You wake up one day and feel different. But not in a god way.
You notice that it’s not possible to blink or to close your eye. Maybe you notice a droop on one side of your face.
Perhaps you discover something is wrong when you take your first sip of morning coffee, only to drool and remain unable to seal your lips around your cup. ​

Just diagnosed with Bell's palsy? Here is the first thing you should know. The good thing? It is not a death sentence. No matter how bad you feel or it looks right now.

This post is for informational and educational purpose only. It is not tailored medical advice to your specific condition.

Techniques to stretch muscles surrounding the eye

• Today, I am demonstrating one way to help relieve the tightness and associated occasional pain that is associated with it during Bell’s palsy.⁣
• Massaging first, then stretching.⁣⁣

​You may or may not know that you do early in your Bell’s Palsy recovery greatly affect your progress.⁣
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For 29% of people, turns out that that it is key in their recovery, being part of the group that will not just recover on its own.⁣
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The problem is that when you have Bell’s palsy, you have no way of knowing which group you belong to.⁣
Being proactive and involved with your recovery and rehab becomes even more important

And It Does Not Work!⁣
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Most people that suffer from Bell’s Palsy will read about or hear about electrical stimulation for treatment of BP⁣
The chance is that they will think of a TENS unit as viable in treating facial paralysis... And IT IS NOT.⁣

TENS unit is for treatment of pain only, NOT to activate and strengthen muscles⁣
The user manuals clearly say to never apply on the face ( that should be your first clue )⁣
The size of the electrode, as with 95% of other type of electrical stimulation units, is not appropriate as it would stimulate too many muscles at once>>>> hence the risk of developing synkinesis since you would be contracting several muscles at once instead of one.⁣
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So, all in all, TENS is not a modality that has any benefits in treating BP. And possibly negative effects in reality.⁣
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DO NOT USE TENS UNIT TO TREAT BELL’S PALSY⁣!
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You might have heard of them... Or seen more and more people wearing them...Or maybe had a glimpse at them at your favorite shoe retailer. Shoes that look quite different than what you’d consider traditional…they look wider, look shorter, with a very small sole that looks like the manufacturers saved on using material…

Could these really be comfortable and how would it feel to walk in them? 
​You might be skeptical has you have had foot problems all your life, been told to wear extra insoles with an increased arch, or have seen countless foot doctors that recommended you do so…
In this post I would like to discuss what has been dubbed minimalist shoes, how they could allow a more natural way to move , and how they could help you with aches and pain.

So just a few days ago we looked at how to descend stairs when you have new pain/when going down steps reproduces the pain. 
Today, I would like to show you how to properly go up a step, what you can do, how to place your feet and how to optimize the right muscle use to prevent strain on your knee and prevent pain.
What is important to remember with climbing stairs is that most of us are actually climbing stairs the wrong way, or at least not the most optimal way.

So today I would like to start a serie on knee pain. I will approach several common reasons for having knee pain with common movements and tasks. I will also demonstrate what you can do about it and what you can change with specific exercises that will help you correct what you are doing wrong.

We have many patients that come to see us with complaints of knee pain stating that they have had increasing difficulty with knee pain when they ascend or descend stairs,  going over curbs or stepping off a high platform, and even walking or hiking on hills.
Using stairs is a required and normal part of life to participate in society but it is far from easy for many.

A lot of people that have knee pain think or have the conception that the problem is coming from inside the knee joint, that a structure is likely injured or not doing what it is supposed to do. I am here to tell you that it is rarely the case. I think that the knee joint generally deteriorates only from direct trauma, or much more often from problem occurring  at the hip and ankle joints instead.

So today I would like to talk to you about a question that I often see on forums online or I have been ask by patients is...
Is physical therapy or physiotherapy appropriate after a car accident? 
My answer today's is 100%, Yes!

