Do you suffer from daily or recurrent aches and pains? If so, your posture may be the culprit.
Health &Wellness The Newsletter About Health And Self-Care
Also Inside: • Correct Your Posture & Feel Better • Exercise Essentials • Patient Success Spotlight • Healthy Recipe
DON'T SLOUCH! Turns Out Mama Was Right — Your Posture Could be the Reason for Your Aches and Pains
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Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
DON'T SLOUCH! Turns Out Mama Was Right — Your Posture Could be the Reason for Your Aches and Pains
Do you suffer from daily or recurrent aches and pains? If so, your posture may be the culprit. Just think about the number of hours a day we spend staring at a computer screen, hunched over our desks, or staring at our phones. That creates a lot of stress on the neck and back, especially if you are slouched, tilted forward, or looking down for prolonged periods of time. HOW DOES POOR POSTURE AFFECT ME? Changes to your posture can negatively affect your body, and you may find yourself experiencing some of the following symptoms: • If your posture contains a forward head tilt– This forward-head posture creates a strain on the neck, which can result in neck pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, chronic headaches, and lower back pain. Tilting your head forward for long periods of time shortens the muscles in the back of the neck, and can result in soreness throughout multiple parts of your body. • If your posture contains slouching of the mid-back – If you slouch the middle of your back, you can drive your head forward and alter the way your ribs naturally align. By doing this, you may experience pain in the slouched region of the mid-back, in addition to pain in
the neck. If this is your average standing posture, it is important to seek physical therapy treatment right away – over time, standing like this day after day may cause internal issues, as it creates pressure on your lungs, heart, and digestive system. • If your posture includes sitting for long periods of time – When you sit for prolonged periods of time, the muscles in your hips and legs will stiffen. When these muscles become stiff, they tighten and will pull on the lower back, causing pain. The joints also lose their range of motion, which can cause soreness or achiness in the hips, legs, and back, and can create issues with your gait. The way in which you walk can also have an effect on your posture. When you have improper posture, your center of gravity changes. This can cause your balance to decline, which can cause pain when walking, thus creating a vicious cycle of overcompensation and pain. The most common symptom of poor posture is lower back pain, although pain can be present in other parts of the body, as well. The back muscles constantly contract to keep you upright, and they overcompensate when you slouch or hunch over. Over a period of time, constant poor posture can create an unusual amount of wear and tear on the lower back, which can increase the risk of arthritis in the spine.
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C O R R E C T Y O U R P O S T U R E & F E E L B E T T E R
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT? It can be difficult to correct poor posture, but there are a few steps you can take on your own to try and help: 1. Sit properly. – If you are at a desk for extended periods of the day, make sure your stance is okay. Sit upright, place your feet flat on the floor, and try not to cross your legs. Make sure there is a small gap between the back of your knees and the chair. Having a chair with strong back support and padding is also recommended for making your upright position more comfortable. 2. Take stretch breaks. – If you are an office worker, it is no secret that most of the day is spent with limited levels of mobility. It is important to make sure that you get up every 30 minutes or so, and take a small walk, at least for a minute or two. This will help in loosening up your muscles and joints, as well as initiating a stronger blood flow. 3. Exercise. – Exercise is incredibly important, especially if your job produces several hours of inactivity. When you exercise, you are stretching and strengthening certain muscles of your body, including problem areas such as your neck and back. Taking even a small amount of time to walk or jog around the neighborhood every day can highly improve your overall gait.
4. Set up your office properly. – If you work from an office all day, it is important to have a proper ergonomic setup. Make sure that you are at a proper height with your desk chair and computer, so you don’t have to slouch or lean forward. Additionally, make sure your chair has the proper lumbar support needed to help you sit straight while you’re working. These simple steps can help tremendously with your overall posture. HOW CAN PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP? If these at-home treatments don’t work, it is important to consult help from a physical therapist. Simply standing up straight is a fight against gravity, and if you have been standing the wrong way for several years, it may be difficult to change it on your own. However, physical therapists are dedicated to getting you back on track to a pain-free, and risk-free life. They will evaluate your posture and gait to determine the best treatments necessary for you, and then they will create a treatment plan unique for your needs. They can improve your posture, eliminate your pain, and get you back to doing the activities you love to do. If you are experiencing pain, and you think it may be a result of your posture, give us a call today. We will help you get back to a comfortable posture with just a few sessions.
Healthy Recipe: Chicken Mango Salad
INGREDIENTS
• 1/3 cup orange juice • 3 tbsp rice vinegar • 3 tbsp less-sodium soy sauce • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil • 2 tsp sambal oelek (optional) • 6 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
• 2 cups sugar snap peas, thinly sliced • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast • 1 medium mango, sliced • ½ cup chopped fresh mint • ¼ cup sliced scallions • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
INSTRUCTIONS Whisk juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and sambal oelek (if using) in a large bowl. Add cabbage, peas, chicken, mango, mint and scallions; toss gently to coat. Serve the salad sprinkled with sesame seeds.
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PATIENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHT
PRACTICE NEWS
MEET OUR NEW CLINICAL DIRECTOR!
We would like to congratulate Dr. Taylor Burchel as our new Clinical Director! “I am very excited to accept my new position as Clinical Director at Physical Therapy of Melissa. What an amazing team to be a part of here at PTM! As our practice continues to grow and there is an increasing need for
excellent physical therapy services, we will be dedicated to only providing the best service from our family to yours. Thank you for continuing to support our practice!” — Dr. Taylor Burchel, PT, DPT
"Both Pam & Taylor helped me tremendously with my lower back pain & severe sciatica. I am very grateful for their care & attention to my needs. After completing my sessions, I am confident I can maintain at home with the exercise plan they have put together for me. Thank you Physical Therapy of Melissa. — Barbara W.
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Exercise Essentials
Exercise To Relieve Back Pain
Do You Suffer From Back or Neck Pain?
PRONE ON ELBOWS Lie on your stomach, hands beside your shoulders. Push with your arms up on to your elbows. Hold for 10 seconds then return to start position. Repeat 8 times.
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If you have neck pain, please give us a call and schedule a free screening so we can get you going!
For other exercises to help relieve back pain and stay active, contact your physical therapist at PT Of Melissa today!
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