Hip, Knee, Osteoarthritis, Running
Mandie Majerus
Bone Stress Injuries

What is a bone stress injury (BSI) and how do I know I have one? How long will it take to get me back to running? As a physical therapist who treats a lot of runners and as a lifelong runner myself, I have always had a passion for keeping runners running. The act of running can make someone’s day tick along better, can help with consistent sleep, calm the nerves and can even make a runner more fun to be around. It can be social or an act of solitude. It can be alarming for a runner when they start to experience a nagging pain that doesn’t warm up or even worsens as they run. Pain that doesn’t dissipate with a warm-up routine or is vague at first but then becomes localized or intensifies through the run can be a sign of a bone stress injury or BSI. BSI is a general term indicating mechanical load is exceeding the bone’s structural ability to withstand the load. However, BSIs occur on a continuum. One end of that continuum is a stress reaction, the other end can be stress fracture or even a full fracture of the bone. The runner recognizes this as pain that isn’t normally present. BSIs can occur for many reasons whether due to biomechanics or from a nutritional standpoint or a combination of both. As high-school and college cross-country runners prepare now for this upcoming season, they should be aware of the common causes and ways to prevent bone stress injuries.

Bone Stress Injuries
Physical Therapy, Fitness, hiking, Knee
Mark Bouma, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT, CFI
Raking Leaves

Mark Bouma, PT takes readers through the areas to watch out for while raking leaves. The fall changes in the PNW is a time of beautiful color but also typically wet and heavy leaves.

Patellofemoral pain is largely a diagnosis of exclusion. There can be many causes of knee pain and it is important for your healthcare provider to properly assess your individual condition. Many individuals have anterior knee pain with prolonged sitting with flexed knees.

There are three common provocative diagnostic tests that are most closely correlated with patellofemoral joint pain:

  • Squatting

  • Climbing Stairs

  • Eccentric Step-Down Test

Research has linked several key factors that may contribute to an individual developing patellofemoral pain. These factors are not present in everybody who has symptoms, but there are often impairments in one or more of these areas found during a physical therapy exam.

Raking Leaves
Physical Therapy, Fitness, Knee, Football, Hip, Neck pain, Running
Victor Kolar, PT, DPT, CSCS, TPIc
Turkey Bowl

Victor Kollar, PT takes you through the areas to think about as you get ready for your annual turkey bowl football game.

Turkey Bowl
physical therapy, Fitness, Physical Therapy, Ankle
Ben Wobker
Riq Woolen: Foot & Ankle Injury

The Seattle Seahawks have been dealing with a challenging season on the injury front, and the ankle injury to standout cornerback Tariq Woolen has added yet another layer of complexity. Woolen, a key figure in Seattle's defensive scheme, has demonstrated elite skills throughout the season, allowing a league-low 27.3% completion rate and an astonishing 1.7 passer rating when targeted. His injury has not only affected the team's defensive depth but has also posed significant challenges in maintaining consistency in coverage. In this article, we delve into the details of Woolen’s injury, its implications for the Seahawks, and what the team can do moving forward.

Riq Woolen: Foot & Ankle Injury
physical therapy, Ballet, Cross-Fit, Fitness, Physical Therapy
Ben Wobker
Relative Energy Deficiency

If you're a runner, you may have heard of the Female Athlete Triad, a term once used to describe a combination of low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and bone health issues. However, our understanding of these conditions has evolved, giving rise to a broader concept: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). This condition is not just for elite female athletes; it affects athletes of all levels and genders. Let’s break down what RED-S is, why it's important, and how you can protect yourself as a runner.

Relative Energy Deficiency

snowboarding

Backcountry Skiing

Backcountry Skiing

As most people learned to punt last year, outdoor recreation was one of the activities that people could do to keep busy while social distancing. There was an explosion in Nordic (cross-country) and backcountry skiing. These often get confused as the same thing but they are very different sports requiring quite different equipment and are different altogether than resort skiing. With resort skiing, injuries tend to be more traumatic such as occurs when crashing at a high speed or misjudging a turn. Resort or inbounds skiing was covered in a past blog so we will turn attention to Nordic and backcountry skiing now. In these disciplines, injuries tend to result from repetitive stress. Pole length, pole grip and pole adjustability are very important with Nordic and backcountry skiing to avoid overuse. It can be helpful to understand the benefit of sport-specific training when one has a good grasp of what each sport requires. This is especially important when starting a new sport as it will help to develop appropriate training habits while learning form and ultimately will optimize performance.

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Winter is Coming

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Winter is Coming

Winter is coming! With another La Nina year in the forecast, the PNW is in for another cold and wet season. For all of you powder dogs out there, this means one thing– SNOW. I’ve been waiting since August for snowboarding season to come along, and the time has finally come. It's time to shred the gnar! I picked up snowboarding a few seasons ago and it has become my latest obsession (possibly even more than spikeball). One of the reasons I’ve learned to love it so much is because it allows me to get outside during the winter. The Seattle area is notorious for its gray, gloomy, and dark winter days, and that plays a huge role with my mood at this time of year. My perspective has changed completely since learning how to get out on the slopes each season. Now I actually get excited for those drizzly days, because that means more freshies up at elevation and all the more epic of runs on the upcoming weekend. 


Just starting out on your snowboarding journey? For all you first timers out there, know that you will be spending a lot of time on your butt during the first few times you’re on the mountain. Generally speaking, snowboarding is usually harder to learn, but easier to master; alternatively, skiing is easier to learn but harder to master. However, don’t let this discourage you– the growing pains are worth it once you start completing those S-turns. To start off, you can figure out if you prefer a “goofy” or “regular” stance before even setting foot on the snow. This video by LWPT’s own Katie Hutchins Do You Ride Regular or Goofy? || REI will help you determine which foot will be your lead foot. Understanding which stance you are more comfortable with will play a huge role in your ability to balance and turn. Knowing the basics before going to the mountain will help make a day on your tushy a little easier. You can also watch this video How to Snowboard - the basics of riding for your first day | REI to learn how to navigate the mountain on your first day. 


Precautions for Hiking

To the Mountains!

To the Mountains!

As most people learned to punt last year, outdoor recreation was one of the activities that people could do to keep busy while social distancing. There was an explosion in Nordic (cross-country) and backcountry skiing. These often get confused as the same thing but they are very different sports requiring quite different equipment and are different altogether than resort skiing. With resort skiing, injuries tend to be more traumatic such as occurs when crashing at a high speed or misjudging a turn. Resort or inbounds skiing was covered in a past blog so we will turn attention to Nordic and backcountry skiing now. In these disciplines, injuries tend to result from repetitive stress. Pole length, pole grip and pole adjustability are very important with Nordic and backcountry skiing to avoid overuse. It can be helpful to understand the benefit of sport-specific training when one has a good grasp of what each sport requires. This is especially important when starting a new sport as it will help to develop appropriate training habits while learning form and ultimately will optimize performance.