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“Extreme” fitness – is it right for you? The culture of health and fitness is constantly evolving, and new, exciting methods of achieving both glory and self-punishment through exercise are always emerging. As with anything trendy, some ideas catch on for a bit but quickly fizzle as they lose credibility, lose their “freshness”, or are just plain stupid (“Shake-weight” anyone?). However, every once in a while, as if by luck or sheer persistence, some of...

Balance  Accidental falls are a leading cause of injury and death in people over 65 years of age worldwide. Impaired balance is a significant underlying factor in falls.  Any condition that impacts movement health can compromise balance, and advancing age is also strongly associated with balance deficits. The healthcare community is placing more emphasis on assessing balance among people at risk for impairment. There are many ways to measure balance, some more complex than others. A ...

How to Measure Progress with Physical Therapy  Most people seek services from an orthopedic physical therapist because: (1) they have musculoskeletal pain, and/or (2) they cannot function as well as they need to because of their condition. Physical therapists perform a comprehensive clinical examination in order to diagnose the patient’s condition and to establish an appropriate treatment plan. The examination consists of tests and measures designed to determine what the problem is,...

Protecting Your Spine   One of the most common, immediate causes of low back pain involves injury to the intervertebral disc (IVD). The IVD is a connective tissue structure interposed between 2 spinal vertebrae.  This structure functions to attenuate spinal loading or absorb shock. IVD’s exist throughout the spine, but tend to cause more problems in the lower back compared to other spinal regions. The disc has 2 basic components: the outer annular fibers (annulus fibrosis), and...

Direct Access to Physical Therapy In New York State, like most states, people can access physical therapy services directly without the need for physician referral. There are several advantages to direct access.  There is a growing body of evidence that physical therapy direct access can be part of the solution to the high costs and inefficiencies of our current health care system. First, a more direct route to the physical therapist reduces the time between an injury, or the onset of a p...