Are You Experiencing Lower Back Pain? Physical Therapy Is Your Solution
Patients suffering from most types of low back pain are often referred for physical therapy as an initial treatment before considering more aggressive options, like back surgery. The goal of physical therapy is to decrease back pain, increase function, and teach the patient a maintenance program to prevent future back problems. Common forms of treatment for lower back pain include passive physical therapy and active physical therapy. The most common treatments in passive physical therapy are pain relief through heat application, ice packs, and electrical stimulation. These therapies are considered passive because they are done to the patient. For example, a heating pad may be applied to warm up the muscles prior to doing exercises and Passive Physical Therapy
stretching, and an ice pack may be used afterward to soothe the muscles and soft tissues.
Active Physical Therapy
Active physical therapy focuses on specific exercises and stretching and is necessary to rehabilitate the spine. For most low back pain treatments, active exercise is the focus of the physical therapy program. Your physical therapist will prescribe many stretches to alleviate your back pain. One of the most common is stretching the hamstrings. Almost every individual who has suffered from low back pain should stretch their hamstring muscles once or twice a day. Simple hamstring stretching does not takemuch time, although it can be difficult to remember, especiallyifyouaren’t experiencing any pain.
At Flex Physical Therapy, our staff helps patients recover from back problems and works to prevent or minimize future flare-ups. If you are experiencing lower back pain, call us today at 973-812-8000. We can help.
5 -Minute Meditation Mudras are symbolic hand gestures that can be added into a meditation practice to help focus the mind and invite additional relaxation into your practice. Our mudra of choice this month is the Vajrapradama Mudra, which invites confidence, independence, and trust. Interlace your fingers at your heart and leave your thumbs open wide, parallel to each other. Complement a simple meditation with this Mudra or just enjoy it for a few deep breaths when you need it.
Avocado and Cucumber Cold Soup
• • • • • •
1 jalapeno
Ingredients • Olive oil •
1 lemon, juiced ½ cup cold water
2 medium ripe avocados, halved 1 large cucumber, halved 6 stalks spring onions
1 clove garlic
• •
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions 1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Coat halved avocados with lemon juice to avoid browning. Brush olive oil over avocados, cucumber, spring onions, and jalapeno. Oil grill while hot. 3. Grill vegetables until everything is grilled or slightly charred. Once grilled, remove and place on platter to cool. 4. Chop grilled veggies and puree with lemon juice, cold water, garlic, salt, and black pepper. 5. Once smooth, portion soup into bowls and refrigerate to cool before serving. 6. Garnish with toasted cubed bread, avocados, spring onions, chives, lemon zest, or a drizzle of olive oil, if desired. (Recipe inspired by kirantarun.com.)
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