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Physical therapy is a treatment option that uses specific exercises to improve mobility, relieve pain and improve your overall quality of life. For many patients, physical therapy is a non-invasive alternative to other riskier treatments, such as surgery.

How do I know if I should try physical therapy?

Physical therapy is appropriate for patients with a variety of different conditions. If you are injured, for example, physical therapy can help you recover faster and restore normal function to the injured area. Physical therapy can also be beneficial to patients who struggle with chronic pain, arthritis or other such problems that impact their quality of life. In addition, physical therapy may aid in recovery after certain surgical procedures as well.

If you are thinking of trying physical therapy, talk to your doctor about its potential benefits.

What are some of the benefits of physical therapy?

Physical therapy offers several notable benefits for patients. Some of the benefits of physical therapy include:

  • Less pain – Patients who opt for physical therapy often notice a reduction in the amount of pain they feel.
  • Enhanced movement – Physical therapy can alleviate stiffness and improve your flexibility, especially in areas with injuries or scar tissue.
  • Safety – When you undergo physical therapy under the supervision of an experienced physical therapist, the risk of injuries and other complications is low. Likewise, physical therapy poses fewer risks than more invasive options, such as injections and surgery.
  • Customized treatment – Physical therapy programs can be customized to meet the needs of each individual patient.
  • Compatibility with other treatments – Physical therapy can be used in conjunction with most other types of treatment, including medication, chiropractic care and more.

When participating in physical therapy for any reason, you should always make sure that you are working with a licensed, experienced physical therapist. Please contact us today to learn more about beginning physical therapy sessions with a trustworthy professional.

How Can Physical Therapy help me?

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Physical therapy is a treatment option that uses specific exercises to improve mobility, relieve pain and improve your overall quality of life. For many patients, physical therapy is a non-invasive alternative to other riskier treatments, such as surgery.

How do I know if I should try physical therapy?

Physical therapy is appropriate for patients with a variety of different conditions. If you are injured, for example, physical therapy can help you recover faster and restore normal function to the injured area. Physical therapy can also be beneficial to patients who struggle with chronic pain, arthritis or other such problems that impact their quality of life. In addition, physical therapy may aid in recovery after certain surgical procedures as well.

If you are thinking of trying physical therapy, talk to your doctor about its potential benefits.

What are some of the benefits of physical therapy?

Physical therapy offers several notable benefits for patients. Some of the benefits of physical therapy include:

  • Less pain – Patients who opt for physical therapy often notice a reduction in the amount of pain they feel.
  • Enhanced movement – Physical therapy can alleviate stiffness and improve your flexibility, especially in areas with injuries or scar tissue.
  • Safety – When you undergo physical therapy under the supervision of an experienced physical therapist, the risk of injuries and other complications is low. Likewise, physical therapy poses fewer risks than more invasive options, such as injections and surgery.
  • Customized treatment – Physical therapy programs can be customized to meet the needs of each individual patient.
  • Compatibility with other treatments – Physical therapy can be used in conjunction with most other types of treatment, including medication, chiropractic care and more.

When participating in physical therapy for any reason, you should always make sure that you are working with a licensed, experienced physical therapist. Please contact us today to learn more about beginning physical therapy sessions with a trustworthy professional.

Benefits of Swimming In the Summer

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As the temperatures rise, more and more people head towards the water. Not only do people go to the ocean for a trip but they also head out for days by the local pool. If you have not taken advantage of swimming in the summer to cool off, you may decide it is time to when you learn of all the benefits. These are just a few that make swimming a recommendation from orthopedic surgeons.

Lose Weight

Getting in the pool and going for a swim or playing with some friends can help you burn calories and lose weight. Doing it one time will not make a difference but if you make it a habit, you will definitely notice a difference after a few weeks.

Reduce Back Pain

Swimming is an exercise that does not strain any of the connective tissues of the body making is a great exercise for people with back pain, leg pain and even joint pain. Not only does it allow you to get exercise without adding strain to the body but it can also help relieve some of your symptoms.

Relieve Stress

Swimming is a stress reliever. It is a fun activity and if you are feeling stressed, then it is time to go to the pool. Combine that with the endorphins you get from a workout and you will be feeling great after your swim.

Build Muscle

Every time you see someone who is an avid swimmer, you probably notice how defined their muscles are. The repetitive motions and increased resistance that comes naturally from the water help with this. Additionally, swimmers can heal injured muscles faster and they develop good muscle stamina.

