It’s time to say goodbye to shoulder, elbow, and wrist pain once and for all. Identifying the cause of your pain and taking steps to combat ill habits that may be contributing to your discomfort can have a significant impact on your quality of life.
Physical Therapy N E W S L E T T E R
SHOULDER, ELBOW AND WRIST PAIN, WHERE IS IT COMING FROM?
Give Chronic Pain the Cold Shoulder • We Are Open And Offering TeleHealth • 9 Ways To Help Avoid Illness • Healthy Recipe
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Physical Therapy Newsletter
SHOULDER, ELBOWANDWRIST PAIN, WHERE IS IT COMING FROM?
GIVE CHRONIC PAIN THE COLD SHOULDER
It’s time to say goodbye to shoulder, elbow, and wrist pain once and for all. Identifying the cause of your pain and taking steps to combat ill habits that may be contributing to your discomfort can have a significant impact on your quality of life. Wave goodbye to pain in your hands, shoulders, elbows and wrists with targeted techniques from your experienced physical therapists. What is Causing the Pain? Think about the tasks that make up the majority of your day-to-day life. It is often said that life in the 21st century is way easier on the body than life during any other time in human history — and it’s true that there is a fair amount of evidence to support this idea. Rather than spending all of your days working in a factory or on a farm, the vast majority of Americans work indoors, often at a computer for a predetermined number of hours week after week. But this new lifestyle isn’t exactly harmless for the body, either. There are plenty of ways in which the common tasks of 21st-century life put the body under a great deal of stress. Sedentary lifestyles frequently contribute to weight gain, which increases your risk for a long list of obesity-related diseases. This puts additional stress on your body, which could result in pain in crucial joints like your shoulders, elbows and yes, even your wrists.
But even aside from that, there are a lot of potential issues that your body can face as a result of sedentary behavior in the workplace — including shoulder, elbow, and wrist pain. Shoulder, elbow, and wrist injuries are especially common as a result of workplace injury and overuse. While it is sometimes possible to take action to prevent an injury from developing, it is especially important to be able to recognize when an injury develops and to understand ways that you can combat that injury by identifying what may have caused the pain to develop in the first place. Common issues that can lead to shoulder, elbow, and wrist pain include:
• Athletic injuries • Muscle sprain • Muscle strain • Dislocation or hyperextension of the joints
• Issues with poor posture • Carpal tunnel syndrome, which can develop from overuse of the wrist and regular, repetitive motions, such as typing • Heavy lifting
To get started with physical therapy or Telehealth, visit www.PTRC-TX.com for more information, or call 512.353.4575 (San Marcos) or 512.847.9057 (Wimberley)!
www.PTRC-TX.com
9 WAYS TO HELP AVOID ILLNESS: The best way to keep your body healthy during this time is to stay moving and reduce inflammation. Being sedentary and making poor diet choices has the potential to hurt your immune system and make you a target for sickness and disease.
WE ARE OPEN AND OFFERING TELEHEALTH!
9ways to avoid illnesses like COVID-19:
• Wash your hands.
• Decide to get up and get moving.
• Eat nutrition rich food.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Don’t smoke.
• Get a good amount of rest.
• Stretch.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused limitations in access to needed physical therapy care, we as medical professionals are diligently trying to serve you in the best ways possiblewithout risking the spread of this disease. In times like these, with increased stress, pain, and limitations in movement, life can feel miserable. However, just because you can’t get out to physical therapy, it doesn’t mean that we can’t come to you, right through your own computer or mobile device!
We are now able to offer you a way to continue thebenefits of your physical therapy treatment, in the comfort of your own home, with cutting-edge TeleHealth services. For more information on our TeleHealth services and how they will benefit you, feel free to call us at 512-353-4575 (San Marcos) or 512.847.9057 (Wimberley), schedule a TeleHealth appointment with our website chatbot, OR go to our TeleHealth appointment page link to schedule your virtual appointment!
