AgeWell Physical Therapy and Wellness Newsletter
6 BACK CONDITIONS NOT TO IGNORE
Do you feel aches and pains in your lower back? If so, you are not alone. Four out of every five Americans will suffer from back pain at some time in their lives. Without proper spine mobility, stability and alignment your back structures wear down over time, similar to tires that are out of alignment.
I N S I D E 6 BACK CONDITIONS NOT TO IGNORE WILL YOUR BACK HURT AS YOU GET OLDER? EXERCISE ESSENTIALS
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N E W S L E T T E R
6 BACK CONDITIONS NOT TO IGNORE
column, are the major muscle groups usually involved in lower back injury.
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There are many different back conditions, but here are a few common ones:
5. Fractures: These are due to trauma, or sometimes occur without any injury in people with osteoporosis.
1. Lumbar or sacral radiculopathy: The result of pressure on a nerve exiting the spine. Pain, numbness and tingling can be felt down in different parts of the leg.
6. Spinal cord compression: This is unusual, but very worrisome andmaybe associatedwithweakness and loss of bowel/bladder control. Medication and Bed Rest Most lowerback pain sufferers tryoverthe counterdrugs and bed rest. However, most self-remedieswill not provide the relief thatyou need. In fact, bed rest is thewrong thing to do, because it can weaken the spinal muscles further. Weakness in the spinal muscles is one of themain reasons for low back pain and puts you at risk for injuring your back with common activities such as lifting, bending or squatting. Most of us sit too much and this contributes to severe weakening of the back and torso muscles which are needed for a healthy back.
2. Sciatica: This comes from compression of the sciatic nerve byamuscle called the piriformis, deep in the buttock. Symptoms can radiate down the buttock and leg.
3. Spinal stenosis: This is a narrowing of the bonyspinal canalwhich causes rubbing orpressure on nerves. Central canal stenosis is quite serious as it presses upon the spinal cord.
4. Lumbar sprain/strain: This is a common cause of low back pain due to injury of muscles and tendons.The rows of muscles that run up and down the sides of the spinal
Get Moving Today with AgeWell Physical Therapy! • Call 516.488.8808 to talk with your physical therapist!
W I L L Y O U R B A C K H U R T A S Y O U G E T O L D E R ?
If your back pain prevents you from standing for long periods, bending down to pick up objects, or getting up and down from the floor to play with your children or grandchildren it’s time to come to AgeWell Physical Therapy and restore your quality of life. Knowing the Right Expert to Help You Physical Therapists are medical musculoskeletal specialists, meaning we are the experts when it comes to the movement of the body and how the muscles, joints and skeletal structure work with one another. Effective physical therapy experts recognize that the best treatments are not modalities that depend solelyon ultrasound, cold orheat therapy, but rathera skilled hands-on approach to examination and treatment. Studies have proven that manual therapyand specific exercises produce betterand fasterresults than traditional exercise based therapy. Call AgeWell Physical Therapy at 516.488.8808 to schedule an appointment and help relieve your aching back pain. populations, but most prefers working with seniors. She has taken numerous continuing education classes to specialize in geriatrics, including senior strength training and Kinesio Taping. Jazmin says that she enjoys working in the “small family practice environment” at AgeWell which she states offers excellent communication between patient family members and care providers. When she is not at work helping seniors maximize their strength and independence, Jazmin enjoys spending time with her husband and two young sons and she can often be found in the kitchen creating incredibly delicious international dishes, which she often generously shares with her co-workers. It is clear Jazmin truly does love her vocation. Jazmin points out how rewarding it can be to work in a profession in which she listens to people to understand what challenges they are experiencing and being able to utilize her knowledge, skills and experience to help them in a meaningful way. The staff and owners of AgeWell Physical therapy and LiveWell Occupational Therapy feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work alongside quality professionals such as Jazmin!
