Intensity of exercise hard to pinpoint for people with knee pain

It could be called the “Goldilocks syndrome,” not too cold, not too hot, in the middle: just right. For people with weak knees, the same holds true according to a physical therapy MN study presented at the Radiological Society of North America meeting.

Researchers from the University of California in San Francisco revealed both high and low levels of exercise can damage knee in middle aged people. In the study, scientists used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based T2 relaxation times to track the degeneration of the knee cartilage in adults over the years.

Trials included 205 patients between the ages of 45 to 60 who were asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding their lifestyle and levels of physical activity.

“T2 relaxation times generated from MR images allow for analysis of the biochemical and molecular composition of cartilage. There is increased water mobility in damaged cartilage, and increased water mobility results in increased T2 relaxation time,” said Wilson Lin, B.S., research fellow and medical student at UCSF.

According to estimates by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, by 2030, about 67 million Americans over the age of 18 will have some form of diagnosed arthritis.

Results of the study showed that people who had higher levels of physical activity, especially the high impact ones like running, had more accelerated knee cartilage degeneration compared to other people. According to physical therapy in Minnesota experts, these people had a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis.

“When we compared the scores among groups, we found an accelerated progression of T2 relaxation times in those who were the most physically active. Those who had very low levels of activity also had accelerated progression of T2 values. This suggests that there may be an optimal level of physical activity to preserve the cartilage,” said Thomas M. Link, M.D., professor of radiology and chief of musculoskeletal imaging at UCSF.

Researchers found the use of T2 measurements in the study proved this method can be used to detect knee cartilage degeneration early, when the condition may still be reversible. The study concluded people who have high risk of osteoarthritis (people who have family history of the condition) need to maintain healthy weight and avoid high-impact activities.

Nintendo Wii becomes popular physical therapy treatment

Video games were once bad for your health. They involved nothing more sitting down and being completely inactive, aside from a lot of thumbing, for hours on end. Today, with the help of the Nintendo Wii, they might actually do your body some good.

Lately, healthcare providers and physical therapy Oakland specialists say they have been using game applications and programs on the video game system as a tool for physical, occupational and neurological rehabilitation, the New York Times reports.

The Wii allows gamers to make different motions with their bodies to win games and challenges. Balance and movement are common concerns for those recovering from brain injuries or strokes. Others may be working to improve range of motion or gross motor coordination, like walking and lifting.

Physical therapists have found one game in specific, Wii golf, brings an element of pleasure into physical therapy. To play the game, a patient swings the Wii’s wireless hand-held motion-sensitive wand in front of animated screens that simulate holes on a course. Many have said that the game helped paitients become less dependent on the physical therapists in improving his balance and also motivated him to stay active.

It’s also more fun and entertaining. Scoring provides immediate feedback to patients as their motor skills, range of motion, balance and coordination improve with activity.

Doctors have noted that when recuperating patients played Wii golf at home, they did not regard it as exercise or a physical therapy session. Still, the repetition of movement and the practice of balance have had a positive effect.

Various neurological physical therapy programs around the nation have been adding Nintendo’s video game machine to their regiments with great success. One office in particular, added Wii golf more than two years ago, and since then has seen patients use the game to move beyond medically supervised rehabilitation, often buying the units for personal entertainment at home. Wii golf has also been used as a regular activity to keep seniors engaged and exercising.

Avoid back pain during travel

Air travel, whether for business or pleasure, is a normal part of many lives. However, something commonly overlooked is that air travel can be hazardous to spinal health, as any physical therapy Freehold New Jersey specialist would agree. According to PowerOfTravel.org, in 2011 there were approximately 2 billion trips by air that Americans took for business and leisure purposes. That same year, visitors (international and domestic) to New York City reached 50.9 million.

The back pain from air travel is caused by extended slouching in a restricted area for several hours and sometimes followed immediately with either carrying or dragging a heavy suitcase through airport terminals. Sitting in airplane seats compresses the discs between your vertebrae and can increase any underlying or pre-existing spinal pain.

Frequent movement is critical for prevention of pain. When traveling, one should move well and move often. Here are some additional tips for what you can do to avoid pain while traveling:

Bring items like travelers’ neck pillows, pillows to support your lower back, or over-the-counter pain medication to make the flight more comfortable.
Pay attention to your posture while sitting.
Get up, move, and stretch as much as possible; take a walk down the aisle to prevent aching and soreness in your calves and legs and raise your hands over your head and press your palms together with light pressure for 5-seconds to both stimulate your core abdominals wake up your upper back muscles that are tired from slouching.
Pack heat and gel packs/over the counter to alleviate soreness and alternate between heat and ice to alleviate and prevent back pain.
Drink plenty of water to hydrate your body. Proper hydration reduces inflammation.

If you’re an avid traveler and want more information regarding back pain during travel, then consult with your local doctor or physical therapist.

