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What is the achilles tendon?

Your achilles tendon is a band of tissue which attaches your gastrocnemius (calf) muscle to your heel bone. The achilles tendon is known to be the largest/longest tendon in the human body.

What is achilles tendinitis?

Achilles tendinitis is an overuse injury of the achilles tendon, most common in runners, leading to pain and inflammation near your heel bone and posterior lower leg. Middle-aged recreational athletes and “weekened warriors” are other populations typically prone to suffering from achilles tendinitis. However, achilles tendinitis can ultimately affect anybody.

Common causes include sudden increases in intensity/amount of exercise, tight calf muscles and bone spurring. Chronic tendinitis, if left untreated, can lead to micro-tearing of the tendon, leading to eventual rupture.

How do we avoid it?

• Gradually increase your activity level
• Stretch!
• Properly loading and strengthening your calf muscles
• Finding the right shoes for you

How do we treat it?

A proper physical therapy evaluation/examination can help to diagnose, treat and ultimately diminish achilles tendinitis. Most physical therapy treatment will incorporate a combination of stretching, strengthening and modalities based on how you are presenting clinically.

Some common physical therapy treatments include:

• Calf stretching (ie: runner’s stretch, slant board gastroc/soleus stretching, seated calf
• stretch using a strap/towel)
• Eccentric loading/strengthening of the gastrocnemius (ie: standing calf raises focusing on decreasing speed of movement on the downward portion of the calf raise)
• Balance training (ie: focusing on single leg stability and musculature surrounding the
• compromised area)
• Modalities (ie: ice, taping, cupping, dry needling, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization

KEY NOTE – research suggests that modalities should always be used in conjunction with physical activity/exercise!

Other forms of treatment can include wearing a night splint during sleep, wearing a heel lift in your shoes and wearing a walking boot to lessen the pressure on the achilles tendon during ambulation. Speak with your doctor and/or physical therapist regarding these other forms of treatment and if they believe you are an appropriate candidate.

Strength training is one of the best things you can do for your overall wellness. It helps keep your muscles toned, maintains your flexibility, and makes it easier for your body to power through fat stores so you can maintain a healthy weight. While most people assume that strength training involves heading to the gym and using tons of complicated machines to accomplish their goals, that’s not the only option. In fact, it’s not even the best option out there. Training with specialists in TRX in Denver is a wonderful alternative to traditional gym time. Though the results will vary from person to person, there are a few key benefits that make TRX a better option.

You’ll Train With Your Own Bodyweight
When you go to the gym, you’re likely going to end up working with heavy weights regardless of the type of equipment you’re using. Though this is effective at helping you build muscle and increasing your strength, it’s not ideal for every person’s fitness goals. Those heavy weights make your muscles bulk up and, if you’re not careful, can lead to serious muscle strain. 

When you start with TRX, you’ll be training with your own bodyweight. This allows you to build functional strength and encourages your muscles to tone up rather than bulk up quickly. Over time, that functional strength will make it easier for you to manage your daily activities and movements with ease. 

You Need Minimal Equipment
Going to the gym and using all that equipment for the first time can leave you feeling confused and overwhelmed if you’ve never worked out with equipment like that in the past. For many people, this makes working out feel impossible. 

TRX, on the other hand, requires minimal equipment. You’re free to incorporate free weights and other tools as needed to vary up your workouts, but you don’t have to. All you need is the TRX suspension straps, an exercise mat, and something to attach the straps to. Once you have those things in place, you’re able to get a full-body workout without switching equipment or wasting time swapping out weights.

It Can Help You Improve Your Cardio Fitness
Static weight exercises do one thing well: they work your muscles out and help you improve your strength. However, if you want to get a good cardio workout in, you’ll need to hop on a treadmill or other workout machine. This takes more time and forces you to spend extra hours in the gym to get the results you’re looking for. 

TRX workouts, though primarily focusing on strength training, can also give you a solid cardio workout at the same time. You’ll get your heart pumping while you run through your strength exercises without having to spend more time working out. Keep in mind that you’ll still need to stick to your workout routine if you want to see results. 

