Nearly 85% of shoulder conditions involve the rotator cuff, and among the most common of these is shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS). SIS results from the rotator cuff tendons becoming compressed—or “impinged”—as they pass through a small bone on top of the shoulder blade called the acromion. Over time, this causes the tendons to become irritated […]

Low back pain is jarringly common. About one–half of all working Americans experience symptoms at least once every year, and roughly 31 million are affected by it at any given point in time. So if you happen to place yourself in this category, you’ll have an abundance of company. Dealing with low back pain can […]

Knee osteoarthritis is a disorder that involves age–related changes to the cartilage in a knee joint. In a normal knee, the ends of each bone are covered by cartilage, a smooth substance that protects the bones from one another and absorbs shock during impact. In knee osteoarthritis, this cartilage becomes stiff and loses its elasticity, […]

We spend roughly one–third of our lives sleeping, so it follows that the habits we keep during the night have a major impact on our waking lives. Sufficient sleep is an essential component of good overall health, as getting between 7–9 hours of sleep every night is linked with countless benefits, including stress relief, a […]

Physical therapists utilize a variety of interventions for each patient they treat, and their guiding principle is to always combine whichever interventions are most likely to produce a successful outcome. Most treatment programs will include a combination of exercises to increase strength and flexibility, hands–on manual techniques to alleviate pain and improve function, and passive […]

If you’re over the age of 75, you might worry about the possibility of falling on a regular basis. This concern is completely understandable, as falls are the leading cause of injury for older adults, and the likelihood of falling increases with each additional year of age. About 40% of older adults living at home […]

In the realm of sports–related injuries, the hamstring is one that most people are at least somewhat familiar with. This makes sense, as a pulled hamstring—or hamstring strain—is one of the more common injuries in sports. The pain and movement restrictions that result from this type of injury usually prevents an athlete from participating in […]

If you have a tough time ending your day without reaching for a piece of chocolate—or four—to satisfy your sweet tooth and give you that blissful boost that few other foods can provide, you might want to up. Although dark chocolate certainly tastes good and may provide several health benefits due to its high concentration […]

About 25,000 people sprain their ankle every day, and in most of these incidents, sports are involved. Ankle sprains represent the most common injury in sports, as they account for a whopping 45% of all sports–related injuries. But this risk varies widely between sports, with football, basketball, and soccer being associated with the highest rates […]

Every 34 seconds, one American dies from cardiovascular disease. This makes cardiovascular disease—or heart disease—the leading cause of death in the U.S. for men and women and for most ethnic and racial groups, with about 700,000 people dying from it each year. The magnitude of this problem cannot be overstated, but it’s equally important to […]