Heather Lane's Blog Page

27Apr 2018 by Patrick Donovan

I Tore My Meniscus. Now How Do I Fix It?

What is a Meniscus Anyways? Meniscus lesions account for almost one quarter of all knee injuries. Whether it’s an acute trauma or repetitive chronic degeneration we ask the menisci to cushion the knee. Your menisci mainly function to distribute stress across the knee during weight bearing activity. Injuries to this cartilage impair your ability to absorb shock and cause misalignment between the joint surfaces. Think of them as car’s suspension between the body and the wheel. They are important to absorb impact and distribute braking power evenly across the joint. It is no surprise that older individuals have a higher rate of meniscus tears compared to younger individuals. Older adults develop faulty movement mechanics, more osteoarthritic changes, and joint degeneration. What’s strange is that surgical remedies differ depending on your…

11Apr 2018 by Patrick Donovan

It’s Not Too Late to Fix Your Bunions

ankle, foot, Treatment

What is a Bunion? A frequent cause of disability from foot pain is the bunion. A bunion typically appears as A bony bump that forms on the base of the big toe. They affect some 35% of women over the age of 65. If left untreated and allowed to progress to its eventual end stage, the deformity can impair your ability to perform every day activities like walking or stair climbing. At this end stage surgery is the recommended treatment solution to resolve the deformity. But get this - up to 15% of bunions return following surgery. The reason for this is simple. It is because the underlying muscle weaknesses that lead to your original bunion formation still remain. Weak muscles directly contribute to the formation of your bunion but…

28Mar 2018 by Patrick Donovan

The Best Exercise Approach for Women’s Bone Health

Exercise, Health content, knowledge

What is the Big Fuss About Bone Mineral Density? Bone Mineral Density (BMD) depicts an overall profile of your bone health. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends that all women over 65 years old to get a central DXA test. It is painless—a bit like having an x-ray. The test can measures bone mineral density at your hip and spine, two of the most common areas for bone breakdown. BMD naturally decreases as we age but it is modifiable based on many different factors. The exercise recommendations in this article are sure to jump start your bone health, no matter your age. Low BMD is correlated with: Bone loss: Indicators for bone loss can be picked up on the DXA test. Your doctor will discuss additional risk factors for…

14Mar 2018 by Patrick Donovan

3 Treatment Videos For Your Hunchback Posture

back, knowledge, Prevention, Treatment

What Is “Kyphosis”? The spine is separated into three different regions – cervical, thoracic, and lumbar. Each region has it’s own natural curve. Kyphosis occurs naturally in the middle portion of the spine – the thoracic – and includes your ribs and chest plate. What Can I do About My Hyperkyphosis? Age-related hyperkyphosis is an exaggerated hunch in the thoracic spine that occurs commonly with advanced age. This causes your head to be set more forward from your shoulders. This condition is associated with other issues such as low bone mass, vertebral compression fractures, and degenerative disc disease. If hyperkyphosis is not treated, people can have difficulty performing normal tasks such as bathing, getting out of a chair, bending, or walking. There are effective treatments including physical therapy, pain medication,…

28Feb 2018 by Patrick Donovan

Start the Conversation About Chronic Disease Management

Health content, knowledge, Prevention

Start the Conversation About Your Medication Management “Freedom of choice” is a typical value in the US. So when my health care provider prescribes me a chronic disease medication for, say, high blood pressure, do I yield the rest of my life to a medication? No! This article is about the difficult conversation, asking your health care provider “How can I get off this medication?” The Gameplan The majority of you ingest iron naturally through foods you eat – spinach, bread, lentils, dark chocolate, etc. As you grow older your body may become less adept at absorbing iron – (1) an iron deficiency develops. So in a routine check-up your health care provider (2) prescribes a supplemental iron medication. In addition to the iron supplement, for the following months you…

