The Achilles tendon, also called the calcaneal tendon, attaches the calf muscles -- the gastrocnemius and soleus -- to the back of the calcaneus, or heel bone. A strain or tear of the tendon requires appropriate rehabilitation to prevent...
Bursitis causes pain, inflammation and swelling in the joints -- particularly those of the hip, shoulder, knee or elbow. The condition occurs when the bursa, the sac that protects and cushions the joint, becomes inflamed. It is often caused by...
Personal fitness trainers design exercise programs and help their clients execute them to maintain or improve health, while physical therapists diagnose, treat and manage pain, injuries and diseases. Fitness trainers often encounter clients with...
Physical therapy rehabilitation centers serve patients recovering from surgery or traumatic injury. The therapists often work with children and adults with degenerative disease or birth defects. The facilities are equipped with the tools needed to...
Passive range of motion is a type of exercise performed with the help of a physical therapist or other individual other than yourself. The exercises are designed to help rehabilitate and restore motion and function in joints damaged or injured by...
The exercise ball goes by many names including physio ball, swiss ball, stability ball and fitness ball. Made of durable rubber, an exercise ball typically measures 45 cm, 55 cm or 65 cm in diameter. Exercise balls arrived in the 1960s as part of...
Physical therapy involves manipulating and working with the body to help relieve pain, gain strength and increase range of motion. Patients who are recovering from such procedures and conditions as chronic pain, knee and hip replacements, broken...
Exercise balls are also referred to as stability balls. These large, colorful, rubber balls were first introduced in Europe in the 1960s. They eventually made their way to the United States in 1989. First used for physical therapy and...
An abdominal toner uses electronic muscle stimulators, or EMS, attached to a belt. When it's wrapped around your waist, it attacks the abdominal muscles, helping them to become stronger. The Food and Drug Administration does recognize the efficacy...
Stroke occurs when oxygen-carrying blood fails to reach the brain, which requires a constant supply of oxygen. When the brain is deprived of oxygen, brain cells begin to die and death can follow. Stroke survivors face serious disabilities,...
Maintaining your mobility with hip arthritis is painful and challenging, but it does not have to be restrictive. Exercising is important to maintain and improve your range of motion. However, pain, swelling and inflammation often limit how much...
Physical therapy and rehabilitation are prescribed to patients who have suffered a severe injury to a joint or other area that may or may not have required surgical repair. Severe ankle injuries can also be rehabilitated via physical therapy...
The simple chickenpox virus can lead to a frightening condition called acute cerebellar ataxia, especially in children under the age of 3. Weeks after recovering from a viral infection, your child may suddenly find it difficult to walk or speak....
Exercise balls, also called Swiss balls, got their start in the 1960s for use in physical therapy and rehabilitation. The large inflatable balls, made from heavy-duty elastic PVC, come in a variety of sizes from a number of manufacturers. Choose a...
Whole body vibration is a neuromuscular training method that it is widely used in physical therapy, rehabilitation, professional settings and sports, as well as for aesthetics and health. The system has a vibrating plate which triggers rapid...
There are different types of exercises that are good for helping reduce low back pain. Stretching exercises work best for reducing pain, while strengthening is best for improving function. In physical therapy, a licensed therapist will work with...
The yoga ball is made of elastic and lightweight plastic. It measures up to 34 inches in diameter when inflated, and is commonly used as a tool for improving strength in the lower back and the abdominal muscles. Because it is unstable, it triggers...
The hip joint needs support to create movement. One group of muscles that do this, called the hip flexors, include the iliopsoas muscle and the rectus femoris. These muscles, located in front of the hip joint, help move the thigh forward. A range...
Electrical muscle stimulators, also referred to as EMS devices, are not only used in the medical industry for physical therapy and rehabilitation purposes, but they are being sold to consumers for the purposes of toning and strengthening muscles,...
Chronic back pain is a difficult medical problem to deal with. It reoccurs after treatment in approximately 70 percent of total cases, depending upon the source. Strengthening the transverse abdominis can be a useful treatment --- pain-relieving...
Tears to the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, are common in sports today, often occurring when you have to plant your foot and change directions quickly, according to USGyms website. These injuries can be effectively repaired surgically, but...
Exercise balls are inflatable balls that are used to create instability, and therefore a greater level of difficulty and more core muscle involvement. Because of its versatility, the exercise ball is often used in home gyms, fitness centers, and...
Damage to the nervous system from injury or disease can lead to spasticity, which is also known as rigid or tight muscles. Spasticity can lead to muscle weakness and loss of function. According to MedlinePlus, the severity of spasticity symptoms...
Sciatica is a condition characterized by pain that radiates from the lower back down the leg. It is caused by compression of the sciatic nerve that can result from muscle inflammation or spasms, degenerative bone diseases or injury to the...
Rehabilitation sports massage helps stimulate blood flow and loosen muscles in the injured area. Increased blood flow and flexibility means faster healing for most athletes. Along with physical therapy, rehabilitation sports massage gets athletes...
According to the American Stroke Association, strokes are the No. 3 cause of death in the United States behind only diseases of the heart and cancer. A stroke takes place when a blood vessel to the brain is blocked by a blood clot or ruptures....
Therabands are the brand name for a popular type of exercise equipment known as exercise bands. Originally used for physical therapy and rehabilitation, the product has gained popularity as an accessory for multiple forms of exercise, from...
If you have ever watched a professional, college or high school sporting event or had physical therapy or rehabilitation, you have probably seen or worked with an athletic trainer. Contrary to what many people might think, athletic trainers are...
The stability ball, often called a Swiss or fitness ball, got its start as a tool for physical therapy and rehabilitation in Switzerland in the 1960s. Strength training your abdominal muscles with a stability ball allows a greater range of motion...
A MCL injury is caused by stretching or tearing of the MCL ligament in the knee. Learn more about the causes, symptoms and treatments for a MCL injury in this health video.
