The Achilles tendon injury is one of the more serious sports injuries, for professional and amateur athletes alike. The Achilles tendon is one of the longer tendons in your body, stretching from the bones of your heel to your calf muscles. You can feel it — a springy band of tissue at the back of your ankle and above your heel. It allows you to extend your foot and point your toes to the floor. But unfortunately, it’s also the most commonly injured tendon. Many

What is plantar fasciitis? Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated (inflamed). Then your heel or the bottom of your foot hurts when you stand or walk. Plantar fasciitis is common in middle-aged people. It also occurs in younger people who are on their feet

Shingles, a viral infection of the nerve roots, affects 500,000 people in the U.S each year. Most people recover from their bout, but for as many as 20%-30% of them, the pain doesn’t go away. It can last for months, years, or even the rest of their lives. These people have what’s called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), the result when the shingles virus damages the nerves of the skin. In some cases, the pain is mild. In others, even the slightest touch — from clothing or

Ankle injuries are often thought of as sports injuries. But you don’t have to be an athlete or even a “weekend warrior” to turn your ankle and hurt it. Something as simple as walking on an uneven surface can cause a painful, debilitating sprain. Ankle injuries can happen to anyone at any age. Every day in the U.S., 25,000 people sprain their ankle. And more than 1 million people visit emergency rooms each year because of ankle injuries. The most common ankle injuries are sprains

Shoulder pain is an extremely common complaint, and there are many common causes of this problem. It is important to make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your symptoms so that appropriate treatment can be directed at the cause. If you have shoulder pain, some common causes include: Bursitis | Rotator Cuff Tendonitis The most common diagnosis in patients with shoulder pain is bursitis or tendonitis of the rotator cuff. Rotator Cuff Tear Rotator cuff tears occur when the tendons of the rotator cuff

Treating chronic pain can be challenging. Often the reason for the pain is not clear, and it may take several types or combinations of treatments before you find relief. When treatment is started, some people may have increased pain because their chronic pain has caused them to be inactive and they have lost strength and flexibility. But over time, treatment should reduce the pain and increase your ability to function. You may learn new ways of doing ordinary tasks to reduce pain. Often chronic pain

The epidural steroid injection is the placement of cortisone, a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, into the epidural space, which approximates the disc and spinal column. The epidural injection has been used for over 60 years as treatment for back pain. It involves using either steroids or anesthetic agents allowing good benefits with minimal risk factors. The main goal of the epidural injection is to shrink the swelling in bulging or herniated discs, and to decrease any inflammation that surrounds the disc and may be pressing on

You’re working at your desk, trying to ignore the tingling or numbness you’ve had for months in your hand and wrist. Suddenly, a sharp, piercing pain shoots through the wrist and up your arm. Just a passing cramp? More likely you have carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful progressive condition caused by compression of a key nerve in the wrist. What is carpal tunnel syndrome?     Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or

Prolotherapy (or Regenerative Injection Therapy) was originally used by Hippocrates over 2500 years ago to help a javelin thrower’s shoulder pain. The concept was investigated, utilized, and refined by George Hackett, MD, over 70 years ago, and has been used by many other physicians since, including the former Surgeon General of the United States, C. Everett Koop, MD. The cause of a great deal of musculoskeletal pain is related to damage, laxity, or weakening of connective tissue , which normally controls joint movement and provides

Physical Therapy plays an important role in the treatment and prevention of musculoskeletal pain. Therapy ranges from passive modalities (such as heat, ice, and electrical stimulation) to active treatments such as stabilization and strengthening exercises. After an acute injury, the physical therapist will often use modalities to decrease inflammation and muscle spasm and promote tissue healing. Initial treatment may include superficial moist heat or ice applied 2-3 times a day for fifteen minutes at a time. Ultrasound treatments are also used to heat deeper soft