​I normally ask my patients, "Has anyone ever asked you why you hurt?" or " Do you know why your pain increases with stress, activity, or weather?" Pain is a normal response in the body and is a very important for helping us survive. However, persistent pain and nociceptive pain (pain that occurs during light touch or activates that should not be painful) is not a normal process. Persistent and nociceptive pain is due to the sensitivity of the nervous system and how the brain processes different pain signals. 
 
The body is constantly sending signals, for example, right now your feet are telling your brain that you are wearing socks and shoes. There is a threshold for the signals that determines what is important to get to the brain or not. This is why we can go our whole day without thinking about the fact that we are wearing socks and shoes. This is not important information for our body to process all day long. 
 
Some of our nerves act as the internal alarm system and will signal the body if there is a threat or injury. If you imagine you were to step on a nail, without looking at your foot or seeing the nail, you would know that you stepped on a nail. You would automatically jump off of that foot, sit down, and inspect the foot. There is a natural threshold of input that, if hit, will trigger a response from the body (see the first picture attached), this case it was when your foot stepped on the nail.
 
In the case of an accident, surgery, emotional stress, or chronic pain the body develops this alert system which wakes up your body in response to danger. Some people's nerves remain elevated and don't calm down very easily. This response impedes on movement and function and is actually very normal. What your body could previously tolerate, is now more difficult because your nerves have become more sensitivity in alerting the alarm system (see the second picture).
 
I also like to think about a car alarm. The car alarm's purpose is supposed to alert the driver if there has been an accident, a break-in, or a bump. If the alarm system is too good at recognizing potential threat, the car alarm will go off when a leaf blows by the car. This is very similar to how our body can act, what was previously easy for us to do becomes painful or difficult. Physical therapy can help turn down your alarm system and help your body perform those tasks that were once easy to complete without triggering your alarm system. 

This book review was written by Jordan Weyker PT, DPT. 

APTA Therapist of the Year: Frank Fantazzi
We are excited that APTA Wisconsin has decided to honor our very own, Frank Fantazzi, with the 2022 Physical Therapist of the Year Award! The award ceremony will be held Friday, April 28th. Some of our staff will be attending the awards ceremony that day, and we will be closing clinics early to attend the celebration. ​

Physical therapy has lots of benefits for active people. Athletes, performers, weekend warriors, and people who work in physically demanding jobs can all benefit from the expertise of a physical therapist. Here are 3 ways physical therapist help active people stay that way.

Injury Treatment
Active people get hurt. Physical therapists have the knowledge and skills to help people recover from injuries faster. In addition to helping people recover, physical therapists will look for the root cause of the injury and address that as well, to help keep the injury from coming back. If the injury is severe and requires surgery, a physical therapist will guide the recovery and make sure the person gets back to their activity. But in some cases, a physical therapist can help an injured person avoid surgery in the first place.

Injury Prevention
Surgery isn’t the only thing physical therapists can help people avoid. A physical therapist can also help with injury prevention too. A thorough assessment of an athlete’s strength, mobility, balance, and coordination helps to identify issues that could lead to injury. A PT can then design a program to improve the problem areas before they lead to injury. A PT can also assess an existing training plan and help to identify areas that may lead to sprains, strains, or overtraining.

Improve Performance
In addition to helping people improve areas where they’re weak, therapists can help people get better in areas of strength. A physical therapist can create a program to improve strength, flexibility, coordination, agility or speed. Physical therapists are movement experts. They can break down the requirements of a specific physical task like lifting or throwing, then design a training program that will help people meet those demands.
 
Physical Therapy is more than just a way to get back on your feet after an injury - it can also help you stay at the top of your game. Whether you're an athlete, a dancer, or someone who wants to stay in shape, physical therapy can help you reach your performance goals. With the right exercises and treatments, physical therapists can help you improve strength, flexibility, and endurance so that you can perform at your best and lower your risk of injury.
 
References:
 

1. Research (peer-reviewed)
   1. What we currently do for sports - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31077961/
   2. Sports injury prevention - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35421834/
   3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34238639/ 
2. Articles and Content
   1. https://www.idsportsmed.com/7-benefits-of-sports-physical-therapy/
   2. https://www.childrens.com/amp/health-wellness/how-physical-therapy-helps-athletes-and-what-to-expect 
   3. How Can Physical Therapy Help to Avoid Surgery? - Tucson Orthopaedic Institute