Orthowell Physical Therapy

There-Is-a-New-Way-to-Treat-Sprains-and-Strains-Ice-Is-Out

There Is a New Way to Treat Sprains and Strains: Ice Is Out

Most of us grew up on the same advice. Twist an ankle, pull a muscle, take a bad step off a curb, and the first move is always the same: ice it. That habit is so ingrained that many people reach for the freezer before they even think about what they’re treating.

Turns out that habit may be working against you. Sports medicine researchers have been taking a closer look at how injuries actually heal, and ice is coming out the loser. Cooling an injured area feels good in the moment, but there’s growing evidence it slows down the body’s own repair work rather than helping it along. Compression and elevation are holding steady. Rest still matters too, just not in the way most people picture it.

Here’s the shift at a glance, then a closer look at each piece.

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How Shockwave Therapy Affects the Body: What the Research Says

How Shockwave Therapy Affects the Body: What the Research Says

Shockwave therapy has become a popular non-invasive treatment for people dealing with chronic pain, tendon injuries, and joint conditions. While many treatments focus on managing symptoms, shockwave therapy is designed to stimulate the body’s natural healing response. But what does the research actually say?

Several peer-reviewed studies have examined how focused extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) affects the body. The findings suggest that it may help reduce pain, improve movement, and support tissue repair in certain musculoskeletal conditions. Although results vary from person to person, the growing body of evidence makes shockwave therapy an option worth considering when recommended by a qualified healthcare professional.

What Is Shockwave Therapy?

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What Is Physical Therapy? Benefits, Treatments & How It Helps

What Is Physical Therapy? Benefits, Treatments & How It Helps

If you’ve ever dealt with nagging back pain, recovered from a sports injury, or watched a loved one struggle to regain strength after surgery, you’ve probably heard someone recommend physical therapy. But what does that actually mean, and how does it work?

Physical therapy (PT) is a hands-on medical treatment that helps people move better, manage pain, and regain independence after an injury, surgery, or illness. Instead of just masking symptoms with medication, a licensed physical therapist looks at the root cause of your discomfort and builds a plan to fix it using targeted exercises, manual techniques, and specialized equipment.

Whether you’re searching for “physical therapy near me” after a car accident or you’re an athlete trying to get back on the field, the goal is the same: restore function safely, without unnecessary reliance on surgery or long-term medication.

How Physical Therapy Works

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What’s Causing Your Foot Pain? A Guide to Plantar Fasciitis and Treatment Options

What’s Causing Your Foot Pain? A Guide to Plantar Fasciitis and Treatment Options

If you’ve ever rolled out of bed and felt a stabbing pain shoot through your heel the moment your foot hits the floor, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common complaints we hear, and more often than not, it points to a condition called plantar fasciitis.

As a clinical team that works with patients dealing with foot and ankle pain every week, we’ve seen how disruptive this condition can be and how manageable it becomes once you understand what’s actually happening and what to do about it.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

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Can Nicotine Help Long COVID Symptoms? Research Update

Could Nicotine Help Your Long COVID Symptoms?

If you’ve been dealing with brain fog, exhaustion, or that frustrating feeling of just not being “back to normal” since having COVID, you’ve probably searched online for anything that might help. Recently, a theory has been circulating suggesting that nicotine, particularly in patch form, might ease some long COVID symptoms.

One discussion that has generated interest around this topic can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/939899085740927

It’s an interesting idea, and it’s worth understanding where it comes from. But it’s also important to separate early-stage research from a proven treatment. Here’s a breakdown of what’s actually known so far.

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How Eccentric Exercises Help Treat Patellar Tendonitis

How Eccentric Exercises Help Treat Patellar Tendonitis

Patellar tendonitis, often known as jumper’s knee, is a common injury that causes pain in the tendon connecting the kneecap to the shinbone. It frequently affects athletes who participate in sports that involve jumping, sprinting, or sudden changes in direction. However, it can also develop in active adults who place repeated stress on their knees during work or exercise.

Eccentric exercise training is one of the best treatments for patellar tendonitis. Physical therapists frequently prescribe these exercises to build tendon strength, reduce pain, and improve knee function without simply resting or relying on medications.

What Are Eccentric Exercises?

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Can DMSO help soft tissue injuries

Can DMSO help soft tissue injuries?

Could DMSO be useful and effective in helping to accelerate the healing of soft tissue injuries? It is definitely an alternative strategy that you may want to investigate. It has been extremely effective for my rotator cuff issues and keeps me “banging” away on the pickleball court. Yes, I am still trying to master the softer side of the game. Ha! 

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) treats soft tissue injuries primarily by acting as a powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic agent that rapidly penetrates skin to reduce swelling and pain. It acts as a free radical scavenger to halt tissue damage, accelerates healing by boosting fibroblast proliferation, and reduces edema.

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What do you know about grass-fed beef?

What do you know about grass-fed beef?

See, grass-fed beef is one of the most nutrient-dense, health-transforming, delicious foods on this planet. It’s a real superfood. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get the credit it’s due!

If you’re thinking, “Whatttt??” keep reading to learn 6 reasons why I adore grass-fed beef—and 2 big myths that hold people back from enjoying it. 

6 Reasons I Love Grass-Fed Beef

1) Grass-Fed Beef Has 5x MORE Omega-3s Than Grain-Fed

That’s significant because more than half of us consume inadequate levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. In fact, a 2009 Harvard study revealed that omega-3 deficiency kills up to 96,000 Americans each year!

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