Blog
At some point during graduate school, I fell out of love with running. I’m not completely sure why. Maybe it was Lance Armstrong. At that time Lance was dominating the Tour de France which influenced my growing interest in cycling. May be it was that I had run my whole life and I just needed a break.
As a physical therapist and a human I have always been fascinated with how are we supposed to be. What I mean is, all of us function every day in some way, but what is the difference...
Common causes of chronic headaches
Chronic tension/migraine type headaches can have many different causes including TMJ problems, whiplash and postural dysfunctions just to name a few. Myofascial trigger points in the head and neck are an often overlooked source of headaches. These trigger points not only cause pain, but can cause dizziness and ringing in the ears.
What is a myofascial trigger point?
Myofascial trigger points are hard, taut bands in the muscles that...
In a recent interview with Dr. James Andrews, a world renowned orthopedic surgeon, he stated that the major problem with youth sports is specialization and lack of off season or down time. Click here to read article: Dr. James Andrews article
As a physical therapist who works with athletes and parents of athletes, I am frequently asked about kids and sports. Questions about practice schedules, dangers within the sport, or extra training, usually stem from a parent or athlete that...
Winter is here and although we had a mild December, January has been frigid to the point of driving most of us indoors. I recently appeared on WKOW-TV in Madison on the weekend morning news program to talk more about this topic. Whether you are an athlete or someone looking to stay mobile and functional, here are some tips to keep you moving.
1) Continue physically challenging activities through the winter months. For example, I often hear from gardeners about the difficulty...
Andy Kerk, PT at Body Mechanics recently appeared on WTMJ TV’s “Wisconsin Tonight” with Mike Jacobs and Carole Meekins to advise and encourage people to keep exercising through the winter. The icy cold of a typical Wisconsin winter provides some challenges to staying active and healthy.
Check out this tip sheet for more detailed suggestions. Winter Exercise Tip Sheet
You can watch the interview here: Wisconsin Tonight Interview
Visit www.bmechanics.com and the Body...
A common complaint among runners, athletes, and humans in general is back of the thigh and calf pain and tightness that does not resolve with rest and stretching. Deep tissue massage to the areas, specific strength training, ice, and anti inflammatory medication may help but the issues do not fully resolve. The symptoms may or may not include paresthesia (numbness, tingling, or coldness in the thigh, lower leg, ankle, foot or toes). Usually the patient has a history of onset of pain from an...
A key structure for a healthy and efficient low back, pelvis and hip and lower extremity is a muscle called the psoas (pronounced soh-uhs). This muscle forms a strut of support or a pillar at the front of your lumbar spine (low back) on each side, right and left. In slang terms, this is your tenderloin. It actually attaches (originates) at the front and sides of your vertebrae and discs, behind your abdominal contents and inserts (it’s lower...
Red muscle fibers teased apart show connective tissue fascia
Muscle play can be defined as the ability of a muscle in your body to be mobile and move separately from surrounding structures such as other muscles, adjacent bones, and even your skin. Perform this little test to experience one of the ways muscles move. Grasp your bicep between the thumb and fingers of your opposite hand and feel how wide it is. Now do a bicep curl type of movement by...
Physical Therapy Outside Of Your Health Insurance Plan
Every year more and more of our patients are paying cash out of their own pockets for our physical therapy services. Like most health care providers, we bill insurance companies as a service of convenience for our patients. In recent years, deductibles have climbed to $5000 or more, copays have become higher, and scrutiny by insurance companies over what is covered has increased. We are now at a point where many of...
The picture at left is a common scene in football, especially in early season games. Typically wide receivers and running backs suffer from sudden, debilitating calf cramps. Once they begin, they are very difficult to rid of and the player is typically out for the rest of the game, or significantly hobbled with recurrent spasms. Marathon runners and triathletes can develop spasms also, usually later in a longer race. Football and marathon running are very different stresses, but research...
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bodymechanics locations
MILWAUKEE (DOWNTOWN)
807 N. Jefferson
Milwaukee, WI 53202 (map)
414-224-8219
PEWAUKEE
1177 Quail Court | Suite 200
Pewaukee, WI 53072 (map)
262-695-3057