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Physical therapy focuses primarily on those individuals who have disturbed function or impairment related to the musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary (skin) systems. It also focuses on methods of evaluating the functions of these systems and on the selection and application of appropriate therapeutic interventions to alleviate pain; to maintain, improve, or restore function; to prevent dysfunction; and to maintain health.
Sports medicine specializes in preventing, diagnosing and treating injuries related to participating in sports and/or exercise, specifically the rotation or deformation of joints or muscles caused by engaging in such physical activities. Florida Spine Sports and Rehabilitation and Dr. Placer is the premier sports medicine practice in
Eighty percent of people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. In fact, it is estimated that low back pain affects more than half of the adult population each year and more than 10% of all people experience frequent bouts of low back pain.
Anything from a bad mattress to stomach ulcers can cause chronic pain. While it may begin with an injury or illness, pain can develop a psychological dimension once the physical problem heals.
Nerve Pain
When nerve fibers get damaged, the result can be chronic pain. Read about the very common causes of neuropathic pain, like diabetes.
Burns & Pain
Burns differ in type and severity — as does the pain. Click here for more about the symptoms and treatments of burn-related pain.
Compressed Nerve (Pinched Nerve)
Pinched nerves can sometimes lead to other conditions such as peripheral neuropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tennis elbow. Early diagnosis can prevent damage read more. This link takes you to another site.
Spinal anatomy is a remarkable combination of strong bones, flexible ligaments and tendons, large muscles and highly sensitive nerves. It is designed to be incredibly strong, protecting the highly sensitive nerve roots, yet highly flexible, providing for mobility on many different planes. Most of us take this juxtaposition of strength, structure and flexibility for granted in our everyday lives—until something goes wrong. Once we’re in pain, we’re driven to know what’s wrong and what it will take to relieve the pain and prevent a recurrence.
Many different structures in the spine are capable of producing back pain or neck pain, including:
Therefore, a review of spinal anatomy is important to understand the causes of back pain, neck pain and sciatica (leg pain) and evaluate treatment options.
There are four major regions of the spine:
Acute neck pain is most often caused by a muscle, ligament or tendon strain (such as from a sudden force or straining the neck), and will usually heal with time and conservative treatments to alleviate the pain (such as ice and/or heat, medications, chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation, etc).
For patients with neck pain that lasts longer than two weeks to three months, or with mainly arm pain, numbness or tingling, there is often a specific anatomic problem. For example, pain that radiates down the arm, and possibly into the hands and fingers, is usually caused by a cervical herniated disc or foraminal stenosis pinching a nerve in the neck. Treatment options for neck pain will differ depending on the specific diagnosis.
The motion in the lower back is divided between five motion segments, although a disproportionate amount of the motion is in the lower segments (L3-L4 and L4-L5). Consequently, these two segments are the most likely to breakdown from wear and tear (e.g. Osteoarthritis). The two lowest discs (L4-L5 and L5-S1) take the most strain and are the most likely to herniate. This can cause pain and possibly numbness that radiates through the leg and down to the foot (sciatica).
The vast majority of episodes of lower back pain are caused by muscle strain.Even though this doesn’t sound like a serious injury, trauma to the muscles and other soft tissues (ligaments, tendons) in the lower back can cause severe and debilitating pain. The good news is that soft tissues have a good blood supply, which brings nutrients to the injured area and facilitates the healing process.
The sacrum is connected to part of the pelvis (the iliac bones) by the sacroiliac joints.Pain here is often called sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and is more common in women than men.The coccyx—or the tailbone—is in the sacral region at the very bottom of the spine. Pain here is called Coccydynia and is more common in women than men.
Users of functional knee braces and neoprene sleeves have similar recoveries from anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, according to new research presented recently at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine.
Pilates is an exercise program that focuses on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of neutral alignment of the spine and strengthening the deep postural muscles that support this alignment, which are important to help alleviate and prevent back pain.
The Pilates exercise program
Pilates is an exercise system named after its originator, Joseph Pilates. Mr. Pilates developed this system in the early 1900’s to improve his health and to support the health of fellow World War I internees. Later, he incorporated the resistance of springs into rehabilitation programs for hospitalized patients, and then translated the use of springs into machines and created the unique equipment now used in the exercise system.
Important principles of the Pilates exercise program include:
· Use of mental focus to improve movement efficiency and muscle control
· Awareness of neutral spine alignment, or proper posture, throughout the exercises
· Development of the deep muscles of the back and abdomen to support this posture
· Use of breath to promote mental focusing and centering
· Creating length, strength, and flexibility in muscles
Electrodiagnostic tests generally have two components: An electromyogram (EMG) and a nerve conduction study (NCS). These tests evaluate the physiology and functioning of the nerves and muscles and give information that complements the findings provided by x-rays and other scans. They cannot measure the pain that you may be experiencing but do give information about past or current damage to nerve fibers and how that damage affects muscles.
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