Physical Therapy —> Personal Training Undoubtedly, there are several differences between Physical Therapists and Personal Trainers. Physical Therapists generally diagnose, treat, and manage pain, while Personal Trainers are known to create individualized programs to decrease risk factors, improve function, and enhance overall health/fitness.  Despite their differences, however, there are some striking similarities between the two.  The most significant similarity seems to l...

Last week, Dr. Brian Giordano came to STAR to provide an educational program for the professional staff at our outpatient physical therapy facility. Dr. Giordano is an Associate Professor in the URMC Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation. He is a sports medicine physician, and treats a variety of orthopaedic conditions. He has a particular specialty in the management of non-arthritic hip pain with both operative and non-operative procedures. There are many non-arthritic hip conditions, b...

Approximately 80 years ago, heart disease claimed the number one spot in the United States’ “top 10 leading causes of death.” With a prevalence of obesity, physical inactivity, and poor diet at an all time high, this came as no surprise; however, it not to say that nothing can be done about this.  Although there are several uncontrollable risk factors such as age, heredity, sex, ethnicity, etc., there are several steps we can take to negate and/or prolong the negative eff...

We’ve all heard common myths when it comes to exercising while pregnant: “exercising will take nutrients away from the baby,” “running is too stressful for the baby,” “avoid abdominal exercises,” etc. The truth is, although your body is in a increasingly vulnerable state, safe exercise can provide a number of benefits before, during, and after pregnancy. Some of these benefits can include: Reduction of backaches, constipation, inflammation May preven...

As we break out of our winter hibernation and begin to bask in the glorious sun, we may find it difficult to avoid the temptations that summer brings. Warm weather means flip flops, swimming, and tan (or in some cases, burned) skin; however, it also means barbecues, beers, and ice cream outings. Here are some tips to help you avoid (or moderate) the hard-to-resist summer foods and replace them with healthier, fresher options: 1.) Away from: fried dough (full of trans fat aka. bad fat) Instead:...