Does going for a walk sound like a big pain in the back? For those who struggle with chronic back pain, even the basic task of going for a walk can be overwhelming and painful. Back pain can strike at any time. Whether in the upper back, surrounding the neck and shoulders, or in the lower back at the lumbar or sciatica, back pain is something that no one likes to deal with for too long.
N E W S L E T T E R WALK IT OUT Is Back Pain Giving You Difficulty Walking?
See Inside
• Fixing Your Stride • The Benefits of Stretching • Success Stories • A Stretch To Relieve Back Pain • Healthy Recipe
clintoncountymedicalcenter.com
N E W S L E T T E R
WALK IT OUT Is Back Pain Giving You Difficulty Walking?
Does going for a walk sound like a big pain in the back? For those who struggle with chronic back pain, even the basic task of going for a walk can be overwhelming and painful. Back pain can strike at any time. Whether in the upper back, surrounding the neck and shoulders, or in the lower back at the lumbar or sciatica, back pain is something that no one likes to deal with for too long. Relying on pain medications to help you overcome back pain will leave you disappointed. While pain medications are frequently helpful at alleviating the discomfort of your back pain for a short period of time, they are not capable of resolving the issue that is causing your pain to develop in the first place. The only thing that can actually fix your back pain is addressing the issue that is causing your pain head on. Physical therapy is a great resource for addressing your back pain and can be a helpful tool in getting you back on your feet. So, whether it is following a sudden injury or a chronic issue that has developed over time, physical therapy could be the answer to helping you enjoy life free of back pain. And the secret to success is learning to approach recovery one step at a time.
Walking your Way Pain Free Walking is a great form of exercise, but more than that, it is a necessity of life. When you can’t walk, even basic tasks become complicated. Getting out of bed in the morning, getting to and from work, moving your way around the office, and even spending time with family on the weekends all rely heavily on your ability to walk. When your back pain begins to interfere with your ability to move around freely, then you know it is time to start doing something about it. Conveniently, walking is more than a goal when it comes to back pain, it could be part of the solution. Working with a physical therapist to develop improved strategies and techniques with your walking could help you to get back on your feet even sooner than you thought possible. What’s more, for those who are able to walk, getting on your feet more often with targeted exercises could help you find relief from back pain even sooner than expected.
If you’re suffering from pain, call us at 989.224.3000 (ext. 625) or visit ccmcphysicaltherapy.com today!
Here are just a few of the benefits you can expect from a regular stretching program: • Reduced muscle tension • Increased range of movement in the joints • Enhanced muscular coordination • Increased circulation of the blood to various parts of the body • Increased energy levels (resulting from increased circulation) BENEFITS OF STRETCHING 5 4 5 2 7 2 3 8 6 4 2 1 7 When you are experiencing regular back pain—especially if you are experiencing back pain while walking—you should consider ways that you can reduce back pain by taking small steps to support your back. There are several things that you can do at home to improve your stride, which can make a significant difference when it comes to managing back pain day-to-day. Here are several ways that you can start taking care of your back with each step you take: 1. Make sure that you are wearing the right types of shoes. While the golden rule for walking is to wear sneakers, not all sneakers are created equally. You need to wear a sneaker that is going to provide you with the arch support that meets your individual needs. This may mean upgrading from your minimal support sneaker to something more athletically designed. 2. Try a custom insert in your shoe. Of course, you can’t wear sneakers all the time. When you are at the office, professional Fixing Your Stride
footwear matters. You may find it helpful to have custom orthotics made for your work shoes so that you can have more arch support around the clock.
3. Work on improving your posture. If you are slouching when you walk, then that may be impacting the way that your back feels. Take a few minutes in the morning and again in the afternoon to stretch your back, and then make a point of keeping your shoulders square and your back straight as you walk. Simply standing tall may alleviate some of your back pain. Another way that walking can help alleviate back pain is by encouraging weight loss. Being overweight puts added pressure on your back, and this can contribute to increased back pain. Working with a physical therapist to improve your walking technique can help you to overcome back pain one step at a time. Are you letting your pain hold you back? Call Clinton County Physical Therapy to schedule your appointment today!
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daily routine, whether you exercise or not. It does not have to involve a huge amount of time, but stretching can end up giving you huge results! Stretching is a natural part of what we do on a daily basis. You might notice that if you have been sitting in a particular position for a long time, you stretch unconsciously. It feels good! In addition to that good feeling, a consistent stretching program will produce large gains in flexibility and joint movement. Be kind to your muscles and they will be kind to you! 5 8 9 4 7 8 9 n° 229777 - Level Medium 3 9 6 2 8 9
As you age, your muscle tissue actually dries out a little, tightening. This causes a loss of range of motion in your joints and tissues. In addition to the loss of range of motion, it can really limit your active lifestyles and hinder day-to-day, normal motions. Tasks that used to be simple, such as dressing or squatting down to tie your shoes, now become extremely difficult. A regular stretching program helps lengthen your muscles and makes daily living activities much easier. Everyone can learn to stretch, regardless of age or flexibility. Stretching should be a part of your 2 http://1sudoku.com 7 1 6
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SUDOKU PUZZLE Fill in each blank square so that each of the nine blocks contains all the numbers 1-9 within its squares. Each number can only appear once in a row, column or box. 3 2 4 1 8 4 5 7 6 8
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SUCCESS STORIES Hear What Our Patients Are Saying
EXERCISE ESSENTIALS Try this simple exercise to help keep you moving...
“I came to CCMC for knee and back pain. I instantly found that physical therapy was helpful in relieving my pain, and my exercises have improved ever since. I would definitely recommend CCMC for physical therapy!” - Heather W. “After coming to CCMC PT for aches and pains, I now have no aches or pains! PT was GREAT for me!” - Dorothy S. “While I started with pain at first, physical therapy treatments soon helped me recovery completely– I now have NO pain! The staff and PTs here are great. I definitely recommend CCMC PT to my friends and family!” - Kathy V.
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THORACIC ROTATION Sit with your arms folded in front your chest. Rotate your upper back to one side while keeping your lower back tight and as still as possible. Rotate to the other side, then repeat the motion 6-10 times.
If you’re suffering from back or neck pain and think you may benefit from physical therapy, call 989.224.3000 (ext. 625) or visit ccmcphysicaltherapy.com today!
HEALTHY REC I PE
“Eating Well” Energy Bars
INGREDIENTS • 1 cup lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped • ½ cup crispy brown rice cereal • ¼ cup dried blueberries • ½ cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats
• ⅓ cup raw pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds • 6 dried apricots, diced • 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips • 5 tablespoons brown rice syrup or light corn syrup
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch-square bakingpanwithfoilandcoatwithcookingspray.Combinepeanuts,rice cereal, oats, pumpkin (or sunflower) seeds, blueberries, apricots and chocolate chips in a large bowl. Drizzle with syrup and gently stir until thoroughlycombined.Spread inthepreparedbakingpan.Coatanother piece of foil with cooking spray and place on the bar mixture, sprayed- side down. Place another pan on top and press firmly to compress the mixture. (Pressing before baking helps the bars hold together after
baking.) Remove top pan and foil. Bake until just beginning to turn golden at the edges, 20 to 24 minutes (metal pan) or 30 to 35 minutes (glass pan). Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully lift the baked square out of the pan by holding the edges of the foil and place on a cutting board, leaving the foil underneath. Cut in half, then cut each half crosswise into 6 bars. Let cool completely before lifting the bars off the foil. Make Ahead Tip: Store airtight between sheets of wax paper for up to 1 week. Or individually wrap in plastic and freeze.
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