Southwest Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Information Headquarters

So you injure your back and go to the doctor for help. You are examined and then some X-rays and maybe an MRI. The doctor then comes back with some type of term, called a diagnosis you might have heard before but don’t know what it specifically means, or some other Latin gobbledygook that you have NO idea about. So in this Blog, I will attempt to explain all of the in’s and out’s of “back injury terminology”. Click here to reference another blog about the Anatomy of the Spine.

Why do we worry so much about surgical pain when we really won’t remember it anyway?

Here is a series of blogs written by SWOPT employees, Kristen, Roby and Tami. They are part of our front office staff and have put together these blogs to give an insight to what it is like to set up an appointment at SWOPT. We hope you enjoy. Leave any questions as comments and someone at SWOPT will respond.

Tennis elbow can quickly bring your tennis game to a halt. While this injury is commonly found in tennis players, it can also be found in chefs, construction workers, and painters. The reason behind this is because the wrist is constantly shifting from a flexed forward position to an extended back position. The muscles in the forearm that work the wrist also connect into the outside of the elbow. When constantly being stretched and contracted the tendons in the elbow begin to wear and tear. This causes inflammation in the elbow joint and thus creates pain when the elbow fully extends.

While the ability to stand and function on two legs allows humans to excel at home, work, sport or play, it is also a set-up for failure at the foundation or hub of the body; the lower back.

They come in all shapes and sizes. You can get many different colors and styles. They can be found on the street, in offices, in businesses, in homes and of course on the red carpet. They turn heads everywhere they go. They are of course high heels and they are popular for every season in every location around the world. High heels split the shoe purchasing community every day. There are some who would never leave the house without at least an extra four inches on their feet and there are some that think that four inches sounds like you would be walking on stilts. Whatever your opinion is, the pros and cons of wearing high heels will both be discussed in this article from two SWOPT employees on opposite sides of the debate.

Our spine’s primary job is to act as the “tree trunk” of the body. The spine is made up of 24 bony blocks called vertebrae, stacked one on top of the other. In between each two vertebra is a disc, made out of cartilage rings. The disc acts like a rubber band to absorb shock between vertebrae, and to allow movement in every direction without damaging the bony vertebrae.

"Isn't it great when you arrive for your doctor's appointment and the latest issue of your favorite magazine is in the lobby? I personally love it; I usually skip all the juicy gossip and head straight for my horoscope. I like to know what I'm in for because who knows, I might hit the lottery and end up on a cruise by Friday. As I'm reading I find out that my week is going to be great! I decide to go back to the cover and read what else my favorite magazine has to say about the latest celebrity news. As I read the breaking news, Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt are ending their relationship. I become curious because last time I heard Brad and Angelina just adopted another child. I glance at the date only to find out that this magazine is really old. I'm sad now because my horoscope is not what I read it was going to be. Now there is no cruise for me and the twenty other people I was going to take with me. Glad I didn't send out a mass text message to my family and friends to quit their jobs and pack their bags."-Tami, SWOPT employee

This is the first in a series on Understanding Pain. Please note SWOPT prides itself in our abilities to explain pain to facilitate your rehab process.

Currently 96% of professional physical therapy programs around the country are graduating students at the DPT level (Doctorate of Physical Therapy). By the year 2015 all graduates must have a DPT.