Alta PT

September 6th. Most kids two days into the school year. Maybe you're back in school in college. What this means for both demographics is that you're probably going to strap on that backpack and have it overstuffed with day to day books and other essentials. Other than finding ways to decrease the amount of weight in your bag you should; a primary way to prevent pain in your back is to first make sure its fitted correctly. Pack size and shape differs from person to person. But

Tennis and golf fanatics come out of the woodwork to over use their bodies. So, before you hit the back 9 or get on the court you may want to think about some fine tuning. Going to your local physical therapist for a full evaluation can prevent the $$$ that adds up from back and shoulder injuries due to over use and weakness. Here at Alta PT we use functional movement screens to evaluate the mobility of the shoulder joint, the elbow joint, and back. We've also done a few hip

Joint pain pain and back pain are not two foreign areas of study. By definition a joint is "the point of contact between elements of an animal skeleton with the parts that surround and support" (Merriam Webster). In fact, the spine itself is made up of several joints. The discs of the spine prevent two vertebrae (bony levels of the spine) from contacting each other and becoming a fused joint. What is not commonly discussed is that arthritis of the spinal joints can occur at

We love our smartphones. Having what is essentially a super computer in our pockets has made daily life so much easier. However, as times goes on, we start to see that, while smartphones can improve our lives, they are causing severe damage to our spine. This wear and tear can lead to spine degeneration, and even surgery. This may seem impossible , but its important to remember that our head can weight between 10-15 pounds. When we tilt our heads forward - like we do for th

The old story of grandpa complaining about his joints or someone saying, “It’s going to snow. I feel my knees.” Has some truth to it. But before we explain the reasoning why the pain comes on we should probably explain what is inside the joint that causes pain. The common complaint of pain to the hands, knees, ankles, etc. come from a prior injury or some form of arthritis. If we look at the anatomy of a joint most of us know that a joint is essentially made of bones coming t

Basic posture correction is not common knowledge. Just look at a baby learning to walk. A baby can never progress from lying on its stomach to standing and walking without a significant amount of trial an error to find it's own center of gravity. Use the simple techniques of finding your Foundation, Elongating your spine, and placing it all in Mid-line. Foundation+Elongation+Mid-line = Posture. Without posture correction we find our selves in what called a kyphotic posture wh