physical therapists in huntington

physical therapists in huntington

How to build up endurance:

Building up your endurance is beneficial to your body’s strength and can help reduce the risk of injuries. Whether it’s doing simple weight lifting exercises or performing cardio, any type of physical activity does nothing but good for your health. For those who have sustained injuries like tearing ligaments or pulling muscles, building up endurance can help treat and reduce any pain you may experience. Island Sports Physical Therapy can help build up your endurance after an injury with their physical therapists in Huntington, East Northport, Nesconset, Coram, East Meadow, and Glen Cove.

What type of workouts can help me?

In order to build endurance, you should consistently make efforts to improve it through different exercises and habits:

  • Cardiovascular exercises – these types of exercises are best for building up aerobic stability. These exercises include jogging, hiking, swimming, or other workouts that steadily strengthen your endurance.
  • Using weights – weight exercises have the capability to not only improve your strength but also muscle endurance as well. Lifting weights two days a week, which includes utilizing every muscle group, can make a difference that you’ll certainly see.
  • Interval training – interval training includes short bouts of high-intensity training, followed by a longer workout with a lower level of intensity. A scholarly journal recording an example of interval training showed that cyclists who performed eight, 20 second, high-intensity workouts, followed by a 10-second rest, saw their endurance improved immensely, and the subjects’ anaerobic capacity increased by 28 percent.

How can these exercises benefit me?

Those who have experienced injuries in the past can certainly benefit from endurance exercises. Aside from building muscle, endurance training can help your body in other ways:

  • Bone density growth – proper diet and exercise can improve your health and in turn, keep your bones healthy and increase their density. Consistently training lets your body release hormones into your bloodstream that allows your bones to construct higher levels of density.
  • Increased immune system – endurance training helps create extra proteins that are responsible for producing white blood cells and antibodies, considerably improving your immune system
  • Boosted metabolism – the added benefits of endurance workouts is an increase in muscle mass which is responsible for calorie burning, using acids to break down any consumed calories. In addition, your body burns 70 calories for every pound of lean muscle you gain.
  • Diabetic assistance – for those who have diabetes, endurance training can result in the improvement of your body’s sensitivity to insulin. Because glucose is stored in your muscles, increasing muscle mass results in extra glucose storage, keeping your levels at a safe count.

Physical therapists in Huntington offer all rehabilitation treatments for those who have sustained injuries and can recommend the best workout to prevent any future damage. Endurance exercises positively affect physical health and can help promote a better lifestyle for yourself. At Island Sports Physical Therapy in Huntington, we’re dedicated to your health and will do anything to speed up your recovery.

For more information on endurance training and how it can help with your improvement, contact us today!

physical therapy in east northport

Physical Therapy in East Northport

A sprained ankle is something that countless athletes suffer from, with 25,000 Americans getting the injury each day. To make matters worse, athletes with ankle sprain injuries were five times more likely to sustain an ankle related injury again. Looking at these statistics should serve as a reminder that no one is prone to sustaining injuries, and we must look at steps to avoid incidents that lead to ankle sprains. Physical therapy in East Northport, Huntington, Nesconset, Coram, East Meadow, and Glen Cove has the staff and resources available to help you recover from any sports or non-sports-related ankle sprain.

A sprained ankle occurs when the ligament holding the ankle bone together either stretches, tears or ruptures. The most common type of sprain is a lateral sprained ankle, in which you roll over the outside of the ankle and damage its range of motion. These types of injuries are especially prevalent in basketball, due to the constant pressure put on athletes lower extremities from repeatedly jumping.

Recovery

There are many steps one should take when recovering from an ankle sprain. However, one of the best to follow is the RICE treatment:

  • Rest your ankle by not walking on it.
  • Ice your injury to keep swelling down. Ice should be applied 20-30 minutes a day, three to four times daily.
  • Compression dressings, ace wraps, and bandaging will help support an injured ankle and keep you immobilized.
  • Elevate your ankle above the level of the heart as much as possible for the first couple of days following the time of the injury.

The benefits of physical therapy in Northport can also offer some remedies to treat a sprained ankle:

    • Strength exercises – these workouts will be used to slowly build back strength after an injury. Once pain is no longer felt from weight exercises, physical therapists will focus on other ligaments to help strengthen.
    • Proprioception training – also known as balance training, these exercises are used to help prevent future falls and improve your chances of avoiding sprains in the future.
    • Endurance/agility – agility drills, such as small running exercises, are a great way to build back range of motion and movement in sprained ankles or other injuries.

