Active Physical Therapy Solutions Articles

Patients that present to the office with acute or chronic lower back pain commonly inquire as to the potential benefit of using an Inversion Table to apply Inversion Therapy - essentially hanging upside down. If you asked 10 different healthcare providers of different disciplines if inversion therapy is beneficial, you would probably get ten different opinions. While inversion therapy in…

When we are involved in an accident and suffer an injury, we expect to experience pain immediately following the incident. However, sometime down the road we also expect to heal and recover ultimately moving on with our lives. Unfortunately, many of us never fully recover and are left with what is commonly termed residual pain and limitation. Many patients cannot…

New Year’s Day has come and gone and some of us have already broken those New Years resolutions. Most people break their resolutions because they set very lofty goals and either, realize that they bit off more than they could chew or became bored with their attempt. So the first article of the year will provide you with a path…

Almost 3-years ago I wrote an article for this column regarding the increasing rate of poor posture due to overuse of handheld electronic devices. After writing two articles approximately 2 years apart the message is still not getting through because the number of patients experiencing neck and back pain due to chronic use of handheld devices is increasing. So as…

In a physical medicine practice such as physical therapy and/or a chiropractic practice, patients arrive having had a variety of injections or they are contemplating a variety of injections in an attempt to remedy their particular ailment. In physical therapy practice we often see a mismatch of the type of injection with the actual goal of the injection. In order…

As summer comes to an end and we transition into fall, we also begin the competitive swim seasons for the YMCA, USA swimming, high school modified and high school varsity swim programs. Swimming is a great sport that can be an excellent life long activity long after retirement from competitive swimming. Many swimmers will continue to swim in masters programs…

Over the last several months we are seeing an increasing number of patients recovering from or requiring shoulder replacement surgery. Generally there are two types of shoulder replacement surgery. The first is known as a total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and the other is referred to as a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (r-TSA). Which one you have or require depends on…

Last month’s article was specifically directed at the high school aged throwing arm. This month I will target the little league aged throwing arm. Little league baseball is in full swing and because of the fickle central New York weather so are the make up games. This article will focus on some simple observations that players, parents and coaches can…

Baseball season at the major league and high school levels is in full swing even though it is snowing as I am writing this. Our opportunity to implement comprehensive injury prevention strategies has passed since that should have begun in November. That doesn’t mean we cannot continue to prevent some throwing related shoulder and elbow injuries. The strategies available at…

In any medical condition there are two basic strategies for any condition. You can either treat the condition or manage the condition. The problem with this model is that very few medical providers and/or patients fully understand this concept of healthcare. The larger issue is that the insurance industry, those that we pay thousands of dollars to each year have…

Patients often come into the office with the complaint of having “knots in my muscles” that are painful. The reality is that there is no such thing as a “knot in a muscle”. The term “knot” is essentially a lay term to describe a focal area of any particular muscle that has become tight and restricted. Some people use the…

Have you ever wondered if you have a short leg? Perhaps you have heard the phrase “your legs are off”. Maybe you have been told “one leg is longer than the other”. The concept of Leg length discrepancy (LLD), or anisomelia, is commonly over used or used inaccurately. LLD is considered an orthopedic condition appearing in childhood as a congenital condition…

Entering a new year is a good time to correct some dietary deficiencies. So this article revisits a topic I covered 8 years ago. When it comes to injuries such as muscle strains, ligament tears, nerve irritation, tendon tears, tendonitis, etc. most people would think about taking Advil, getting a cortisone shot, receiving physical therapy, chiropractic treatment or even surgery.…

You have osteoarthritis in your knee and you’ve been scheduled to have your knee replaced. What does this entail? We have had several patients’ status post total knee arthroplasty (aka total knee replacement) that have had little knowledge of what comes next. This article is meant to help explain what you can expect after surgery. The actual surgery is approximately…