Ifyou think that growing olderautomatically leads to back pain, here’s some great news; it doesn’t! Many people suffer from pain, yet, they still believe their aches and pains are a natural part of aging. They’re not. Back pain is primarily caused by four main factors: • Spinal muscle weakness • Poor muscle or joint movement • Poor posture The goal of ourSPINE program is to find the root cause ofyour pain and correct it, not just treat the symptoms. By treating the root cause of the pain, you can achieve faster, long-lasting results.We provide themost advanced and effective treatments to each of our patients in a caring, friendly environment. Our highlytrained and skilled physical therapists use proven hands- on therapy techniques to help people of all ages become free of pain and get back to the activities they enjoy. • Lack of spinal or pelvic muscle coordination Treating the Cause of Your Back Pain
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S TA F F SPOT L I GH T
AgeWell Physical Therapy would like to highlight a valued and longstanding member of the therapy team. Jazmin Rovery from Islip has been a therapist at AgeWell for nearly 10 years. She began working with patients at AgeWell before she was married and now several years later, married and with two beautiful little boys, she is still making a difference and touching many lives.
Being a Physical Therapist Assistant, Jazmin works closely and hands-on with several of the patients of AgeWell. Many of the return patients ask specifically to work with Jazmin which is a firm testament to her knowledge, professionalism, and compassion for the patients. When asked about being a therapist Jazmin says “I don’t like it... I love it!” Jazmin has worked with other patient
WHAT OUR PAT I ENT S AR E SAY I NG
RECEIVE THERAPY IN YOUR HOME! AgeWell PT and LiveWell OT offer in-home physical therapy and occupational therapy services. If you have difficulty traveling or leaving your home, these services are for you! These services are also covered by Medicare. I N - OF F I CE SPECIAL TEST ING SERV I CES AgeWell PT offers in-house electrodiagnostic testing and musculoskeletal diagnostic ultrasound testing for all of our patients. We hope our therapy patients take advantage of these tests to improve their rate of recovery and therapy outcome.
AgeWell is proud to highlight this month’s featured “Patient Of The Month”, Nicholas Smith of Floral Park. Mr. Smith is a good example of why we refer his generation as the “Greatest Generation”. He proudly served his country in the Army Air Force during World War Two and has been a positive presence at AgeWell / LiveWell since 2009. “Nick”, as he asks to be referred to, first started coming for rehabilitation at AW/ LW in 2009 after a triple cardiac bypass. He was first recommended to the office by his wife Elizabeth Ann, who at the time was recovering from hip replacement
surgery. He worked hard in therapy and made a full recovery. Once he completed his course of therapy, he joined the fitness program and to this day comes to the office multiple times per week to help optimize his health and maximize his level of physical fitness. When asked about his experience at AW /LW, Mr. Smith emphasized the value of personal rapport he has developed with all the staff and how he appreciates them guiding him on appropriate exercises which take into consideration his spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis. He is convinced that because of his work at AW/ LW over the past several years, he has been able to avoid needing hip replacement surgery. At 91 years old, Mr. Smith inspires and challenges both staff and patients alike and serves as a valuable reminder to all of us of the importance of physical activity as we age in order to maximize our quality of life. AW/LW looks forward to serving Mr. Smith for many years to come and would like to thank him for being an inspiration to all of us and for his military service to our nation. - Nick S.
T RA I L M I X
INGREDIENTS •1 cup raw almonds • 3/4 cup raw cashews • 2/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds • 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp unsweetened dried cranberries, chopped • 2 tbsp vegan dark chocolate chips • sea salt for taste
INSTRUCTIONS Chop any large ingredients if necessary to make everything about the same size. Give the dried fruit a light sprinkle of sea salt before you mix it in (it sticks better), or sprinkle the whole mix with salt if you prefer. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy! Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
E X E R C I S E E S S E N T I A L S GOOD STRETCH IF YOU SIT AT A COMPUTER ALL DAY
REFER A FR I END!
Get a free gift whenever you refer a friend or family member to Agewell Physical Therapy. It’s our way of saying “Thank You!” for spreading the word!
SINGLE KNEE TO CHEST STRETCH
While lying on your back, hold your knee and gently pull it up towards your chest. Hold for 10 counts. Repeat 6 times on both sides. Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.
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