Because of the amount of stress on their body, athletes constantly put themselves at risk of getting injured. It’s important to take the necessary precautions to avoid ankle sprains or other injuries. Island Sports Physical Therapy in East Northport will be able to assist athletes and people of all ages on their road to recovery. Contact us today!

physical therapy in Huntington

physical therapy in Huntington

Treating an ACL Tear With Physical Therapy in Huntington

An ACL tear is something that can affect many athletes and has the possibility of taking months to recover from. An ACL tear happens when the ligament in the knee is subject to a rapid or sudden change in movement, especially if one’s foot is planted while the knee is in motion. This accounts for why so many football and soccer players usually suffer from ACL tears and other leg related injuries. Physical therapy in Huntington, East Northport, Nesconset, Coram, East Meadow, and Glen Cove is not only able to treat ACL injuries with the utmost care, but they can build leg-strength back to its full potential.

While an ACL tear can affect ligaments and may take time to recover from, there’s also other types of damage that the injury can cause, such as damage to articular cartilage, meniscus and other ligaments. Since ACL injuries are so important to treat, there’s a severity scale for injured ligaments:

  • Grade 1 Sprains: while the ligament is slightly stretched, it still able to keep the knee joint stable.
  • Grade 2 Sprains: the ligament stretches far enough that it becomes loose and is usually correlated with a partial ligament tear.
  • Grade 3 Sprains: the most serious tear that can be sustained, a Grade 3 sprain is the complete tear of the ligament, where it’s been split into separate pieces, and the knee joint isn’t stable.

After suffering an ACL tear, recovering properly can not only help your knee rehabilitation process but can build the strength of your knee to reduce the chance of future ligament damage. Island Sports Physical Therapy in Huntington have countless treatments that will help you retain confidence in your road to recovery.

  • Bracing – After an operation for an ACL tear, a brace is usually given in order to reduce the knee movement following the surgery. This is helpful in assuring the knee doesn’t retain any new damage.
  • Icing – cold applications, such as an ice sleeve, around your knee will reduce the swelling around the injury.
  • Movement exercise – following surgery, a physical therapist will begin to help you with your knees range of motion and regaining the full movement of your knee. These exercises help increase blood flow around the injured area, reducing swelling as a result.
  • Strength Exercises – around a month after the injury, a physical therapist will use weight exercises to build your ability to put weight on your knee and build the strength of the injured knee.

Treatment for an ACL tear is vital for recuperating from the injury. Physical therapy in Huntington will work with patients every step of the way to get them back to doing what they enjoy. However, it’s important to be patient with the healing process, so that re-tearing a ligament doesn’t happen.

Island Sports Physical Therapy in Huntington has the ability to help with all leg injuries and uses various treatments by any means to help people recover. Contact them today for more information.

Physical Therapy in Huntington

Fall sports, whether it’s football or soccer, have the potential to wear down the athlete’s ability to perform at their highest level. One of the most common injuries during this time of the year are ankle sprains, which might seem tame in terms of other physical problems, but can be an issue over time. In the United States alone, 25,000 Americans suffer from ankle sprains daily, which accounts for almost 50 percent of all sports-related injuries. When you take into consideration the fact that athletes suffering from ankle injuries are five times as likely to suffer another ankle injury, it shows that these types of problems should be avoided at all costs. Island Sports Physical Therapy in Huntington can not only help heal an ankle injury, but they can give necessary steps to avoiding an ankle related issue from happening again.

To avoid the stress of a sprained ankle, follow these tips on how you can avoid sustaining an injury:

Stretching before/after workouts Although this is something most people do before working out, it’s still important to give yourself some time for your body’s muscles to loosen. Anything from a light jog to stretching your legs can be beneficial in reducing the risk of ankle injury. After your workout, give yourself some time to stretch out any tense muscles that may have been aggravated by physical activity.

Muscle conditioning Strengthening and building up your muscles around sensitive body parts can prevent an injury from happening while building up a range of motion and mobility as well. A great way to build muscle in your lower body is through cross-training, which can be extremely beneficial to an athlete. Physical therapy in Huntington can give you any advice on how to gain back your strength and recover properly.

Avoid uneven surfacesWhen going for a run, try to stay on a track or a surface that is mostly flat. Running on roads that have slopes, ditches, potholes, and other hindrances can certainly injure you. However, if you’re racing and the course is not necessarily smooth, you should cautiously train and learn the route to avoid any surprises.  