There is no better physical training for skiing, than skiing itself.  Generally speaking, most skiers participate in the sport for just a few weeks during the entire ski season.  Keeping this in mind, it should not be a big surprise that it takes most skiers more than a week of skiing to recover from the initial muscular trauma of hitting…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS. DACBSP Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a condition of the shoulder that results from severely tightened shoulder ligaments or joint capsule. There are many underlying causes of frozen shoulder. When frozen shoulder is classified as a Type-1 frozen shoulder it means that there was no apparent reason for the onset of…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP The rise in micro-management associated with Obamacare and changes in Medicare regulations has made mandatory the use of the Numerical Pain Scale (NPS) in all branches of daily healthcare practice. You would be hard pressed to enter a healthcare office and be able to exit without being asked, “On a scale…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP Merriam-Webster defines monopoly as “complete control of the entire supply of goods or of a service in a certain area or market”. If we apply this definition to our current healthcare “system”, we can see that the insurance industry has “complete control” over the health insurance “service…or market”. Why was this…

By: Dale Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP A meniscus tear is a common knee injury. The meniscus is a rubbery, C-shaped disc that cushions your knee. Each knee has two menisci (plural of meniscus), one at the outer edge of the knee (lateral meniscus) and one at the inner edge (medial meniscus). The menisci keep your knee steady by balancing…

By: Dale Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP Almost 2-years ago I wrote an article for this column regarding the steady rate of poor posture do to overuse of handheld electronic devises. Apparently the message didn’t get through because the number of patients experiencing neck and back pain do to chronic use of handheld devices is increasing. So I am repeating…

By: Dale Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP There area many causes of lower back pain. In teenagers and young adults lower back pain may be caused by something commonly referred to as a “spondylo”. This term has been commonly used as an abbreviation for either a spondylolysis and/or a spondylolisthesis. Spondylolysis is a defect in an area of the vertebrae…

By: Dale Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP Headaches are so common it is estimated that up to 93% of the population will experience a headache in their lifetime. Visits to a primary care physician specifically for a complaint of headache can be a high as 10%. Chances are that you know someone who is a headache sufferer. Headaches can be…

