Freedom Physical Therapy Blog
Articles from our expert therapists
Rob McDougall – Extreme Endurance Team Athlete
We asked four headache specialists at Freedom Physical Therapy Services for ways to reduce headaches symptoms until you visit a therapist to treat your pain long term.
4 Ways to Reduce Headaches
We asked four headache specialists at Freedom Physical Therapy Services for ways to reduce headaches symptoms until you visit a therapist to treat your pain long term.
HIT-6 Headache Impact Test
The Headache Impact Test is a tool to measure the impact headaches have on your ability to function on the job, at school, at home, and in social situations. Your score shows the effect that headaches have on daily life and your ability to function.
Running: How to Optimize Your Gluteal Strengthening Routine
We are currently in the heart of running season, so now is a great time to work on increasing stability and preventing injury. One of the best ways to help prevent running-related injuries is to strengthen the lower extremity and core, especially the gluteal muscles.
Headache and Jaw Pain – A connection to TMJ/TMD?
Headaches are common among the general population and positively associated with several musculoskeletal disorders including temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The objective of this study was to explore the presence of possible confounders of the association between TMD and headaches.
Freedom Celebrates 25 Years: Peter’s Story
Freedom opened its door in Winter of 1992. Here’s how Freedom Physical Therapy Services got its start from the perspective of Peter, Freedom’s founder!
Flip Flops: Be Cautious About Comfort
Flip flops can be dangerous to wear and can lead to injuries and accidents. Find out why flip flops may not be the best summer footwear choice!
Dive In! The Benefits Of Water Exercise
Summer is a great time to enjoy the water. Local pools have reopened, and lake houses are in full swing again. But do laps at the pool or swimming across the lake sound daunting, if not impossible to you? If so, try doing your land-based exercises in the water.
Cross Your Knees When You Sneeze?
The problem with Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) is that it is very common, and so many women choose to just live with it. Up to 40% of women suffer from varying degrees of leakage.
The Basics on Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction
TMJ dysfunction (TMD) is a class of disorders of the jaw joints that result in symptoms ranging from clicking or popping of the jaw with movement, to pain or limited range of motion. In many TMD cases, the patient will complain of neck pain and headaches, difficulty eating or talking, ear pain or fullness, and in some cases vertigo, ringing of the ear or dizziness.
Do you Have an Issue with your Carpal Tissue?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a common diagnosis that plagues millions of hands every year. It falls under a class of diagnoses referred to as repetitive stress injuries which are injuries brought on or made worse by repetitive activities. Some of these activities...
Thumb and Wrist Pain with Technology
Why is it happening? What can you do about it? Thumb and wrist pain can happen with technology for a number of reasons, the most common are overuse or poor body posture. Other reasons you would experience pain could be: Use of a laptop for long periods of time...
A Great Exercise for Pitchers
A great number of pitching mechanic faults stem from poor balance and limited hip mobility throughout the pitching motion. A pitcher needs to have a strong stance hip to control their balance in the early throwing phases and to increase power as they push off leg to...
Stop Your Ankle Sprain in its Tracks
Whenever I see a patient with an ankle sprain, I tell them our biggest goal is to make sure this is their last ankle sprain. While spraining your ankle can seem like it is no big deal, an alarming amount of first time ankle sprains turn into chronic ankle instability...
Important Winter Safety Tips!
Snow and ice are finally upon us! It’s time to make sure you remain safe and healthy this wintry season. It is estimated that over 270,000 Americans will visit emergency rooms this winter due to seasonal injuries. Cold weather affects your body by increasing your...
Stay Safe While Shoveling and Skip a Trip to the ER!
Happy Holidays! As we get ready for the upcoming season we also need to prepare for the physical demands of winter – particularly snow shoveling. Whether or not you love or hate snow, being safe with snow removal is very important. Thousands of people are treated in...
Is Posture Contributing to Your Holiday Headache?
Do you suffer from headaches that seem to get worse near the holidays? Do you also experience muscle tension or pain in your upper back, shoulders, jaw, or neck, that get worse before or during headaches? Between cleaning, shopping, and cooking, the holidays often...
Enjoy Fall Raking Without Injury
Fall is a favorite season for many people, with apple cider, pumpkins and the beautiful leaves changing color. Unfortunately, along with the beauty comes the need to rake and clean up the yard for winter. Here are a few quick tips to keep you healthy and pain-free...
The Importance of Taking Time Out to Assess a Concussion
Some of the patients I see clinically who are the slowest to return to normal play after a concussion are the ones who stayed in the game after sustaining a head injury. Whether continuing to play makes it more difficult for the brain to begin healing, or the athlete...
Happy National Physical Therapy Month!
October is our annual opportunity to recognize and celebrate the benefits of physical therapy (PT). Our patients understand the benefits of Outpatient PT, but there are actually many other areas of PT expertise. In fact, many people don’t know what PT truly is...
Healthy Return to Activity Following Breast Cancer
After experiencing breast cancer surgery and treatment, working out can become a low priority. Less than 50% of all breast cancer survivors exercise regularly, mostly due to a lack of information about safe and effective exercise. However, exercising can be the most...
Is a Wearable Postural Correction Device For You?
There are many devices available that claim to help fix poor posture including some that beep at you when you’re slouching and others that help strap or brace your body into position. But do any of them really work? Even as an occupational therapist, I admit I can’t...
It’s Falls Prevention Week Everyone!!!
I often give talks on fall prevention and reducing dizziness symptoms. I was contacted prior to my last class by a woman who planned to attend and wanted additional information before the class. As I walked into the class I recognized her name had been crossed off...
How to Boost Your Health with a Vitamin D Rich Diet
Many People who live in the Midwest have conditions associated with vitamin D deficiency due to our limited sun exposure. As our days shorten and we move toward darker, colder months, it’s important to supplement our diet with vitamin D rich foods. Deficiency of...
Swimmer to Swimmer Advice
Did watching Michael Phelps or Katie Ledecky swim in the Olympics inspire you or someone in your family to begin or resume a swimming program? If so, there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid injury – specifically to the shoulder. As many as 87% of the 100...
Cycling for the Average Joe
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to ride in the Tour de France? Beyond all of the scandals and doping, it remains an incredible test of power and endurance. As a spectator, it allows the casual rider a glimpse into cutting edge cycling technology,...
Would You Benefit from Custom Orthotics?
Foot Orthoses (orthotics) are inserts typically worn inside a closed-heeled shoe. They are used to improve the biomechanics of the foot and lower extremities in order to create greater muscle efficiency with weight bearing activity and/or re-distribute the weight...
What is Biodex Testing after an ACL surgery?
ACL surgery can sound pretty scary to anyone, but not knowing all of the processes that follow can lead to an even greater level of fear and uncertainty. One of the most common questions I am asked when treating a patient after an ACL surgery is, “What is the Biodex...
ACL Injury Risk in Female Athletes
We treat a fair number of patients with Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries at our clinics. Over the last decade, the number of young female athletes with ACL injuries has increased. In fact, female athletes are four-to-ten times more likely to sustain an ACL...
Physical Therapy May Benefit Your Golf Game
Golf can be such a frustrating game. Little nuances can keep you from playing the way you want. There is no shortage of people willing to help you fix your game. Every golf magazine offers some kind of correction for every little fault you might have. Some work,...