Alta Physical Therapy and Pilates

What is the first thing you do after you pull a muscle? How about after you fall or crash your bike?  Is taking ibuprofen the first step in your first aid plan? If you are like most people, regular ibuprofen use is the norm. Even without pain, some think of “Vitamin I” as the way [...]

Exercise physiology testing is not just for the aspiring Olympian. More and more, people seeking the right exercise formula for weight loss are signing up with a professional exercise lab. Boulder Performance Lab at ALTA can help you: Find your scientifically accurate exercise intensity zones Exercise at just the right level to burn fat with [...]

Remember, as a kid, getting off the Merry Go Round after a particularly fast spin, and laughing as you fell to the ground, dizzy? Or, as an adult, did you ever go for a long sail boat ride and stand on solid ground, only to feel that the ground was moving beneath you? Imagine how [...]

Consider these factors when making your work environment injury-free. Alignment and posture are important considerations to decrease work-related stress and strain. Work Station Checklist: Head and neck approximately upright (not bent down/back). Head, neck, and trunk facing forward (not twisted). Trunk perpendicular to the floor. Shoulders and upper arms close to perpendicular to the floor [...]

By Jane Milliff Yesterday, waiting in line at the Verizon store, I saw a guy bend over and groan as he stretched his low back and hamstrings. He must have repeated the maneuver 5 times as we waited for service. Wouldn’t you love to have the panache to do that? But the real question: would [...]

Do you have a history of chronic lower back pain that has resolved temporarily with treatment, only to come back for no apparent reason? If so, there may be an underlying visceral (gut) restriction affecting the movement of your lower spine or pelvis. Most traditional manual therapy approaches to low back pain address the structures [...]

A Brief History Of TDN In the early 1940′s, Janet Travell, M.D. began treating myofascial trigger points (MTrP) by injecting them with analgesic medication.  The medication woudld then help decrease the sensitivity of the trigger point and ultimately eliminate the individual’s pain.  After further research, it was discovered that not only did the medication help [...]

What Is It? Shin Splints is pain caused by an injury to the anterior or posterior tibialis muscle where it attaches to the shinbone (tibia). Pain is generally felt along the front or inside edge of the tibia and is common in athletes who run and jump.  Repetitive motions such as running and jumping can [...]

What Is It? Plantar fasciitis is a common and painful condition affecting the bottom of the heel.  If it is not treated early and aggressively, it can become chronic taking a year or more to resolve.  Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation and tearing of the ligament that supports your arch.  In runners, it tends to [...]

What Is It? Patellar tendonitis is an injury to the tendon that connects your quadriceps muscle to your lower leg below the knee cap.  It almost always hurts with direct pressure to the tendon and is often swollen when compared to the other knee.  Tendonitis results when repetitive micro-tearing occurs in the tendon from overuse.  [...]