December 21, 2019

Physical Therapist's Guide to Patellofemoral Pain→

December 21, 2019/ Pro Dynamic Physical Therapy Inc./ Travis Tanasse

What Is Patellofemoral Pain?

PFP may occur after a sudden increase in activities like running or jumping. Research suggests that PFP results from activity levels that are increased faster than the knee can adapt. Other contributing factors to PFP may include:

Weakness of the thigh muscles.
Specializing in a single sport, which requires repeating the same movements again and again.
Certain hip and knee coordination patterns during running and jumping activities.

PFP does not go away on its own. If you have symptoms of PFP, it’s important to seek care from a physical therapist so you can return to the activities that you enjoy.

How Does it Feel?

People with PFP may experience pain:

When walking up or down stairs or hills.
When playing a sport.
With deep knee bending (squatting).
When walking on uneven surfaces.
With activity, but improving with rest.
After sitting for long periods of time with the knee bent.

How Is It Diagnosed?

Your physical therapist will review your health history and conduct a series of tests to evaluate you and your knee. PFP is diagnosed by analyzing any movement that causes pain, and ruling out other possible conditions.

Your physical therapist may analyze your walking and running patterns. They may test the strength of your hip and thigh muscles to find out if weakness is contributing to your pain. Medical imaging, such as an X-ray or MRI, is not helpful in diagnosing PFP. However, your physical therapist may consult with an orthopedic physician who may order imaging to rule out other conditions.

How Can a Physical Therapist Help?

If PFP is diagnosed, your physical therapist will develop an exercise and rehabilitation program just for you. Your program may include:

Strengthening exercises. Your physical therapist will teach you exercises to help strengthen the muscles around the hip and the knee itself. Research shows that this type of exercise therapy is the best approach to managing PFP.

Taping. Your physical therapist may teach you how to apply tape to your knee, which may improve your ability to perform exercises that would normally be painful. However, taping alone will not resolve PFP. It must only be used along with your exercise program.

Shoe inserts. Your physical therapist may recommend shoe inserts to help reduce your pain when exercising. But inserts alone, like taping, will not treat PFP. Your physical therapist will design an exercise program to fit your specific needs and goals.

Coordination training. Based on your activity level, your physical therapist may help retrain your hip and knee movement patterns to reduce your knee pain.

This type of training is effective for athletes, in particular, and may focus on movements like:

Stair climbing.
Squatting.
Running and jumping.

Cross-training guidance. Physical therapists help athletes and active people perform different movements (cross-training). This helps them stay active until they can return to a favorite activity.

Return to full activity. Your physical therapist will help guide a gradual return to your favorite activities, such as running and jumping, and will teach you good overall exercise habits to help maximize the health of your knee.

Treatments That Do Not Work for PFP

While these can be appropriate for the treatment of other injuries or conditions, the following do notwork for PFP:

Quick fixes. “Passive” treatments like dry needling, ultrasound, laser, or electrical stimulation are not helpful for people with PFP. The most effective treatment for PFP is an exercise program that targets the hip and knee muscles.

Rest. If you are experiencing PFP, it is important to understand that rest only helps temporarily. Your pain will likely return when you go back to your normal activity. Rest is not helpful in the long term. A movement program guided by your physical therapist is your best treatment option.

Can this Injury or Condition be Prevented?

Current research shows that a person’s age, height, body weight, or foot alignment may not contribute to the risk of developing PFP at all. A knock-kneed posture also does not increase the risk of developing PFP.

However, a few preventive measures can be effective. To help reduce your risk of developing PFP:

Keep your thigh muscles strong.
Maintain good exercise habits.
Avoid rapid spikes in activity levels.
Participate in a variety of sports, rather than just repeating the same movements again and again.

What Kind of Physical Therapist Do I Need?

All physical therapists are prepared through education and experience to treat a variety of conditions or injuries including PFP. However, you may want to consider:

A physical therapist who is experienced in treating people with orthopedic, or musculoskeletal, problems.
A physical therapist who is a board-certified clinical specialist or who has completed a residency or fellowship in orthopedic physical therapy. This physical therapist will have advanced knowledge, experience, and skills that may apply to your condition.
While it may be tempting to seek quick fixes for your knee pain, there is no evidence that passive treatments work for persons with PFP. If you have PFP, seek care from a physical therapist who uses progressive exercise therapy for the treatment of this condition.

