Physical Therapy

Untangling the Mystery: Causes of Muscle Spasms

Hi, this is Blair Green and the question I was asked is what is the cause of a muscle spasm? So what a muscle spasm is, it is a knot in the muscle. It's an area where the muscle tissue remains contracted. And the reason that happens in a muscle is typically because of lack of oxygen or lack of blood flow to the muscle. And so the muscle stays contracted and can't relax. There's a couple different reasons why that can happen. Two that I like to mention are trauma and overuse. So when I say trauma, that can be anything from an acute injury to maybe repetitive strain, which is also known as overuse. But really, when you injure a muscle, the muscle protects itself by going into spasm so that the tissue can heal. Overuse, like I said, happens with repeated movements over time. And when that happens, the muscle can get tired and blood flow reduces.

Muscle spasms are caused by a lack of oxygen or blood flow to the muscle, which can be caused by trauma or overuse.

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A muscle spasm occurs when there is a knot or an area of contracted muscle tissue. The main cause of muscle spasms is typically a lack of oxygen or blood flow to the muscle. There are two common reasons for this to happen: trauma and overuse.

Trauma refers to acute injuries or repetitive strain on the muscle. When a muscle is injured, it goes into spasm as a protective mechanism to facilitate healing. Overuse occurs when the muscle is subjected to repeated movements over time, leading to fatigue and reduced blood flow.

In summary, muscle spasms are caused by a lack of oxygen or blood flow to the muscle, often resulting from trauma or overuse.

Can I lift weights for my upper body with a medial navicular fracture in my right foot?

Strengthen your upper body with a foot fracture - here's how!

Hi, this is Blair Green and the question I'm answering is can I lift weights for my upper body with a medial navicular fracture in my right foot? So the navicular bone is a bone in the foot and fractures in the feet should not impact your ability to lift weights for your upper body. What I like to recommend to patients is that when you are doing exercises with your upper body and as an aside, I strongly recommend that you continue to strengthen your upper body even with a lower extremity injury that you sit down. So sitting on a bench or even better sit on a stability ball which is going to help work your core while you're working your upper body or if you prefer to use machines you can certainly do upper body machines while you are injured in your foot as long as you are in a sitting down position. So absolutely go for it.

Yes, you can lift weights for your upper body with a medial navicular fracture in your right foot. Make sure to sit down while doing the exercises and it is recommended to use a stability ball to help work your core.

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Regarding the question of whether you can lift weights for your upper body with a medial navicular fracture in your right foot, the answer is yes. Fractures in the feet should not affect your ability to engage in upper body weightlifting exercises.

I recommend that you sit down while performing these exercises to avoid putting weight on your injured foot. You can sit on a bench or, even better, use a stability ball to engage your core while working your upper body. If you prefer using machines, you can also utilize upper body machines while seated.

So, go ahead and continue strengthening your upper body while taking care to avoid putting strain on your injured foot.

What are your thoughts on blood flow restriction therapy?

The Potential Benefits of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy

The question is, what are my thoughts on blood flow restriction therapy? So I don't personally use blood flow restriction therapy in my practice, mostly because the patient population that I see primarily does not support it. I work primarily in pre-postnatal and women's health pelvic floor PT, things like that. However, I work with a lot of other PTs who use blood flow restriction therapy and the research that I've read is very supportive. This is a newer intervention in our world and so I think a lot more research will be coming down the pike, but I've been very encouraged by it. I think for post-op patients, for patients with chronic sprains and strains and a lot of other conditions, even pelvic floor conditions, it's been very positive and I like to refer out all the time when I think someone can benefit from it.

I don't personally use Blood Flow Restriction therapy in my practice, but I work with a lot of other PT's who do and the research is very supportive. I think for post-op patients and those with chronic sprains and strains it can be beneficial and I like to refer out when I think someone can benefit from it.

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Regarding blood flow restriction therapy, I don't personally utilize it in my practice. The patient population I primarily work with, such as pre-postnatal and women's health pelvic floor PT, does not often require it. However, I collaborate with many other physical therapists who do use blood flow restriction therapy, and the research I've come across is quite supportive of its effectiveness. While it is a relatively new intervention in our field, I anticipate more research to emerge in the future. I've been encouraged by the positive outcomes observed in post-operative patients, individuals with chronic sprains and strains, and even those with pelvic floor conditions. When appropriate, I frequently refer patients for blood flow restriction therapy as I believe it can provide significant benefits.

What inspired you to pursue a career in physical therapy?

From Orthopedics to Women's Health: A Physical Therapist's Inspiring Journey

What inspired me to pursue a career in physical therapy? If I want to be really honest, this started back in college. I was very into orthopedics and sports medicine and what appealed to me about physical therapy was I could work in this field and work with people, but it was different than being a doctor. It was just a different way of interacting with patients and with people and what I liked about it as opposed to surgery was that I could spend more time getting to know my patients and that's been one of the best parts of being a physical therapist is that I get to use my medicine skills, but I also get to create relationships with the people that I work with and this has evolved over time to where I realized I love working with women, not just female athletes and so my career has evolved over the last 20 plus years to be more women's health specific. So another inspiration of mine is that this profession is flexible and you can always change what you want to do. You don't have to be locked into one thing and stick with it for the rest of your career.

