Southwest Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Information Headquarters

Today about 10 a.m. I had physical therapy “Holy ^#@>!”, When I stood up to walk, my knees felt like someone hit them with a baseball bat, then covered them with bees. That may seem a bit over-dramatic- but it is a pretty good description of how I felt at the time. (Keep in mind that I am Irish and we never let the truth get in the way of a good story). One curious thing kept happening through all of this physical therapy, I became extremely thirsty throughout my PT sessions. I mean “Lawrence of Arabia” parched (see what I mean about being Irish).

My physical therapist came into my room today and and said she brought me a present. "A present for me? Oh you shouldn't have". I was curious about what the present might be. But judging from the cheshire smile on her face I can only imagine. She then reached around the corner and brought "the present" into the room.

"Ouch!" Oh my gosh I am really hurting! I mean I can't imagine why- they just filet'd me like a trout, took out my worthless knee joints and put in new ones, closed the wounds shut with over 50 staples I think they got from Home Depot.

Hello! Hello...Mr. Patrick We are all done. Your surgery went very well.

Today is January 5th. On my way to hospital to get both of my knee joints replaced. I am feeling pretty confident.

OK. Let's start at the beginning... My name is Pat and I have been a patient of Southwest Orthopaedic Physical Therapy (SWOPT) since they started their business in 2002. I have rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, so to say my health challenges have been many would be an understatement. 

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.