October 29, 2010 – 11:16 am
An estimated 200,000 Americans experience ACL injuries each year. Female athletes are more susceptible to the injury. Fortunately, there is a program designed especially for young female athletes that is scientifically proven to reduce noncontact ACL injuries. Today’s podcast features Kate Campbell, DPT, CSCS of Ridgefield Physical Therapy. She shares details about using the Sportsmetrics program to help female athletes avoid ACL injuries.
Sportsmetrics is a 6-week program developed by the Cincinnati Sports Medicine Research and Education Foundation. The program teaches female athletes how to preposition themselves when landing, accelerating and decelerating to prevent injury. The program is progressive in nature and allows participants to practice good technique through a variety of drills and exercises. Campbell recently used Sportsmetrics at a summer clinic with high school female athletes and found 73% of the girls at the beginning program were at high risk for knee injury. By the end of the 6-week program only 27% were still at high risk for ACL injuries.
Sportsmetrics has also developed a warm-up for injury prevention and performance (WIPP) program which incorporates jumps and techniques designed to help athletes maintain their strength and utilize proper technique. A free copy of the WIPP program is available on the Sportsmetrics website. Tune in now to learn how to help female athletes near your clinic reduce ACL injuries.
October 24, 2010 – 8:03 am
The technology behind electrical stimulation and ultrasound treatments continues to change. Unfortunately, the administration of electrical stimulation and ultrasound treatments hasn’t always kept pace with the changing technology. Physical therapists recently had the opportunity to learn the correct way to complete electrical stimulation and ultrasound treatments at a seminar sponsored by Advantage Medical Rehab Equipment and Supplies.
The one-day seminar provided physical therapists with a comprehensive overview of the history, theories and proper administration of ultrasound and electrical stimulation treatments. Participants learned the correct frequency and time required to correctly achieve a 1 to 4 degree rise in tissue temperature when using an ultrasound. The guidelines for achieving a rise in tissue temperature are outlined below:
Tissue Temperature Rise
(Degrees Centigrade) |
1.0 MHz Frequency (1.0 w/cm2)
Time Required |
3.0 MHz Frequency (1.0 w/cm2)
Time Required |
| 1 |
2 minutes 32 seconds |
51 seconds |
| 2 |
5 minutes 4 seconds |
1 minute 42 seconds |
| 3 |
7 minutes 35 seconds |
2 minutes 32 seconds |
| 4 |
10 minutes 6 seconds |
3 minutes 22 seconds |
Seminar participants also learned proper techniques for completing nerve blocks, pain modulation, muscle re-education, tissue healing, edema management and other electrical simulation and ultrasound treatments. A few simple things physical therapists can do to immediately improve electrical stimulation and ultrasound treatment administration include:
1. Avoid using ultrasound gel warmers. When heated, the viscosity of the ultrasound gel decreases and reduces the efficiency of sound wave transmittal.
2. Take it easy. During an ultrasound treatment, gently glide the ultrasound head on top of the gel along the patient’s body. Do not press so hard on the device that the gel pushes out from the sound head. The added pressure can make the treatment less effective and more painful for the patient.
3. Use quality electrodes. The type of electrodes you use impacts outcomes. Mesh electrodes may cost less but do not conduct electricity as well as carbon based electrodes. To provide patients with the best possible outcomes invest in carbon-based electrodes.
4. Take time to consider the patient before doing a treatment. Take your patient’s age, health and purpose of treatment into consideration. Use this information to determine the right frequency to use for the treatment you’re planning to give.
5. Talk with patients prior to giving a treatment. Help patients understand how the treatment works, how they can expect the treatment to feel and any risks and benefits associated with the procedure.
October 15, 2010 – 8:30 am
Physical therapists are known for helping individuals regain function after an injury or surgery. But many don’t realize a physical therapist’s expertise in movement and biomechanics can help them overcome challenges, prevent injuries and achieve fitness goals. A group of clinics based in California and Arizona, Movement for Life, is moving beyond physical therapy to meet the movement needs of individuals throughout all stages of life. James E. Glinn, DPT, and founder of Movement for Life shares details in this week’s podcast.
The Movement for Life clinics differ from traditional physical therapy clinics by providing rehab, maintenance and performance programs implemented by a collaborative group of professionals including exercise physiologists, personal trainers, nutritionists, exercise scientists and doctors of physical therapy. Many clients first visit the clinic after an injury. After rehab is done, instead of handing patients off to another clinic or fitness center, Movement for Life clinics continue to work with patients to achieve their fitness goals and performance expectations.
This unique business model utilizes both insurance and cash-based reimbursements. Listen now learn how to incorporate a whole life approach to rehab, maintenance and fitness at your clinic.
October 8, 2010 – 9:22 am
The colorful leaves and cooler temperatures make fall the perfect time to get out and exercise. That’s exactly what the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is encouraging people to do in recognition of National Physical Therapy Month.
The focus for National Physical Therapy Month this year is to encourage individuals to incorporate regular physical activity into their daily lives to prevent and combat obesity in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 34% of adults and 17% of children are obese. The number of individuals with type 2 diabetes has dramatically increased as well. Both of these issues contribute to the U.S. life expectancy falling further behind other nations as revealed in a recent study by the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. The study currently ranks the United States 49th in the world among industrialized nations. In 1950, the U.S. was ranked 5th.
Physical therapists are well-positioned to reverse this trend. As experts in movement, physical therapists are equipped to help individuals overcome the obstacles that have kept them from enjoying an active life. Teach individuals how to move properly to reduce their risk of injury and work closely with individuals to meet their needs, priorities and challenges to help them achieve their fitness goals.
The APTA website and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have a number of tools you can use to encourage the members of your community to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine.
