National Childhood Obesity Month: How Physical Therapy can help you get your body on track!

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. It is always important to take the time to examine you and your child’s nutrition and physical routines, and this month is the perfect time to start if you haven’t done so in the past. Staying active is a vital way to reduce the likelihood that you or your child ends up overweight as well as helping with weight loss for those already overweight.

For some people suffering from obesity, physical activity is a difficult and painful process. Without fully understanding the impact of specific activities on your bones and joints, you can be doing more harm to your body than good.

The key component is prevention in avoiding long term physical issues due to obesity. Visiting a physical therapist can be an integral component to weight loss through exercise, as he or she will guide you through an exercise routine that will be safe for your joints and will adhere to your long term goals.

A physical therapist can help reduce pain as well as improve all over movement, strength, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and posture, thereby making physical activity a regular part of your lifestyle. Most patients see improvement as they move through these sessions. A physical therapist can help you or your child find beneficial physical activity that is right for you outside of these sessions. Building physical exercise habits at a young age will help children fight against obesity in the long term.

Obesity prevention is just as important in adults as it is in children. Gone are the days of joint pain and back pain being relegated to adults. The prevalence of obesity is creating issues for the young and old alike. Visiting a physical therapist is one of the first major steps in weight loss reduction as well as prevention of long-term issues for obese adults and children.

Did you know that you have Direct Access to Physical Therapy? No referral is needed. We offer the best Physical Therapy on Long Island where you can get help from our trusted and expert Physical Therapists. We have several locations on Long Island including Massapequa, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Lindenhurst. To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Park Physical Therapy and The Physical Therapy Alliance at (516) 568-4444.

Experiencing Tingling and Numbing in your hand? Physical Therapy could be your solution.

In today’s technological world, we are becoming more and more reliant on the use of our fingers, hands and wrists. Most of our day is used typing; whether that be at the office or on your cell phone. Because of this, it is extremely important that if you are experiencing tingling and/or numbness in your wrist, hand or fingers, that you address that issue before it gets worse.

Early diagnosis and treatment could mean the difference between a full recovery and permanent damage. In many cases tingling and numbness could mean the beginning stages of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

The carpal tunnel is a narrow channel that runs from your forearm to your wrist on your palm side. The tunnel protects the nerves and tendons that help give your fingers mobility. With repetitive motion, the nerves overtime can begin to be pressured causing tingling and numbness. If it persists over time the nerves could experience permanent damage resulting in long-term issues that would require surgery.

Visiting a physical therapist for treatment is integral towards preventing your hand issues from reaching the need for painful surgery. A physical therapist would provide the proper treatments based on the severity of your injury, such as strength exercises for the hand and wrist, as well as for posture and individualized action plans based on work responsibilities and leisure activities.

A physical therapist would be able to assess your personalized needs based on your risk factors and daily activities and help you find the relief you deserve.

Did you know that you have direct access to Physical Therapy? No referral is needed. We offer the best Physical Therapy on Long Island where you can get help from our trusted and expert Physical Therapists. We have several locations on Long Island including Massapequa, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Lindenhurst. To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Park Physical Therapy at (516) 568-4444.

Physical Therapy and Arthritis

Many people that suffer from arthritis receive physical therapy. Physical therapy helps to strengthen the joints that can be damaged and inflamed due to arthritis. The exercises and techniques used in physical therapy also reduce pain, reduce stiffness and increase range of motion. Physical therapy does not just help with current arthritis pain, it also helps to prevent arthritis from causing more damage to joints.
Some techniques that are taught in physical therapy that help with arthritis include:

• exercises that improve strength and mobility

• ways to move from one position to another without inflaming joints

• ways to be do household tasks without inflaming joints

• proper posture while sitting or standing

• properly using walkers and canes

• preventing further loss of joint functions

• restore functions of joints that cause problems

• maintain fitness and ability to use joints

• range-of-motion

• stretching

• aerobic/endurance exercises

Physical therapy goals that are set for arthritis patients depend on the particular case of arthritis. Some of the typical physical therapy goals for arthritis patients are:
Physical therapy exercises that are typically used on people with arthritis include:
Range-of-motion exercises increase flexibility to retain ability to move joints.  Stretching is one of the most common range of motion exercises. Stretching increases flexibility, which also allows a person to retain the ability to move without pain. Aerobic exercises and endurance exercises are important for arthritis patients because they allow for more oxygen to flow to the muscles. When muscles receive more oxygen, they become stronger and in turn allow for prolonged exercise without discomfort.

Did you know that you have Direct Access to Physical Therapy? No referral is needed. We offer the best Physical Therapy on Long Island where you can get help from our trusted and expert Physical Therapists. We have several locations on Long Island including Massapequa, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Lindenhurst. To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Park Physical Therapy and The Physical Therapy Alliance at (516) 568-4444.

Patello-Femoral Pain Syndrome

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome is a broad term used for knee pain.  Patellofemoral pain is more specifically used to refer to pain in the front of the knee and around the kneecap. This kind of pain is more commonly known as “runner’s knee” or “jumper’s knee” – sound more familiar without the big fancy scientific word?  

While knee pain is most common in athletes Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome can occur in non-athletes as well.  The reason for this is that while one cause of knee pain is overuse (cue all athletes) another cause is Patellar Malalignments. The knee is the largest joint in your whole body and the structure of it is complex.  There are four main ligaments in each of your knees along with along with tendons, cartilage and other tissue- this leaves a lot of room for damage.  In Patellar Malalignment there is abnormal tracking of the kneecap in your trochlear groove which as a result irritates the surrounding soft tissue.  Problems that might occur as a result of this misalignment include problems with leg alignment between hip and ankles and/or muscular imbalances or weakness. Did you know that knee pain like this is easily relieved with physical therapy and there are exercises that you can do to prevent major pain from returning in the future?