The Exercises Are Low Impact
If you’re coming off of physical therapy to help you recover from an injury or overcome muscular issues, you’ll need to look for ways to exercise that don’t put strain on your joints. This means low-impact exercises are key, but finding ways to build strength that allow you to maintain a low-impact routine isn’t always easy. By design, TRX workouts are low-impact. They allow you to build strength and get a good amount of cardio exercise in without pounding away on your delicate joints. The result is an effective workout that will leave you pleasantly sore at the end without making recovering or newly-healed injuries worse.

It’s Appropriate for All Fitness Levels
One of the biggest hurdles people face when going to the gym is feeling like they need to be experienced and already have a degree of physical fitness before they go for the first time. Though it’s highly unlikely that anyone in a fitness center will judge you for your knowledge or your current fitness levels, it’s easy to overdo things in an attempt to look like you know what you’re doing. With TRX training in Denver, you’ll be guided through the workouts by an experienced instructor. Even better, each exercise is easily modified to suit different fitness levels, letting you get a quality workout regardless of your experience.

You Won’t Get Bored
Gym-based workouts put you through the same exercises on what’s known as a circuit. Those circuits can get incredibly repetitive fast. TRX workouts are dynamic and because you’re able to move and push yourself through new routines every time, you won’t end up feeling bored after your first few sessions. When you’re not bored with what you’re doing, you’ll feel more motivated to keep working out regularly. Over time, those regular workouts and commitment to fitness will have long-reaching effects on your overall health and wellbeing.

There’s Less Risk of Injury
Even the most experienced athletes know that strained muscles can happen easily in a traditional gym setting. One wrong move while you’re picking up free weights or increasing the amount of weight too quickly can leave you in serious pain and derail your progress for weeks. Since TRX makes use of your own bodyweight and focuses on building your core strength and improving your stabilizer muscles with each workout, you’ll dramatically reduce your risk of injury during every session. The healthier your muscles stay, the easier it will be for you to reach your fitness goals on schedule. 

Try It For Yourself
If you’re looking for a fun and dynamic way to build strength without dealing with the monotony of traditional gym workouts, TRX training in Denver is a great option. Even better, it can be integrated into your physical therapy sessions to aid your recovery. The workouts are challenging enough to help you progress quickly without hurting your body or pushing yourself too fast. Just make sure you work with an experienced professional and let them show you the ropes. Schedule a consultation with our experienced TRX instructors and see first-hand how much fun TRX training can be. 

What Should You Do After a Knee Replacement?  

Physical therapy, movement, and walking are critical in the first 48 hours after surgery. Research has shown that early mobilization improves long term outcomes with a knee replacement.

A Total Knee Arthoplasty can be a painful surgery however with movement the pain will decrease. Many patients avoid movement right after surgery because their knees hurt, however moving the knee is what helps to decrease inflammation and increase mobility of the new joint. Arteries have pumps that bring blood from the heart to the rest of the body however veins do not have pumps to return the blood to the heart. Muscle contraction is what pumps the blood in the veins back to the heart and why movement after surgery is so critical. Inflammation is common and normal after surgery, it is also what causes pain. The knee is a small area and the added pressure in the knee from inflammation causes increased pain.

So what can I do?

Try performing heel slides, ankle pumps, and elevating your leg to decrease inflammation. Don’t be alarmed if you are in a lot of pain after surgery, this is normal.

Heel slides: laying on your back keep your foot on the ground and bend your knee as much as you can and then straighten your leg out. You may not be able to bend your knee much initially but this will improve with repetitions. You can perform this exercise in bed which makes it easy to perform after surgery. 

Ankle pumps: laying down with your legs straight just pump your ankles up towards your nose and back down. You may feel a stretch in your calf or back of the knee. Perform this exercise as many times as possible throughout the day. 

Movement is key! Good luck and see you after surgery! 

What is Parkinson's Disease?
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that predominantly affects the dopamine-producing part of the brain. Dopamine not only makes us feel happier, but it also helps our brain to send signals to our muscles to make them work the way we want them to. With less dopamine, we lose function in our muscles.

With Parkinson’s, patients tend to show a variety of symptoms including a shuffle walk, weakness, tremors, slow movements, and balance difficulties. They also can show symptoms including mood changes, fatigue, and cognitive changes like memory loss, difficulty with speech, and more. There are five stages of Parkinson’s, where the symptoms are worsening in each stage.



Do we know what causes PD?
It is unclear what causes Parkinson’s. More than 10 million people worldwide are living with PD and more than 95% of patients are diagnosed after age 50. Men are 1.5 times more likely to have PD than women.

