Westfield State Sports Medicine Blog

  Does Mirror Therapy Reduce Phantom Limb Pain? Mirror Therapy is one of the only interventions utilized in a clinic that tricks the brain into perceiving movement with no pain. This therapy helps the amputation population greatly, as many suffer from Phantom Limb Pain. Most amputations have resulted from either horrific accident, active employment in the military, or working in dangerous conditions such as coal mining.   What is Phantom Limb Pain? Phantom Limb Pain is a prevalent complaint among the amputee population. It’s the sensation of pain felt within a missing limb. This pain can persist for just a few minutes, up to days or even for weeks and longer. The sensation occurs as the brain is trying to adjust and get used to the loss of the extremity. Although the sensation is felt where your limb is no longer, it’s still a very real and painful reality for many amputees.   How does Mirror Therapy Work? Mirror Therapy is used by placing a mirror in between the amputate...

  Impact of Early Physical Therapy Intervention in Recovery Outcomes in Athletes with Ankle Sprains     Imagine being a young athlete, sidelined by an ankle sprain just as the season begins. The pain, swelling, and frustration of not being able to play can feel very overwhelming. But what if taking the right steps early on could not only get you back in the game faster but also protect you from future injuries? That’s where early physical therapy intervention makes all the difference.         Research Findings: F aster Recovery and Reduced Pain:   Research shows that early physical therapy intervention significantly reduces pain and inflammation by promoting proper healing during the inflammatory stage. Athletes who start therapy immediately tend to experience faster recovery times and regain functional movement sooner (Youdas et al., 2005).   Lower Risk of Chronic Ankle Instability:   Early intervention with targeted strengt...

Behind every record-breaking performance, there’s often an untold story of mental struggle. For elite athletes, the pressure to succeed can spark crippling anxiety that undermines even the greatest talents. But is it possible to break free from this mental block and rise above the silent battle in their minds? Opening Thoughts While most of the attention has been given to the mental health challenges faced by elite athletes, there's less info specifically looking at how anxiety impacts their performance. Still, what we do know points to an indirect link between anxiety and how athletes perform under pressure.  The pressing question: What's being done to help athletes  manage this anxiety and perform at their best? More and more, athletes are turning to new ways to deal with their anxiety. The challenge is that not all athletes have equal access to these tools. While some are getting the help they need, others might not have the same resources. What the Research has Shown Athle...

The Effectiveness of the Schroth Method on Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients Don't get it twisted! During adolescence, there is a high probability of an adolescent aged 10-18 years old getting a diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, especially females. There are many treatments for this musculoskeletal condition, one of them being the Schroth method. The Schroth method can elongate, derotate, and stabilize the spine from this manipulation, but how well? What does the research say? A 2021 study found AIS patients who used the Schroth method as treatment had significant improvements in overall quality of life scores that addressed pain and self-image. This is very important for an AIS patient since this condition should not be debilitating. A study from 2022 found AIS patients who implement hippotherapy alongside the Schroth method for treatment are likely to have lower values in the scoliotic angle, kyphotic angle, and vertical spinal rotation. The overall findi...

Constantly, people complain of back pain, mostly when people age and many times we ignore it till one day it is no longer bearable. In many situations, these disturbances to our daily living are the result of a more severe prognosis than just back pain and this may be lumbar spinal stenosis.   What is lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS)? LSS is the narrowing of the spinal cord in the lumbar (lower) section of the spine. This results primarily in pressure on the spinal cord or nerves causing burning pain or numbness running down the buttocks and legs (sciatica), difficulty walking, and leaning forward to ease pressure.          Physical therapy techniques:  Various different physical therapy techniques including exercises and manual therapy reduce symptoms of LSS primarily reducing pain and improvements in function. A  2018  study found significant improvements in walking, pain, and function with education on managing symptoms, body repositioning...