Assess, Treat & Condition

02/06/2024

Dr Steve Middleton, PT, DPT, MS, MTC, ATC, CSCS presented to more than 50 clinicians at the February 2024 Pelvic Health Chat on the topic of physical therapy interventions for non-traumatic and chronic testicular pain.

01/01/2024

Patient Education: “no pain, no gain”

It’s the first day of a new year and many people are starting exercise programs as part of their New Year’s resolutions. Most people want fast results but tend to go from relatively sedentary to too much activity too soon. This rapid increase in activity can lead to pain during and/or after exercise.

If you are experiencing pain with activity, please schedule an evaluation with a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) to get you back to pain-free activity and increase your chances of meeting your resolutions!

11/05/2023

A lot of PTs have taken the mindset that physical therapy treatments are all “non-specific” with the argument “the patient will improve no matter what we do”.

If this is true, why are there so many patients with chronic pain?

10/13/2023

Why are physicians still telling patients “I’m sending you to physical therapy but they won’t be able to do anything for you”?

This happens more with patients suffering with chronic conditions and who already think nothing will help. Now that has been confirmed by their doctor.

08/12/2023

The legacy will continues: He will aways “Taping the World for Health”

12/18/2022

Dear CNN,

While the premise behind this story (“Over 80% of adults don't meet US strength guidelines. Don't forget these muscles”) is important, there are multiple errors within it:
1 - The gluteus medius and minimus are important lateral stabilizers of the hip and pelvis, unfortunately, the gluteal bridge targets the gluteus maximus, the primary extensor of the hip

2 - The obliques are not part of “the core”. The core is made of stabilizer muscles: transverse abdominis, lumbar multifidi, pelvic floor, and diaphragm. The internal and external obliques are responsible for movement, primarily trunk rotation. The bird dog exercise targets the lumbar multifidi and transverse abdominis, not the obliques

3 - The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that stabilize and position the shoulder so larger muscles (pectoralis major, deltoid, latissimis dorsi) can move it. The rowing exercise described targets the scapular stabilizers, primarily the middle fibers of the trapezius

4 - The seated dumbbell rear (or reverse) fly is a great exercise for targeting the posterior fibers of the deltoid, however, the exercise shown is the upright row which targets the middle fibers of the deltoid and the upper fibers of the trapezius.

https://apple.news/A9wlo43Y2Qbyb0C-hAtxp1Q

04/21/2022

Five years ago today, Clinic Director Dr Steve Middleton, PT, DPT, MS, ATC, CSCS graduated as a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences; today, he’s back (virtually) to complete the final manual therapy course for certification as a manual therapist (MTC):

04/12/2022

The sacroiliac joints are an often overlooked cause of low back pain and sciatica:

Some additional info to go along with the poll on our story. Check out more in the pelvic girdle chapter of our current concepts course https://www.orthopt.org/course/31-2-current-concepts-of-physical-therapy-5th-edition

02/18/2022

02/18/2022

Manual therapy is often dismissed as a passive procedure that involves more placebo than actual meaningful changes. However, when appropriate techniques are applied to the actual area of dysfunction, there can be dramatic changes not only in symptoms but in function as well.

This case study is from a continuing education course:

Subjective
The patient, a physical therapist, had limited R shoulder mobility with cervical and R shoulder pain with overhead movements.

Objective
The overhead reach neurofascial pattern identified limited R shoulder flexion and abduction with limit L shoulder flexion but hyperabduction. She also demonstrated R trunk side-bending and L trunk rotation as she moved into the overhead reach.

Lab participants applied a variety of manual therapy techniques including instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation, joint manipulation, and kinesiology taping to the glenohumeral joint and the scapulothoracic junction with minimal changes.

Upon further inspection and expanded history, the subject reports a surgery on her R knee when she was around age 5 that resulted in 4 4-inch vertical incisions around her R knee.

Assessment
After 5 minutes of IASTM around the R knee for scar tissue mobilization and kinesiology taping to decompress the incision sites resulted in a significant increase in R shoulder mobility, L shoulder stability, and decrease cervico-thoracic symptoms.

02/11/2022

Kinesiology tape was designed as an adjunct intervention, not a stand-alone treatment. Like any treatment, it is only effective if it is applied correctly based on evidence-informed practice.

There is still time to register for our upcoming 6-hour webinar will demonstrate how to evaluate, treat, and reinforce clinical treatments with kinesiology tape to provide tactile cueing for up to 5 days!

https://www.homeceuconnection.com/course/kinesiology-taping-for-the-manual-therapist-friday-february-18th-2022-200pm-800pm-et/