You can find physical therapists who have these and other credentials by using Find a PT, an online tool provided by the American Physical Therapy Association. You can search for physical therapists with specific clinical expertise in your geographic area.

General tips when you're looking for a physical therapist:

Get recommendations from family and friends or from other health care providers.
When you contact a physical therapy clinic for an appointment, ask about the physical therapist's experience in helping people with patellofemoral pain (PFP).
During your first visit with a physical therapist, you will be asked to describe your symptoms in as much detail as possible, and say what makes your symptoms worse. Here are some tips to prepare for your visit.

Greater Trochanteric Bursitis→

June 28, 2019/ Pro Dynamic Physical Therapy Inc./ Travis Tanasse

Greater trochanteric bursitis (GTB) is an irritation of the bursa, a fluid-filled sac that sits on top of the greater trochanter, a bony prominence on the outside of the hip bone (femur). The bursa acts as a cushion to decrease friction between the outside of the hip bone and muscles attaching to the bone; bursitis results when the bursa on the outside of the hip bone becomes irritated. Greater trochanteric pain syndrome is the term used when the condition also includes irritation to the tendons of the gluteal muscles that sit beneath the bursa.

Most often, GTB is the result of repetitive friction to the bursa due to a combination of muscle weakness and tightness affecting the outside of the hip. The condition is most often treated with physical therapy to restore normal function.

GTB may result from a combination of several different variables, including:

Gluteal muscle weakness
Iliotibial (IT) band (a thick band of tissue that runs along the outside of the leg from the pelvis to the knee) tightness
Hip muscle tightness
Abnormal hip or knee structure
Abnormal hip or knee mechanics (movement)
Improper movement technique with repetitive activities
Change in an exercise routine or sport activity
Improper footwear

How Does it Feel?

People with GTB may experience:

Tenderness to touch on the outside of the hip
Pain that can vary from sharp to dull, and can radiate to the buttock, groin, thigh, or knee
Pain that is intermittent and symptomatic for a prolonged period
Pain when lying on the involved side
Pain and stiffness with prolonged sitting, walking (worst with the first few steps), negotiating stairs, or squatting
Pain that may increase during prolonged activity

How Is It Diagnosed?

The goals of the initial examination are to assess the degree of the injury, and determine the cause and contributing factors to it. GTB is a condition that develops as a consequence of repetitive irritation in the hip; it seldom results from a single injury. Your physical therapist will begin by gathering information about your condition, including your health history and your current symptoms. Your therapist will then examine your hip and thigh region to determine the presence of GTB. Your physical therapist may ask you questions about:

Your health history
Your current symptoms and how they may affect your typical day
The location and intensity of your pain, and how it may vary during the day
How the pain affects your activity level, and what you do to reduce the pain
How any injury may have occurred prior to your symptoms developing
How you have sought treatment, such as seeing other health care practitioners or having imaging or other tests done

Your physical examination will focus on the region of your symptoms, but also include other areas that may have been affected as your body has adjusted to pain. Your physical therapist may watch you walk, step onto a stair, squat, or balance on one leg. Following the interview and physical examination, your physical therapist will assess the results and develop an individualized treatment program to address your specific condition and goals.

Imaging techniques, such as X-ray or MRI, are typically not needed to diagnose GTB.

How Can a Physical Therapist Help?

You and your physical therapist will work together to develop a plan to help achieve your specific goals. To do so, your physical therapist will select treatment strategies in any or all of the following areas:

