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Dream PT Clinic
by Lisa Mueller

I often find myself dreaming about the future. I plan, too. I think about the best scenarios for accomplishing certain tasks but also allowing time for other things. My brain is wired to look at situations and try to uncover the best possible "solution." Read More...

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Posture and Exercise
by Lisa Mueller

Many times, regardless of the patient's diagnosis, I'll discuss posture during one of our treatment sessions and the impact correct posture can have in reducing pain. The problem is that once my patients hear the word "posture" roll off my tongue, they Read More...

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Is Lack of Exercise a Medical Condition?
by Lisa Mueller

Mayo Clinic physiologist Michael Joyner, MD, writes in The Journal of Physiology that physical inactivity is the root cause of many common medical problems. He continues to explain that if physical inactivity was treated as its own medical condition, Read More...

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Common Therapist Sayings
by Lisa Mueller

There are a lot of phrases I say to my patients to emphasize certain parts of their recovery. I repeat many of them a lot, to the point where I feel a bit like a broken record. I have noticed this with my coworkers as well -- I can hear them saying similar Read More...

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Screening for Depression
by Lisa Mueller

Many times when I work with my patients, they are not the happiest people. Some patients are in a lot of pain, some frustrated with their physical deficits. Although I explain to patients the course of treatment and estimated timeline for recovery, there Read More...

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Exercise Defined
by Lisa Mueller

I don't really follow a lot of political news. I found myself reading a few more political news pieces and articles recently, partly because this is an election year. I came across this article about the John Edwards trial and his defensive strategy relying Read More...

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Direct Access
by Lisa Mueller

Usually about once or twice a year, I break down and make an appointment for a massage. As all the hours add up of providing manual therapy for my patients, as well as my moderately rigorous exercise routine, I feel like I need some relief to start fresh Read More...

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I'm Sedentary
by Lisa Mueller

As you well know by now, I am officially an outpatient physical therapist. I previously worked in acute care, and wrote a blog a while back about how much I walked on a daily basis. It was almost five miles on a typical acute day. As I mentioned in that Read More...

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Interviewing
by Lisa Mueller

For the past six months, I have been interviewing for a new job. It took me a while to decide if I was actually thinking about leaving my current job. I don't have one major reason to leave my new job. I like my coworkers a lot. The hours are fairly flexible. Read More...

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Is Pizza a Vegetable?
by Lisa Mueller

I was catching up on some reading this weekend, including some old newspapers and a few websites I had added to my "must-read" list but did not have a chance to read until now, before the chaotic holidays begin. I also caught up on some TV shows I taped Read More...

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According to Plan?
by Lisa Mueller

I am a planner, an organizer, a 10-steps-ahead thinker. Many times during an initial evaluation I will explain to my patient things to expect in treatment, starting the first day all the way up to discharge. You can hear me say things like, "I know this Read More...

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Michigan and Childhood Obesity
by Lisa West

News came out recently about a new initiative in Michigan for state-wide tracking of pediatric BMI (body-mass index) values. The rationale behind the new policy is that physicians will see the data and be more likely to discuss healthy weight and lifestyles Read More...

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How Important are Lab Values?
by Lisa West

The nice thing about working with a student is that I am reminded of all the "rules" students are taught in school about practicing physical therapy. I remember spending literally hours at Starbucks with flashcards of normal ranges for oxygen saturation, Read More...

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