STUCK AT HOME? DON’T FORGET TO KEEP MOVING! Though it is tempting to be sedentary and make poor diet choices while self-isolating, these habits have the potential to inhibit your immune system and increase your risk of infection. PTRCwants to encourage its patients to stay active and moving to boost their immunity and maintain their health. If you’re looking for exercises to keep you moving indoors, you can start with the exercises listed in this newsletter, or contact your physical therapist for additional options! During this time, even if you cannot keep your physical therapy appointments, we encourage you to continue your prescribed exercises at home. We’re wishing our patients health and safety! • Take frequent breaks for breathing exercises. Inhale and exhale deeply. • Continue your home exercise program 2-3 times per week. In order to be healthy, there needs to be a large emphasis on movement. When your body is flexible, strong, well-balanced, and fueled by a nutritious diet, it is able to fight infection and reduce the impact of viruses. We are dedicated to helping you live the best life you can.
BE SURE TO STAY ACTIVE INDOORS!
WRIST EXTENSION STRETCH - PRAYER Standwith goodposture. Place your palms together in front of your chest right below your chin. Slowly lower your hands keeping your palms together as shown until you feel a mild to moderate stretch under your forearms. Hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds.
FOURPOINT + ARMRAISE Start on hands and knees, hips and shoulders at 90°. Lift one arm out front. Bring it back down and then repeat on opposite side. 8-10 times on both arms.
MEDIAN NERVE GLIDE Start with your arm hanging down at your side with your elbows straight and palm facing forward. Next, bend your wrist forward and back. Your other hand should be checking to make sure that your shoulder stays down and drawn back the entire time.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
GETTING A HANDLE ON SHOULDER, ELBOW, ANDWRIST PAIN
One of the biggest concerns regarding pain in the shoulder, elbow, andwrist is that it is difficult to impossible to actually allow these parts of the body time to rest. Every movement and action requires these body parts—andwhen the pain develops in both arms, as it often does, treating the pain becomes even more complicated. It is impossible to care for your basic needs without involving your shoulder or wrist, let alone get through a day at the office. This is why somany issues regarding pain in the shoulder, elbows, and wrists typically become chronic. Since it is difficult to allow these body parts time to properly rest, they continue being overused and the pain can actually worsen.
solution for theproblemthat is causing youpain.
Physical therapy is the ideal tool for support in this regard. Workingwith a physical therapist will provide you with an opportunity to understand what movements may be causing further discomfort, and can help you to strengthen the surrounding muscles while improving range of motion, which together will likely alleviate some of the pain associated with your injury. Don’t assume that pain in your shoulder, elbows, or wrists will go away on its own. It is more common for the pain to worsen, and compensating for the pain by overusing the opposite armcan cause further injury todevelop. For support with learning how to manage the pain, and to learn exercises and techniques that can help you overcome the injury and restore proper strength and functionality to your shoulders, elbows, andwrists, contact your physical therapist.
JOSE RUIZ OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE ADMINISTRATOR
Born and raised in Eagle Pass, Jose Rene Ruiz attended Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, where he graduated in 2017 with his B.S. in Athletic Training. He became certified and licensed as an athletic trainer before moving to San Marcos to begin his master’s program at Texas State University. While in school, Jose was a graduate assistant athletic trainer, where he worked with the track and field team, in addition to instructing labs for the Health and Human Performance department as a graduate teaching assistant. Halfway through his graduate program, Jose picked up a part-time job at PTRC, working as a WorkSTEPS technician and physical therapy aid. He graduated with an M.S. in Athletic Training in 2019, and began working for PTRC full-time.
Treating Shoulder, Elbow and Wrist Pain
Addressing the pain early on is the best way to prevent an issue frombecoming chronic. Turning tomedication and braces for painmanagement is not a long-termsolution andwill only push off the inevitable truth — that you need to find a
Try these at-home exercises to stay active indoors and keep your body strong and pain-free!
PLANK FOREARMS AND KNEES Position yourself on forearms and knees. Make your body flat as a plank from head to feet. Keep trunk engaged, do not let lower back arch.
SERRATUS WALL SLIDE Place your forearms and hands along a wall so that your elbows are bent and your arms point towards the ceiling. Next, protract your shoulder blades forward and then slide your arms up the wall as shown. Then, return to original position and repeat 6 times.
STANDING EXTENSIONS While standing, place your hands on your hips and lean back to arch your back.
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