Patient education. Your physical therapist will work with you to identify and change any external factors causing your pain, such as the type and amount of exercises you perform, your athletic activities, or your footwear. Your therapist will recommend improvements in your daily activities, and develop a personalized exercise program to help ensure a pain-free return to your desired activity level.
Pain management. Your physical therapist will design a program to address your pain that includes applying ice to the affected area as well as a trial of heat, such as a hot shower or heating pad. The exercises discussed below also can have a pain-reducing component. Your physical therapist also may recommend decreasing some activities that cause pain. Physical therapists are experts in prescribing pain-management techniques that reduce or eliminate the need for medication.
Range-of-motion exercise. Your low back, hip, or knee joint may be moving improperly, causing increased tension at the greater trochanter. Your physical therapist may teach you self-stretching techniques to decrease tension and help restore normal motion in the back, hip, and knee.
Manual therapy. Your physical therapist may apply “hands-on” treatments to gently move your muscles and joints, most likely in your low back, hip, or thigh. These techniques help improve motion and strength, and often address areas that are difficult to treat on your own.
Muscle strength. Muscle weaknesses or imbalances can result in excessive strain at the greater trochanter. Based on your specific condition, your physical therapist will design a safe, individualized, progressive resistance program for you, likely including your core (midsection) and lower extremity. You may begin by performing strengthening exercises lying on a table or at home on the bed or floor (eg, lifting your leg up while lying in different positions). You then may advance to exercises in a standing position (eg, standing squats). Your physical therapist will choose what exercises are right for you based on your age and physical condition.
Functional training. Once your pain, strength, and motion improve you will need to safely transition back into more demanding activities. To minimize the tension on the hip and your risk of repeated injury, it is important to teach your body safe, controlled movements. Based on your own unique movement assessment and goals, your physical therapist will create a series of activities to help you learn how to use and move your body correctly and safely.

Physical therapy promotes recovery from GTB by addressing issues, such as pain in the body structure, that is under stress from any lack of strength, flexibility, or body control. Your physical therapist may also recommend a period of relative rest, then help you slowly resume activities and carefully guide your progression. When GTB remains untreated, however, your pain will persist and result in long-term difficulty performing your desired activities.

Can this Injury or Condition be Prevented?

GTB may be the result of changes in the body’s shape, such as one leg being longer or shorter on the involved side. This condition can occur from an injury to the lower extremity or subtle differences that occur in the body’s growth and development.

Maintaining appropriate lower-extremity mobility and muscle strength, and paying particular attention to your exercise routine—especially changes in an exercise activity, the volume of exercises performed, and your footwear—are the best methods for preventing GTB.

Your physical therapist will help guide you through a process that will progressively reintegrate more demanding activities into your routine without overstraining your hip. Keep in mind that returning to activities too soon after injury can cause the condition to be more difficult to fix, and often leads to persistent pain.

Real Life Experiences

Karen is a 47-year-old teacher who is training for her first 5K road race. She runs 3 to 4 days each week, then walks the other days. Over the past 2 weeks, she has begun to experience pain in the outside of her right hip. Her pain is worse while running and lying on her right side; she experiences hip pain and stiffness when taking her first steps in the morning and walking up stairs, and also notes a dull ache with prolonged sitting and standing. She typically performs stretches for 5 minutes before her runs. Karen had not run consistently before she began training for the 5K.

Karen is concerned about the sharp hip pain she feels when running and her inability to complete her training due to pain. She is worried about her ability to perform daily activities and train for her upcoming race. She decides to seek the help of a physical therapist.

Karen's physical therapist takes a full history of her condition. Karen describes her typical daily running routine, including distance, pace, and running surface; her stretching routine; and her footwear. Her physical therapist then assesses Karen’s motion, strength, balance, movement, and running mechanics. He skillfully palpates (gently presses on) the front, side, and back of her hip to determine the precise location of her pain. Based on these findings, he diagnoses greater trochanteric bursitis.

Karen and her physical therapist work together to establish short- and long-term goals and identify immediate treatment priorities, including icing and stretching to decrease her pain, as well as gentle hip-strengthening exercises. They also discuss temporary alternative methods for Karen to maintain her fitness without continuing to aggravate her injury and prolong her recovery, such as swimming or biking. She is also prescribed a home-exercise program consisting of a series of activities to perform daily to help speed her recovery.

Together, they outline a 4-week rehabilitation program. Karen sees her physical therapist 1 to 2 times each week. He assesses her progress, performs manual therapy techniques, and advances her exercise program as appropriate. He advises her as to when she can begin to carefully resume running, and establishes a day-by-day plan to help her safely build back up to her desired mileage. Karen performs an independent daily exercise routine at home, including stretching and strengthening activities, which her physical therapist modifies as she regains strength and movement.

After 4 weeks of patient work, Karen no longer experiences pain or stiffness in her hip, and resumes her desired training program in preparation for her upcoming 5K race.

On the day of the race, Karen runs pain free and crosses the finish line in a personal best time!

What Kind of Physical Therapist Do I Need?