14Feb 2018 by Patrick Donovan

What You Need to Know About Medical Marijuana

Pain, Uncategorized

Add Your Heading Text Here Foundation for Therapeutic Effects Various species of the marijuana plant have been cultivated, and the active compounds worth investigating for medical purposes are known as cannabinoids. Ingesting marijuana by any means (orally, smoking, etc.) introduces variable amounts of THC, CBD, and other minor cannabinoids into your systemic circulation. Research is geared towards these potential positive and negative “side effects” on your nervous systems. THC or CBD? There are two clinically significant cannabinoids: Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which tends to produce the stereotypical psychoactive effects. These affect brain function and result in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness or behavior. Cannabidiol (CBD) possibly produces therapeutic effects without appreciable psychoactive properties. - Important links may be: analgesia, decreased inflammation, decreased spasticity, and antiseizure effects. The Good Many health care professionals…

09Feb 2018 by Patrick Donovan

Two Video Exercises for Knee Pain-Relief

Health content, Hip, knee, Pain, Treatment

Understand the Cause! Pain in the front of your knee or under your kneecap is often called patellofemoral pain. The pain may be a nagging ache or an occasional sharp twinge, especially with stairs or walking downhill. Because the pain is around the front of your knee, treatment has traditionally focused on the knee itself. However, recent evidence suggests that strengthening your hip muscles can lessen the stress under the kneecap. A study published in the January 2018 issue of JOSPT suggests strengthening your entire leg and outside of the hip can decrease your knee pain and help you return to full activity. There is now evidence that stronger hip muscles can help lessen the stress under the kneecap, indicating that it is best to strengthen both the knee and hip…

01Feb 2018 by Patrick Donovan

How To Avoid Your Next Ankle Sprain

ankle, Health content, Prevention

Ankle sprains, commonly called a “rolled” ankle, often occur while running, walking on uneven ground, or during sport-related activities. Typical treatment involves rest, elevation, ice, and an elastic wrap to reduce swelling. Although the pain and swelling usually improve quickly, up to 80% will sprain their ankles again. Imagine if your car broke down and there was an 80% chance that same problem were to occur again. Not Okay! The rate of ankle re-injury is so high because of two factors. This article breaks down these two missing pieces to put an end to sprained ankles, once and for all! The Brain to Ankle (Internet) Connection To best understand an ankle sprain we must first understand the basics of the central nervous system. Your central nervous system (brain) is like…

29Jan 2018 by Patrick Donovan

Your Quick Guide to Understand Hip Arthritis

Arthritis, Health content, Hip, Pain

Arthritis of the hip is a common condition physical therapists see in the clinic. It is diagnosed most frequently in patients over 60 years of age and is caused by damage to the joint’s cartilage. Actually, this bone and cartilage relationship starts much earlier, in your 20s and 30s, but comes into focus only once the joint damage is defined by pain. Running, skiing, sitting – all these movements add up to your arthritic pain in the long run. Let’s start from the beginning. Your hip joint is covered by cartilage. Think of cartilage as the lubricant and your joint as the engine. This lubrication allows for smooth engine operation during activity. Over time, life’s movement patterns can pull your hip joint slightly out of alignment. This misalignment increases joint…

23Jan 2018 by Patrick Donovan

From A Crick To Chronic: Low Back Pain

back, Health content, Pain

You’re not alone, low pack pain is incredibly common. 8 in 10 people experience low back pain that requires them to seek treatment. Although the pain may be severe, most low back pain is not due to a serious problem. Usually back pain is contained within the lower back and buttocks. Sometimes the nerves get irritated and cause numbness and tingling in the leg or even to the toes. Some common lifestyle factors are: Sitting or driving too much Being in poor physical condition Bending and lifting improperly As we get older, the most common culprits of back pain are weakened muscles and stiffening joints. Nutrition and sleep are also hallmarks of a therapy evaluation. Often times people overlook nutrition as it relates to pain. For instance, turmeric has proven…