|
Listed below are current
questions/answers appearing on this page. Just click on the link and
the related question will be displayed. Information is updated
frequently.
Listed below are some
frequently asked questions. This information is intended for
informational and educational purposes. It is not intended as a
substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatments of
medical conditions. Please consult your doctor for advice on any
health-related issues.
Thank you,
The Staff of Scott County Physical Therapy
Fibromyalgia
Syndrome
My sister is having trouble sleeping and
complains of pain and burning throughout her muscles. She says that she
hurts all over. She has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia Syndrome by
her doctor. What is fibromyalgia and how is it treated?
Fibromyalgia is a complex disorder which is
characterized by widespread muscular aching and burning throughout the
body. Some patients say that they feel like they have the flu all of
the time. This syndrome is also associated with other disorders which
include chronic fatigue, sleep disorder, irritable bowel syndrome,
chronic headaches, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and sensitivity
to the environment such as odors, noise, bright lights, etc, among other
symptoms. Fibromyalgia typically occurs among women of middle-age, but
it also occurs in men and in other age groups. There are many theories
as to the cause of fibromyalgia, but no definitive answer as of yet.
However, fibromyalgia is a self-limiting
condition meaning that it is not a terminal illness, but a cluster of
symptoms that require daily management in order to function as normal as
possible. Some of the current treatments include improving deep level
sleep that is so crucial for body functions, trial of different
medication schemes, physical therapy, stress-management techniques,
relaxation techniques, therapeutic massage, and a consistent exercise
program. It is possible to manage fibromyalgia symptoms with a
comprehensive treatment plan in order to return to normal daily
activities. (back
to list)
Ergonomics
I have worked as a receptionist in a busy office for 15
years. I have headaches and aching in my neck and shoulders
almost every day during and after work. I saw my doctor who told
me to assess the “ergonomics” at my work station. What does this
entail?
Ergonomics is the study of how people interact with their work
environment. If you work in an office, this means how you “fit”
at your work station. An improper fit can cause strain and
fatigue on your spine and muscles that support your spine.
Some questions you can address are:
- Can you adjust your seat height?
- Are your feet firmly on the floor?
- Are hips at the same level as your knees?
- Do you have a good lumbar support?
- Are your arms supported by armrests?
- Is your keyboard at a height where your wrists are not
bent?
- Are your shoulders relaxed, not "shrugged"?
- Is the center of your monitor at eye level and arms
length from you?
- Do you have a document holder?
- Do you have a wrist rest?
- Are you able to take short breaks to move out of a static
position?
These questions should help you take a
good look at how your body is positioned while you perform your
desk job. Ergonomic improvements do not have to be expensive and
can be the difference of whether you can perform your job
efficiently and without discomfort.
(back
to list)
Frozen Shoulder
My doctor is sending me to physical therapy for a “frozen
shoulder”. I have heard physical therapy is very painful.
What is a frozen shoulder, and what should I expect during my
treatment?
A frozen shoulder, which medically is called adhesive capsulitis,
means that you have significant loss of mobility of your shoulder
movement. The cause of a frozen shoulder is varied. It can
result after injury to the shoulder, but many cases are from an
unknown cause. Many times patients will describe their shoulder
as becoming increasingly stiff and painful over a period of time.
The pain is progressive over a period of weeks and often results
in the patient limiting their movement due to pain which causes a
cycle of more pain, less movement, more pain, with increasing loss
of mobility. This loss of motion results in being unable to do
simple tasks such as reaching overhead into a shelf or behind the
back to tuck in a shirt.
In physical therapy, you will first
undergo an evaluation performed by the physical therapist where
your range of motion, strength, and overall function of the
shoulder joint and shoulder blade will be assessed. Specific
exercises will be prescribed and most likely the therapist will
perform joint mobilization which is a hands-on technique to
improve the mobility of the shoulder joint. While it is true that
physical therapy can be uncomfortable particularly while trying to
regain joint mobility, therapy should never cause excruciating
pain. Your therapist may use modalities such as moist heat,
ultrasound, ice, etc, to help reduce your discomfort. Also other
techniques can be used such as the therapist letting you know how
long to count through each stretch, breathing techniques, and
short breaks between each stretch. These techniques will help
get you through the more uncomfortable aspects of regaining joint
mobility and on your way to recovery.
(back
to list)
Tips
for New Mothers
I have a seven-month old baby who I breast feed and also
carry frequently on one side or the other throughout the day. By
night time, I have pain and burning in my mid-back area. What can
I do to help reduce the discomfort?
