//What is Physical Therapy Fellowship Training and why does it matter to me as a patient? I often get this question and, the answer has several parts. Nearly all modern day physical therapists are Doctors of Physical Therapy. This means they have an undergraduate degree and then complete 3 years of physical therapy school. After PT school, some clinicians pursue …
Headaches, a pain in the neck?
A splitting headache is not the way to begin or end a long day of work or play. Headache treatment can be a challenge for both patients and healthcare providers – several types of headaches exist and, considering that individuals may suffer from more than one type, diagnosis can be difficult. The three most common headache types are tension, migraine, …
The Truth About Sitting
Did you know that more than half of an average person’s day is spent being sedentary — sitting, watching television or working at a computer? We know that this much inactivity isn’t good. And, even if you engage in some physical activity, this alone may not be enough to reduce the risk for disease. How much uninterrupted chair time do you …
Traveling Tibetans
Last week we had the pleasure of hosting a special guest. Meet Yangtso! She is participating in the Columbia University Tibetan Small Business Training Program. The program aims to provide education on all areas of running a small business with a special focus on eco-tourism. Yangtso is from Xinlong county of Ganzi Prefecture, like many Tibetans from this area, she …
What is the #1 predictor of whether you will have low back surgery in the USA?
That’s right, the #1 predictor of whether you will have low back surgery in the USA is not the amount of pain you have or your MRI findings, it’s your ZIP CODE!!! Hard to believe isn’t it? Another predictor is if the surgeon owns the MRI machine. If they do, the likelihood of spinal surgery increases by 34%. Low back …
The Problem With Satisfied Patients
Alexandra Robbins A misguided attempt to improve healthcare has led some hospitals to focus on making people happy, rather than making them well. When healthcare is at its best, hospitals are four-star hotels, and nurses, personal butlers at the ready—at least, that’s how many hospitals seem to interpret a government mandate. When Department of Health and Human Services …
Wrinkles on the inside are normal
Disc bulges, disc degeneration, disc height loss and facet degeneration are common findings on MRI and CT in individuals WITHOUT low back pain and these findings increase as we age. Many image-based degenerative changes are a part of the normal aging process and are often not the cause of low back pain.
Hope for an S-Shaped Back
Article from The New York Times published May 12, 2014 I wore a hard plastic brace around my torso from ages 8 to 16 to treat scoliosis, or spinal curvature. Bracing has been standard treatment in children for the past five decades, and I wore my brace diligently, if awkwardly, in the hope that it would contain my S-shaped curvature …
Kaiser Permanente Hayward Physical Therapy Fellowship
We have some FANTASTIC news to share! Please join us in congratulating senior faculty member, Dr. Joe Farrell, for being selected as a 2015 Catherine Worthingham Fellow (FAPTA) by the American Physical Therapy Association! The FAPTA designation is the highest honor conferred by the APTA, recognizing individuals for professional excellence and making a profound impact in advancing the profession. Dr. …
Is Bozeman a ‘perfect storm’ for eating disorders?
Original article from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle February 15, 2015 Does Southwest Montana’s health-focused culture play a part in putting some of its young women — and men — at risk of debilitating mental illness? For Paige Reddan, a dietitian with the Eating Disorder Center of Montana, the answer is yes. While statistics specific to Montana or Bozeman aren’t available, …