Loudoun County, Va. — Your hips, due to the amount of loading forces they take on throughout your lifespan, can be a common area of discomfort in the body. This condition known as arthritis is the “wear and tear” of your joint surfaces. Hip pain can also be caused by some type of injury like a fall, sports injury or overuse/weakness of the soft tissues that support the hip. These type of injuries result in pain due to an inflammatory process. Hip pain can become worse if left untreated requiring pain medications or even surgery to manage. How Hip Problems…

Loudoun County, Va. — The medical terminology for “pulled” muscle, is a strained muscle. The strain occurs when fibers of the muscles are torn. There are different degrees of a strain that directly correlate with how many fibers of the muscle are torn. Grade 1 strain: mild damage to tissues; less than 5% of fibers torn Grade 2 strain: more damage to muscle fibers; less than 50% of fibers torn Grade 2 strain: complete rupture of the muscle or tendon What causes a strain of a muscle? Improper warm up Poor flexibility Fatigue Improper form during exercise Quick, sudden movements…

Loudoun County, Va. — If you are experiencing trouble reaching into that cabinet, pain when brushing or washing your hair, or even trouble just reaching to pick things up, you’re probably dealing with a shoulder issue. There are several reasons you why you could be experiencing issues with your shoulder. Common shoulder issues you could be experiencing Impingement Caused by overuse, repetitive overhead motions, or poor mechanics with lifting and moving. Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) Caused by any type of injury that significantly decreases range of motion at the shoulder. Labrum tear A tear to the fibrocartilage in the joint…

Loudoun County, Va. — Sports injuries are injuries that occur during any sport or physical activity. Typically in a sports injury, the musculoskeletal (muscles, bones and ligaments) system is involved. Why do sport injuries occur? Sports injuries are commonly caused by: Poor training methods Muscular weakness Structural abnormalities Faulty movement patterns Improper form Improper warm-up and cool-downs Common types of sports injury: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Pain at the front of the knee due to improper movement, tight muscles and/or overuse. Tennis or Golf Elbow Pain on either side of the elbow due to repetitive motions of the wrist and arm.…

Loudoun County, Va. — The hamstrings are often neglected, but hamstring injuries are commonly seen in physical therapy clinics. The most common injury that we see in the hamstrings is hamstring stains. The hamstrings are a large group of muscles that sits on the back of your thigh. They help extend your hip and bend your knee. They are made up of 3 muscles: The semitendinosus The semimembranosus Biceps femoris A strain happens when there is a tear in the muscle. The tear can vary in size and severity depending on how bad the injury is. How do hamstring strains…

Loudoun County, Va. — Neck pain is something you will probably experience at least once in your life. Many things can cause neck pain, and in this blog I’ll discuss 3 of the common types of neck pain and their causes. In addition to that, I will discuss the solution! Musculoskeletal Neck Pain One of the common causes of neck pain comes from the muscles and joints of the cervical spine (or neck). We can often have this type of neck pain due to things such as: Weak neck and upper back muscles, even weak shoulder muscles Prolonged postures (ie.…