Bell's Palsy is considered a rare condition but it still affects over 40,000 Americans between the age of 16 and 60.
A lot of the research and best course action to treat it remain a source of debate and disagreement.
It is a neuromuskuloskeletal condition since it affects both the facial nerve and muscles of the face it innervates.

​I may be be biased, but as a physical therapist (physio for anyone living outside of the USA), and as a fully recovered Bell's palsy patient myself, I believe it is my duty to educate the population with what physical therapy can do when suffering from this rapid, debilitating, physically and socially, condition.

It's February... We are right in the thick of winter. If you exercises outdoor, winter might not be a time you particularly relish. You might even have switch all of your workouts indoor by now. Or worse... You might have stopped exercising altogether because you have been less than motivated and feeling lethargic from the weather...
Curling up under a blanket by a fireplace likely sounds more appealing.

But know that winter tends to bring a weight gain of 5 to 10 pounds on average. Can you only blame the weather?
Winter is of course a great time for outdoor activities and cardiovascular activities.

Today, my only goal is to do a review of the risks, but mostly the benefits of exercising in cold weather.
You might have to take extra precautions and measures but will learn that winter brings on special benefits when it comes to exercising.

• Wouldn't it be nice to have your questions answered at your convenience when it comes to movement, joint and muscle pain? Do you ever wish you had a doctor in the family or at home, or  could talk to a physical therapist virtually when these questions come up? How about being treated without having to leave your house? Maybe you live remotely and attending a medical appointment is a two hour commute away...
  

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• Butheau Physiotherapy, a mobile physical therapy services company in Burien, WA now offers Telehealth consultations in addition to their increasingly successful mobile physical therapy services in their patient's home or work environment. 

Let's chat about a topic that is often overlooked and has potential of affecting someone's life and could be resulting in life changing injuries.
Over my 17 years career, I have treated patients in hospitals, outpatient clinics, private homes, skilled nursing facilities and rehab centers and hundreds of them for injuries resulting after a fall. Fractures of the hip and pelvis are the most common but hands, wrist, forearm, ankle and feet fractures are not too far behind.
And today, I 'd like to offer some insight and topics regarding balance and falls with....

Hip joint pain, stiffness and/or discomfort is a common complaint from my patients.  Many people suffer from hip pain for years before they start considering having that area looked at and treated. Unless you suffer from direct trauma, such as a fall, It generally starts as mild stiffness or tightness and progress to mobility restriction that can be painful or not.

I consider the hip joint a key joint as it is the link between our legs and the rest of our body.  Keeping healthy hips is key not only in preventing hip pain, but also very often in preventing, addressing and fixing ankle, knee, pelvic and lower back pain. I consider  hip mobility, or lack thereof, to be the main culprit in many ailments dealing with these areas...

You've probably read or been taught about various ways to stay or become healthier before... 

Some valid...like annual medical check -ups, colonoscopy after age 50, mammogram, routine dental cleaning and exams...

Some much less valid, confusing, and/or clearly misleading... Like TV news mentioning latest studies such as " drinking three cups of coffee a day could decrease your blood pressure and help you live longer"... Internet and social media advertisements on the latest gadget, vitamin or supplements that will prevent you to gain weight, make your back feel better, or prevent bunions....

But enough of that... Today, I am here to discuss an efficient and proven way that, if widely adopted, would save billions of dollars, countless hours of time wasted being treated in the healthcare system, and much less suffering...in Burien & Seattle, WA and throughout the world. And that is called a Movement Screen or Movement Screening.

Yes, posture that prevent overstressing your back, injured or not, is important. 
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I might take a lot of heat from many people, including other physical therapists, for saying this but as humans, we are bound to slouch and have poor posture numerous times a day and it is not possible to maintain ideal posture 24 hours a day. I am saying that as a human.

Now, as a physiotherapist...

Greeting readers! For the next couple weeks, I will post one daily tip that might help you treat your acute or chronic  back pain. My goal is to keep it short and to the point, with simple explanations.