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Treating Common Problems
The following discussions relate to common maladies that are often neglected and thus can lead to more serious problems. These treatment suggestions are not intended to replace the instructions of your physician or physical therapist. If in doubt about performing these procedures, always be sure to consult with your health care professional.
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
There are several reasons for developing tennis elbow, but one of the most common yet often overlooked causes is an imbalance in shoulder strength. This can lead to overworking the forearm muscles, primarily the wrist extensors. The shoulder weakness is generally in the rotator cuff and scapula stabilizer muscles.
Phase 1 treatment: Shoulders/Upper Back/Chest workout for 4-6 weeks. You may need to wear a tennis elbow brace during exercises.
Phase 2 treatment: Add Forearm Pronation, Forearm Supination, Wrist Flexion, and Wrist Extension, concentrating primarily on wrist extension. These should be initiated when there is no longer any elbow pain.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most troublesome conditions that we face, in that it is difficult to provide the time to allow the healing process to take place. And it hurts! If you are reading this article, it is assumed that you have explored all of the available techniques to make this nagging problem go away...from heat rubs, to cooling pads, to ultrasound, and the worst option of all: surgery. One of the least mentioned therapeutic techniques that is often overlooked is "stretching."
The pain that is felt with plantar fasciitis (and its accompanying Achilles Tendon inflammation) is caused by the nerves that are often activated by the inflexibility of the tendons, primarily as we age. This is similar to vision problems caused by aging that result in the lens failing to expand and contract quickly, thus causing many older people to need reading glasses. Along with the many therapies noted above, slowly stretching the Achilles and Plantar Fascia tendons allows for healing to occur at a proper pace. Quick stretches often merely aggravate the situation. As shown in the accompanying pictures, using the Cuflinc as a passive exercise stretcher can be extremely beneficial. By placing the handle of your Cuflinc around the toe area or ball of the foot and then placing the resistance bands over the knee allows you to easily provide a slow stretch for extended periods of time WITH NO EXERTION! We know some who have gone upwards of 30-45 minutes at a time without needing to change positions or give the foot/ankle a rest. Doing this at times of relaxation certainly is preferable to the constant pain that sufferers incur. Try it. You'll be glad you did.
Impingement (Tendinitis of the Rotator Cuff Tendon)
Impingement is one of the most common causes of pain in the adult shoulder. It results from pressure on the rotator cuff tendon from a part of the scapula, when the arm is lifted overhead. One of the best ways to treat it is to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles, especially the infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis.
Phase 1 treatment: Shoulders/Upper Back/Chest workout for 4-6 weeks or until there is no overhead pain.
Phase 2 treatment: Add Arms workout.
General Shoulder Problems
We can help with shoulder pain. Just Skype us and we can offer exercise suggestions specifically designed for your needs. | |
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