By: Dale Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP All physical therapy is not the same. It is common to hear statements like, “I’ve tried physical therapy and it didn’t work”. This statement implies that the individual believes that all physical therapy and all physical therapists are the same, having tried just one and failed. The truth is that there are many…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP National Physical Therapy Month (NPTM) is hosted by the APTA each October to recognize how physical therapists and physical therapist assistants help transform society by restoring and improving motion in people's lives. Unfortunately, many New Yorkers do not utilize their physical therapy benefits because of outrageously high copayments. Thousands of physical…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP It has been several months since I’ve written about ObamaCare. With an influx of complaints from Medicare recipients about having to chronically fill out Medicare required paperwork, it appears time to revisit this specific aspect of the ObamaCare mandates. This particular part of the ObamaCare mandates are called “functional limitation reporting”…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP Physical therapy not only helps individuals recover from an injury or accident, it can help control the pain of many age related problems such as arthritis and fatigue. After a fall many senior citizens require assistance with improving their balance, flexibility, strength, and range of motion. The possibility of losing independence,…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common nerve entrapments of the upper extremity. It occurs when the median nerve is compressed in the wrist. However, it is not uncommon for compression of the median nerve to occur in several different sites in the forearm. Over the course of time,…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, ACBSP The warm and sunny weather thaws the muscles and joints from the winter stiffness. It also brings renewal of exercise habits and the willingness to “get back in shape”. If you are venturing into the gym after a long hiatus here are a few simple tips to help your return to…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS As a physical medicine healthcare provider, I see 5-10 patients a month with Crossfit injuries. I entertain 5 times that number in questions about Crossfit between internet requests, office based requests and parents of young athletes that I coach. The general consensus is that you are all for Crossfit or you are against…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP Modern conveniences, technologies, chairs, remotes, are designed to make our life easier but all of them encourage sitting. Chronic sitting steals our opportunities of habitual movements, we used to make before we lived without modern conveniences. Workplace office design, recreational activities and entertainment devices with remote controls are all designed to…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP As this long relentless winter comes to an apparent end, it is time to think about how we will be spending our spring and summer. If the lingering winter has you longing for the golf course or getting off the treadmill for an outdoor run then you should be using the…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS The subject of “back spasms” has been prominent in the news recently because every Syracuse University Basketball fan wants to know when Jerami Grant will play again. According to almost every news outlet and sports reporting source he has not been playing because of “back spasms”. On March 8th, a disc jockey…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS Just because most cardiovascular equipment is low-impact doesn’t mean they it is all injury-proof. There are several different types of cardiovascular equipment, including treadmill, stair stepper, elliptical, upright stationary bike, recumbent stationary bike, and rowing machine. Each one has its benefits and its disadvantages. Your choice of cardiovascular equipment should take into…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS Unlike last year, Mother Nature has given us the inevitable Christmas gift of snow to shovel in the month of December. As the heart of the winter season approaches there will be several inches (or feet) of the white stuff to shovel. With the added strain to your muscles and joints this…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS Shoulder pain will affect as many as 70% of the population at some point in their life. Approximately 40-50% of which will persist and last longer than one-year. The most common causes of shoulder pain in primary care are reported to be rotator cuff disorders, acromioclavicular joint disease and glenohumeral joint disorders. The…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP The High School, NCAA and NFL football seasons are approximately 3 weeks old and in the NFL alone there are 17 reported concussions. In April 2012, I wrote a previous article for The Citizen regarding concussion for parents and athletes. Given the severity and importance of the topic I feel compelled to…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS As the summer comes to an end and the school year begins, the smell of fall fills the air and our nervous system is bombarded with the theme music from Monday Night Football. The upcoming high school sports season brings another opportunity for an athlete to be the next Vincent Edward Jackson.…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS It would be difficult to debate that today’s world has largely been groomed into an “instant gratification” society. Like it or not, if you watch television, use a cell phone or surf the Internet, you are being trained to live a life of instant gratification. This occurs in everything from your purchasing…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS In past years I would have written this column in May or June in anticipation of the summer cycling season. It looks like Mother Nature knew my schedule was off and brought the rains so I could get this done. I know there are some hard-core cyclists still pushing the pedals in the…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS Those of you that have read my column over the last few years know that I often reference my family to provide a “real life” perspective. This issue is about my mother’s recent experience with the healthcare system. We found out quickly that the “system” and its “players” lack the ability and the…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS The recent stretch of beautiful weather is getting all of us eager to exercise and/or work in the yard. This newfound activity is sure to bring with it a few aches and pains. It may also bring about some minor injuries and unfortunately some severe injuries. Understanding the difference between a minor injury…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS When patients are referred for “manual therapy” as part of their physical therapy treatment it is not uncommon for the referral to be followed by the phrase, “I just want to let you know that it will probably hurt”. The thought that comes to the patient’s mind may be something to the effect…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS Last month the focus of this column was the “ObamaCare time –table” of regulations. That is, when would specific aspects of ObamaCare take effect and begin to impact each of us. I left off with the fact that the “Medicare-population” would be the group most negatively affected by the implementation of ObamaCare. This…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS It is not uncommon for a patient to come in the office and state that they have been diagnosed with “degenerative disc disease” of either their neck or lower back. While degenerative disc disease is not really a disease but a term used to describe the acceptable and age related changes to the…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS At first most of us were relieved that Congress averted the so called “fiscal cliff. That was of course until we all got our first pay check of 2013 and found out that it was on the “light” side. Since the members of the Supreme Court decided to leave the human race and…