Swimming is a great exercise for people of all ages and of all health levels. Before you start a new work out regimen, be sure to come see the doctors at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists.

Exercise safely in the summer heat

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Exercising in the heat without the proper precautions can lead to complications. When your body gets overheated, you may be at risk of heat cramps, dehydration and even heatstroke. To stay safe while you are exercising during the hotter months of the year, follow the tips below.

1. Get a physical.

Before you begin any exercise regimen, it’s important to make sure that you don’t have any serious health problems that could put you at a higher risk of complications. Contact a sports medicine doctor to schedule a comprehensive physical.

2. Get acclimated to the temperature.

If you are new to exercising outside, build your tolerance to higher temperatures slowly. Begin with shorter, less demanding workouts and increase their intensity gradually over time.

3. Stay hydrated.

While you are exercising outside, be sure to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. During the hotter months, you should consider increasing your intake of liquids throughout the day even when you aren’t planning to exercise outside.

4. Exercise during the cooler times of day.

If the weather is particularly hot, consider getting up early to exercise or waiting until the temperature falls in the evening. This helps you avoid the hours with the strongest sun and the highest temperatures.

5. Dress for the weather.

Wear light, loose-fitting clothing while you exercise so that your sweat can evaporate easily. Avoid wearing dark colors that absorb light and raise your body temperature.

6. Avoid incredibly high temperatures.

Watch the weather carefully before you exercise. If the temperature is expected to reach an unsafe or incredibly uncomfortable level, exercise indoors instead. You should also pay attention to how you feel during your exercise regimen. If you start to feel overheated, end your session early and head back inside to cool off.

 

Shoulder Injuries Common in the Summer

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Summer is full of activities for many people. Unfortunately, for some people, that also means a rise in injuries. Many of these injuries are related to the shoulder. It is important to note that if you do injure your shoulder, you should get some help immediately so that it does not become and even bigger issue later. These are some of the most common shoulder injuries we see in the summer.

Shoulder Strains

A shoulder strain happens when a muscle or tendon in your shoulder is stretched. Some of the signs you may have a shoulder strain include pain, swelling, muscle cramps or spasms and a decreased mobility in your muscle. This happens when the muscle has been stretched too far or too fast. It is often a sudden type of event such as falling, heavy lifting or throwing. You can even experience a chronic shoulder strain from repetitive motions over an extended period of time. This could happen from sports such as golf, tennis or rowing.

Rotator Cuff Injury

The rotator cuff helps to rotate your arm and is a system of muscles and tendon in your shoulder socket. A rotator cuff injury could be a stretching of these muscles or tendons, irritation of the tendons, inflammation in the socket or it could be a complete tear of one or more of the tendons. The rotator cuff is a complex system and injuries are common. Injuries are found more often in athletes or people who use their arms overhead a lot. Some examples of this would be swimmers, construction workers, tennis players, baseball players and even painters.

It is important to seek medical attention when you have any shoulder pain because it could lead to something bigger if left untreated. If you need a consultation or are in need of rotator cuff surgery, be sure to contact us today by calling our office.

Alleviating Post-Surgery Foot Pain

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If you’ve recently been told by an orthopedic surgeon that you need foot surgery, then you may be feeling a little nervous or anxious about the procedure. Still, if surgery is your best treatment option, you can rest assured that you’re in good hands at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists. Our experienced surgeons and doctors can provide you with the information and resources you need to prepare for your foot surgery—including valuable tips on recovery and avoiding post-surgical foot pain.

Avoiding and Alleviating Pain After Your Foot Surgery

While no two foot surgeries are alike, there are some general tips and recommendations that our doctor will likely make to help reduce post-surgical pain and ensure a smoother recovery.

  • For starters, be sure to follow your doctor’s orders when it comes to staying off your feet after foot surgery. The affected foot’s mobility will need to be limited to give it the time it needs to properly heal.
  • Putting pressure or weight on the foot could result in inflammation and pain, so plan on taking it easy after your procedure and don’t push yourself too hard. If you need to get around, utilize crutches or a wheelchair to do so without applying weight to your healing foot.
  • In addition to resting your foot, your doctor is also likely to recommend a routine of ice, compression and elevation after the surgery. Specifically, ice works wonders when it comes to reducing swelling and inflammation, which can in-turn relieve pain and discomfort.
  • Compression may or may not be recommended depending on the specific surgery you had. However, in some cases, compression is ideal for reducing your risk of blood clots, while elevating the foot above hip level can reduce swelling and pain.