Symptoms of this pain syndrome range from knee pain after sitting or standing for too long- often accompanied with a popping or cracking sound- to difficulty walking up and down stair or kneeling down.  Remedies for Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome range from home remedies such as rest, ice, compression, and elevation to surgical options that could remove cartilage or loosen tissue.  If you are experiencing knee pain you should consult a doctor to see what therapy option is right for you.  In many cases it is important that people suffering from knee pain go a step further than icing and elevating and see a physical therapist; Who can help manipulate the area to relieve knee pain as well as show people with Patellofemoral Pain, techniques to prevent future pain in the target area.

Did you know that you have Direct Access to Physical Therapy? No referral is needed. We offer the best Physical Therapy on Long Island where you can get help from our trusted and expert Physical Therapists. We have several locations on Long Island including Massapequa, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Lindenhurst. To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Park Physical Therapy and The Physical Therapy Alliance at (516) 568-4444.

How Physical Therapy Can Help with TMJ

by Park Physical Therapy, August 6, 2015

TMJ stands for Temporo Mandibular Joint Disorder. It is extremely common in people who have had jaw injuries in the past, grind or clench their teeth, suffer from arthritis, or are under stress. TMj is characterized by pain or tenderness when opening or closing your mouth while talking or eating, jaw popping or locking, trouble chewing, feeling as if the top and bottom jaw do not meet up properly, and swelling of the face. TMJ symptoms can be alleviated in many different ways. However, one way that is becoming more and more common in dealing with TMJ is physical therapy.

Physical therapy for TMJ strives to relax and stretch the muscles that tighten causing pain and discomfort. This is done to alleviate current pain caused by TMJ and to also prevent more pain, discomfort and swelling in the future. There are many different techniques that physical therapists use to treat TMJ. Some of these techniques are:

• icing to reduce swelling
• heat therapy to improve blood circulation
• massage to alleviate tension in the jaw
• exercises to improve flexibility, strengthen muscles, and increase range of motion
• posture techniques to improve jaw alignment
• TENS therapy
• Ultrasound therapy

Depending on your particular case of TMJ and how severe your symptoms are, you physical therapist will decide which techniques will be used to alleviate your pain. If you are suffering from TMJ and think that physical therapy may be able to help you, call Park Physical Therapy to schedule an appointment.

Balance Training in Massapequa

Balance Training is often overlooked as cardio or strength training will come first. However if people truly knew the benefits of balance training it would be a bigger priority than it’s seen to be. With certain balance equipment you can enhance your overall muscle performance and strength. If you’re in the Long Island area we have Balance training in Massapequa and have had great success from it. Some main benefits to balance training are improved coordination because your muscle systems work together to achieve balance. Therefore your coordination improves making your daily activities enjoyable. Your reduced risk of injury will come from balance training as well with the special equipment like wobble boards and balance boards. You will become more aware of things that could endanger you for injuries.

If you do balance training in Massapequa you will obtain stronger joints, because they have great regimens, workouts, and equipment that will help stabilize your shoulders, hips, knees and etc. Your overall strength will also improve because balance training trains your brain to become more efficient and have a quicker reaction time. Lastly we’d like to express that balance training in Massapequa is fun and enjoyable to all patients; because with our equipment we have fun workouts that you will use for the rest of your life.

Some equipment used for balance training are wobble boards, combo boards, balance stands, rockers and more. It is important to always use this equipment properly and with well trained Physical Therapists. At Park Physical Therapy our treatment consists of strengthening key muscle groups, improving balance reactions and integrating vision-sensation-vestibular information. Plus, we help you learn different balance challenges in all different environments so that you’re always prepared. So come on down to Park Pt and learn balance training in our Massapequa location, because it’s in our best interest to teach everyone what it is and how we do it.

Did you know that you have Direct Access to Physical Therapy? No referral is needed. We offer the best Physical Therapy on Long Island where you can get help from our trusted and expert Physical Therapists. We have several locations on Long Island including Massapequa, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Lindenhurst. To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Park Physical Therapy and The Physical Therapy Alliance at (516) 568-4444.

Park Physical Therapy

An injury is the last thing any athlete wants to deal with. For many baseball players, swimmers, and tennis players injuring your rotator cuff is your worst nightmare. Your rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons located in your shoulder that help your shoulder with movement. The movement that your rotator cuff allows is crucial in many sports which is why it is important to get the right treatment for any injury to it that you may have.

A rotator cuff is made up of four tendons and muscles. These are responsible for any movement in your arm. Repetitive movements in this area of your shoulder can cause tears and swelling that can lead to further injury. Besides the repetitive motion of things such as throwing a fastball one too many times, there are other ways you can get tears to your rotator cuff. Using your arm to break a fall or lifting heavy weights can also be the cause of a tear to your rotator cuff. Aging can also cause a wear down of your tendons which will make you more prone to tearing your rotator cuff.

If you are experiencing pain in your shoulder but are unaware whether it is a rotator cuff injury or not, there are many common symptoms you should look for. If you are experiencing difficulty when trying to lift your arm over your head you may be suffering from a torn rotator cuff. Also, if you are unable to sleep on your side because of shoulder pain, you should see a doctor to find out if the cause of your pain is from your rotator cuff.

After your doctor visit, if you are diagnosed with a rotator cuff injury you should then consult a physical therapist. By seeing a physical therapist you will be able to strengthen your shoulder joint so that you can return to your sport. Most times you will not need surgery because tears in the rotator cuff tend to heal on their own. In the case that your injury is serious enough where you need surgery, a physical therapist will be your best asset to help you get back to your sport post surgery.