December 11, 2009

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The Importance of Being Compliant: PT works best as prescribed

“You want me to do how many repetitions?!”  “How many times a day?!”  “Will I have time to eat?”  “I’m really busy at work.”  “I completely forgot about that one.” As someone who has had to rehab injuries in the past, I really understand how difficult staying vigilant and compliant with a home exercise program […]

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December 4, 2009

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Golf Conditioning in the Off-season

The fall of the first flurries means golf season is officially over in southeast Wisconsin (for most).  To stay in shape, prevent injuries, and prepare for a better 2010 season, start your golf off-season conditioning.  Off-season conditioning will help golfers in two ways: improved performance and decreased injuries next season. As Tiger Woods puts it, […]

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November 27, 2009

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Compression Garments in PT

In physical therapy, I see a variety of patients with conditions that have associated swelling or edema.  Many patients post-operatively suffer from swelling that is very painful and restricts mobility.  Compression garments can be an extremely useful self management tool for many types of swelling.  The most common type of garments used are compression stockings […]

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November 20, 2009

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Destress for Less Pain

We all know stress isn’t good for the body, but how does it affect the musculoskeletal system?   Patients who seem to be under a lot of stress have more pain, especially neck pain. When people are stressed it changes their posture and increases muscular tension, which are both bad for your musculoskeletal health.  Has stress […]

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November 13, 2009

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DIY Therapy: “It’s like buttah”

Some people like to take their therapy with them.  I’ve been asked frequently where to get the best cold or hot packs, pillows, and massage tools.  There are oodles of great products out there, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to get the equipment you need to get through therapy.  Maybe you’ve already […]

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November 6, 2009

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The Silent Killer

Bones are living tissue, constantly breaking down and rebuilding.  They respond to the stresses placed on them, building more bone when there is more demand and breaking down when there isn’t.  Weight-bearing exercise stimulates the bones to rebuild.   When we are sedentary there isn’t demand to build, thus the rate of breaking down bone can […]

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October 30, 2009

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Cortisone Injections: Helpful or Harmful?

Should I get a cortisone injection? Are they safe?  Do they help?  Is it a steroid?  Is it just going to mask the real problem?  Will it do more harm than good to the body in the end? These are just a few of the questions that I am frequently asked regarding cortisone injections.  Physicians […]

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