If you are looking for physical therapy in Huntington, East Northport, Smithtown, Glen Cove, East Meadow, or Coram, contact Island Sports Physical Therapy today!

meniscus tear

COMING BACK FROM A MENISCUS TEAR

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 for meniscus) which helps keep your knees steady by balancing your weight across the knee.

In most cases, a meniscus tear is caused by twisting or turning quickly, while your foot is planted and your knee is bent. Lifting something heavy and playing sports can also lead to a torn meniscus. The healing process depends on the severity of your injury and physical therapy is usually needed. Island Sports Physical Therapy can provide you more information on a meniscus tear and can help guide you on your way to a successful recovery.

Treatment:

Usually a physical exam and an X-ray is needed in order to help your doctor find out if a torn meniscus is causing your pain. Treatment for a torn meniscus depends on the type of tear, where it is, and how serious the injury is. Some treatment options you can consider:

  • -Physical Therapy
  • -Rest
  • -Ice and wrapping the knee with an elastic bandage
  • -Propping up the leg on pillows
  • -Surgery to repair the meniscus
  • -Surgery to remove part of the meniscus
  • -Support tape

Blood flow is essential for healing and will help your knee injury heal quickly and completely.

Recovery from a meniscus tear can vary significantly, especially if surgery was required. The heavier and older you are, the longer your recovery will be.

Contact us!

Island Sports Physical Therapy has a solid understanding on how to treat your meniscus tear. With years of experience and with the help of our professionals you will be on your way to recovery! At Island Sports Physical Therapy we want the best for our patients. We guarantee that after each visit you will be one step further towards your recovery! Don’t wait and give us a call today!

physical therapy in East Northport

physical therapy in East Northport

What is an ACL Injury?

Your anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is an important ligament in your knee because it connects the patella (top portion of the knee) to the tibia (bottom portion of the knee) and gives the knee rotational stability.  An ACL injury is one of the most common injuries in sports, and based on statistics, female athletes are 2 to 10 times more likely to suffer from an ACL injury than male athletes.  Injuries usually occur from quick movements made by the athlete such as pivoting, cutting, or jumping and landing the wrong way. If you have recently suffered an ACL injury and are looking for Physical Therapy in East Northport, let our team at Island Sports Physical Therapy get you back in the game!

Why are Women More Likely to Suffer an ACL Injury?

While there is no definitive reason why women are more likely to tear their ACL’s than men, there are a few factors that can contribute to this injury. They are:

  • Hormones:  The estrogen hormone that exists in women can be a potential cause of their ACL tears.  High levels of this hormone in the body weaken the ACL, making it more prone to injury.
  • Bone Structure: Women are born with wider hips than men so that they have the ability to carry and birth a child.  This skeletal structure results in more weight being put on a woman’s knees than a man’s, which can lead to them putting a lot of strain on the surrounding ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
  • Muscle Strength: As we mature, women seem to have weaker leg muscles than men do. These muscles include the glutes, buttox, hamstring, and quads.  For this reason, it is important that women work on strengthening these muscles in an effort to take the strain off their knees and prevent an ACL injury from occurring.

What Exercises Can I Do to Prevent an ACL Injury?

As mentioned before, the muscles you want to focus on are your glutes, buttons, hamstring, and quads to prevent an ACL injury. Here are some exercises that can be very helpful:

If you are looking for physical therapy in East Northport, let our physical therapists at Island Sports create a personalized program that will focus on strengthening leg muscles as well as improving the flexibility of your knee. Visit our office today!

How to Deal with Tennis Elbow

physical therapy in Nesconset

 

 

What is Tennis Elbow?

Tennis Elbow, also known as Lateral Epicondylitis, is a form of tendinitis. Tendinitis is the swelling of the tendons, which in this form, causes pain in the arm and elbow. Despite its name, there is a small group of people diagnosed with Tennis Elbow that actually play Tennis. If you are straining the muscles around the elbow over and over again during any activity, it could happen. If you are looking for physical therapy in Nesconset, Island Sports Physical Therapy will help you not only feel better, but we will educate you on the injury in hopes to prevent future re-injury of Tennis Elbow.

 

Symptoms:

1. Upper Forearm Pain

This is a very common symptom of Tennis Elbow. On the outer arm, right below the elbow is where this “burning pain” commonly occurs.

