone interested in the topic.

Here are links to a few videos in review:


Check back next week for a few more additions!

A huge thank you also goes out to our host studio, LifeTime Fitness at Crosstown. If you would like to connect with instructors, connect with the host site, or would like more information on upcoming continuing education opportunities, please leave a comment.

 

I look forward to reading your stories, experiences, ideas, and challenges as we create a community of information and education to better health and function.
Note: This article is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. The views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of OSR Physical Therapy.