Joint Ventures' Blog

Many of us that work for extended lengths of time notice that we tend to slump by the end of the day. Although slumping may be comfortable, it can take a toll on your body. Maintaining better posture can be achieved with the appropriate postural exercises so that you are not constantly correcting your posture, but instead you are sitting up or standing straight naturally. Good posture can benefit you in many ways including reducing pressure on discs in your lower back and neck, preventing muscle tension headaches, as well as preventing muscle imbalances, which may lead to back pain. The following are tips for correcting posture. 

Continue Reading This Post

I think we've all heard the sayings thrown around the gym or locker room..."No pain, no gain" or "Pain makes you stronger!"  This is not always the case.  Everyone experiences and describes pain differently, but if your pain is 'sharp' or 'stabbing' in nature, then more than likely it is not a pain that you would, or should, ignore.  Generally speaking, if you experience these sensations in or around a joint (such as your shoulder or knee), you may want to lower the resistance or stop the exercise.  Some reasons why you may be experiencing "bad" pain in or around a joint could be injury to a tendon, a bursa, or the cartilage in a joint.  If you question whether your symptoms may be an injury, call your doctor to get it checked out! 

Continue Reading This Post

We have all done it. I bet each of us, at one point or another, has watched the masses run by on Marathon Monday, and thought, "Next year, I'm going to do that. I'm going to start running tomorrow!" 

Continue Reading This Post

Why? 

Continue Reading This Post

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is one of the most common knee complaints. There is no universal definition for what PFPS consists of. The common theory of Patellofemoral pain outlines the incorrect tracking of the kneecap within the groove of the femur. 

Continue Reading This Post

And why does your physical therapist keep giving you all of these exercises to help with your proprioception??? 

Continue Reading This Post

The International Osteoporosis Foundation has established a quick test to see whether or not you are at risk for developing osteoporosis.  Take this 1 minute quiz to see if you are at risk! 

Continue Reading This Post

Many individuals suffer from low back pain and sometimes ignore the symptoms thinking it will simply resolve on its own. If it goes away and comes back, more than likely something is causing you to have this nagging pain. A thorough evaluation can identify the underlying cause of your pain and the treatment plan can help to correct this dysfunction. As you progress, the goal will be to ultimately prevent this pain from returning. Although many will benefit from physical therapy, some individuals may need surgery. Physical therapy intervention is a conservative method and should be considered before making the decision to have back surgery. 

Continue Reading This Post

There are options for you if you want to avoid or delay knee surgery. According to a February 2000 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, manual physical therapy and supervised exercise may produce functional benefits for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee which may delay or prevent the need to total joint replacement. Manual physical therapy is defined as the preparation of the physical environment of the human body so the patient can be trained in efficient and safe body mechanics and exercise program to develop patient self-responsibility. The degeneration of joints is the result of muscle restrictions, not the joint surface itself and therefore, precise and skilled evaluation and treatment techniques may resolve years of wear and tear!

There are hundreds of different types of arthritis that can affect your body. One in particular is osteoarthritis (OA), which is also commonly known as degenerative joint disease (DJD). This occurs when the space between two bones is compromised and the bones encroach upon each other. The lack of space for the cartilage (cushioning) between the bones means the cartilage gets rubbed and irritated. At that point, inflammation can enter the joint in response to that irritation. 

Continue Reading This Post