LewyPT: Getting To The CORE Of Back & Neck Pain

Newsletter by Lewy Physical Therapy

Recover Quickly and Completely

Newsletter The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

GETTING TO THE CORE OF BACK & NECK PAIN

Back and neck pain are two of the most common issues that American adults experience, putting a huge physical and economic burden on working Americans by being both two of the leading needs for medical intervention and two of the most common causes people have to miss work. While these may feel like two separate issues, it is somewhat common that neck pain and back pain are actually related. Core strength can have a huge impact on your overall health and wellness, and when your core is weak, it could add up to weakness in your neck and back. (continued inside)

INSIDE: • Getting to the Core of Back & Neck Pain • Core Strength and Back Pain • Exercise Essentials • Healthy Recipe

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Recover Quickly and Completely

Newsletter The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

GETTING TO THE CORE OF BACK & NECK PAIN

(continued from outside)

Neck Pain 101. There are a lot of reasons why neck pain may develop, including everything from sudden incidents like a car accident or a slip- and-fall injury, to more chronic issues, such as regularly hunching over a desk at work or even practicing poor posture. One of the biggest problems with neck pain is that it often triggers headaches, as the pain is so closely connected to the spine and nervous system. What is more, addressing neck pain is sometimes difficult as there is so much potential to cause more damage to the neck. This is why working with a physical therapist to address neck pain is wise. A physical therapist can help treat neck pain by improving range of motion, using targeted massage techniques, and by improving strength as needed. For example, in many situations, neck pain can be treated by improving core strength. Back Pain 101. Severe back pain impacts more than half of the population, and many of those with pain in the back as a result of injury end up

dealing with that pain long term. One of the biggest problems with back pain is that once it develops, it is difficult to work around it, and many people begin modifying their movements as a result, causing their back to compensate for the injury by putting pressure on other muscles that eventually just leads to more back pain. For this reason, back pain can frequently become a Catch-22 — avoiding the things that hurt your back could actually lead you to develop more pain in the future. Working with a physical therapist is the best way to cut your back pain issues in half. Physical therapy can address back pain by helping to improve your range of motion, strengthen the muscles in your back and surrounding areas, and by using targeted massage to reduce tension. In many situations, working with a physical therapist to improve core strength can significantly reduce the severity of your back pain.

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BATON ROUGE 225.767.8182

DENHAM SPRINGS 225.791.7114

GONZALES/PRAIRIEVILLE 225.825.7700

CORE STRENGTH AND BACK PAIN

You may be surprised how frequently issues with the neck and back actually stem from issues with core strength. Your core refers to the muscles that make up your torso, including your abdomen. These muscles are called the core because they are at the center of your body, and they are necessary in just about every action that you engage in. Everything from walking and running and swimming to sitting and driving require you to engage your core. There are a lot of reasons to improve core strength outside of any existing neck or back pain. When you improve your core, you are likely to also improve your posture and thereby reduce your risk of developing further back pain in the future. Furthermore, the exercise that helps to improve core strength is often helpful in promoting weight loss, and for those who are overweight, this could also help reduce pain in the neck and the back. Sometimes, when your core is weak, it can cause you to experience added pressure on areas like your neck and back. There are a lot of ways that working with a physical therapist can help you improve your core strength. You may be encouraged to practice core exercises, for example, which may include abdominal crunches or leg lifts. Light weight-training activities are also frequently helpful, as are balance-based activities like yoga. If you haven’t spent much time building core strength in the past, then working with a physical therapist is a great place to start. Your physical therapist will guide you through proper postures and movements to reduce further risk of injury. For more information about how to start improving your core, contact us.

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Exercise Essentials Try this movement if you are experiencing back pain. 8 1 4 http://1sudoku.com n° 315825 - Level Hard 7

Cucumber Kimchi

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Strengthens Core

www.simpleset.net

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8 5 9 BILATERAL LEG LOWERING Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on the front of your pelvis. Straighten both your knees as you slowly lower your legs towards the ground with control. Return to the starting position. 4

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INGREDIENTS • 2 pickling cucumbers/small cucumbers • 1 tsp kosher salt • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped • 2 scallions finely chopped

• 1¼-inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped • 2 tbsp rice vinegar • 1 tbsp Korean chile powder • 2 tsp sugar • ½ tsp fish sauce

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INSTRUCTIONS Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and then crosswise into ⅛-inch-thick half moons. Place in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly with salt. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine garlic, scallions, ginger, vinegar, chile powder, sugar and fish sauce in a medium nonreactive bowl. Drain the cucumbers (discard the liquid). Stir the cucumbers into the vinegar mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours before serving.

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http://1sudoku.com

n° 3996 - Level Hard

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BATON ROUGE 225.767.8182

DENHAM SPRINGS 225.791.7114

GONZALES/PRAIRIEVILLE 225.825.7700

You Can Start Feeling Better Now!

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Ask About Our Payment Plans!

Our Philosophy: Apply the latest evidence-based therapy best suited to the patient for quickest and most complete recovery. When patients have a difficult time getting started with traditional exercises, patients receive customized aquatic to land-based programs. Every plan of care is designed with the goal of getting patients back to their normal daily routine, pain-free. Our Promise: We promise to provide the best patient experience possible in a highly professional, friendly, and caring environment. Payments: We accept CareCredit, credit card, check, and debit card. We are happy to discuss payment plan options as well. It is our policy that payment is made at the time of service. Your insurance benefits will be determined before your second visit, and you will be informed of what, if any, payment is necessary on that date.

