UC Davis Health molecular exercise physiologist Keith Baar specializes in sports medicine. He studies the effects of exercise on bone, muscle and tendon health. In this Q&A, he discusses how intensive exercising after injury or when overweight can cause damage to ligaments and tendons. He also talks about the importance of integrating isometric or static exercises into our fitness routines.
Gait training exercises are movements designed to help improve strength, balance and coordination when walking. They may be part of a physical therapy program for a person recovering from a stroke, an injury, or surgery, as well as those dealing with a chronic condition that affects their ability to walk.
With spring on its way, you may be pulling out your golf clubs or tennis racket. If you try to mimic the perfect swing of golf pros or tennis champs without taking into account the limitations of your own body, you may be setting yourself up for injury. It's important to be aware of two inflammatory conditions: tennis elbow and golf elbow. Despite their names, these conditions can be diagnosed in anyone who engages in constant arm movements. They develop slowly over time from overuse.
Certain hand exercises can help relieve pressure on the median nerve and alleviate symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Exercises include stretches, wrist extensions, hand squeezing, and more.
The foot is a complex structure made up of 28 bones, 33 joints, 19 muscles, over 100 tendons and ligaments, and more than 200,000 different nerve endings. These work together to allow you to walk, run, maintain balance, absorb impact, and bear upper body weight.
You can do many things to help knee pain, whether it's due to a recent injury or arthritis you've had for years. Follow these 11 dos and don’ts to help your knees feel their best.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), most people can resume daily living and light activities independently within 3 to 6 weeks of surgery. However, the steps someone takes before surgery may affect the total recovery timeline.
Your labrum is soft tissue that connects the socket part of the scapula (called the glenoid) with the head of the humerus. A tear in the labrum results in insufficient cushioning between those bones.
Wrist strengthening exercises make the wrist muscles stronger, and improve the flexibility and range of motion of your wrist joints and tendons. People who may benefit from wrist-strengthening exercises include athletes such as boxers, gymnasts, and tennis players. Workers at risk of carpal tunnel syndrome also may benefit from exercise to prevent injury.
Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition that occurs when the thick band of tissue in the bottom of your foot—called the plantar fascia—becomes inflamed. This condition typically causes sharp pain on your heel at the base of your arch, especially when you put weight on your foot.