All physical therapists are prepared through education and experience to treat greater trochanteric bursitis. However, you may want to consider:

A physical therapist who is experienced in treating people with greater trochanteric bursitis. Some physical therapists have a practice with an orthopedic or musculoskeletal focus.
A physical therapist who is a board-certified clinical specialist or who completed a residency or fellowship in orthopedic or sports physical therapy. This physical therapist has advanced knowledge, experience, and skills that may apply to your condition.

You can find physical therapists who have these and other credentials by using Find a PT, the online tool built by the American Physical Therapy Association to help you search for physical therapists with specific clinical expertise in your geographic area.

General tips when you're looking for a physical therapist (or any other health care provider):

Get recommendations from family and friends or from other health care providers.
When you contact a physical therapy clinic for an appointment, ask about the physical therapists' experience in helping people who have greater trochanteric bursitis.
During your first visit with the physical therapist, be prepared to describe your symptoms in as much detail as possible, and describe what makes your symptoms worse.

Plantar Fasciitis→

November 18, 2018/ Pro Dynamic Physical Therapy Inc./ Travis Tanasse

Plantar fasciitis is a condition causing heel pain. Supporting the arch, the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue connecting the heel to the ball of the foot, can become inflamed or can tear. You experience pain when you put weight on your foot—particularly when taking your first steps in the morning. The pain can be felt at the heel, or along the arch and the ball of the foot.

Plantar fasciitis is a common foot condition. It occurs in as many as 2 million Americans per year and 10% of the population over their lifetimes.

Factors that contribute to the development of plantar fasciitis include:

Age (over 40 years)
A job, sport, or hobby that involves prolonged standing or other weight-bearing activity
Rapid increases in length or levels of activity, such as beginning a new running program or changing to a job that requires a lot more standing or walking than you are accustomed to
Decreased calf muscle flexibility
Increased body weight (Body Mass Index greater than 30)
Tendency to have a flat foot (pronation)

Plantar fasciitis affects people of all ages, both athletes and non-athletes. Men and women have an equal chance of developing the condition.

Treatment generally reduces pain and restores your ability to put weight on your foot again.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a condition causing heel pain. Supporting the arch, the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue connecting the heel to the ball of the foot, can become inflamed or can tear. The condition develops when repeated weight-bearing activities put a strain on the plantar fascia. People who are diagnosed with plantar fasciitis also may have heel spurs, a bony growth that forms on the heel bone. However, people with heel spurs may not experience pain.

Plantar fasciitis occurs most frequently in people in their 40s but can occur in all age groups.

The condition can develop in athletes who run a great deal and in non-athletes who are on their feet most of the day, such as police officers, cashiers, or restaurant workers.

Signs and Symptoms

The onset of symptoms of plantar fasciitis frequently occurs with a sudden increase in activity. You might feel a stabbing pain on the underside of your heel, and a sensation of tightness and/or tenderness along your arch.

People with plantar fasciitis may experience pain:

In the morning, when stepping out of bed and taking the first steps of the day
With prolonged standing
When standing up after sitting for awhile
After an intense weight-bearing activity such as running
When climbing stairs
When walking barefoot or in shoes with poor support

As your body warms up, your pain may actually decrease during the day but then worsen again toward the end of the day because of extended walking. Severe symptoms may cause you to limp.

How Is It Diagnosed?

The physical therapist’s diagnosis is based on your health and activity history and a clinical evaluation. Your therapist also will take a medical history to make sure that you do not have other possible conditions that may be causing the pain. Sharing information about the relationship of your symptoms to your work and recreation, and reporting any lifestyle changes, will help the physical therapist diagnose your condition and tailor a treatment program for your specific needs.

To diagnose plantar fasciitis, your therapist may conduct the following physical tests to see if symptoms occur:

Massaging and pressing on the heel area (palpation)
Gently stretching the ankle to bend the top of the foot toward the leg (dorsiflexion)
Gently pressing the toes toward the ankle

How Can a Physical Therapist Help?

Physical therapists are trained to evaluate and treat plantar fasciitis.

