Tag Archives: body pain

WHY EVERY ATHLETE SHOULD CONSIDER USING A FOAM ROLLER

Posted on by

FOAM ROLLER - Physical TherapyWHY EVERY ATHLETE SHOULD CONSIDER USING A FOAM ROLLER

For any of you who have ever had a knot or trigger point worked on by a massage therapist, a spouse or willing friend, then you yourself may have uttered these same words, “that hurts so bad, but please keep going.”  You may be surprised at how many of these knots you have within your muscles at this current moment.  Trauma to a muscle will result in microspasms, which will in turn create myofascial adhesions.  These adhesions are formed by the body’s natural protective response anytime there is direct force, muscle imbalance, poor posture or repetitive stressors.  These adhesions cause a decrease in normal muscle function and will cause other nearby muscles to work harder which can lead to further imbalances and ultimately injury.

 

Enter the foam roller.  Especially for the lower body and back, routinely using a foam roller can prove to be a valuable tool in staving off injury as it will help to break up these myofascial adhesions and release the microspasms.  This will give the underlying muscle a chance to function at its optimal length.

Continue reading →

WHAT IS AN ERGONOMIC EVALUATION AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Posted on by

ergonomic evaluationERGONOMIC EVALUATION

Acute and chronic musculoskeletal complaints and work-related injuries are on the rise, but why?  One glaring reason is two out of every three Americans sit for all or part of their work day at a computer station.1  This exposes workers to awkward postures, repetitive motions of the upper extremities as well as sustained postures that can create a multitude of spinal and muscular complaints.  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, trigger finger, golfer’s or tennis elbow, along with cervical and lumbar disorders are examples of a few conditions that can be alleviated through appropriate ergonomics.

 

A second issue, according to anthropometric measurements (the comparative study of sizes and proportions of the human body), is that a standard desk is made to fit the height of the 95th percentile of all men!  This is absurd, considering this means you have to be 6 feet 3½ inches tall to appropriately fit at a standard desk.  We have to consider that 90% of people (male or female) fall between 5 feet 3 inches tall and 6 feet ½ inch tall.

Continue reading →