I was inspired to pursue a career in physical therapy because it allows me to use my medicine skills while also creating relationships with my patients. It is also flexible and allows me to change what I want to do throughout my career.

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What inspired me to pursue a career in physical therapy? Honestly, it started in college when I developed a strong interest in orthopedics and sports medicine. Physical therapy appealed to me because it allowed me to work in the field I was passionate about while offering a different way of interacting with patients compared to being a doctor. I enjoyed the opportunity to spend more time getting to know my patients, which has been one of the most rewarding aspects of being a physical therapist. Over time, my career has evolved, and I discovered my love for working with women, not just female athletes. This led me to specialize more in women's health. Another inspiration for me is the flexibility of this profession. You don't have to be locked into one specific area; you can always change and adapt your career path as you grow and discover new interests.

How do you protect your back when working on patients all day?

How to Protect Your Back When Working on Patients All Day

Hi, so the question is how do you protect your back when working on patients all day? So there's a couple things you can do to protect your back. The first and the one I love but not available to everyone is I use a high-low table, meaning that my table has a pedal that I can push and that allows the table to go up or down, which helps me use better body mechanics and adapt to different things with patients. But at the same time, if you don't have a high-low table, I think just being aware of body mechanics is very important, avoiding extreme ends of ranges, trying not to stay in one position for too long. You can also, I think the other thing you can do is stay in good shape yourself. I exercise regularly, I do cardiovascular exercise, I do core work, including a lot of Pilates and then just some other kind of traditional abdominal exercises and planks for the core as well. I think staying in shape and knowing how my body moves is the best way to protect it from the physical nature of being a PT.

To protect your back when working on patients all day, use a high low table (if available) to aid in body mechanics and reduce strain. Additionally, stay in good shape with regular cardiovascular exercise and core work such as Pilates and planks.

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To protect my back when working on patients all day, there are a few measures I take. Ideally, I use a high-low table that allows me to adjust the height using a pedal. This helps me maintain better body mechanics and adapt to different patient needs. However, if a high-low table is not available, being mindful of body mechanics is essential. I try to avoid extreme ranges of motion and refrain from staying in one position for too long. Additionally, staying in good physical shape is crucial. I engage in regular exercise, including cardiovascular activities and core work such as Pilates, traditional abdominal exercises, and planks. Being aware of how my body moves and keeping it strong are the best ways to protect against the physical demands of being a PT.

What topics do you have the most unique opinions, methods, or expertise around?

Expert Physical Therapist Specializing in Women's Health

What topics do I have the most unique opinions, methods, or expertise around? So I am a physical therapist. So my top level of expertise is really in musculoskeletal health, right? Bones, joints, ligaments, soft tissues of the body. That is my training. That's my background. That's what my doctorate degree is in. I also specialize in the area of women's health and more specifically in the niche area, primarily of pregnancy, postpartum, and then also female athletes. So that's where I really like to work and I bring a lot of unique skills and a lot of unique knowledge to the table as it relates to women's health in those specific areas, but then women's health in general. So I like to talk a lot about sports injuries in women, what happens when you're pregnant and when you have babies, how your body responds, how you can get back to sports and activities after pregnancy and childbirth, and then really what's safe to do while you're pregnant. So that's what I like and that's my area of expertise.

I am a physical therapist with expertise in musculoskeletal health, women's health, pregnancy, postpartum, and female athletes. I like to talk about sports injuries in women, how the body responds to pregnancy and childbirth, and what is safe to do during pregnancy.

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As a physical therapist, my expertise lies in musculoskeletal health, encompassing bones, joints, ligaments, and soft tissues of the body. This is my primary area of training and background, as reflected in my doctorate degree. Additionally, I specialize in women's health, with a specific focus on pregnancy, postpartum care, and female athletes. Within these areas, I bring unique skills and knowledge to the table. I enjoy discussing topics such as sports injuries in women, the physiological responses of the body during pregnancy and postpartum stages, returning to sports and activities after childbirth, and safe exercise practices during pregnancy. Women's health in general is an area that I am passionate about and well-versed in.

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Opinions & Insights

Blair Green PT, DPT, OCS, PHC is an instructor and pelvic health physical therapist. She graduated with a Master's of Physical Therapy from Hahnemann University and completed a transitional DPT from Evidence in Motion Institute of Health Professions with a Pelvic Health Certification. She is Board Certified in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, a Polestar Pilates Instructor, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA). She is also certified in Trigger Point Dry Needling through Myopain Seminars.

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Dr. Blair Green, PT, DPT, OCS, PHC