Print sudoku http://1sudoku.com

3 7 Our knowledgeable and caring staff uses the latest tools and techniques to get you back on your feet as soon as possible. The new facilities at Lewy Physical Therapy allow us to offer diverse treatment regimens including aquatic therapy, sports physical therapy, and general physiotherapy. Our outpatient rehabilitation facilities are conveniently located near you in Baton Rouge and Denham Springs. Our Mission: Provide the highest quality of physical therapy for those in the Baton Rouge, Denham Springs, and surrounding areas. 1 8 2 9 7 2 6 8 4 5 1 7 2 8

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8 7 Schedule your appointment at Lewy Physical Therapy today by calling 225.767.8182 (Baton Rouge), 225.791.7114 (Denham Springs), or 225.825.7700 (Gonzales/Prairieville).

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Mind Exercise: Sudoku http://1sudoku.com n° 329837 - Level Hard

Has Your Pain Come Back?

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1. Feel free to call us and ask to speak to your therapist . 2. Your therapist can discuss with you why your pain is bothering you again and what you might do about it at home. 3. If further assessment is warranted, your therapist might recommend you come in for an appointment.

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http://1sudoku.com

n° 34745 - Level Hard

Call To Talk to Your Therapist Today

www.lewypt.com 3 6 1 9 5 7 3 4 The rules of the game are simple: each of the nine blocks has to contain all the numbers 1-9 within its squares. Each number can only appear once in a row, column or box. 2

GONZALES/ PRAIRIEVILLE 225.825.7700

BATON ROUGE 225.767.8182

DENHAM SPRINGS 225.791.7114

See What’s New! See what’s newwith us at Lewy Physical Therapy!

Find Us At These Locations!

BATON ROUGE 8448 Siegen Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70810

P: 225.767.8182 F: 225.767.8757

“This is a great place to be if you are in pain. The whole staff is awesome. My pain went from a 10 to a 4. I recommend this place to anyone who is suffering from pain.” - Banicka C. “My pain went from a 10 to a 4.”

DENHAM SPRINGS 31985 LA Hwy 16. Ste C Denham Springs, LA 70726 P: 225.791.7114 GONZALES / PRAIRIEVILLE 14633 Airline Hwy Gonzales, La 70737

P: 225.825.7700 F: 225.825.7100

If you are suffering from any pain, seeing a physical therapist at Lewy Physical Therapy can help you return to a more active and pain-free life. Give us a call today!

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WHY IS WARMING UP BEFORE EXERCISE SO IMPORTANT?

Whether you’re a weekend warrior or dedicated athlete, warming up before participating in any form of physical activity is extremely important. We always hear about the crucial aspect of proper warm-ups, but why exactly are they so crucial? Well, the truth is that while it may not seem like it at the time, warming up the body before engaging in exercise of any sort can pose several benefits. If you are a fitness enthusiast who is looking to enhance their warm-up routine, contact Lewy Physical Therapy today. The importanceofproperwarm-ups. Stretchingandproperwarm-upsbefore exercise are arguably most important in helping your body avoid injury. As an athlete, we understand that one of your primary goals is staying healthy so you can participate in your sport or exercise of choice. Our physical therapists at Lewy Physical Therapy can teach you warm up routines that utilize light weights, resistance bands, or targeted stretches to get your body ready for physical activity. Some light cardio can also be beneficial inyourwarm-up routine,as thegoal is tohaveyourmuscleswarm and loosenedup.When thishappens,yourmusclecellsbecomeoxygenated and ready to work. A physical therapist can guide and assist you in perfecting your warm-up routine, similar to a personal trainer. Maintaining proper form during your warm-ups is just as important as maintaining it during your main exercise, and is one of the main keys to avoiding injury. Your physical therapist will analyze your form to make sure you’re doing everything correctly in order to maximize results during your workout and help you get the most out of it.

Additional benefits of warming up before exercise. While injuryprevention is the main benefit, there are many ways that warming up helps your body. Some additional benefits include: • Reducing muscle tension. When your body isn’t warmed up, it becomes tenseand tight.Tenseand tightmuscleshave restrictedbloodflowandmay not activate as effectively. Stretching and light exercises before a workout helps to alleviate this tension and help muscles expand and contract more efficiently. • Increasing range of motion in your joints. Joints that move better, work better! Warming up helps your joints move fluidly and throughout their full range of motion. This improves movement efficiency and function, which means better performance. • Improving circulation. In addition to improving muscle mechanics, the enhancedcirculation thatwarm-upsbringcanalsoaccelerate therecoveryof painfulareas,reducepost-workoutsoreness,and increaseyourenergy levels. • Helping with stress relief. There’s a strong link between physical tension andmentaltension.Byalleviatingphysicaltensionwithaconsistentwarm-up routine, you can ease psychological stress, too. Plus, evidence shows that stretching and/or participating in light exercises before a workout improves your “psychological readiness” and helps you get your head in the game. Ready to get started? Contact us today! All in all, adopting a proper warm- up routine before participating in strenuous physical activity is a small-time investment for a long-term benefit. If you have any questions about how to warm up properly and how we can help, contact Lewy Physical Therapy today. www.lewypt.com

DENHAM SPRINGS 31985 La Hwy 16. Ste C Denham Springs, LA 70726

GONZALES / PRAIRIEVILLE 14633 Airline Hwy Gonzales, La 70737

BATON ROUGE 8448 Siegen Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70810

P: 225.791.7114 F: 225.791.7118

P: 225.825.7700 F: 225.825.7100

P: 225.767.8182 F: 225.767.8757

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