Approximately 7 million people undergo an orthopedic surgery each year in the United States. Topping this list are elective procedures (meaning they are not life threatening or urgent) such as ACL reconstruction, total hip and knee replacements, arthroscopic surgery (meniscus repairs, shoulder decompression, etc), and spinal fusions. Now, what if I told you that of the top 10 elective orthopedic surgeries performed, only one (carpal tunnel syndrome) has...
Golf is a beloved passion enjoyed by millions around the world, and the season has officially begun here in New England. Let’s talk about golf injuries. Most golfers won’t let anything get in the way of tee time – but when you’re dealing with back, knee, elbow, or shoulder pain – playing 18-holes is just not as fun. An injury of any kind during golf season not only impacts...
Skiing can put a lot of stress on your knee joints and if you’re not careful – lead to pain and injury. Your knee joint requires both mobility and stability to function well. It’s important for your knee joint to be mobile enough to allow for a full range of motion. But, it also needs to be stable enough to support your body weight and absorb the forces...
I work with a lot of clients in their 50’s and beyond. Staying active over 50 is a big priority for them as they age. An injury can significantly derail this plan, especially as we age, since recovery just isn’t as easy. Here are five of my top tips when speaking to folks over the age of 50 for staying active and mobile, avoid injuries, and continue doing everything...
How to Know if You’re Getting Quality Physical Therapy I’ve been a Physical Therapist for just over 20 years and I’ve seen a lot of changes in my field over the course of my career. One of the biggest (and saddest) changes I’ve seen is the overcrowding of physical therapy clinics. This has ultimately impacted the quality of care you receive. Reimbursements from insurance companies have gone down. In...
Approximately 500,000 Americans undergo back surgery to relieve their pain every year, and according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHTQ), this costs approximately $11 billion annually. But what if I told you that only 5% of people undergoing back surgery actually need it – and worse – for many folks the pain ends up coming back. The American Society of Anesthesiologists estimates that 20-40% of...
Arthroscopic knee surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed. Despite research telling us that it’s not nearly as effective as most people are led to believe. Science tells us that people who do undergo arthroscopic knee surgery are likely to have knee arthritis that advances rapidly. This results in a total knee replacement that you could avoid. Arthroscopic knee surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that’s commonly done...
Back pain impacts approximately 80% of the population. The response to that has been more and more back surgeries being performed each year. However, despite more surgeries being performed, people aren’t having any less back pain. In fact, those that do get back surgery only have success rates of 50%. After a few years, their results are no less successful than those who chose to have conservative interventions....
Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) started to take off in the 1990’s. It has since become far more common for spinal conditions. Some being degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, spinal infections, spondylolisthesis, compression fractures, and spinal tumors. Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery is a far better alternative to open-spine surgery. You can expect less anesthesia and less blood loss during surgery. Along with a reduced risk...
Most golfers I know won’t let anything stop them from being out on the course – especially here in New England where the golf season is not very long. But let’s face it, when something hurts, playing 9-holes is just not as fun. Jack Nicklaus had it right when he said, “Professional golfers condition to play golf; amateur golfers play golf to condition.” That explains why 62 percent...
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Portsmouth, NH’s people-first physical therapy studio. We help active adults 40+ find the root cause of their pain and build a long-term plan to fix it, so they can get back to doing what they love most.