What you are describing is very common among new mothers. First
of all, the position of breast feeding tends to place the mother
in a slumped posture with also the added weight of holding the
baby. Some simple things you can do to reduce the stress on your
back is to first make sure your feet are supported. This will
help maintain the normal curve in the low back area and stabilize
your pelvis. Using pillows is the next step to assure good
positioning. Your arms must be able to rest comfortably with the
weight of the baby, so place pillows under the baby and also under
your arms so your elbows and forearms can rest easily. There are
many commercial brands of nursing pillows available that you could
try, or just plain bed pillows or throw pillows will work also. A
pillow behind your back can assist in maintaining good posture so
that breast feeding can be an enjoyable experience, not a painful
one.
Carrying and lifting a baby frequently
through your day can cause burning and aching throughout your mid
to low back area. When you hold the baby on one side, it forces
the hip to hike upward on that side and the spine to slump
forward. This causes the spine to be held in an awkward, strained
position. When the weight of your body leans off the vertical
line, your muscles must work overtime to hold your body up and
your joints will be loaded in imbalanced ways. This position, over
time, can cause pain and discomfort. Obviously a mother will need
to lift and hold her baby frequently, but there are some things
you can do to minimize the stress placed on your back. The spine
functions best when it is kept in good alignment with good
posture. When holding your baby, maintain a balanced posture,
particularly keeping your abdominals tightened and contracted.
Even while indoors, wear comfortable shoes with good arch
supports to improve shock absorption through the spine. Learn and
practice correct lifting techniques for picking up your baby. If
standing in one position, prop one foot up on a foot stool. This
helps maintain the proper inward curve of your low back. Keeping
your body fit with a walking or exercise program particularly
after childbirth will also allow your body to withstand the strain
of carrying your baby. If your symptoms persist, you will need to
consult your physician.
(back
to list)
Sprained
Ankle
I first sprained my ankle as a teenager, but have sprained
it many times since. I seem to sprain it so easily now and have
to be very careful how I step to avoid injuring my ankle. My
doctor recommended physical therapy to help my ankle. How will
therapy help?
When you sprain your ankle, the ligaments and soft tissue are
stretched beyond their normal limits. This leads to pain,
swelling, and difficulty walking for several days. But, there is
also injury to the joint “proprioceptors”. These receptors send a
message to your brain to tell you where your body is in space.
We know about other senses such as taste, hearing, and smell, but
we also have a position sense – knowing where your body is in
space. For instance, close your eyes and using your senses,
“feel” where your foot is.
Proprioception is the body’s ability to
react appropriately to your position sense. With the ankle, this
means that your foot and ankle can adjust to uneven surfaces such
as walking on gravel or a grassy, bumpy yard without injury. When
a joint is injured, there is a deficit in proprioceptive feedback
to the brain. This leads to problems with balance and
coordination which can cause recurrent ankle sprains. During
physical therapy, the joint receptors can be re-trained by using
specific exercises and activities that challenge the balance and
reaction time of the injured joint. This rehabilitation will help
to strengthen your ankle, improve proprioception, and reduce the
risk of re-spraining the ankle.
(back
to list)
ACL Injury
I have heard a lot about injury to the “ACL” during sports. What
is an “ACL” injury?
In the knee, there are four main ligaments that hold the knee together
and keep it stable. The function of a ligament is to hold bone to
bone. The ACL is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament which is one of the
ligaments inside the knee joint. This particular ligament prevents the
lower leg bone, the tibia, from sliding too far forward or rotating on
the thigh bone, the femur.
The ACL can be injured during sports or
activities that require excessive pivoting or twisting of the knee. The
ligament can also be injured during hyperextension or lateral trauma to
the knee. The person may hear or feel a “pop” in the knee followed by
swelling and difficulty continuing the sport or activity. The athlete
may feel a sense of instability of the knee during activity. An
evaluation by an orthopedist will determine if surgical reconstruction
of the ligament is needed. If surgery is performed, the athlete usually
spends several months in rehabilitation to regain full function of the
knee in order to return to sports.
(back
to list)
Bulging
Disc
I have been diagnosed with a bulging disc in my low back. Will
physical therapy help me or is surgery my only option?
The spine is comprised of 24 separate bones – 7 cervical (neck), 12
thoracic (chest), and 5 lumbar (low back) - called vertebral bodies and
two fused bones at the base of the spine called the sacrum and the
coccyx. Located between each of these vertebral bones is the
intervertebral disc, which is a gelatin-filled structure that provides
shock absorption and separation of the vertebral bones. The spinal cord
which controls movement and sensation of the arms and legs travels
through a canal within the vertebral column. The nerves exit from each
level of the spine and travel into the extremities to provide motor and
sensory function.
