Joel Giffin, PT, DPT, CHT
Physical Therapist
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Co-authored Articles (20)
How to Train Yourself to Be Ambidextrous
Gain the ability to use your non-dominant hand to impress your friendsMost people are naturally right-handed or left-handed, but some are ambidextrous, which means they can use both hands equally well. So, can you do tha...
How to
Write With Your Left Hand (if Right Handed)
Have you always wanted to be a leftie? Even if you're naturally right-handed, you can actually learn to write with your left hand, and we'll show you how! Try the tips below, and soon you'll be writing left-handed no pr...
How to
Know if You Sprained Your Finger
Sprained fingers are relatively common injuries in sports like football and basketball. Fortunately, although a sprained finger can be uncomfortable and get in the way of day-to-day activities, it’s not a serious injur...
How to
Cure Trigger Finger
Trigger finger (also called stenosing tenosynovitis) occurs when inflammation builds up within a tendon of a finger and causes it to involuntarily flex. If the condition is severe, the finger gets stuck in a bent positio...
How to
Become Left Handed when you are Right Handed
Training to become left-handed when you are naturally right-handed is difficult, yet it is a fun and interesting challenge. If you manage to achieve it, you will become ambidextrous (a person who can use both hands with...
How to
Hold and Use a Cane Correctly
Whether you're recovering from an injury or just nursing a painful leg or knee, a cane can help you maintain mobility. To hold and use a cane correctly, you'll need to select the right cane type and length for your needs...
How to
Relieve Hernia Pain
Hernias can occur in a number of different parts of the body. They can also cause pain and discomfort. This is because, during a hernia, the contents of one part of your body push through into surrounding tissue or muscl...
Are You Left- or Right-Handed? Try These Tests to Find Out!
Figure out your dominant hand with these easy activitiesYour dominant hand is the hand you use without even thinking. It’s the one you favor when writing, eating, and playing sports. But how do you truly know what your...
How to
Write With Your Opposite Hand
Becoming ambidextrous has all kinds of advantages, especially for writing. If you injure your dominant hand, for example, you can easily switch to your other hand when you need to write. Learning how to write with your o...
How to
Strengthen Your Rotator Cuffs
Your rotator cuffs include the muscles and tendons that connect your arm to your shoulder and allow your arm to move smoothly at the shoulder. Keeping these muscles strong and maintaining your range of motion is an impor...
How to
Release Carpal Tunnel Syndrome With Massage Therapy
Massage therapy can really help with numbness, tingling, and pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome. Massaging your muscles and tendons promotes circulation and reduces inflammation, and it’s easy to do on your own. Thi...
How to
Stop Cracking Your Knuckles
Knuckle cracking is a common habit which anyone can develop. Even though you may enjoy the sensation it brings, it can drive the people around you crazy and lead to some unwanted side effects down the line. Although crac...
How to
Use Kinesio Tape for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Using Kinesio tape for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) can be helpful for supporting the wrist joints, but it may also reduce pain, increase circulation and improve nerve flow. Kinesio taping is a very economical and safe t...
How to
Treat Forearm Tendonitis
Tendinitis is an inflammation or swelling of a tendon. Tendons are the connective tissues that connect muscle to bone. The two most common types of tendinitis are on the inside or outside of your elbow. The inside is "go...
How to
Dress After a Shoulder Surgery
After having a big shoulder surgery, such as a rotator cuff repair, you may not be able to move your shoulder while it heals. This can make simple everyday activities, like getting dressed, challenging. Luckily, there ar...
How to Alleviate Tennis Elbow Pain and Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Learn the best sleeping positions to help you get instant reliefTennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a common overuse injury of the tendons at your elbow, which can make it uncomfortable or even painful to sleep wi...
How to
Wear a Wrist Splint
Wrist splints are often used by people dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and various other causes of wrist pain, stiffness, or weakness. They come in many shapes, sizes, and materials,...
How to
Relax Your Forearm Muscles
If you’re suffering from tight, sore forearms, you’re definitely not alone, especially if you do a lot of typing. Not to worry—there are plenty of stretches and massage techniques that can provide you some relief. ...
How to
Heal a Rotator Cuff Tear
Rotator cuff tears are a common injury among athletes, especially those who play baseball, tennis, and other throwing and racquet-based sports that use weight. While some cuff tears can be treated with rest and physical ...
How to
Treat Pitcher's Arm
A pitcher is the most active and influential player on the field in a baseball game, but all that throwing can cause arm soreness and pain. There is no single definition for “pitcher’s arm,” but it usually refers ...