When you are diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, your physical therapist will work with you to develop a program to decrease your symptoms that may include:

Stretching exercises to improve the flexibility of your ankle and the plantar fascia
Use of a night splint to maintain correct ankle and toe positions
Selection of supportive footwear and/or shoe inserts that minimize foot pronation and reduce stress to the plantar fascia
Application of ice to decrease pain and inflammation
Iontophoresis (a gentle way to deliver medication through the skin)
Taping of the foot to provide short-term relief

Research shows that most cases of plantar fasciitis improve over time with these conservative treatments, and surgery is rarely required.

Can this Injury or Condition be Prevented?

Guidelines for the prevention or management of plantar fasciitis include:

Choosing shoes with good arch support
Replacing your shoes regularly, so that they offer arch support and provide shock absorption to your feet
Using a thick mat if you must stand in one place for much of the day
Applying good principles to your exercise program, such as including a warm-up and gradually building up the intensity and duration of your exercises to avoid straining the plantar fascia
Stretching your calves and feet before and after running or walking
Maintaining a healthy body weight

Real Life Experiences

Jason has worked as a cook in a restaurant kitchen for 5 years. He has gradually gained about 25 pounds over those years. He began to develop pain in both his heels about 2 months ago. He does not exercise.

Jason asks a friend who has received physical therapy for advice. His friend suggests he see a physical therapist to find the cause of his heel pain.

Jason's physical therapist conducts a detailed history, asking questions about his health, lifestyle, and work, and performs a thorough evaluation. Jason says that his heel pain is worst when he gets up in the morning. After a shower and walking around for a while, his pain diminishes. However, when he is cooking at the restaurant during the evening shift, his heel pain returns, extending to the balls of his feet. Due to food debris in the restaurant kitchen, Jason says he wears old beat-up sneakers to work.

After conducting a physical examination, Jason's therapist diagnoses plantar fasciitis. She teaches Jason several stretches to perform twice a day and designs a home exercise program that will fit his goals and lifestyle. The therapist recommends he choose a shoe with a good arch support and replace them when they are worn out. She also suggests an orthotic (shoe insert) to place into his new shoes. She instructs him to apply ice to the bottom of his feet several times throughout the day. The therapist does not prescribe a night splint at this time, because Jason has had symptoms for less than 3 months. The therapist recommends that for his general health, Jason begin a low-impact exercise program, including swimming and using an exercise bike. This will help him lose the excess weight he has gained without further aggravating his plantar fasciitis.

Jason follows the advice of his physical therapist. He purchases new footwear for work and performs the stretching exercises and icing as instructed. After 2 weeks, he is 90% pain-free. Jason keeps his follow-up visit with his physical therapist 1 month later to review his condition and adjust his home program.

What Kind of Physical Therapist Do I Need?

All physical therapists are prepared through education and experience to treat plantar fasciitis. However, you may want to consider:

A physical therapist who is experienced in treating people with orthopedic and sports injuries, particularly those with experience working with the ankle and foot
A physical therapist who is a board-certified clinical specialist or who completed a residency or fellowship in orthopedic or sports physical therapy, meaning that this therapist has advanced knowledge, experience, and skills that may apply to your condition

General tips when you're looking for a physical therapist (or any other health care provider):

Get recommendations from family and friends or from other health care providers.
When you contact a physical therapy clinic for an appointment, ask about the physical therapists' experience in helping people who have heel pain.
During your first visit with the physical therapist, be prepared to describe your symptoms in as much detail as possible, and say what makes your symptoms worse.

Pro Dynamic Physical Therapy Inc.

Pro Dynamic Physical Therapy Inc.

Blog

Pro Dynamic Physical Therapy Inc.

Physical Therapist's Guide to Patellofemoral Pain→

What Is Patellofemoral Pain?

How Does it Feel?

How Is It Diagnosed?

How Can a Physical Therapist Help?

Treatments That Do Not Work for PFP

Can this Injury or Condition be Prevented?

What Kind of Physical Therapist Do I Need?

Further Reading

Greater Trochanteric Bursitis→

How Does it Feel?

How Is It Diagnosed?

How Can a Physical Therapist Help?

Can this Injury or Condition be Prevented?

Real Life Experiences

What Kind of Physical Therapist Do I Need?

Further Reading

Plantar Fasciitis→

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Signs and Symptoms

How Is It Diagnosed?

How Can a Physical Therapist Help?

Can this Injury or Condition be Prevented?

Real Life Experiences

What Kind of Physical Therapist Do I Need?

Further Reading

Pro Dynamic Physical Therapy Inc.