Blog
How Physical Therapy Can Help Survivors Post-Prostatectomy. Part 3: PT For Sexual Dysfunction Post Prostatectomy
September Is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. In Parts 1 and 2 of this series on Prostate Cancer and how Physical Therapy can help patients post-prostatectomy, we focused mainly on the common symptom of urinary incontinence affecting up to 87% of patients...
How Physical Therapy Can Help Survivors Post-Prostatectomy. Part 2: Lifestyle Habits to Help Urinary Incontinence
September Is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month In Part 1 of this blog series, we went over what Kegels are (the contraction of your pelvic floor muscles), how many to do (aim for 30-80 reps a day in sets of 10), and how to coordinate them with movement and breathing...
How Physical Therapy Can Help Survivors Post-Prostatectomy – Part 1: Pelvic Floor Strengthening
September Is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in men in the western world making up 15% of cancer diagnoses in men in the US. Though the incidence is high, Prostate Cancer is a very treatable disease with high long-term...
The Core: So much more than just crunches!
Chances are that at some point in your life, someone has told you to ‘brace/engage/contract your core.’ What exactly does this mean though? And why are you instructed to do this so often before and during exercises? Let’s dig a little deeper into what the ‘core’ is,...
Diaphragmatic Breathing: A ‘How-to-Guide’ and why it is not the same as ‘Belly Breathing’
Diaphragmatic breathing has become a popular recommendation among Physical Therapists, Personal Trainers, Healthcare providers, and Fitness Instructors alike. The connection between breathing dysfunction and the development or presence of low back pain has been...
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy- What to Expect at Your First Appointment
Prior to your evaluation for Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy, you may have a few questions. Whether you were referred to Physical Therapy (PT) by your Doctor, it was recommended to you by a friend, or you read that you may benefit from Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy...
Why and How Life’s Work PT Safely Stayed Open During COVID-19
WHY When the novel coronavirus pandemic hit Oregon and the U.S., life as we knew it shut down. While governors issued ‘stay at home’ orders and businesses and schools closed, Life’s Work Physical Therapy in Portland, OR, made the decision to stay open. Considered an...
Does Cold Weather Affect Chronic Pain? Tips to Relieve It
After 22 years of practicing as a physical therapist, thousands of my patients have complained of what I call, “cold weather pain.” In Oregon where I live, when the hot and dry summer weather changes to cold and wet fall weather, joint pain complaints increase. As the...
Five Reasons to See a Physical Therapist in 2019
Are you 50, nearing 50, or older? Did you know orthopedic pain is the leading cause of disability for this age group in the United States and around the world? (“Orthopedic” means a part of the body that moves is not working...
Common Winter Sports Injuries & How to Prevent Them
Believe it or not, winter is upon us! Despite the long, beautiful fall we’ve enjoyed in the Pacific Northwest, winter is still coming. At Life’s Work Physical Therapy, our physical therapists treat many winter sports injuries. Let’s spend some time learning how to...
How to Relieve Neck Pain: 5 Things You Need to Do
Neck or cervical pain is among the top five causes of disability and pain worldwide. If you have persistent neck pain, you are not alone. The World Health Organization estimates that 332 million people worldwide suffer with neck...
Proper Computer Posture to Cure Your Annoying Desk Pain
Do you spend a lot of time in front of a computer at work or at home? A recent study published by Microsoft revealed that U.S. workers spend an average of 7 hours per day on a computer, more hours than they sleep at night! In addition, 85% of workers report discomfort...