Freedom Physical Therapy Blog
Articles from our expert therapists
Hello Spring, Lets Run!
The weather is finally turning nice, and with that comes the inspiration to get out and run for many people. Although running is a natural human movement, a good majority of us could use a little help with our technique. A little known fact I like to share with my...
Don’t Dread The Lower Belly Bulge, Fix It!
A common complaint among women of childbearing age is having a toned upper abdominal area, but a bulging lower abdomen. Not only can this be frustrating cosmetically for women, but it can also be related to stress urinary incontinence. Stress urinary incontinence is...
Here’s To You Mother’s Everywhere
The beginning of May is often filled with Mother’s Day related celebration. To Mother’s everywhere, I hope loved ones are telling you how much they appreciate you. As most of you know, the mental and physical work of a Mother never ends. We have little time to reflect...
Welcome Spring
It's finally happening! You can see green shoots starting to peak their way through the brown ground cover, trees are budding, the days are longer and the birds are singing the soundtrack of nature's Sirens. It's time to get back outside and say 'Welcome Spring!'...
Enjoy Spring Gardening Without Injury
Spring weather is right around the corner, which means many of us will be planting our gardens soon. Working in the garden is great exercise and can be a very rewarding activity, but we must also consider that it puts increased stress on our bodies. Gardening should...
The Tommy John Surgery
As spring training continues to get into full swing I’d like to shed some light on an elbow surgery that is gaining a lot of attention in the press. Many of you have probably heard of the Tommy John surgery (TJS), but there are skewed ideas as to the reasoning behind...
Throwing Injury Prevention – Part 2
In part 2 of this throwing injury prevention blog series, I would like to discuss throwing volume and its effect on injury risk. Research has consistently shown a correlation between increased pitching volume and increased injury risk. Despite this information, the...
Throwing Injury Prevention – Part 1
Nearly 6 million U.S. children in eighth grade or younger play baseball. Unfortunately, the percentage of these athletes who will sustain an injury is ever growing. Pitch Volume, throwing mechanics, and shoulder range of motion are three major areas that influence...
Ready for Spring Training?
Prevention and Rehab of Arm and Shoulder Injuries in the Overhead Athlete The Brewers are in Spring Training and so are we! Spring brings sunshine, warmer weather, and of course, a return to throwing sports and competition. As athletes begin to shake off the rust and...
Nipping Chronic Pain in The Bud
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) historic 2011 report, Relieving Pain in America, documented the profound cumulative impact of chronic pain on our nation. Findings indicated that four in ten American adults live with chronic pain disorders, with annual costs exceeding...
How to Throw Out Your Back this Winter
5 easy ways to develop back pain from snow shoveling: Knees straight, back bent. Lift with sudden, sharp motions. Make the same movements over and over without variation. Start shoveling without warming up. Keep your feet fixed and twist at your waist when you toss...
Enjoy Holidays to their Fullest!
It’s that magical time of year again! The holidays are upon us, and for most of us it’s time to buy or make gifts and goodies, decorate the house, and partake in gatherings with friends and family. Although these are usually meaningful events that coincide with joys...
Winter Safety Tips
It’s hard to believe winter is right around the corner! Now is a good time to take steps to make sure you protect your body from seasonal injuries. Our clinics see a spike in injuries such as low back strains, compression fractures and herniated discs from shoveling...
Self management for TMJ pain or facial pain
This post was originally published at TreatingTMJ.com Four concepts to encourage healing of musculoskeletal pain include: Reduce Strain Relaxation Posture Stretching Apply moist heat or cold, and massage tender muscle and joints Heat or ice applications used up to...
To Click or Not to Click, that is the question!
This post was originally published at TreatingTMJ.com One of the most common complaints I hear from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) patients is that their jaw will “pop” or “click”. In many cases, the popping or clicking is harmless, painless and does not impair...
Don’t Forget to Breathe
When I began practicing yoga, I didn't quite get what the fuss over breath was. I started at my local rec center with a yoga teacher who, in a wispy voice, would proclaim "and breeeeeathe!" as we floated down to forward fold. She may have been a bit dramatic, but as...
What Is A Concussion?
What Is A Concussion? A concussion is a brain injury that occurs when the brain is shaken inside the skull, causing changes to the brain's chemistry and energy supply. A concussion might happen as a result of a direct blow to the head or an indirect force, such as...
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: What is it and why should you care?
The fall season in Wisconsin brings much more than the color change among the leaves; it brings the start of football. Although most enjoy spending their Sundays getting together with friends and family to cheer on the Green Bay Packers, during Concussion Awareness...
Lower Your Injury Risk Following a Concussion
It is common in our practice to observe athlete’s who suffer from balance and coordination deficits following a concussion. These deficits may remain well beyond when an athlete is approved for participation is their sport. I read an article recently in Medicine &...
Celebrate Fall with Fall Prevention Awareness
We tend to associate Fall with pumpkin picking, leaves changing colors, and brisk breezes reminding us of impending Wisconsin Winter months. We rarely associate the season with injuries and disability related to falling at home or in the community. This year, National...
ACL Injuries in the Young Athlete
It is not uncommon to be in the clinic after school and see at least one young patient rehabbing an ACL tear. The ACL or Anterior Cruciate Ligament is one of the four major ligaments in the knee. It’s located deep in the knee, and is a crucial stabilizer for rotation...
Are you a Three Dimensional Athlete?
We have all heard that in order to be a good high school athlete you shouldn’t limit yourself to one sport all year round. If your love is football, you should run track in the spring. Or if volleyball is your sport, you should consider basketball or soccer during the...
What Is Your Body Telling You?
“I’m falling apart!” is something I commonly hear when interviewing patients. “After one thing is better a new one pops up!” is also a common complaint. It may seem to many that their body is working against them. In my experience, I’ve learned it’s often something...
Prevent Low Back Pain During Golf
Golf season is in full swing! While this pastime is enjoyed by many, it can be a violent sport. This may sound extreme since the only contact it involves includes a 1 pound club with a 1.62 oz ball, but the truth is golfers of all ages and skill levels are at a risk...
The Dilemma with Sitting
If you sit in an office chair at work, chances are you experience stiffness, soreness and pain at times. The dilemma with sitting for any length of time is that your body isn’t in an ideal position for your joints and muscles. This sets you up for potential problems...
Can You Really Box with a Rotator Cuff Tear?
The recent so-called fight of the century between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather was covered in controversy afterwards by the revelation that Pacquiao fought with a rotator cuff tear. Did that give Mayweather an unfair advantage? Should they schedule a rematch so...
Gardening and Yardwork: Spring Beware
It’s time to throw away the winter doldrums and embrace the warmth and glorious sun that comes with spring in Wisconsin!!!! For many of us, it’s to dust off the lawnmower and shovel, and start cleaning up the yard and garden. To avoid injury, it’s important to keep a...
How to Assess TMJ Hypermobility
This post was originally published at TreatingTMJ.com So what exactly is TMJ hypermobility? Well hypermobility is characterized by early and/or excessive forward gliding (translating) of one or both TMJs. This excessive forward gliding results in laxity of the...
Overused Athletes
13 year old baseball phenom featured in Sports Illustrated; College basketball scholarship offered to 10 year old; 14 year old signs professional soccer contract; While one would think these are stories of fiction, they are actual headlines, and stories of children...
Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN)
This post was originally published at TreatingTMJ.com Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN), Fothergill’s Disease or “Tic douloureux” is characterized by sudden attacks of severe, sharp, stabbing, electric shock like pain affecting one side of face mainly along the second and...