You may hear of disc injuries being referred to
as a slipped disc, bulging disc, herniated disc, or disc protrusion.
When a disc bulges, the jelly-like center pushes outward against the
disc wall and places abnormal pressure against the spinal nerves. This
can cause pain, numbness, tingling and weakness into the legs if it is a
lumbar disc, and into the arms if it is a cervical disc. There are
varying stages of disc injury from a mild bulge to complete herniation
of the disc contents. After an evaluation by the physician is completed
and the appropriate diagnostic studies are performed, physical therapy
can be very beneficial particularly if the patient is treated during the
early onset of symptoms. There are numerous occasions where physical
therapy is successful in treating disc problems and surgery is
prevented.
(back
to list)
Osteoarthritis
I have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. I have heard that
exercise helps, but I am concerned that it will make my symptoms worse.
How does exercise help?
Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is one of the most common
types of arthritis. It is characterized by wear and tear of the joint’s
cartilage. Cartilage is the part of the joint that cushions the ends of
bones. When the cartilage breaks down, it causes the bones to rub
against each other, causing pain and loss of movement.
For many years, it was thought that people with
arthritis should not exercise because it would further damage the
joints. Now doctors and therapists know that people with arthritis can
improve their health through moderate exercise without hurting their
joints. Exercise can be very beneficial. One slogan frequently used
with arthritis is “motion is lotion”, meaning movement of the joint
helps to lubricate it and keep it mobile. Exercise also keeps the
muscles surrounding the joints strong which aids in protecting the
joint. Other benefits of exercise include improving your energy level,
helping you sleep better, and improving your sense of well-being. One
general rule to follow is, if you have more than two hours of increased
soreness or discomfort after exercise, then you have done too much.
Back down on the amount of exercise during the next session. Along with
your prescribed medications, rest and other parts of your arthritis
treatment program, regular exercise can help keep your joints in working
order so you can continue your daily activities.
(back
to list)
Stroke
How does physical therapy help someone who has had a stroke?
A stroke, which medically is referred to as a cerebrovascular accident
or CVA, is an injury to the brain. The injury can result from various
conditions, including a bleed in the brain, lack of oxygen to the brain,
or certain illnesses such as meningitis. The brain controls all
functions of the body including your movement. One side of the brain
controls the opposite side of the body. For instance, if a stroke
occurs on the left side of the brain, it typically affects the right
side of the body and may affect other functions such as speech and
swallowing. Right-sided strokes can cause paralysis on the left side of
the body, and can also cause problems with decision-making skills,
analytical and perceptual tasks such as judging distance, position and
performing fine motor skills.
In physical therapy, the patient would undergo a
comprehensive evaluation to determine the degree of impairment. The
physical therapist will assist the patient in regaining skills that were
lost due to the stroke. This can occur through re-training the muscles
to perform their original function and by teaching compensatory
techniques to make up for muscles that may no longer work. The physical
therapist will address walking and balance skills, transferring from one
position to another, improving strength and range of motion, and
regaining overall mobility for daily activities. Depending on the
severity of the stroke, the outcome may vary from a full recovery to a
life-long impairment. The ultimate goal of physical therapy is to
return the patient to their previous lifestyle.
(back
to list)
Tennis Elbow
What is tennis elbow and how does physical therapy help this
condition?
Tennis elbow, which is referred to as lateral epicondylitis, is an
injury to the muscles and tendons along the outside aspect of the elbow
joint. This condition typically results from overuse or repetitive
stress. This injury does not only happen to tennis players, but to
people who perform repetitive movement of the elbow such as mechanics,
cake decorators, butchers, gardeners, etc. The muscles involved are the
ones that extend (backward bend) the wrist joint. The symptoms include
difficulty gripping and lifting objects especially if the elbow is
straight, pain and stiffness at the elbow joint, tightness and weakness
of the forearm muscles, and tenderness along the outside of the elbow
where the tendons attach to the bone.
Lateral epicondylitis can become a chronic
problem if not treated properly. The initial phase of treatment
attempts to decrease inflammation and pain by resting the joint and
using modalities such as ice or iontophoresis. Iontophoresis is
sometimes referred to as a “shot without the needle” as this modality
uses an electrical current to push anti-inflammatory medication into the
target area. It is a very effective tool to decrease swelling at
specific areas. The next phase of rehabilitation targets improving
flexibility, strength, and function of the elbow and forearm musculature
by utilizing a therapeutic exercise program. The last phase of
treatment emphasizes a gradual return to activity.
(back
to list)
Check back
often for health related tips.
|
