Kare-n-Kure Physical Therapy

03/04/2026

The most common snow shoveling injuries are lower back strains/sprains (34%), followed by shoulder, arm, and hand injuries (16%), and head injuries (15%). Overexertion, lifting heavy snow, and slipping on ice are common causes of these. In order to prevent and treat snow-shoveling injuries, physical therapy is recommended.
Roles of Physical Therapy
• Injury Prevention
• Rehabilitation
• Education and Safe Techniques
Adequate warm up warm up about 5-10 minutes.
• A brisk walk inside house or yard toto raise body temperature and heart rate
• Stretching before and after shoveling helps to reduces muscle imbalances, prevent injury, and increases your capacity to shovel for extended lengths of time.
• Slowly take your muscles to the end of their range until you feel slight resistance in the muscle, but you should never feel pain during a stretch.
• Maintain each stretch for 20-30 seconds. Repeat each stretch 3-4 times.
Muscles to be Stretched:
• Neck Stretch
• Shoulder/Arm Swings
• Posterior Shoulder Stretch
• Wrist Extensors/Flexor/Circles
• Standing Back Extension/ Rotation Stretches
• Lunges
• Leg Swings Forward and Back
• Hip Flexor Stretch
• Hamstring stretch
• Quadriceps stretch
• Calf Stretch-Gastrocnemius
The most common snow shoveling injuries:
• Neck Pain
• Shoulder Tendonitis
• Low Back Pain
• de Quervain's Tenosynovitis of the Thumb
• Wrist Sprain
• Wrist Fracture
• Intersection Syndrome
• Lateral Epicondylitis

Shaji John PT, MPTh, DPT, PhD.
For appointments: +1-516-600-0016
WhatsApp/Text: +1-516-201-7244
Google Reviews: https://share.google/HsVq395Z1k4WvqTT7

02/27/2026

Correct alignment can help reduce your knee pain!

An estimated 5 million people have osteoarthritis in their knees. Every time weight is placed on the knee, this may cause pain. It occurs when the joint's protecting cartilage becomes worn to the point where the bones practically rub against one another. To overcome the pain, swelling, and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis in their knees, people might attempt a variety of treatments. Physical therapy, painkillers and steroid injections can all help relieve pain, but some patients eventually need surgery to replace the damaged knee bone and cartilage. Based on gait analysis and pain measurements, osteoarthritis-related knee discomfort may be lessened by slightly changing the foot's angle when walking. According to a study, people who were trained to angle their feet slightly outward or inward from their natural alignment were able to reduce the maximum loading in their knees by 4% during the gait cycle and experience slower cartilage degeneration in the inner part of their knees. For some people with mild to moderate medial compartment knee osteoarthritis, individualized retraining of the foot angle during walking is an effective treatment. According to the MRI results, this treatment may halt cartilage destruction in addition to reducing pain. [Uhlrich et al. 2025, The Lancet Rheumatology]

Shaji John PT, MPTh, DPT, PhD.
For appointments: +1-516-600-0016
WhatsApp/Text: +1-516-201-7244
Google Reviews: https://share.google/HsVq395Z1k4WvqTT7

02/25/2026

How to Prevent Injuries from Snow Shoveling...!
The physically demanding nature of snow shoveling can cause a range of problems, from minor muscle strains to fractured bones from slips and falls and heart attacks. Number of tips you should take into consideration in order to avoid any potential injuries.

1. Using the proper snow shoveling equipment
 Shovel with ideal length i.e approximately your chest height with the blade on the ground.
 Lower the lever arm by moving one hand closer to the blade while maintaining the other on the handle during the lifting experiment.
 Shovel handles comfortable for the shape and fit of your hand.
 A pair of waterproof boots and two pairs of synthetic socks
 A pair of warm and flexible gloves with grip treads built into the palm
 Dress in layers with a synthetic layer as the material closest to your body.
 Grip the shovel with one hand on the handle and the other nearer to the blade.
 Avoid repetitively lifting and carrying the snow instead try to push the snow the shortest distance possible so it piles up and leave it or closer than lift it to where it goes rather than.
 When pushing or lifting snow, maintain proper posture by keeping your feet wide and facing the snow directly. To activate your leg muscles and prevent back discomfort, bend at the hips and knees while maintaining a neutral back.
 Tighten your core muscles in your stomach as you lift; this will act as a natural support for your torso. Make sure the load is as close to your body as possible and relatively light. When tossing or dumping snow, turn your feet so they face the intended pile rather than turning your back.
 While shoveling, pace yourself, take regular rests, and drink plenty of water.
 If you feel stress or cardiovascular warning signals like lightheadedness, sudden shortness of breath, or chest pain/tightness, stop and get medical help.

