Spring is here and thousands of runners of various skill levels will return to pounding the pavement. Unfortunately, a rather sizable subpopulation of these folks will find themselves in my office with Achilles and/or other heel injuries such as plantar fasciitis.   While running happens to be great exercise, especially in this time of “social distancing,” running too much, too soon can lead to a variety of injuries. There are proactive steps, however, that you can take to prevent injuries to your Achilles heel this spring.   Stretch. You may know to stretch, but are you doing so correctly ..read more

Are you suffering from pain in your knees, hips or other joints and not sure what to do about it? It’s nice to know joint replacement surgery is not your only option for relief. Many people living with pain and stiffness caused by arthritis, injuries, falls, etc. often avoid going to the doctor thinking that surgery will be prescribed. They live with the pain, and as a result their quality of life and active lifestyle suffer.   According to Frank Giammattei, M.D., a board-certified orthopaedist with Premier Orthopaedics at Crozer-Keystone Health System, “Patients do not have to live in fear of ..read more

  Today it seems everyone and their mother-in-law are undergoing joint replacement surgery. Dean Trevlyn, M.D., a board-certified orthopaedist with Premier Orthopaedics at Crozer-Keystone Health System, states, “With people living longer and being more active in later years, there’s more wear and tear on our bodies, particularly our joints.”   Although hip and knee replacements are the most common, shoulders are becoming more commonly replaced. Joint replacements can also be done for elbows, wrists and ankles.   Most joints are repaired between the ages of 50 and 80; the average age of people ..read more

Elderly lady grabbing her knee in pain as she sits on a wall surrounding a pond after injuring herself out walking on an autumn day with copy space Do you find it hard to perform simple tasks around the house, such as walking up stairs or picking up laundry? Do you suffer from knee pain even when you’re just sitting or lying down? Do you feel stiff and/or have limited mobility? Is your knee deformed? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be dealing with the effects of arthritis in the knee – the largest joint in your body – or other conditions that are causing havoc in that ..read more

Joint replacement surgery is a routine operation that enables hundreds of thousands of patients each year to resume active lifestyles. James McGlynn, M.D., a board-certified surgeon specializing in joint replacement with Premier Orthopaedics at Crozer-Keystone Health System, states, “You never know how a patient will respond to medication and physical therapy after a procedure, but it’s not uncommon for patients to return to activities of daily living as well as travel sooner than expected.”Every person’s situation and recovery are different, so the time when a patient is ready for travel var ..read more

October is National Physical Therapy Month! In honor of National PT Month, here are 10 ways physical therapy can help you.   1. PT can alleviate your pain   By now, most have figured out that physical therapy can help relieve pain. Physical therapists evaluate your body, then create a plan to improve your function and reduce your pain.   2. PT can get you back into sports   Americans love sports. From football to competitive racing, we love competing and seeing what we can do. Training and performance often lead to injuries, which can be helped by a PT. It’s not just about getting you pain-fre ..read more

There is a certain comradery between runners that makes races something more than just a solo event. Runners want to find better ways to train and to make their times just a little bit quicker. Here are a few exercises for the runner looking to add 5 minutes of resistance training to improve strength and reduce injury risk.   Running is largely a single leg activity. We think of running as a relatively simple thing to do, it’s just putting one foot in front of the other. Our body, however, is challenged in many ways while running. We need significant levels of coordination and balance to stan ..read more

Sleeping can be a real pain the neck. It takes only a small amount of discomfort to disrupt your sleep. One of the most common problems patients come to PT for is neck pain, which is made worse by lying down. There are a few simple fixes that might just help you get 8 hours tonight.   POSITION 1: Don’t sleep with your head propped up too high, or sinking too low.   This may seem obvious, but if your neck is in an uncomfortable position in the moments you are falling asleep, it’s only going to get worse once you have fallen asleep. While lying on your side, your neck should be parallel to the s ..read more

Summer is upon us! Here we are counting down to many of this years best races! 5k’s to marathons, even long trail runs during these dog days of summer. You pack you clothes and shoes, charge your GPS watch, maybe some sunblock and extra socks (just in case) and you’re about to head out the door… that’s when you realize you almost forgot your water bottle! Usually the last thing on our minds, we mindlessly brush off the notion or grab that empty water bottle. Thoughts of, “oh they’ll have water stations”, or “I’ll grab a bottle at the start line.” we oft forget that the best assurance we have t ..read more

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. Nothing is better than the sight of cherry blossoms in full bloom, or the first lawn being mowed.Southeastern PA has exceptional seasons, and it’s time to take advantage of it. Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. Nothing is better than the sight of cherry blossoms in full bloom, or the first lawn being mowed. Southeastern PA has exceptional seasons, and it’s time to take advantage of it. Every spring, we see an influx of patients suffering from injuries. From overuse injuries like Achilles tendonitis, to traumatic injuries f ..read more