Physical Therapy Blog Articles — Lake Washington Physical Therapy

February 21, 2025

Cross-Fit, Fitness, Physical Therapy, Running

Mandie Majerus

It is that time of year where many people are hitting the pavement and trails ramping up for races or just general fitness goals. Some may have gutted out the wintry weather and tried to sneak in runs during breaks in the rain or indoors on the always reliable treadmill. With an increase in volume of running, we often see repetitive stress injuries that can come with inadequate attenuation of forces. If you’ve been running long enough, chances are you know someone or have a running partner who dealt with a recalcitrant tendon issue, whether involving the Achilles tendon, peroneal tendon or patellar tendon. Or maybe you had to deal with it yourself. If so, hopefully you’ve packed your patience as the process can be frustrating. If you have ever had these injuries sideline you then you know how it can hinder your ability to compete in athletic activities. It’s helpful to understand the physiology of what is happening to the tendon in order to know how best to treat it, ideally while working alongside a physical therapist familiar with running and jumping injuries.

December 3, 2024

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.

November 27, 2024

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.

November 27, 2024

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.

November 25, 2024

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.

Matt Sato

January 20, 2022

Fitness, Physical Therapy, Golf

Exercise After COVID

Matt Sato

January 20, 2022

Fitness, Physical Therapy, Golf

What to know about getting back into activity following a diagnosis of COVID

With the most recent spread of Covid across the country, The Journal of the American Medical Association has recently released guidelines on the safest way to return to exercise following all levels of Covid infection. As physical therapists, we are responsible to help our patients return to safe exercise, and should be taking responsibility for returning our patients safely to exercise following Covid. Here are some things to consider for best practice when returning to activity following a COVID diagnosis depending on severity of symptoms.

Matt Sato

July 30, 2020

Fitness, Physical Therapy, Golf

Golf is Back

Matt Sato

July 30, 2020

Fitness, Physical Therapy, Golf

GOLF IS BACK!

By Matt Sato, DPT, SFMAc, TPIc

As many of you know and have been greatly anticipating, golf is now allowed in the state of Washington! Just in time for the start of our glorious season here in the Pacific Northwest that many of us wait 6-7 months for. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our usual workout routines and activities that we would normally be doing have been disrupted as our gyms and access to health care providers have been greatly limited.

How many of us finished the last golf season with nagging injuries, aches and pains that we were unable to address this Winter and Spring due to staying at home with limited access to healthcare? I want to encourage everyone in this boat to take the time to take care of your bodies and make sure you are primed to start your season in peak physical condition.