Oftentimes patients coming to physical therapy ask us the question, “What’s the difference between a chiropractor, a physical therapist; and who do I see for the problem I have?” Chiropractor: A chiropractor is a health care profession that diagnoses, treats and assists in the prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, particularly the spine, as theoretically these disorders affect a patient’s general health via the nervous system. A chiropractor’s purp

“How is physical therapy going to improve my balance?” The general rule of thumb with is “if you don’t use it, you lose it.” However, not all balance issues are caused by lack of activity. There are many reasons why a patient would require physical therapy for balance issues. He or she may be experiencing loss of balance resulting from a stroke, sports injuries, medications, inner ear problems or a spinal cord injury. One very common diagnosis that a physical therapist can tr

Mizuta & Associates would like to extend their gratitude to the City Ballet Company for a very warm receptive welcome of Nicole Fox, MPT. Nicole was invited to give a presentation on injury prevention for ballet dancers. She and her assistant, Mary, who both have many years of experience in ballet and other forms of dance, thoroughly enjoyed providing information and demonstrating the potential risks for injury to the dancers, who ranged in age from ten to twenty-eight. As Ni

With the school year starting soon, many parent’s minds are on back to school shopping. There are a few things parents should know before letting children pick out their favorite pack. While backpacks are a great way for children to carry their books and homework to and from school, improperly sized, poorly designed, and incorrectly packed backpacks can lead to back pain in children. Before heading to the store, here are some tips to help with shopping: Lighten the load. The

Pain with driving is a common complaint in the physical therapy office. We are asked often about the best way to set up a car seat ergonomically to decrease pain. Improper ergonomic set up in the car can cause or exacerbate symptoms in your neck, back, upper or lower body. Here are some tips to adjust your car seat correctly for those long days spent driving. Most importantly, never adjust your car in a way that will impede your ability to drive. Seat: • Raise/Lower the sea

It is common practice to see patients in physical therapy within the first week after a total knee replacement, but what about before their surgery? Many patients disregard the effects of PT before a joint replacement with statements like “I’m just going to have surgery anyway.” However, evidence is increasing that many patients do better if they come to PT during the early signs of knee osteoarthritis, prior to their replacement. A total knee replacement is a surgery to com

Planks are a commonly recommended exercise to increase core and abdominal strength. This single exercise works many muscles effectively and efficiently…. if done properly! Planks do require a decent amount of strength and stability and an individual may need to take progressive steps in order to master this exercise. A complaint that is heard most often is feeling a “pinch”, “strain”, or “pain” in the lower back, neck pain or overall discomfort. There are many reasons someone

News and Noteworthy! The APTA (American Physical Therapy Association) posted an article summarizing a recently published study from JAMA internal Medicine that linked ties between “moderate to vigorous” physical activity and cancer prevention. It concluded that the relationship may be much stronger than previously discussed. It reports that one could drop their risk by as much as 20 % for 13 different types of cancers, including 3 out of 4 most commonly diagnosed. FOR YOUR IN