Blog

As Physical Therapists we see and deal with inflammation every single day. There is a balancing act when it comes to inflammation. Believe it or not an inflammatory response is one of the body’s natural responses to increase healing. This is a useful tool when recovering from what we would consider an acute or sudden injury, or surgery. Chronic inflammation, however, can damage cells in our body. Over time that damage can cause changes in our body that can be linked to disease...

For 23 years VEDA (Vestibular Disorder Association) has celebrated Balance Awareness week to help broaden the public’s understanding of balance-related vestibular disorders. According to VEDA, 1 in 5 Americans suffer from vestibular disfunction. When we see patients, many have suffered from balance issues for years and have gone undiagnosed and untreated. ...

So many of us have been figuratively benched when it comes to recreational, club and school sports. The good news is, with the loosening of some restrictions, sports are gearing back up. Practice may not look the same as it did this time last year, but we are sure to see a return to some level of normalcy and that means we need to do our best to be game ready and prevent injury...

Mother’s Day is a perfect day to celebrate the amazing women in our lives. It is also the first day of National Women’s Health Week. This annual event is a time to raise awareness about women’s health and steps they can take to improve it. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends five steps to good health that can add years to your life and help prevent you from developing illness and disease...

If you have ever suffered from even a short bout of vertigo, you understand just how miserable it can make you feel. The symptoms associated with vertigo can include dizziness, loss of balance, and nausea. The fact is that vertigo is actually a symptom not a condition, and it can be caused by a lot of things. ...

It’s true that the vast majority of patients that Physical Therapists see are adults, and often when we see children it tends to be for things like sports related injuries, but there are so many things that Physical Therapists can do for pediatric patients that go well beyond sports. In fact, Physical Therapist work with children from birth on to help restore or improve their mobility and enhance their quality of life...

It may surprise you to know that bedwetting one of the most common childhood problems. In fact about 19% of school-aged children wet the bed. Often bedwetting will improve as a child gets older, but sometimes it continues. Some children who are bedwetters have never been dry at night, and some will start wetting the bed again after being dry for months. ...

I’m certain by now we have all come to the conclusion that we are not going to stop using smartphones. Unless there is some new unforeseen technology on the horizon our fingers will continue to text, snap, and search day after day. Not only have smartphones changed the way we communicate and operate as a society, they have also affected our health, both good and bad. ...

Born with achondroplasia, 10 year old Izacc Pursley and his family have a story of perseverance and strength. We are fortunate enough to work with Izacc here at Mid America Rehab. He is an inspiration, a joy, and and just an amazing kid. Learn more about Izacc and his family's journey in this article by Kassi Jackson with the Southeast Missourian.

The fall sports season is upon us. Millions of kids will participate in a school or recreational sport this season. There are countless benefits to that participation, and topping the list is keeping your child healthy and active. As with any activity there is always risk of injury. In recent years there has been a substantial and necessary increase in the awareness and prevention of one of the most common injuries; concussions...

No one plans to get hurt in sports but unfortunately, statics reveal that 90% of student athletes report some type of injury over their sports career, and over 50% report playing with an injury. These injuries range from sprains to concussions. It’s not just student athletes. ...

As an avid hunter, Danny Wahl has spent countless hours in his tree stand. Unfortunately, August 29th, 2009 would be one time that would change everything. While checking his stand for the upcoming season, the stand didn’t hold, and Danny crashed to the ground feet first. ...

The holidays have arrived, and with Thanksgiving kicking off a season of family, fun, and food, it is important to keep balance between indulging in our festive favorites and keeping our fitness in check. Unfortunately, with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, exercise could be the first thing dropped off our to-do list when we run short on time. ...

October is National Physical Therapy month, a commemoration held by the American Physical Therapy Association designed to recognize the impact that physical therapists and physical therapist assistants make in restoring and improving motion in people’s lives...

Treatment for the upper extremities is a highly specialized skill, and your choice of therapist is critical to your recovery and your ability to restore or retain motion and function. The credentials that a CHT holds ensures that your therapist has the highest possible level of competency and the most up-to-date knowledge and expertise for your care.

In today's world, we seem to always be on the go. Some days trying to get to the gym just seems impossible. Here are some home-based ideas to improve your health and fitness. Strength training is a great way to build muscle and bone density, increase strength, and improve your metabolism. ...

At a comfortable 94° F, the aquatic therapy pool at our Perryville clinic is rarely without a patient. That’s because so many doctors and therapists have discovered that Aquatic Therapy has undeniable benefits for our patients and their ability to recover from all phases of injury or illness. Most importantly, patients can take advantage of Aquatic Therapy even if they do not know how to swim...

When Ruth Allcock’s doctor told her that she would need a hip replacement to relieve her pain from a bad arthritic hip, it was the last thing she wanted to hear. When he told her she could try physical therapy first, she contact Mid America Rehab to see what, if anything, they could do to help her...

We all spend too much time on our duff. Whether we are sitting for our job, driving in our cars, or watching our kids play soccer, we are sitting too often. According to researchers and scientists this can be unhealthy or even deadly. Dr. James Levine, inventor of the treadmill desk and director of the Obesity Solutions Initiative at Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University, said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, “Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV, and is more treacherous than parachuting. ...

Every third week in September we take time to appreciate the importance of rehabilitation in healthcare and the successes of physical, occupational, and speech therapy during National Rehab Week. This week promotes the value of rehabilitation, highlights the capabilities of people with disabilities, salutes the professionals who provide therapy services, and renews our commitment to meet the needs of people with disabilities...

Soon, kids will be heading back to school. That means it is time to load up on school supplies they will need for the year. Backpacks are the most convenient way to carry books and other items, but if worn improperly or overloaded they can do more harm than good. Backpacks that are too heavy put children at increased risk for spinal injury or back pain. If this issue is not corrected it could lead to problems later in life...

It’s been said that the sign of a healthy child is the occasional bump, bruise, or scratch, on knees, elbows, shins, and chins. These things come with an active child and summer fun, but there are some things that we can do as parents to help keep our children safe and avoid potentially serious injuries this time of year. Here are a few tips that may help...

As she sat at home with her husband not long after Christmas, Mary suddenly felt something warm come up her spine. She immediately knew something was very wrong. She was able to tell her husband to call an ambulance, and that is the last thing she remembered. She had suffered a brain aneurysm and had lost consciousness...

Everyone gets a bump or bruise occasionally, sore muscles, or the unfortunate twisted ankle. The next question is what do you do about it? Do you run to the freezer for an ice pack or pull out the heating pad? This great debate has gone on for years, and most people have their own theories about what the best remedy is for pain relief. There is however, a few rules to go by that will help ease your pain and do what's right for your body to aide in your recovery...

Most of us have someone we know that suffers from chronic knee pain. Many of those individuals eventually turn to surgery for that knee pain. In fact, among adults in the U. S. age 65 and older, knee arthritis is the single greatest cause of disability. The good news is that research recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that when it comes to chronic knee pain related to arthritis, physical therapy and exercise can be just as effective as surgery...