Article By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS When it comes to hunting most hunters have a very detailed checklist of their equipment but have NO checklist of their body. The body checklist may include cardiovascular conditioning, upper body strength, lower body strength, CORE strength, balance, agility and flexibility. Improved fitness helps in many facets of hunting. Hunters with improved…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP For years we have heard that the cure for many ailments is “diet and exercise”. The problem with this simple statement is that it never explains how much or what type of exercise and the entire concept of diet can mean different things to different people. Recently states and schools have begun…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS Stress fractures are among the most common overuse injuries sustained by long-distance runners, and they affect everyone from recreational runners to world-class athletes, male and female. People with stress fractures typically complain of pain in a specific area or region of the body. Symptoms gradually worsen and most commonly occur from the pelvis…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS As the summer comes to an end many of us will turn our exercise endeavors to indoor facilities like our basement or a local gym such as the Auburn YMCA or equivalent. When this happens our exercise routine usually changes and we introduce new exercises or exercise classes. While altering our exercise pattern…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS The topic of barefoot running is one that will draw mixed opinions not only from health care professionals but also track and field coaches. This is not the first time the concept of barefoot running has been brought to our attention. This seems to happen nearly once a decade. When Abebe Bikila won…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS If you are like me you will or have been watching the XXX Olympic games from London, England. During the course of the games you may see athletes such as the Chinese 3-meter synchronized diving team wearing a special tape either on their leg or back to help them compete despite active injuries.…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS In chiropractic and physical therapy practice patients usually visit the office with a complaint of pain that has started to affect their ability to function on a daily basis. Therefore it is common for any given patient to add the phrase, “I also have fibromyalgia” during the course of their history. Fibromyalgia as…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP It is not uncommon in the course of a day in clinical practice to here the question, “what is the difference between physical therapy and chiropractic?” In large part the difference is three fold: philosophy of practice, work environment and third party reimbursement commonly known as health insurance. While the history spawning…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, DACBSP As the weather starts to improve many of us have thoughts of leaving the confines of the gym or basement to exercise outside. As this happens we will see many people stretching before they head out for a bike ride, for a run or before hitting that first golf ball. The question…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS, ACBSP Just because football season is months away doesn’t mean that athletes in other sports can’t suffer a head injury or concussion. While there are spring sports where contact is inevitable direct contact is not a requirement to suffer a concussion. Because the brain floats inside the skull a severe whiplash type motion…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT , DC, CSCS If you’ve had to visit a health care provider for any reason in the last 5 years you may have noticed a few things that differ from years ago. The first thing is that the initial paperwork has become increasingly complicated. It’s not enough to provide your name, address, phone number and…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS Numbness and tingling in the hand may seem like a benign symptom but there can be many different causes of this symptom with different treatment strategies. The most common thought from patients is that numbness and tingling in the hand equals carpal tunnel syndrome. While carpal tunnel syndrome, or CTS, is common, there…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS Although Mother Nature has given us the Christmas gift of no snow to shovel in the month of December the inevitable has happened, winter has made its presence known in January. As the heart of the winter season approaches there will be several inches (or feet) of the white stuff to shovel. With…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS The shoulder is a remarkable mechanical invention. It is designed to allow for incredible range of motion while still maintaining its structure and stability. It is a “ball and socket” joint. The ball is the top of the upper arm or humerus and the socket being the lateral edge of the scapula or…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS It is a common misconception that “sciatica” is a condition when in reality sciatica is a symptom. It is a symptom that may have a multitude of causes or predisposing factors. The most common symptom pattern is leg pain, which might feel like a bad leg cramp, or it can be excruciating, shooting…

By: Dr. Dale J. Buchberger A day doesn’t go by that, I don’t hear someone say, “my neck hurts”. With this you can see many individuals standing in line at the grocery store rubbing their neck and hoping that this “self massage” will make the pain go away. Or perhaps they will reach for their favorite over the counter “pain…

By: Dr. Dale J. Buchberger As we head into this new school year, it’s time to start thinking about getting our kids ready to return to school. Most of the supplies kids will use at school will most likely end up in the backpack. As a result, the bag becomes overloaded and in many ways becomes a “traveling desk”. This…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS When to use heat or ice on an injury, ache or pain is as common a question in a healthcare office as you will find. While there are generalities that can be followed it can also be an extremely specific self-treatment. It is very difficult to go wrong with ice. On the contrary…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS Last year I wrote, “It is not uncommon to hear the phrase “My back went out!” The question is, where did it go and when will it be back?” A better question would be, what is meant by the phrase, “my back went out”. As common as this phrase is very few people…

By: Dale J. Buchberger Last month’s article left off speaking of the coding aspect of health care and how the insurance industry creates and maintains an inefficient system. Now, I will itemize key areas of repair that will improve the efficiency and delivery of healthcare in the United States. It is a common misconception that the health care system is…

By: Dale J. Buchberger Last month I finished by saying I would address efficiency in healthcare. There are several areas that can be more efficient. The most glaring place and the area that can be remedied the quickest is in the area of billing. It has been estimated that approximately 30% of healthcare costs are in paperwork. Currently there are…

