Tosca, Dr. John’s Canine Companions breeder dog, had her first litter of puppies on January 10, 2012. There are 5 boys and 2 girls and they’re just adorable. Tosca is an almost 2 year old Golden Retriever.
Tosca’s puppies will be raised by volunteer Canine Companion puppy raisers to hopefully become Canine Companions in the future.
Make sure to keep visiting this blog for  photos and updates on the cute puppies!
Muscle Energy Technique: used in osteopathy and physical therapy to treat somatic dysfunction presenting as loss of range of motion secondary to muscular inhibition or facilitation. There are several distinct techniques which may be called muscle energy techniques including reciprocal inhibition, and post-isometric relaxation. Muscle Energy is an Active (requires patient utilization of force) Direct (engages the barrier) technique that promotes muscle relaxation by activating the inhibition reflex. The purpose is to gain motion that is limited by restrictions of neuromuscular structures.
Biofeedback can teach you how to regain control of your body’s functioning in order to establish normalcy and change acute or chronic weakness. Biofeedback is a system based on monitoring biological signals produced by the body. Electronic instrumentation monitors the body’s physiology and displays the monitored information back to the person whose body is being monitored; hence the name bio-logical signal feed-back. This process increases your awareness of physiological activity in muscles and allows Muscle re-education. Muscles and nerves can have their function diminished in several ways, accidents or surgery being the most common. Muscle monitors can help retrain depressed or damaged muscles by helping injured muscles and nerves work together. At OSPT we utilize the Prometheus Pathway Biofeedback monitor as a muscle monitor to help patients to re-educate muscles.
I have pain on the bottom of my foot, back by my heel, every time I get up in the morning and when I get up at the office after sitting for awhile. The pain is very intense but seems to get a little better after I have been up for awhile. It began when I started running again. What do I have and what should I do?   D.J.S.
Dear D.J.S.,
You most likely have Plantar Fasciitis and possibly a Heel Spur. The plantar fascia is a sheet of connective tissue that spans the bottom of your foot from the heel, across the arch, to the base of the toes. This fascia can be injured in a number of ways: 1. Stepping on something while barefoot: 2. Jumping and landing hard; 3. Overuse while doing a repeated weight-bearing activity; 4. A foot that has a bio-mechanic problem; 5. Poor fitting shoes; 6. Tight calf musculature or; 7. A heel spur.
A heel spur is an overgrowth of bone where a muscle, tendon or ligament is attached. If the muscle, tendon or ligament is tight, there will be an abnormal pull on the bone and a heel spur can result. If the plantar fascia is tight, it can put this abnormal pull on it’s attachment at the heel and a heel spur can form.
The patient usually complains of pain with the first step in the morning (because the foot has remained in a pointed position for 6 – 8 hours and the plantar fascia becomes shortened, then gets stretched quickly with the first few steps), some relief following activity (as the plantar fascia becomes a little more stretched), but returning after extended amounts of time standing or walking (because the continued stretching and shortening with activity causes an inflammatory response).
Treatment consists of rest from painful activity. You should not walk around the house barefoot because this causes your arch to flatten and overstretch the plantar fascia. Walk slowly when you first get on your feet in the morning and following any prolonged sitting. Anti-inflammatory medication can help speed up the healing process (check with your physician first). Stretching of the calf musculature in a Joggers Stretch position 10 times holding for 60 seconds at a time 2 – 3 times each day. Ice the bottom of your foot at the end of the day for 15 minutes and if possible following the stretching throughout the day. In extreme cases, crutches may be required to keep your weight off the foot to let the plantar fascia heal. Where a name brand, proper fitting shoe with an arch support.
If you follow this advice and you still have problems, you may need a thorough evaluation and more intense treatment.
Thanks for the question, I hope you get back to running soon