For more information on avoiding and/or alleviating pain after your foot surgery, or if you’d like more information on the orthopedic procedures we perform in our office, contact our team at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists today. We’ve been proudly serving the area since 2001.

When To Use Cold Therapy

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For many types of injuries, doctors will tell you to either use heat therapy, cold therapy or a combination of the two. It can become very confusing when you are trying to remember which is the best option based on the injury or ailment. These are the most common instances when you should be using cold therapy.

When Cold Therapy Should Generally Be Used

Ice is a great therapy to be used for injuries. This is because the cold will narrow your blood vessels. In turn, this results in preventing a lot of blood from accumulating at the injury site. By preventing this from happening, it will also reduce inflammation and swelling. When there is excess inflammation and swelling, you can also delay the healing process so ice and cold therapy can help speed up your healing as well. When used with elevation, you can further reduce swelling.

What is RICE?

If you have been told to use cold therapy, you have also likely been told to utilize the RICE method. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. You should use this kind of treatment for approximately 48 to 72 hours after the injury so you can ease some pain and also reduce the possibility of secondary tissue damage. When using the RICE method, and any other time you want to use cold therapy, you will only want to use ice for 20 minutes every hour. If you use it for longer, you can cause damage to your skin and even run the risk of getting frostbite. This is also why it is important to avoid direct exposure by using a cloth or towel between the ice and your skin.

If you have an injury and would like to get some medical help, be sure to reach out to your Jacksonville orthopedics at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists.

Why Physical Therapy After Injury Should Never Be Optional

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If you’ve suffered an injury, your doctor may say that physical therapy is optional. However, in most cases, physical therapy is essential. It should never be optional for the following reasons.

Faster Recovery

When you have a physical therapist guiding you through your recovery, they help you retrain your muscles and strengthen your movements. Physical therapy exercises are specifically designed to help you regain muscle memory and function, and that helps you heal faster. Ultimately, that means less lost time at work and the ability to get back to your regular routine sooner.

Mental Health Benefits

Injuries can be emotionally draining and stressful, and for many people, they bring on symptoms of depression and despondency. Physical therapists directly address both of these issues by working alongside of you, keeping you motivated through your recovery. In addition, exercise offers direct mental health benefits such as improving sleep, reducing anxiety and depression, and boosting your mood through natural endorphins.

Expert Guidance

Working with a physical therapist is different than exercising on your own or even than going to the gym and working with a personal trainer. At Southeast Orthopedic Specialists, our physical therapists have the training, credentials and experience to create a plan that directly addresses your unique situation.

Our therapists work alongside of you as vested partners in your recovery. They don’t set arbitrary benchmarks but rather customize the program to meet your needs on your path to recovery. That professional guidance isn’t something you can get somewhere else — to learn more contact us today.

Pain Reduction

Pain often becomes part of your life after an accident, but a targeted physical therapy program helps to reduce that. Through specific exercises and passive physical therapy such as electrical stimulation or the application of heat pads or cold packs, physical therapists create a comprehensive reaction to your injury that helps to alleviate pain. In some cases, people even turn to physical therapy for herniated or degenerative discs due to a one time injury or repeated strain.

However, physical therapy isn’t just essential after an injury. It’s also essential if you’ve recently had a surgery. Explore the blog to learn more.

Is Your Child’s Backpack Weighing Them Down?

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Carrying around a backpack full of books may be great for the mind, but isn’t so great for the spine. Studies have shown that one of the leading causes of back problems in young children is heavy backpacks. For parents, it’s important to be aware of the potential problems that heavy backpacks present. 

Why Carrying a Backpack can Cause Back Pain

Carrying around a heavy backpack day in and day out can distort the curve of the spine, leading to irritation of the joints in the spine and muscle strain as the muscles try to compensate for the distortion. In severe instances, a heavy backpack can even cause stress fractures.

In most cases, the pain caused by carrying a heavy backpack is only temporary and will go away on its own with a little rest. However, if your child’s back pain persists you will want to contact an orthopedic specialist to diagnose and treat the condition.