Twin Cities physical therapy helps local residents train for charity events

Physical therapy in the Twin Cities region, MN, isn’t just used for rehabilitation, but also can help residents train for local charity events. In this day and age, charity events fall far from the door-to-door fundraisers we all used to know and hate, rather, they involve exciting, physical activities, ranging anywhere from running races to rappelling down skyscrapers.

These high-endurance events, although for a great cause, can be exhausting or unsafe if your health is not in the proper condition. Rather than skip out on participating, sign up for personal training sessions at a physical therapy clinic. For example, one local MN resident visited a physical therapist to prepare himself for the September 7 “Double Dog Dare Off-the-Wall Challenge,” a high-endurance fundraiser that involves rappelling down one of St. Paul’s tallest buildings.

The physical therapy Twin Cities region encouraged this particular participant get in shape, lose weight, and reduce his usage of prescription medicines, all in addition to training for the event.

Personal trainers at physical therapy clinics can tailor exercises specific to your body and motivate you to stick with the fitness programs designed to guarantee the results you want. So sign up for that high-action charity event you’ve had your eye on, and visit your local physical therapist for training advice and help to get you on your way.

Safety Tips for Practicing Yoga

Yoga can be a supreme form of exercise. It can also be a terrible source of pain. While practicing yoga provides a wide range of health benefits – it increases strength, flexibility and balance while reducing stress – it can be hazardous if one does not respect their personal limits.

Although injuries caused by yoga are rare, they usually occur when a person is not listening to their body. In extreme cases, yoga junkies end up in physical therapy San Francisco. The most common yoga injuries seen in the Bay Area are muscle strains or tears in the hamstrings. People simple push their bodies too hard or practice yoga too aggressively and pay the price for it.

Injuries can also take place in theshoulders, knees and back. In Vinyasa yoga — which connects a series of movements using breath — there is a low pushup that is often repeated and can cause problems for people who lower their chest below their elbows.

Students can also get hurt by over extending themselves performing back bends or failing to align their legs during standing poses. In general, physical therapy experts recommend taking yoga slowly, one step at a time, to stretch the body properly before trying more complex positions. Another tip is to pay constant attention to your body and what it is telling you. If a position causes pain, stop, or retract the muscles a little bit.

Lastly, intensive yoga sessions should not be practiced everyday. Switch up styles to mix muscle building and relaxing methods or take days off.

Top 3 Benefits of Physical Therapy for Arthritis Pain

Though many arthritis sufferers choose to manage their pain with medications or surgery, physical therapy offers a number of benefits that can improve a patient’s condition and return them to activities that he or she was unable to perform before.

What is Arthritis?
Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, occurs when the cartilage and bone tissue in the joints begins to degrade and the joint is unable to move as easily as before. Common in the hands, knees, hips, and feet, osteoarthritis causes chronic pain and stiffness that interferes with a patient’s mobility. Unlike most other chronic pain conditions, arthritis pain actually improves with constant and frequent motion – so physical therapy Freehold NJ is an excellent way to treat arthritis.

Benefits of Physical Therapy Freehold NJ for Arthritis Pain
1. Exercise. Nutritionists and health experts have long touted the benefits of exercise for good health during a person’s senior years, but having constant supervision from a physical therapist is a great way to teach a patient to exercise the right way and encourage them to do so.

2. Learn joint protection techniques. Your physical therapist Freehold NJ will teach you the right way enter and exit a car, lift objects, sit, and stand up from a chair or bathtub. Small changes in how your move while performing everyday tasks can make a huge difference in how you feel during the day.

3. Minimal medication intake. Physical therapy can help relieve chronic pain, allowing patients to take fewer medications with unpleasant side effects like nausea and constipation.

How Is Vibration Therapy Used in Physical Therapy?

Vibration therapy also known as whole body vibration originally started as a fitness training method. Now it is commonly used for physical therapy, rehabilitation, and professional sports purposes.

Robert Chickara back doctor Freehold New Jersey expert, for example, offers whole body vibration therapy to treat neck and back pain for its numerous pain management and mobility-promoting benefits. Physical therapy practitioners claim that this therapy method is effective for muscle strengthening, enhancing range of motion, increasing flexibility, relieving pain, relaxing muscle spasms, and improving balance and proprioception (our sense of how our bodies are positioned).

Body vibration therapy involves an oscillating platform that is positioned on a vertical plan. While the patient stands on the platform it oscillates between 30-50 times per second. The movement of this platform facilitates the patient to use and train skeletal muscles and to active various muscle reactions by sending signals to the brain that cause the muscle to contract or relax at the same rate of the vibrations.

The mechanoreceptor muscle spindles are responsible for contracting the muscles and mechanoreceptor golgi tendon organs (GTO) send signals to the brain causing the muscles to relax.

To learn more about the physical therapy applications of vibration therapy visit this pain management Freehold New Jersey practice website.