Portland Physical Therapy Open House
September 5, 2024
Portland Physical Therapy Open House
Saturday, September 14, 2024
1020 Congress St. Portland, ME 04102
(turn right onto Westfield Street and follow the signs for parking)
SCHEDULE
Join us for free fitness and yoga classes with our trainers. Space is limited so please sign up using the link below the description.
8:00AM-9:00AM ...
Throwing Injuries
May 7, 2024
It’s that time of year again. The snows melted, fields groomed and ready to go: it’s baseball/softball season. There’s no better way to shake off a Maine winter and to start off the spring than tossing the ball around. Let me offer you a piece of advice. Ease back into it will you? It’s a long season and we don’t want to...
Why I Work With a Personal Trainer
March 29, 2024
One of the questions I get asked most often as a physical therapist is, “Why do you work with a personal trainer?” I am so glad you asked. I have been working with my trainer for 14 years, and I have no plans on stopping any time soon. Here is a list of my reasons why!
Safety:
First and foremost, working with any...
Physical Therapy for Parkinson Disease: What is LSVT BIG ®
March 15, 2023
What Is Parkinson Disease?
Parkinson Disease is defined by the National Institute of Health as, “a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. Symptoms usually begin gradually and worsen over time. As the disease progresses, people may have...
How does Sleep Effect Recovery
January 12, 2023
Sleep, Recovery, and Physical Therapy: The Science Behind Sleep
Ah, sleep. The one thing that we know reaps enormous benefits, but so often gets neglected. We are always well-intentioned with sleep, but sometimes you just HAVE to watch the next episode of the TV show you're watching that just left you on a cliffhanger (I’m talking to you...
Kinesio Tape
October 1, 2022
What is the Kinesio Tape Method?
The kinesio tape method is a therapeutic taping technique used to alleviate pain and increase lymphatic flow by microscopically lifting the skin and creating more room in the space below your skin. Great, what does that mean? Kinesio tape is a specialized tape possessing a stretchy component. This...
Lateral Ankle Sprains
February 4, 2022
Lateral Ankle Sprains
Lateral ankle sprains are a very common experience. This injury typically occurs when your foot comes in toward your midline and your ankle rolls out (this is what people mean when they say they “rolled their ankle”). This can take place whether you're out for a scenic nature walk on our Portland Trails system,...
Total Knee Replacement (TKA)
January 25, 2022
Okay, so we’ve tried a bout of physical therapy after having a diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Although patients can improve their function significantly with guided exercise and overall improvements in health, PT doesn’t help for everyone with complete resolution of symptoms. When is it time to consider referring to an orthopedic...
Cumulative injuries: Overuse or underprepared?
December 13, 2021
The current pandemic we are experiencing has profoundly affected everyone around the globe. The days where we went into the office and talked around the watercooler are now replaced by taking laps around our homes, trying to stave off the monotony of working remotely. We find that days are now becoming similar, performing tasks repetitively over and over...
Current Concepts: Tendinopathy Rehabilitation
December 13, 2021
What is tendinopathy?
First, a tendon is a structure that is found in the body that helps connect muscle to bone. An example of a tendon would be the quadriceps tendon that connects the quadriceps muscles to the tibia. Another example of this would be your Achilles tendon that connects the calf musculature to the the heel of your foot (calcaneus). When...
Factors for Positive Physical Therapy Outcomes
December 13, 2021
What factors account for positive physical therapy outcomes?
It is often the case that we come to physical therapy because we are concerned about musculoskeletal pain. Physical therapy is a great avenue to explore and have a better understanding of why we have these pains. As a patient, you may think that rehabilitation is only concerned about the...
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) in the Clinic
October 8, 2021
How do we use Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) in the clinic?
The protocol we follow utilizes the method in which we take approximately 20-30% of the patient’s estimated one-repetition maximum and give them 3-5 exercises targeted toward their impairments to perform. The patient will then complete three rounds of the exercises, working for...
Central Nervous System: Habituation vs. Sensitization
September 28, 2021
Is it okay to venture into pain (do we poke the bear)?
There is a conservative saying around the physical therapy and fitness professions that goes something along the lines of“if it hurts, don’t do it”. Naturally this makes sense right? The body uses the pain as a protective intervention to decrease the likelihood for further tissue...
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training
August 15, 2021
What is blood flow restriction (BFR) training
BFR is a method of training that requires the participant to wear specialty bands around their proximal arms or legs while exercising. The bands restrict blood flow in and out of the muscles, which is proposed to cause a cascade of chemical changes that essentially trick the body into thinking it is exercising...
Concepts of Pain: The Patient and the Cup Part II
June 23, 2021
Build a bigger cup
So how do we build a bigger cup? Physical therapists can help increase your physical capacity to tolerate activity through exercise. While in the clinic, physical therapists can provide a controlled environment in which patients can explore movements that are sensitive and receive advice from therapists on how to perform these movements...
Concepts of Pain: The Patient & The Cup
June 9, 2021
Part One: What is the cup?
When treating a patient, it is imperative that they are able to see how different aspects of their lives (mental, physical, emotional, etc.) can have implications on their wellbeing. A simple analogy that helps patients understand the multifactorial nature of pain is the cup analogy. Essentially what this analogy gets at is that...