By: Dr. Dale J. Buchberger According to the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary the definition of insurance is: a means of guaranteeing protection. The key to the definition is the word guarantee. If you have had to utilize your health benefits lately you know that the company providing the policy will use terms like, “while we have approved the service, this does NOT…

By: Dr. Dale J. Buchberger As the weather improves many of us start to think of exercising to shed the winter pounds. A question that often comes up is, “what do you recommend for home exercise equipment?” The other question revolves around cost of the equipment. “Is this piece of equipment worth the money?”, etc. I’ll start with the second…

By: Dr. Dale J. Buchberger As spring approaches more and more people will be turning their attention to the golf courses. Hopefully many of these people have been preparing for the new season by doing some regular exercise. If you have not started your preseason exercise routine it is not too late to get started. Fortunately in Central New York…

It is a common assumption that we spend approximately one-third of our lives asleep, unconscious or generally oblivious to our surroundings. Why is it that we spend such little time and give such little consideration to choosing the surface we sleep on? In some ways the general public takes for granted the value of a good nights sleep related to…

By: Dale J. Buchberger, PT, DC, CSCS Plantar fascitis is considered the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that connects the heel to the toes. From the heel the connection continues up the backside of the calf. The plantar fascia also has a poor blood supply exposing it to chronic overuse…

Recently a patient came into the office and commented on a previous article that had appeared in the Citizen and said, “ You should write an article for seniors”. She felt that seniors tend to be ignored. This article will take a look at ailments affecting the “chronologically advanced” and some simple strategies for improving their function and comfort level.…

By Dr. Dale Buchberger As the competitive fall sports season progresses I am fielding an increased number of questions about the safety of “weight-lifting” for the preadolescent and adolescent age groups. Most of these questions are from concerned parents whose best recollection of weightlifting was from their high school football coach or what they may have picked up in the…

By: Dr. Dale J. Buchberger It is not uncommon to hear the phrase “My back went out!” The question is, where did it go and when will it be back? If you have had an episode of lower back pain no matter how short in duration you are amongst 80% of the population. That’s right 80% of the population will…

By Dr. Dale Buchberger A common question asked to healthcare providers almost daily is, “which sneakers should I buy?” Most patients are usually asking for a “brand” versus a “type” of shoe. Back in “the day” it was much easier to pick athletic shoes by brand because the numbers of models were limited. Today, almost every company makes 10+ models…

By Dr. Dale Buchberger When it comes to injuries such as muscle strains, ligament tears, nerve irritation, tendon tears, tendonitis, etc. most people would think about taking Advil, getting a cortisone shot, receiving physical therapy, chiropractic treatment or even surgery. All of those respective treatments are effective when provided to the appropriate conditions. The thing that most of us fail…

By Dr. Dale Buchberger Temporomandibular joint disorder also known as TMD is a disorder of the jaw and surrounding structures where the jawbone (mandible) meets the skull (temporal bone). Between the jawbone and skull is a cushioning disk or meniscus. Stress and trauma such as working at a computer for long hours or being involved in a whiplash type accident…

By Dr. Dale Buchberger Tendonitis as a medical term is commonly overused. One reason for its overuse is that the term commonly implies an inflammatory state and this is something that is recognizable to the general public. When diagnostic terms are recognizable patients are less likely to ask questions. For instance, what if my 77-year-old mother walked into the doctors’…

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a label commonly given to anyone experiencing pain, numbness and/or tingling in their hands. While carpal tunnel syndrome is one cause of hand symptoms it is not the only cause. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from a point near the shoulder through the forearm and into the hand, becomes compressed…

By Dr. Dale Buchberger Athletes like Donovan McNabb of the Washington Redskins have been said to suffer from sports hernias, when their problem is in fact an abdominal muscle tear condition called athletic pubalgia syndrome. Photo by The Associated Press/Nick Wass You can’t watch a professional sporting event today or an episode of ESPN SportsCenter without hearing the term sports…

By Dr. Dale J. Buchberger It is that time of year again. Pitchers and catchers have reported to major league baseball spring training camps and the little league baseball season is not far behind. This article will take a hard look at some of the least talked about causes of little league related arm injuries. Parents, players, coaches and league…