Sports & Ortho PT. Determining The Origins Of Your Pain

Sometimes it happens when a pain develops that you can immediately identify the cause. A new pair of shoes may cause a sharp pain in your heel, or an old chair at work may cause your back to grow sore and uncomfortable as time goes on. But there are other situations in which pain develops, and the cause of the pain is unclear.

Health &Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

DETERMINING THE ORIGINS OF YOUR PAIN

INSIDE: • Understanding Your Pain • Healthy Recipe • Relieve Sciatica Pain In Minutes • Patient Success Spotlight

Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

DETERMINING THE ORIGINS OF YOUR PAIN

Sometimes ithappenswhenapaindevelops thatyoucan immediately identify the cause. A new pair of shoes may cause a sharp pain in your heel, or an old chair at work may cause your back to grow sore and uncomfortable as time goes on. But thereareothersituations inwhichpaindevelops,andthecauseofthepain isunclear. Different types of bodily pain can tell you different things about your body and overall bodily health. Sometimes, a pain in your arm or your leg may have little to nothing to do with an actual issue in your arm or leg. Physical therapists are like well-trained detectives when it comes to identifying thecauses of pain. A physical therapistknowsthewaythatthenervoussystemworks,making itpossibleto identify the potential causes of pain, even if the pain is manifesting itself in an unusual or seemingly inexplicable way.

Whetheryouaresufferingfrompain inyourhead,yourback,yourneckoranywhere else inyourbody,workingwithaphysical therapistcanhelpyoufind the reliefyou are looking for.Physical therapistsare trained in identifyingand treating thecause ofyourpain,givingyou theopportunity toshiftaway from theongoinguseofpain medication and instead find relief from your pain with a series of strategies that include stretching, muscle building and flexibility training.

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UNDERSTANDING YOUR PAIN

• Howdoesthepainfeelwhen itdevelops? Is ita lingeringache? Is itasharpstab? Is itmoreofatinglingfeeling?Eachofthesesensationsareactuallyassociated withdifferent typesofproblems,sodescribingyourpainappropriatelymaybe helpful in determining the best treatment methods for your body’s needs. • Whatdoyouthinkmaybecausingthepain?Ofcourse, ithappensthatapainwill develop,andyouaredumbfoundedas towhy,butmoreoften thannot, there is something that you think could be influencing it. If the pain started around the same time as a change in environment or life circumstances, then it is worth telling your physical therapist about the association. Another thing to consider about your pain is whether or not it develops at particular times of the day or year. There are plenty of situations when someone begins to experience pain when the weather starts to change, and it turns out that the pain is a result of arthritis and inflammation. There are other situations in which the pain will develop as a result of prolonged sitting or the opposite — such as when things getcrazyathomeoratwork,andyoufind thatyouarenotgettingasmuchsleepas usual.Consideringanychanges inyourdailyhabitsorenvironmental factorscanbe very helpful in determining what is causing your pain. Regardlessofwhereyourpain is,how longyou’vebeendealingwith it,orhow intense the pain feels, the smart thing to do when pain develops is to speak with a physical therapist. Working with a physical therapist can help you finally get a step ahead of yourpain,finding treatmentoptions thataredesigned toprovideyouwith long-term relief insteadoftemporaryrelieffrommedication.Formore informationaboutphysical therapy for overcoming bodily pain, contact us!

Whenyoumeetwithaphysicaltherapisttounderstandwhereyourpainmaybecoming from, one of the first things you’ll do is have a conversation about your pain. How long you’ve been experiencing pain, where it developed and how the pain manifests itself are all very important distinctions that can help shed some light on what may be causing your discomfort.

Hereareafewthingsyoumaywanttoconsiderbeforeheading intophysicaltherapy:

• Consider exactly where the pain occurs in your body, and research what the different parts of the body are called so that you can have an accurate and helpfulconversationaboutyourpain.Forexample,backpainhasa lotofdifferent differentiations,and lumbarpain(which is inthe lowerback) isfrequentlycaused by factors different from what would cause upper-back or neck pain.

H E A LT H Y R E C I P E Choco-Strawberry Greek Yogurt Bark

PAT I E N T S U C C E S S S P O T L I G H T

INGREDIENTS • 3 cups whole-milk plain Greek yogurt • ¼ cup pure maple syrup or honey • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1½ cups sliced strawberries • ¼ cup mini chocolate chips

Initially coming to Sports and Ortho due to a partial Achilles tear, I could barely stretch without pain. I was ready to return to full duty after 84 days, after being told4-6monthsoff.MostotherPTplacesare45minutesappointments. Ihealed fasterdue to the twohourappointments,manualmanipulations,andsoft tissue work. The PTs here seem to really love their jobs. - Dave E. “I was ready to return to full duty after 84 days, after being told 4-6 months off!”

DIRECTIONS Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir yogurt, maple syrup (or honey) andvanilla inamediumbowl.Spreadon thepreparedbakingsheet intoa10-by-15-inch rectangle.Scatter thestrawberrieson topandsprinklewithchocolatechips.Freezeuntil veryfirm,at least3hours.Toserve,cutorbreak into32pieces.Tomakeahead:Freeze airtightbetweensheetsofparchment forup to1month; letstandat room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Equipment: Parchment paper

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P R A C T I C E N EWS

Above: Our therapists helping stretch athletes before a 5k event. Left: One of our therapists demonstrating a stretch to one of our patients. We’re Proud to Serve Our Community!

If you have pain, come in for a free assessment at any of our five locations. Don’t wait, we can help! BRIDGEPORT 312-225-3119 NORTHWEST SIDE 773-657-3897 LINCOLN PARK 773-904-8881 BEVERLY 773-779-7970 GLENVIEW/NORTHBROOK 224-282-8133

S K I P T H E S C R I P T !

Relieve Back Pain In Minutes Try this movement to relieve back pain.

Thoracic Rotation Sit with your arms folded in front your chest. Rotate your upper back to one side while keeping your lower back tight and as still as possible. Rotate to the other side, then repeat the motion 6-10 times.

You don’t need a doctor’s script to come to Sports and Ortho! Call to schedule an evaluation with us at your earliest convenience

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