2. Is Rest Bringing You Relief? 

If you are looking for physical therapy in Nesconset, rest is not bringing you relief and you cannot move your elbow or are even losing feeling in it, contact us for quality care.

3. Pain Variations Throughout Your Day

The morning is usually the time where you will experience the most pain. The stiffness and aching lessen throughout the day but will still continue at some level.

4. Too Much Activity Hurts!

If you have Tennis Elbow, common activities and tasks such as lifting your fork or holding a pen may hurt. Moving your wrist forcefully such as twisting your arm to open a heavy door or repetitive computer mouse use will also cause you pain.

 

Treatment at our Physical Therapy Practice in Nesconset

  • Reducing Inflammation
  • Rest
  • Reducing Pain
  • Ongoing Rehabilitation
    • Exercise and other physical therapy treatments to increase your range-of-motion and decrease pain at the same time.
    • Bracing/Compression by wearing a counterforce brace for Tennis Elbow. The strap used will spread pressure throughout your arm, instead of putting it all on your tendon causing your pain.
    • Working with an expert here at Island Sports Physical Therapy to fit your individual needs.

 

How Physical Therapy Could Help

DON’T WAIT! The longer you wait to see a physical therapist and perform strenuous activities, the longer rehabilitation will take. Ongoing activity to the tendon can cause damage and could someday require surgery.

 

How Physical Therapy in Nesconset Could Help

  • We will correctly diagnose you
  • We will give you “hands-on” care
  • We will educate you
  • We will give you home remedies that fit your individual need
  • We will maximize your performance

Working with one of our experts here at Island Sports Physical Therapy will help specify your injury to know the exact treatments that need to be done. We promise to educate you and give you the best care possible while giving you the information you need about Tennis Elbow and give you ways to prevent this injury from happening again in the future.

Pitcher

Lower Back Pain and How ISPT Can Help

Suffering from severe aching or pain in the lower back region? About 31 million Americans are struggling with these exact symptoms. Back-related problems, for example, can occur due to the type of mattress you sleep on or the daily activities you do. Although there is not one main reason lower back pain occurs, the symptoms are usually the same from patient to patient, making diagnosis difficult to determine.

If you are having problems with your lower back it is recommended you visit a physical therapist. A specialist will ask a few evaluation questions and will come up with a plan on how to treat your pain. You should make sure to provide information such as previous health issues, symptoms, and activity history in order to help speed up the process and reach your health goals.

Causes of acute lower back pain usually deal with the strain on muscles and ligaments in the surrounding area. Sudden movements can cause muscles or ligaments to stretch or develop tears. In cases where chronic lower back pain persists most reasons are due to disk tear, spondylolisthesis (daily wear and tear that comes with age and causes the spinal disks to form on top of one another leading to spinal nerves to be crushed), vertebral fractures caused by osteoporosis and scoliosis.

Acute lower back pain is usually caused by strains on the muscles and ligaments in the surrounding area. Sudden movements can cause muscles or ligaments to stretch or develop tears. The most common causes of chronic lower back pain are because of a disk tear, spondylolisthesis (daily wear and tear that comes with age and causes the spinal disks to form on top of one another leading to spinal nerves to be crushed), vertebral fractures caused by osteoporosis, and scoliosis.

Symptoms and treatment of lower back problems depend on the severity of the pain. The most common symptoms are difficulty moving, pain that tends to be achy or dull, muscle spasms, and local soreness upon touch. Resting is recommended for a few days as this allows injured tissue or nerve roots time to heal. Although some rest is beneficial, too much rest can cause muscles to weaken and causing them to struggle in supporting the spine.

The use of heat and ice therapy is another common treatment practice. These polar opposites sensations help reduce pain by eliminating inflammation around the muscle tissue. A physical therapist will be able to decide which approach is best for you. Although some patients have seen success in decreasing lower back pain and reducing muscle spasms through the use of medication, it is not a cure-all solution as the medication wears off and the pain still remains.

If back pain continues for more than two to six weeks, or if pain reoccurs in a frequent manner. it is advised to make an appointment with a physical therapist. The goal of a physical therapist is to decrease pain and prevent the injury from worsening. A physical therapy program for back pain likely includes passive physical therapy to help reduce pain to a more tolerable level. Physical therapy programs also provide active exercises as this allows proper blood flow and helps keep the spine healthy by distributing nutrients into disk space and soft spinal tissues. If you are suffering from lower back pain, please feel free to give us a call at Island Sports Physical Therapy today!