May 7, 2019
Thank you all so much for supporting us not only for this past Parkinson's Awareness Month, but for the past 3 years. We were excited to host another Parkinson's Workshop in the clinic and look forward to many more. See the full talk from neurosurgeon, Dr. Gary Simonds, below.
April 17, 2019
Today we wanted to speak to a different concept that we see on a daily basis. It is the idea of someone’s comfort zone. Parkinson’s Disease dramatically effects it and we want to share some ways for you to expand your comfort zone.
March 11, 2019
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a term used to describe a group of disorders that occur when there is compression, injury, or irritation of the nerves and/or blood vessels (arteries and veins) in the lower neck and upper chest area.
January 11, 2019
We are almost half way through January! How are your resolutions coming along? Didn't set any? That's fine too! Whether you are the type to set resolutions, or not, we want you to have your happiest, healthiest year yet. Try these any or all of these 5 tips to get started!
November 6, 2018
We would like to take a moment and say thank you to everyone that was involved in our inaugural Knock Out Parkinson's Walk/Run. We were overwhelmed by the amount of support and enthusiasm from our wonderful community.
November 1, 2018
Unlucky or freak collisions are NOT the cause of most ACL injuries. Rather, the injuries have more to do with the condition of the athlete’s strength, balance, and control than the stress the athlete puts upon it. The good news is that much of this can be helped with specific directed therapy and training. Prevention programs have been shown to reduce the injury incidence by 50% or more in some studies. These are three simple exercises you can do to help prevent ACL injuries.
August 14, 2018
The ACL, short for “Anterior Cruciate Ligament,” is a ligament in the center of your knee that helps add to the stability of your knee. It keeps your tibia (shin bone) from sliding forward on your femur (thigh bone), and also provides stability from the two bones “twisting” on one another.
August 8, 2018
Stem cell treatments provide an alternative to opioids and surgery for those suffering from osteoarthritis, meniscus tears, tendon tears, and other wear and tear problems.
July 17, 2018
Low back pain is the most common injury in golf and has been shown to account for up to 54 percent of all golf injuries. It also affects over 70 percent of golfers at some point in their sporting career. So why is low back pain so common in golf and what can we do to prevent it?
July 10, 2018
Did you know that our core is the foundation for all movement? We literally couldn’t even stand without some activation of these muscles.
So what is “the core”? It’s your body’s powerhouse and it consists of many muscle groups besides just your abdominals. The core is essentially the trunk area from the upper to lower back, stomach, pelvic region, and even your bottom. Each area of the core works together to provide our foundation for movement.
July 5, 2018
The Kettlebell Swing is one of the best yet arguably one of the most poorly performed exercises. When it is done properly, it should feel like a challenge to the gluts, core, and cardiovascular system. You should not feel this exercise in your low back. You should also not feel as if you are using your arms to raise the kettlebell. Below are 5 tips to help you perform this exercise properly and reap the benefits!
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June 27, 2018
Have you ever had an injury that causes pain for a short period of time, then goes away? What about an injury that seems to linger for months or years such as neck or back pain? Why is it that some injuries tend to cause pain for longer than others? The answer lies in the biology of how we as humans perceive pain.
June 20, 2018
Our body is comprised of over 600 hundred muscles that all have to work in a coordinated fashion to ensure we are able to move well without pain. Very commonly these muscles don’t work as well after injury and our bodies never learn how to use those muscles properly until they are re-trained. This situation occurs after a low back injury and can lead to continual problems in the future.
June 13, 2018
80-90% of Americans experience some aspect of low back pain at some point in their lives. For anyone that has experienced this, myself included, it can be an extremely disabling and scary. But the good news is that our bodies are incredibly resilient and have the capability of healing themselves even with debilitating issues.
June 6, 2018
As a physical therapist that treats musculoskeletal conditions, it is not uncommon to have patients on a weekly basis concerned about popping or cracking they hear in their joints. For some, this popping and cracking may have been present for many years, for others it may have started occurring after an injury. If not accompanied by pain, it is typically perfectly normal as most of us have this sensation when we move different joints in our body.
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May 23, 2018
Are you a runner that is sick of avoiding traffic, tired of the same boring route? Perhaps you just enjoy being out in the woods and want to spend more time taking advantage of the beautiful scenery we are surrounded by? Whatever your reason may be, trail running is a great way to break the monotony of running on pavement as well as soak in the local landscape. Follow these five tips to get you on your way!
May 9, 2018
Getting started with a running routine can be tough. Running drums up feelings of pain, exhaustion, and boredom for many people, yet the trails in our Blue Ridge Mountains are full of seemingly happy people running along. How can this be? For many people, starting is the worst part. Here’s how to get started.
