Jen Mitol PT

Hot off the press….More evidence of what we suspected….stop scoping degenerative meniscal tears!!

The Case Against Stretching

Seriously. If you like to stretch, great! Stretch away...if you feel guilty because you don’t stretch...relax. It’s generally pointless.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2408467/case-against-stretching-flexibility-research

The Case Against Stretching Scientists are increasingly skeptical of the benefits of flexibility, but the fitness world doesn’t want to hear it

The Science of Why Swearing Physically Reduces Pain

The Science of Why Swearing Physically Reduces Pain Research has shown that cursing allows you to handle suffering and actually diminishes the sensation of pain.

Timeline photos

The quest to understand the biology of pain and explore new ways to treat it has taken on fresh urgency. Neuroscientist Vitaly Napadow studies how the brain perceives pain.

Our January issue focuses on the future of medicine and other topics related to wellness. Subscribe to National Geographic this year for stories that matter to you. https://on.natgeo.com/2uomoMt

Marathon Running May Be Good for Your Knees

Marathon Running May Be Good for Your Knees Distance running rebuilds the health of certain essential components of middle-aged knees.

Institute of Clinical Excellence

Pain is just such a fascinating experience.....

http://bit.ly/2NDakMK

What happens to patients when we do not repair their cuff tears? Five-year rotator cuff quality-of-life index outcomes following nonoperative treat... - PubMed - NCBI

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2018 Mar;27(3):444-448. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2017.10.009.

Outside Magazine

You've been warned.

The Most Underrated Endurance Workout? Hiking

Good for the body, good for the brain, your mental health; it's literally the magic pill we've been looking for.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2238741/most-underrated-endurance-workout-hiking?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=RW

outsideonline.com Have you ever met anyone who regretted taking a good, hard day hike? Me neither.

Cycling to work: major new study suggests health benefits are staggering

https://www.facebook.com/michael.ohearn.37/posts/10155674319424443

theconversation.com Pedal to the office and your risk of an early death drop by over 40%.

Runner's World

This has been making the rounds for a while now in the PT world, but my patients, hiking friends, and running mates still seem to believe that you need to correct what your foot does naturally. Just wear comfortable shoes! No, you likely don't need orthotics (sorry podiatrists...). But most importantly...get out and move!!

Are you more likely to get injured based on your foot type?

Why Hiking Is the Perfect Mind-Body Workout

One of the best things I did to rehab my broken ankle a few years ago was my 221-mile John Muir Trail hike. It doesn't have to be that extreme, but hiking on uneven ground is an amazing workout!!

http://time.com/4820394/hiking-walking-mind-body-workout/?xid=homepage

time.com Uneven terrain and the Great Outdoors are a winning combination for your health

Yeah, um, no you can't.

https://www.facebook.com/klumac/posts/10155387551603103

The SI-joint have minimal degrees of movement. Kibsgård et al. 2017 found that movement of the SI-joint during active straight leg test only produced 0,3-0,8 degrees of movement.

Can you really palpate movement that small?

Your mind can be trained to control chronic pain. But it will cost you

It's time more and more people learn how complicated pain really is

https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.mitol/posts/10155316809359104

statnews.com Eager to avoid opioids, doctors and patients are turning to a decades-old method of training the mind to control chronic pain through tools like meditation.

Arthroscopic Surgery Doesn't Help With Arthritis Knee Pain

Get PT first! Sadly I've seen way too many patients who are no different after their meniscectomy. Just because there's "damage" doesn't automatically mean that's the source of your pain.....

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/05/11/527915056/arthroscopic-surgery-doesnt-help-with-arthritis-knee-pain?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20170511

npr.org This is the latest study to find that arthroscopic surgery doesn't reduce pain for people with knee arthritis, and can cause other problems. The procedure remains popular in the U.S.

WIRED

Fascinating look at how complicated pain really is....

https://www.wired.com/?p=2181649

www.wired.com Get in-depth coverage of current and future trends in technology, and how they are shaping business, entertainment, communications, science, politics, and culture at Wired.com.

The Invisible Benefits of Exercise

Get moving!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/outsidemagazine/posts/10155110395250429

www.outsideonline.com Six surprising reasons to sweat that go far beyond vanity.

Meet Julia Hawkins, the 101 Year-Old Who Has Recently Taken up Competitive Running

It's never too late!!!!

http://spr.ly/61858wTPT

spr.ly She is training for the 50- and 100-meter dash at the upcoming Senior Olympics.

Knee pain patients are spending millions on wasted treatments: study

Physical therapy is one of only three effective treatments for knee arthritis, yet only 10% of patients actually do it. Why??!!!

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/knee-patients-spending-millions-wasted-treatments-study-finds-n733396

www.nbcnews.com Wasted treatments for knee pain have racked up millions of dollars in medical bills, researchers reported Tuesday.

