by Kelly Thomsen, PT With millions of Americans working from home, ergonomics and posture are more important than ever. As many of us had to set up home offices quickly, we may be starting to feel the effects of working at a table that is too low, hunching over a laptop, or sitting in a chair that is too high. Let’s take a look at how to make working from home feel better through proper ergonomic posture.   Good posture, also known as keeping a “neutral spine,” is the result of the work of several muscles, with the shoulder blade and abdominal musculature being some of ..read more

You are the thousands of Chicagoans that have made my life full. You have allowed me to care for you, learn from you, and listen to you. You have been my patients. Although my role has simply been that of your physical therapist, sharing in your life experiences and injuries over the past 37 years has enriched me in more ways than you can imagine. I have come to know and care for your families, teammates, kids, and neighbors, and I am honored for that. I feel very lucky to have worked in the field of physical therapy, being a part of its exponential growth as an entrepreneur in the industry ..read more

by Lauren Sweeney, Office Manager As high-deductible plans become more common, people are more vigorously seeking methods of off-setting their health care costs. One of the most efficient ways to do this is with a tax-favored health plan, such as a health savings account (HSA), a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) or a flexible spending arrangements (FSA). Each plan has its own benefits and considerations, and as not everyone wants to read the IRS's Publication 969, we're going to lay them out here. Part of the allure of all three types of account is that they are tax-exempt, so ..read more

  by Meg Crowley, PT A muscle cramp, a paper cut, a bumped shin. We experience pain every day to varying degrees, but we may not have ever given thought to how it works. Like many sensations we experience, pain is a signal our body sends to our brain to keep us safe. There are receptors in every area of the body that assess things like temperature, pressure, stretch, and vibration. These receptors are in constant communication with the brain, and when they sense that the body has passed a threshold that could lead to damage, your brain interprets that message as pain. The brain ..read more

In light of the recent health concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been working behind the scenes to quickly roll out a telehealth option for you. Here is what you need to know! What is telehealth?  An online, web-based option to virtually meet with one of our experienced clinicians to receive evaluation and treatment for your musculoskeletal injuries/ conditions.  What can a physical therapist provide in a telehealth visit? There are many benefits to meeting virtually with your physical therapist! We can: Update your c ..read more

by Kate Marconi, PT Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the United States, with over 60 million people participating in some way. Each year the number of running events, from 5Ks to marathons, increases due to popularity. The majority of people begin running to improve their health, but many runners have also been told that they’re ruining their knees or that they should stop when they get older to avoid arthritis.   So will running ruin your knees? A study by Lo et al. (2018) looked into just that, following individuals over the age of 50 with current osteoar ..read more

by Sally Fansler PT Is there anything more gratifying than knowing you’ve made a difference in someone else’s life? Honestly, we can’t think of anything, which is good news because it confirms we’re still in the right industry! For the past 10 years, the staff at Lakeshore Physical Therapy has strived to provide one-on-one physical therapy care to our patients with a unique individualized approach. What we discovered was that this business model was equally positive for our patients and for us. With extra treatment time in each visit, successful communication and listening fosters ..read more

by Jill Jonda, PT Do you stretch frequently and still seem to feel tight? Are you concerned you can’t touch your toes or can’t get your pecs to loosen up? When this happens, we usually talk about flexibility - the amount of mobility around a joint or multiple joints – but muscle tension isn’t always the cause of the sensation of “tightness:” in fact, neural tissue (tissue which makes up the nervous system) tension can provide a very similar sensation. Let’s take a look at how neurodynamics can affect the body. According to Dutton, neurodynamics is “the study of the mechanics and phy ..read more

by Meg Crowley, PT If you feel you've seen more and more articles referencing the pelvic floor, you're not imagining it - this group of muscles has been talked about recently on everything from local news stations to Buzzfeed. But you may have wondered: what exactly does the pelvic floor do? What does it look like? Why is it so important? The pelvic floor is a bowl-shaped group of muscles located at the base of your pelvis (hip bones). These muscles have 5 main functions: To help support internal organs  To control bowel and bladder function To aid in sexual function and plea ..read more

by Lauren Sweeney, Office Manager Whether you do it for recreation or for transportation – or both – cycling is a low-impact exercise that can be as fun as it is beneficial. I realize that as someone who bikes a minimum of 72 miles per week I might be biased, but the science backs me up: according to several studies, commuting via bike for at least 30 minutes, 5 days per week, reduces the number of sick days employees take. Studies have also linked cycling with decreased likelihood in death from cancer and cardiovascular disease. And there’s no wrong time to start: a study in the Jour ..read more