The physical therapy profession has long understood the value of physical activity — and that understanding is spreading, thanks in part to continual research on the health benefits of physical activity across a range of conditions. As APTA continues its public information campaign on the importance of physical activity, here are five recent studies that underscore the […]
Healthy bones can help you stay strong and active throughout your life. If good bone health is achieved during childhood and maintained, it can help to avoid bone loss and fracture later in life. For healthy bones, it is important to maintain a physically active lifestyle and eat a balanced diet with plenty of calcium, […]
Recently we introduced you to Long COVID and all of the challenges it brings. This month we’re going to talk about what physical therapists can do to help people living with Long COVID. Early in the pandemic, therapists started seeing people with what would later be known as Long COVID. They noticed that some of […]
Contrary to long-held wisdom, teen athletes recover from concussions sooner if they do light aerobic exercise rather than resting in a dark room, new research suggests. Instead of so-called “cocoon therapy,” new research-supported therapy has young concussion patients getting out of bed and doing protected exercise earlier. “What the research found was that adolescents were […]
The physical therapy profession and U.S. armed forces have a long and collaborative relationship, one that includes a formal partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Following are a few accomplishments of our women and men in uniform. The military introduced the country to physical therapy. Credit: U.S. Army Photograph. On April 16 1947, President Harry S. Truman, posing here […]
We know there is a lot of variation in how COVID affects people. Some feel like they have a bit of a cold, some feel like they have the flu, and some end up in the hospital. No matter the symptoms, we tend to think that people get sick, get better and recover, then move […]
Did you know? A concussion is a type of brain injury. Imaging, such as MRI and CT scans, are not able to diagnose a concussion. Most concussions (90%) are not associated with a loss of consciousness. What is a concussion? A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury or mTBI. It occurs as […]
The lymphatic system collects lymph fluid (excess fluid, proteins, and other substances) from the body tissues and carries it back to the bloodstream. Lymph fluid moves slowly through lymphatic vessels and passes through lymph nodes as it returns to the bloodstream. Swelling occurs when the normal drainage of fluid is disrupted, and lymph fluid accumulates […]
If you experience an injury or develop pain, seeing a physical therapist early can help you address and manage your symptoms. Physical therapists are movement experts who improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement. A physical therapist can help you: Get better safely and without fear of causing further injury. […]
Evidenced-based research shows that as few as 1 to 2 sessions of pre-operative physical therapy can reduce post-operative care by 29% for patients undergoing a total hip or knee replacement; this could be a $1,000 + per individual! The Facts Between 2012 and 2050 the number of Total Knee Replacements (TKAs) performed annually in the […]