May 8, 2018
In the second installment of my blog topics revolving around patient communication and building a good patient-therapist alliance, I wanted to discuss attributes you should be looking for when deciding what physical therapist you work with.
May 2, 2018
The Achilles tendon travels from your calf muscle to your heel. It can commonly be injured during athletic activities (running, jumping, etc), from overuse, or lack of strength in most cases.
April 23, 2018
Thank you for tuning in to the 5th part of our Parkinson's Disease blog series. Today we wanted to share some boxing basics with you. Check out the four videos below by our very own Bob Conrad, PTA.
April 11, 2018
What is Parkinson's Disease?
Parkinson’s Disease is a disorder that slowly robs a person of their ability to get around, perform tasks, and interact with the outside world. Although the disease can result in depression, other psychological disturbances, and dementia (loss of thinking and memory abilities), it is best known for its effects on a person’s “motor” abilities – that is, the ability to move smoothly and efficiently.
April 9, 2018
I wanted to first officially introduce myself as the new Director of Specialized Physical Therapy in Candler. Being a Physical Therapist for 10 years and having been in WNC for the past 7, I have worked with patients of all ages who are looking to get back to activities after an injury. I have learned over the years that communication is vital in developing a therapeutic alliance with patients, helping people understand their diagnosis, and provide positive encouragement to help with recovery. I felt as though it would be appropriate for my first few blog topics to center around communication and the importance of building rapport with your therapist.
April 4, 2018
Meet Mike
We wanted to take a few minutes and introduce you to Mike. He has been boxing with us for a couple years now and has been an active participant in the community. Take a few minutes to listen to Mike talk about the program in his own words.
March 28, 2018
How Does Exercise Change The Brain?
High intensity exercise appears to play a protective role for our brain and effects important areas of the brain related to dopamine production. For these reasons (and many others we will talk about later) we can see decreases in the symptoms associated with Parkinson's Disease. Although we cannot reverse the disease, these studies are giving hope that we can reduce the impact of Parkinson's Disease on people’s lives.
March 21, 2018
What Is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic and progressive neurological disease affecting human movement. Parkinson’s affects neurons primarily in the substantia nigra. These cells produce dopamine that is largely responsible for relaying information to various parts of the brain about movement.
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March 14, 2018
Using BFR (Blood Flow Restriction) in therapy after an injury or post-operative surgery can speed up recovery time while decreasing muscle loss.
January 8, 2018
Jim Gregory, PT, DPT, OCS, MTC, CSCS has joined the Specialized Physical Therapy team. Dr. Gregory has lived in the Asheville area for the past 7 years, with his amazing wife Ashley, after relocating from Washington State. While at Clemson University, Jim completed a BS in Animal and Veterinary Sciences and was a collegiate rugby player, which began his exposure to physical therapy. In 2008, he received a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in St. Augustine, FL, specializing in manual therapy and highlighted by a clinical rotation with the Utah Jazz of the NBA
December 21, 2017
In the midst of the holiday season, it’s easy to fall prey to all of the festivities while losing track of the fitness you’ve worked so hard for all year. Maybe you gave up on your New Years’ resolution a long time ago, cancelled your gym membership, or continually tell yourself that you will start again next year, as you eat one too many Christmas desserts.
November 7, 2017
Low back pain can be debilitating. Growing up I saw my father complain of back pain daily. As I grew older I did what I could to have a healthy spine. However, shortly after having emergency surgery to remove my appendix, I bent over to tie my shoe and suffered from excruciating back pain. It wasn’t until I met Dr. Simonds at Specialized Physical Therapy that I felt like I was back on the path to my normal self.
October 13, 2017
Specialized Physical Therapy is excited to announce that we are raising money for Girls on the Run of WNC this October. Our goal is to raise $3,000 by the end of October and to that end we have gotten things started with a donation of $500! You can donate any number of different ways!
June 1, 2017
During the past several years, much has been written about a preparation called Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) and its potential effectiveness in the treatment of pain and injuries. Recent research has shown increasing evidence for the use of PRP for arthritis and knee pain in addition to soft tissue injuries.
Many famous athletes — Tiger Woods, tennis star Rafael Nadal, and several others — have received PRP for various problems, and many have credited PRP with their being able to return more quickly to competition.
May 9, 2017
The sun is out, the temperature is up, and if you are like most Ashevillians, you are gearing up to start hiking and running around our beautiful mountains. Inevitably, we see more people in our clinic complaining of heel pain during the warmer months. Whether it is due to overuse or some other injury, here are some quick and easy stretches for heel pain you can take at home to potentially resolve the issue.