How to Prevent Back Pain Caused by Heavy Backpacks

One of the best ways to prevent back pain caused by carrying around a heavy backpack is to choose the right backpack. You will want to reduce weight by looking for a backpack made from lightweight material. It’s also important to find a backpack that has thickly padded straps and a padded back. Waist straps are also a good way to distribute some of the backpack’s weight to the hips and reduce the load on the back. Lastly, you may want to consider purchasing a backpack with wheels on it so that your child can pull it behind them rather than having to carry it all the time.

Contact A Spine Care Specialist

If your child is suffering from back pain, a heavy backpack may very well be the cause. Thankfully, there are steps that can be taken to help prevent back pain caused by a heavy backpack. If your child’s back pain persist, though, or if it is severe, please contact our spine care specialists today to schedule an appointment.

Preventing Blood Clots After Orthopedic Ankle Surgery

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For patients needing surgery for a broken ankle, one of the biggest risks is a complication called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This is a serious condition that can occur when a blood clot forms in a vein inside the body. These blood clots typically form in the left leg.

Blood Clot Risk Factors

Some patients have an increased risk of getting DVT following ankle surgery. Some of the most common risk factors include:

  • A Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 40
  • A medical history that includes blood clots
  • A cigarette smoker
  • Currently receives cancer treatments

Other risk factors may include taking certain types of birth control and having a family history of blood clots. For patients with these risk factors, an orthopedic surgeon may prescribe blood thinners to lessen the chances of developing DVT following surgery.

Blood Clot Prevention

Even for patients who are at a higher risk of getting blood clots following ankle surgery, there are some things that can be done to prevent DVT. Some of these things, such as quitting smoking cigarettes and losing weight, can be done before surgery.

Following surgery, your doctor will help you develop a program that can help to prevent blood clots. Since moving around is one of the best ways to prevent blood clots, this will include lower legs exercises, which helps to increase circulation. Wearing compression stockings and periodically elevating your legs can also help prevent blood clots.

If following ankle surgery, there is persistent pain and swelling, even after the plaster is removed, it’s important to see an orthopedic doctor. These symptoms may indicate an infection or fluid retention. For the swelling, an orthopedic doctor may recommend certain medications or the continued use of compression bandages.

Southeast Orthopedic Specialists team of foot and ankle specialists can perform surgery in the event of a broken ankle and provide excellent follow-up care. Contact us for more information.

Treatment and Symptoms of A Torn Ligament In Your Foot

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We generally don’t stop to consider the structure of our feet until we begin experiencing pain when walking or other signs of a serious foot injury. While the bones in the foot can fracture and the foot’s muscles can experience strains, one of the more common and potentially serious foot injuries are torn ligaments. Ligaments are the strong and flexible tissues that hold the bones throughout your body together; when a ligament tears, the resulting injury is often referred to as a sprain. Depending on the severity of the injury, treatment by an orthopedic surgeon may be required to treat torn ligaments in the foot.

Symptoms of a Torn Ligament in the Foot

Torn ligaments can occur following a range of physical activities from dancing to snowboarding, and several common symptoms can help identify a torn ligament as the cause of your foot pain.

  • Swelling and bruising will occur at the site of injury.
  • Pain and tenderness are concentrated on the top, bottom or the sides of your foot near the arch.
  • Pain intensifies when walking or during other physical activity.
  • Inability to bear weight on the injured foot.

In order to correctly diagnose a torn ligament, your doctor will usually take an x-ray of your foot to confirm the location and severity of the injury.

Treatment Options for Torn Foot Ligaments

The appropriate treatment for a torn ligament in the foot varies depending on the severity of the injury. Minor sprains resulting from small tears to your ligaments–often referred to as grade I–will generally heal on their own within a few weeks. Large tears to your foot’s ligaments, also known as grade II sprains, need more attention; these moderately severe sprains usually require a splint or cast and can take up to eight weeks to heal. For both minor and moderate sprains, your doctor may provide you with crutches to help limit the pain as your foot heals.

The most severe injuries to the ligaments of the foot involve cases where the ligaments are completely torn or detached from the bones of the feet. For these grade III sprains, foot surgery may be the only suitable treatment.

Do You Need Foot Surgery?

If you suspect that you may have torn a ligament in your foot, receiving prompt medical attention from an orthopedic specialist is the best way to avoid more serious injury. At Southeast Orthopedic Specialists, our skilled medical team can assess your injury and prescribe the appropriate course of treatment.

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