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
April 14, 2020
Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the more common overuse injuries we see in the wrist and hand. It often presents as numbness in the hand and fingers, and can progress to pain, weakness and muscle wasting in the hand. So, what is carpal tunnel syndrome, what causes it, and what can be done once we start to experience it?
Wrist Anatomy
To understand what...
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD)
March 24, 2020
The temporomandibular joints (TMJ), are created by our jaw bone (mandible) connecting to the skull, located near our ears. The mandibular bone rotates and glides to allow us to open and close our mouth, and is used every time we swallow, speak or chew. It is estimated that we use our TMJ 1,500-2,000 times a day. The joints are made up of the mandibular...
Disc Bulge/Herniation
May 16, 2017
I think it’s safe to say that most of us have heard of someone or have been told themselves that they have a diagnosis of a disc bulge or herniation. So, what does it mean, and more importantly, what should you do? The answer is, that it depends on your situation. However, I think a great initial step is to seek out a skilled physical therapist (PT)....
Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI)
March 14, 2017
What is Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI)
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is when part of the femoral head (thigh bone) bumps into the acetabulum (hip bone) typically when the hip is flexed. The impingement can be felt as a pain, a tightness or a jamming in the front of your hip socket as you bring your knee towards your chest. This can occur if you...
The Rotator Cuff Series: Part III
February 9, 2017
In part one and two of this series we discuss the structure, function and common injuries to the rotator cuff. If you missed either, click here: Rotator Cuff Series: Part I; Rotator Cuff Series: Part II. Part three will discuss how our therapist at Portland Physical Therapy treats these common injuries, as well as some ways to protect the rotator cuff in...
The Rotator Cuff Series: Part II
January 24, 2017
The rotator cuff is one of the most important structures within the shoulder. It helps to ensure normal biomechanics of the shoulder (glenohumeral) joint. In part one of this series we discussed what the rotator cuff is, as well as its structure and function. If you missed it, click here: Rotator Cuff Series: Part I. As previously stated, the rotator cuff...
The Rotator Cuff Series: Part I
January 15, 2017
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles in the shoulder that play a pivotal role in movement, and more importantly in stability of the shoulder joint. Any time your shoulder joint is moving, whether it be reaching, lifting, throwing a ball or even pushing yourself up from a chair, the rotator cuff muscles have to contract. Because of the constant...
Mobility vs. Stability
August 15, 2016
When patients come to a physical therapist for their various conditions, it is up to us to figure out which structure(s) are causing the symptoms, and more importantly, why. As a physical therapist, our expertise focuses on how the different structures in the body interact to produce movements within our joints. When there is a fault in the system,...
Breathing Impairments
June 27, 2016
Breathing is one of the most basic requirements of life. We need to breathe in oxygen to help fuel our energy systems, and we need to exhale the byproduct, carbon dioxide (CO2), to maintain our normal blood pH between 7.35-7.45. The average person will take between 17,000-30,000 breaths per day in order to fulfill its need for gas exchange. It is a...
Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
May 4, 2016
Shoulder impingement is a broad term used to describe the sensation of pinching and/or pain when lifting the arm overhead or across the body. The symptoms are usually felt as the arm reaches shoulder height, and can get better or worse as you continue to lift. You may also hear or feel a clicking or catching in the shoulder as you reach overhead. There...
Text Neck
April 22, 2016
Text neck are the new buzzwords that have been seen in various news reports, and articles over the past few years. As technology has advanced, we are finding the population is spending more time immersed in their phones, tablets, computers, and televisions. When you watch someone use their phone or tablet, it is easy to see how they are looking down...
Patellofemoral Syndrome (Knee Pain)
April 22, 2016
As spring starts to arrive and the weather warms up, there is typically an increase in activity. Many people feel the urge to get out for a walk or jog after feeling cooped up for most of the winter. With increased activity like walking and jogging after a period of being sedentary, we often see an increase in patients with complaints of knee...
Low Back Pain
April 22, 2016
Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common complaints heard in physician offices each year. Statistics show that upwards of 80% of the population will experience LBP at some point in their life. This can range from mild discomfort, to debilitating pain that prevents normal activity. By the time most patients reach the office of a physical therapist,...
Degenerative Disc Disease
April 22, 2016
We treat many patients who have been told their neck or low back pain is due to degenerative disc disease. Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a nonspecific diagnosis used to describe general wear and tear on our intervertebral discs. An intervertebral disc sits between the bones of the spine and acts to keep them aligned on top of one another, it creates...
Direct Access
April 1, 2016
Direct access occurred when the state removed the mandate that required a patient to get a physician referral in order seek a physical therapist’s services, including evaluation and treatment. This means a patient is able to be seen by a licensed physical therapist without having to get a referral from a physician. Direct access provides the patient...
What is Physical Therapy?
February 13, 2016
The American Physical Therapy Association defines physical therapy as:
[…] a dynamic profession with an established theoretical and scientific base and widespread clinical applications in the restoration, maintenance, and promotion of optimal physical function. Physical therapists are health care professionals who help individuals maintain, restore, and...