Life Hack: Under Pressure

Life Hack: Under Pressure

When we think of a “hack” to something, we typically envision some unique way of doing something better and more efficiently than normal. However, some hacks can simply be a means of saving money, not just time.

Last winter, we added some new construction to our home of 15 years. The newer siding on this project really accentuated how ‘off’ white the rest of our home has become over the past 15 years + years since it was sided. We were prepared to make an investment of residing the entire house, because it looked so dirty in contrast to the new addition. That was until my wife made an impulse buy and purchased a pressure washer. We never thought it would have such a dramatic impact on the siding of our home. After spending two days using this simple piece of equipment to wash our home, I can tell you that not only does the entire house look like we had it newly sided, but we easily saved over $10k on the expense of new siding or something else.

To make this an even better ‘hack’, we power washed our front steps made of brick and never imagined they could like someone just installed them this weekend.

Best of all, it was an easy and fun project that everyone in the family enjoyed doing and seeing when it was completed.

boston power wash house

boston power wash walkway

Muscle Strains

A strain, sometimes referred to as a pulled muscle, is a muscle injury produced by excessive tensile stress that causes fibers to tear within the tissue. A muscle strain does not usually result from excess stretch alone, but from a combination of tension and contraction. Muscle strains can develop when excess tension is placed on…

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Shin Splints or Compartment Syndrome?

One of the most common overuse injuries affecting the lower extremity is the condition known as shin splints. While the term shin splints routinely is used, especially among the athletic population, it does not represent a specific clinical pathology. Instead, it describes chronic shin pain resulting from overuse. It occurs in two regions of the…

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An Alternative Approach to Stretching

Clinicians, athletes and rehabilitation specialists advocate stretching as a means for injury prevention and treatment. The primary purpose of any stretching technique is to enhance pliability and flexibility in the soft tissues. It is also routinely incorporated with massage in the treatment of pain and injury conditions. There are many different stretching techniques, which all…

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Ganglion Cysts

The highly refined palpation skills of massage practitioners are such that we often identify tissue abnormalities before the client is aware of them. An indication that we should refer a patient for further evaluation is when we identify something we aren’t sure of but know shouldn’t normally be there. One such example may occur with…

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What Is the “End Feel”?

Some of the most valuable assessment information is derived from relatively simple procedures such as passive range-of-motion tests. While many massage practitioners have been exposed to the fundamental concepts of active and passive range-of-motion testing, most have not learned how to use this information effectively in a clinical environment. In this article, we will focus…

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How Accurate Is That Test?

Physical assessment is considered one of the most accurate ways to assess function of the locomotor tissues of the body. While we can often gain valuable information about structural problems through high-tech diagnostic procedures like X-ray or MRI, these procedures tell us very little about the function of the tissues involved in creating and limiting…

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When Is It Tendinitis?

Tendinitis is one of the most common diagnoses for soft tissue pain resulting from repetitive motion. As repetitive motion disorders have dramatically increased, so has the incidence of tendinitis. However, recent investigations into the cellular nature of tendon pathologies have brought forth interesting discoveries that may alter the way tendinitis is treated. In this month’s…

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