Are there any treatments for PD?
Due to the variety of symptoms in each patient, treatments for Parkinsons’ vary. Medical treatments include medication to increase dopamine, use of deep brain stimulators, and more.
Patients with Parkinson’s can also work with physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists to help them improve their symptoms. Along with medical treatment, research shows that PD symptoms respond well compared to other neurological diseases to physical therapy.

Physical therapists who specialize in the treatment of PD can help maximize a patient’s independence. PT can help improve how the patient walks, stands up from a chair, roll over in bed, and much more. There are programs like LSVT-big where a patient goes through a four week intensive that aims to improve functional activities, reduce risk of falls, and more.

Even if a patient still needs a caregiver or family member around to help with more complicated tasks, improving their independence will improve their quality of life.

What can you do if you have PD or know's someone with PD?
If you or a loved one has Parkinson’s and are looking to improve function and independence, please seek out one of our Physical Therapists who specializes in the treatment of PD.
At Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness, we have therapists who are not only experienced in treating PD, but also are certified in programs like LSVT-BIG. We can use our training to meet your goals and maximize quality of life.

Please contact us using the form at the top of this page so that we may answer any of your questions or concerns.


*photo: https://www.labiotech.eu/medical/axovant-parkinsons-disease-gene/

What’s the Pain in Your Neck?

With the amazing progressions in technology we have in the world life has become fast paced and focused! Unfortunately, this has also led to an increase of neck pain as well.

Is neck pain normal? What is causing the pain to occur? What can decrease symptoms after they start? How does posture play into neck pain?

 

Is Neck Pain Normal?

Common, but not normal. Though the majority of the population experience neck pain at some point in their life, neck pain is very avoidable and takes a few minutes of stretching and exercising a day to help decrease aching, soreness, and pain.
 

What is Causing the Pain to Occur?

Depending on where the neck pain is, the problem could be coming from disk dysfunction, muscle/ligament sprain/strain, overuse, or increased stress.
Degenerative changes can occur with age which decrease the space between each vertebra and can increase pressure on nerves or cause joints to lack the room needed to move comfortably. The muscles/ligaments can become sprained/strained through impacts and/or sudden movements, such as a car accident or fall.
Overuse and increased stress can correlate and become present through bad posture, movement mechanics; including “forward head” posture, “text neck”, always leaning to one side, or carrying a heavy purse/backpack/tool kit on one side. All of these can lead to not just pain in the neck, but down the arms and into the head as well. 

 

What can Decrease Symptoms After They Start? 

When it comes to neck pain completing some simple exercises can help improve the flexibility and relieve muscle tension to decrease irritation? 
 

1. Upper trapezius stretch: Keeping your nose straight forward tilt your ear to your shoulder until a stretch is felt on the side opposite of the head tilt.

2. Levator scapulae stretch: Rotate your head where you can towards one shoulder, then tilt your chin downward (moving your nose towards your armpit) till a stretch is felt opposite of the head tilt.

3. Scapular retractions: Keeping your shoulders away from your head squeeze your shoulder blades together, hold and then relax. Do NOT pull out of the movement, just let it relax out to avoid reinforcing bad posture habits. 

4. Speaking of which, check your POSTURE! Keep yourself from letting your chin drift forward or upward and avoid rounding your back out. 
    

Important to remember: consult with a physical therapist or doctor to avoid injuries from occurring further. The best place to start is with posture corrections and setting up your work station ergonomically.

How to Work on Your Posture?
 

What the picture above is demonstrating is how much stress and pressure goes through your ligaments and muscles in the neck when the typical “tv/desk” posture is assumed. Use strategies to remind yourself to posture up, keeping those shoulders away from your head and chest opened. Some ideas to try would include putting on a colorful bracelet and every time you see it have it be your reminder to stand/sit up tall. This can be extended to anything you see throughout the day; red light, white car, get an email/call/text, etc. Make it so you remember!

Remember to refer to your doctor and physical therapist to collaborate and achieve your best outcome for pain reduction and functionality! 

 

 

Picture reference: https://www.medlife.com/blog/text-neck-modern-day-neck-issue/#:~:text=and%20at%2060%C2%B0%20it%E2%80%99s%2028kgs.%20This%20strain%20causes%20additional%20pressure