The human shoulder can do incredible things.It allows us to perform any and every overhead activity. It is the foundation of the upper limb that allows our hands to perform highly skilled activities such as paint, play a musical instrument, or accurately throw a ball.In this article, I would like to point out some characteristics that make the shoulder joint truly unique.
Topics: health, physical therapy
On my first day at Southwest Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, I was introduced to the behind the scenes of billing the insurance world. I will admit it was a little intimitating, but the hardest part was understanding the strange concept of an EOB. They are referred to by many other terms most commonly, an explanation of benefits (EOB), an explanation of review (EOR), and an explanation of remittance adivce (ERA). For our purposes, let's stick with an EOB. An EOB is simply a piece of paper from an insurance company, but that paper does so much for providers and patients. All of them describe in sometimes confusing detail how much the insurance company paid, why they paid that amount, and most importantly what the patient responsibility is. I'd like to take the time and break down what these papers mean to the providers and to the patients.
Topics: health insurance
The insurance world is a very confusing place to navigate. The terminology can be almost as foreign as many medical terms. I should know this, when I first began working at Southwest Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, I was a college student with absolutely no idea what health insurance really was. After four years working in this world, I would like to think I have learned a thing or two and I would love to share some things I know. As a medical biller there are a few trends I notice from insurance companies that cost my patients more money than what they expect to pay. I have put together a list of the top five I see on almost a weekly basis. Knowing your insurance plan could save you hundreds or even thousands a year.
Topics: health insurance
A recent survey by Lands' End Direct Merchants found that more than 96 percent of children ages 8 to 12 will carry a backpack to school this year. Of those, nearly one-third will carry their backpack improperly. Similarly, another study found that the average child carries a backpack that would be the equivalent of a 39-pound backpack for a 176-pound man, or a 29-pound backpack for a 132-pound woman. This significant amount of weight can cause your child to experience back, neck and shoulder pain. Keep these tips in mind as you are purchasing your child’s backpack this year.
Starting school again this New Year is going to bring lots of home work and late night studying for students. Improper body mechanics while reading and studying can cause unwanted back pain, neck pain and headaches. We can study in several different positions, but most people are sitting. Here are some tips for proper sitting mechanics:
Finding the proper shoe fit is essential for the health of your feet. You need to select shoes with the proper fit and support to ensure that your feet will support you throughout your life. Shoes that do not fit properly can cause a host of problems including calluses, corns, bunions, hammertoes, and general pain. This guide will help you avoid some of the most common mistakes people make when fitting themselves for shoes.
1. Try on your shoes! Don’t rely exclusively on the size marked by the manufacturer inside the shoe. Shoes sizes can vary by style and manufacturer, so even if you know your shoe size, decide whether the shoe fits based on how it feels when you try it on.
2. Spend a little time test walking your shoe selection to make sure they fit right. Even high fashion can be comfortable.
3. The ball of your foot should fit comfortably into the widest part, or the ball pocket, of the shoe.
4. Stand while the shoe is being fitted and ensure there is 3/8” to ½” of space in front of your longest toe at the end of each shoe.
5. Make sure both feet are measured. Most people have one foot that is larger than the other, so shoes shoe be fitted to the larger foot.
6. The heel of your feet shoe fit comfortably into the shoe with a minimum amount of slippage.
7. In general, select shoes that conform as nearly as possible to the natural shape of your foot.
8. Don’t buy shoes that are too tight and expect them to stretch to fit your feet.
9. The size of your feet increases throughout the day. Try on shoes at or near the end of the day when your feet are at their largest.
10. Get your feet measured every time you buy a new pair of shoes. The size of your feet will change as you get older.