2. Adequate warm up warm up about 5-10 minutes.
a. A brisk walk inside house or yard toto raise body temperature and heart rate
b. Stretching before and after shoveling helps to reduces muscle imbalances, prevent injury, and increases your capacity to shovel for extended lengths of time.
c. Slowly take your muscles to the end of their range until you feel slight resistance in the muscle, but you should never feel pain during a stretch.
d. Maintain each stretch for 20-30 seconds. Repeat each stretch 3-4 times.

Muscles to be Stretched:
 Neck Stretch
 Shoulder/Arm Swings
 Posterior Shoulder Stretch
 Wrist Extensors/Flexor/Circles
 Standing Back Extension/ Rotation Stretches
 Lunges
 Leg Swings Forward and Back
 Hip Flexor Stretch
 Hamstring stretch
 Quadriceps stretch
 Calf Stretch-Gastrocnemius

The most common snow shoveling injuries:
 Neck Pain
 Shoulder Tendonitis
 Low Back Pain
 de Quervain's Tenosynovitis of the Thumb
 Wrist Sprain
 Wrist Fracture
 Intersection Syndrome
 Lateral Epicondylitis

Shaji John PT, MPTh, DPT, PhD.
For appointments: +1-516-600-0016
WhatsApp/Text: +1-516-201-7244
Google Reviews: https://share.google/23vhEGf8dSFZbQJ0H

02/23/2026

Understand how to prevent falling!

The posture dynamics is important to understand disorders of impaired equilibrium and protective reactions to unexpected displacements of the human body. Postural control is not just simply a summation of static reflexes rather, a complex skill based on the interaction of dynamic sensorimotor processes. Postural control is a complicated ability that relies on the interaction of dynamic sensorimotor processes. Postural orientation involves the active alignment of the trunk and head with respect to gravity, support surfaces, and integration of sensory information from somatosensory, vestibular and visual systems. Coordinating movements in order to maintain the center of body mass throughout self-initiated and externally induced instability disruptions is known as postural balance. A deeper comprehension of the various systems underpinning postural control is necessary for an efficient rehabilitation program that helps with balance, mobility, and fall prevention. [Horak, Age Ageing, 2006]

Shaji John PT, MPTh, DPT, PhD.
For appointments: +1-516-600-0016
WhatsApp/Text: +1-516-201-7244
Google Reviews: https://share.google/HsVq395Z1k4WvqTT7

02/16/2026

02/15/2026

Do you plan having a knee replacement?

The knee replacement surgeries (TKA) is a commonly performed surgical procedure designed to alleviate knee pain and improve function in individuals with knee arthritis. Despite the high incidence of knee replacement, the resultant muscle impairments are not well addressed and the postoperative rehabilitative approaches not given sufficient importance. Therapeutic exercise guidelines following a TKA are traditionally focused on the control of pain and swelling, improving ROM and functional mobility. Postoperative treatment, however, causes a weakness in the quadriceps and hamstrings that persists for years following surgery. These muscles are the focus since they are linked to everyday functional activities like walking and climbing stairs. A deep incision through the front muscle is the most common surgical procedure used in TKA, and it appears to worsen preoperative strength deficits as patients generate less than half of their preoperative strength values. It indicates that patients who undergo TKA surgery will inevitably experience a reduction of quadriceps muscle strength and underlined the necessity of a longer-term, more intensive postoperative rehabilitation approach. Prior to TKA, Physical Therapies also emphasized strengthening and aerobic conditioning, and educational initiatives are crucial after surgery. [Meier et al. 2008, JOSPT]

Shaji John PT, MPTh, DPT, PhD.
For appointments: +1-516-600-0016
WhatsApp/Text: +1-516-201-7244
Google Reviews: https://share.google/HsVq395Z1k4WvqTT7

02/07/2026

According to a study, millions of Americans who suffer from chronic pain are being prescribed opioids, which probably don't help them much.Even worse, the study shows that the medication dramatically raises the chance of severe adverse effects, such as congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and chest pain, which are caused by a greater frequency of cardiac events.Studies reveal that up to 12% of patients treated with opioids for chronic pain develop an addiction to the drugs or misuse them. Commonly used Tramadol to manage chronic pain such as fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and nerve damage or dysfunction.has potential risks related to pain management that probably outweigh its limited benefits. It also seems to increase the risk of milder side effects like nausea, dizziness, constipation, and sleepiness, and it may be linked to a higher risk of certain cancers.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2025-114101

Shaji John PT, MPTh, DPT, PhD.
For appointments: 516-600-0016
WhatsApp/Text: 516-201-7244
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