This Weird New Way to Treat Back Pain Might Actually Work

It's becoming one of my favorite techniques for some patients!!

https://www.facebook.com/mjconnorspt/posts/10211018043980549

www.menshealth.com Find out if ‘dry needling’ is right for you

Why kids should go barefoot more (and probably adults, too)

Many of my patients have heard me complain about the ubiquitous orthotic...please please please let your feet be feet! And start early!!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2016/02/29/why-kids-should-go-barefoot-more-and-probably-adults-too/?utm_campaign=buffer&utm_content=bufferadff3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_term=.c8fa084cb2eb

www.washingtonpost.com My kids go barefoot a lot, and it's only natural.

Get Out of Here: Scientists Examine the Benefits of Forests, Birdsong and Running Water

Imagine if there were a drug you could take that would lower your blood pressure, decrease the stress hormone cortisol, and make you happy and healthy........

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/books/review/nature-fix-florence-williams.html?smid=fb-nytbooks&smtyp=cur

www.nytimes.com In “The Nature Fix,” Florence Williams looks at new research on how spending time in nature makes people happier and more creative.

When Evidence Says No, But Doctors Say Yes

https://www.facebook.com/propublica/posts/10155137099709445

propub.li Years after research contradicts common practices, patients continue to demand them and doctors continue to deliver. The result is an epidemic of unnecessary and unhelpful treatment.

Lower Back Ache? Be Active and Wait It Out, New Guidelines Say

Yes. Absolutely yes. Get moving!! We PTs have been trying o get the rest of the medical establishment on board with a his for years.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/13/health/lower-back-pain-surgery-guidelines.html?smid=fb-nytscience&smtyp=cur

www.nytimes.com A national physicians’ group says back pain is treated best by exercise, massage therapy or yoga and over-the-counter pain relievers, not medications like opioids.

We Are Wired To Be Outside

Get outside!!!!!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/02/nature-fix-brain-happy-florence-williams/?google_editors_picks=true#close

news.nationalgeographic.com Science is demonstrating what we intuitively know—nature makes us happy.

Exercise Is ADHD Medication

http://theatln.tc/2kf2t8S

theatln.tc Physical movement improves mental focus, memory, and cognitive flexibility; new research shows just how critical it is to academic performance.

Macrophages are key players in pain and analgesia

Awesome find from my good friend and colleague Dr Mark Milligan.

We've always known regular activity and exercise helps control chronic pain; now we have some ideas about why...and why being sedentary can actually make us hurt more.

https://www.facebook.com/mark.milligan.10/posts/10100397621720411

www.bodyinmind.org Kathleen Sluka on the role that macrophages may play in the production of musculoskeletal pain and in analgesia produced by regular physical activity

Complete Guide to Low Back Pain (2016)

An incredible resource!!

https://www.facebook.com/mjconnorspt/posts/10210467460536307

www.painscience.com Extremely detailed guide to back pain science, diagnosis, treatment options. What works? What’s bunk? Why?

Can You Regain Muscle Mass After Age 60?

The main problem is that you don't do ENOUGH. Don't be shy - if you want to be stronger, lift heavy weights! Yes, even the older folks among us.....

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/can-you-regain-muscle-mass-after-age-60/?smid=fb-nytwell&smtyp=cur&_r=0

well.blogs.nytimes.com Men and women in their 60s and 70s can build muscles that are as strong as a 40-year-old’s, though the process of bulking up works differently in older people than in the young.

Study: Late Starters Run Faster In Older Years | Competitor.com

It's never too late to start!!

https://www.facebook.com/competitor.running/posts/10154562527729792

running.competitor.com Is it really true that people who start running later in life are able to run faster when they’re older?

Why painkillers sometimes make the pain worse

It seems counter-intuitive, but if you try to use pain killers to treat chronic pain you're actually making your pain worse. There ARE alternatives!!!! .
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/11/why-painkillers-sometimes-make-pain-worse?utm_source=sciencemagazine&utm_medium=facebook-text&utm_campaign=chipsahoy-8898

www.sciencemag.org Do opioids make chronic users more sensitive to pain?

Divided by a lack of common language? - a qualitative study exploring the use of language by health professionals treating back pain

Words matter, and they can harm just as much as they can heal.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2765953/

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov The importance of using a common language when communicating to others about back pain is acknowledged in the literature. There are broadly three areas where difficulties in communication about back pain arise. Firstly, patients seeking information from ...

Pain In The Back? Exercise May Help You Learn Not To Feel It

A wonderful piece that describes the changing paradigm of back pain and how we treat it.

https://www.facebook.com/educatePT/posts/1155458241215082

www.npr.org There's evidence that many standard treatments for back pain — including surgery, spinal injections and painkillers — are often ineffective and can even worsen and prolong the problem.