One of the most common mistakes is to assume that all leg pain is sciatica, and must be due to a disc in the back pressing on a nerve. In fact, most leg pain is not pain from the nerve in your spine, and has nothing to do with a herniated disc. There is much confusion about the term sciatica. The term sciatica is defined as pain running down the leg in the path of the sciatic nerve. It is best to understand the difference between referred leg pain, which “refers” from another area and nerve root pain which begins in the spine.
The Advance Bulletin The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
Advance Physical & Aquatic Therapy
OnAMISSION Spotlight on our owners Josh and Ryan
Back in 2007 Josh and Ryan began to throw around the idea of starting their own outpatient physical therapy clinic. Having worked for about 4 years or so together at a rehabilitation facility in Philadelphia, Josh and Ryan knew treating patients in an outpatient setting would be their passion and eventual destiny. Josh and Ryan always believed they could unite a community through physical therapy. So in December of 2009, Josh and Ryan opened their doors to Delaware County with the goal to help asmany people as possible get back to doing the things they love themost and do it better then they have ever done before. “We saw how physical therapy was being delivered and we knew that we could do it our
way. A way that was more focused on what the patient’s wants and needs, not how most healthcare systems were doing it”, Ryan said. Josh added, “We had a vision of what a physical therapy clinic looked like and how it could operate, but we weren’t seeing those things in the places we had previously been employed.” This became their MISSION statement and over the course of almost 9 years, Advance Physical & Aquatic Therapy has followed this. Entering our 10th year of business, this MISSION statement could not have come to fruitionwithout awesome patients and an amazing team.
MISSION accomplished!
Advance Physical & Aquatic Therapy
The Advance Bulletin The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
GetMoving AgainAfter a HerniatedDisc
Doyousufferfrombackorneckpain?Attimesthispaincanradiate indicating a potential problem with the discs. The bones in your spine are called the vertebrae. The vertebrae are held together and in place by ligaments and smalldiscs thatactasshockabsorbers.Thesecontrolyourspine’s rangeof movement,flexibilityandkeep thespinalcordsafe fromdamage.However, when a disc is damaged, the inside can squeeze out of place and either bulge or herniate, leaving the spinal nerves susceptible to damage. When thisoccurs, the result iscalleda “herniateddisc”, “slipped”or “ruptureddisc.” A herniated disc can be incredibly painful and can cause a great deal of limitations on the body’s movement, thus hindering a person’s movement and overall ability to perform day-to-day tasks. A herniated disc can cause a variety of symptoms including radiating pain down the arm or leg, depending if the herniated disc is in your neck or low back. Bulging discs are the beginning phase of herniated discs. Very often peoplehaveabulging discand don’t even know it. Only when theoutsideof
a bulging disc becomes irritated and affects the surrounding tissue does it begin to cause back ache, generally in the same area and not down the leg. A herniated disc in the neck can be just as painful as a herniated disc in the back. Arm pain from a neck herniated disc is one of the more common neckconditions treatedby our spinespecialists.Although aneckherniated disc may start from injury to the spine, the symptoms, including arm pain, commonly start from poor posture or muscle strains. The arm pain from a neckherniateddiscoccursbecause theherniateddiscmaterial “pinches”or presses on a nerve, causing pain to radiate along the nerve down the arm. Our specialized physical therapists are trained to examine your spine and movement tofind therootcauseofyourproblem.Thenweworkwithyouand your doctor to put together a plan that helps you achieve optimum results. Look inside to learn more about our programs and say good-bye to that aching back pain!
advanceaquaticpt.com
“Is That Thigh Pain Really Sciatica?”
Physical Therapy Helps Relieve Sciatica Pain One of the most common mistakes is to assume that all leg pain is sciatica, and must be due to a disc in the back pressing on a nerve. In fact, most leg pain is not pain from the nerve in your spine, and has nothing to do with a herniated disc. There is much confusion about the term sciatica. The term sciatica is defined as pain running down the leg in the path of the sciatic nerve. It isbest tounderstand thedifferencebetween referred legpain,which “refers” from another area and nerve root pain which begins in the spine. Irritation of any of the tissues of the back can cause pain down one or both legs. Seventy percent of patients with back pain have some radiating pain to their legs. This referred pain can come from the tissues, muscles, ligaments, joints, discs or other back structures. It is usually a dull ache that spreads into the buttocks and thighs. In addition, it may affect both legs, however, it usually does not go much below the knee. Referred pain is not due to anything pressing on a nerve. It is not sciatica. Irritation of the nerve root in the spine gives a quite different pain, which is sharp and specific to an area of your leg. Nerve root pain usually radiates to the foot or toes. Patients often describe the pain with sensations such as pins and needles or numbness. It usually affects one leg only and is greater than the pain one has in the back. Nerve root pain is much less common than referred leg pain. Furthermore, if you have back pain alone
and no leg pain or nerve symptoms, a nerve root problem is very unlikely. If you do have leg pain, then your legs should be examined by a physical therapist for signs of nerve irritaytion or nerve compression. Diagnosing nerve irritation depends on tests that stretch or press on an irritated nerve root to cause pain. Our physical therapists at Advance Physical & Aquatic Therapy perform different tests for nerve irritation. A common test is raising the leg straight in the air and looking for radiating pain with limitation. Discover how our Spine Program transforms your back pain from a pressing problem, to a distant memory, allowing you to live a happy, active and pain-free life. Call today 610-544-8500.
Nut Free- Sandwich Free Box Lunch
Try this movement if you are experiencing back pain Exercise Essential
Hummus and Pita Plate The lunchtime sandwich may be as American as the flag itself, but let’s face it: Slapping the same smears onto bread — day after day, week after week — can leave kids and parents a little bored.
Helps Low Back Pain
www.simpleset.net
PRONE ON ELBOWS Lying face down, slowly raise up and prop yourself up on your elbows. Hold for 8 seconds. Repeat 8 times.
Nine out of 10 kids love a good smear of hummus. Why not make it the star of the show? Pack with: Salami, olives, carrots, baby tomatoes, and grapes. (Note that dipping is easier and less messy if you pack the hummus in a separate container.)
Backpack Safety
Physical Therapists Offer Backpack Safety
Backpack Strategies for Parents and Students Aching backs and shoulders? Tingling arms? Weakened muscles? Stooped posture? Does your child have these symptoms after wearing a heavy school backpack? Carrying too much weight in a packorwearing it thewrongwaycan lead to pain and strain. Parents can take steps to help children load and wear backpacks the correct way to avoid health problems. Loading the backpack: • A child’s backpack should weigh no more than about 10% of his or her body weight.This means a student weighing 100 pounds shouldn’t wear a loaded school backpack heavier than about 10 pounds. • Load heaviest items closest to the child’s back (the back of the pack). • Arrange books and materials so they won’t slide around in the backpack. • Check what your child carries to school and brings home. Make sure the items are necessary for the day’s activities. • If the backpack is too heavy or tightly packed, your child can hand carry a book or other item outside the pack. • If the backpack is too heavy on a regular basis, consider using a book bag on wheels if your child’s school allows it. WRONG f body weight !
Wearing the backpack: • Distribute weight evenly by using both straps. Wearing a pack slung over one shoulder can cause a child to lean to one side, curving the spine and causing pain or discomfort. • Select a pack with well-padded shoulder straps.Shouldersandneckshavemany blood vessels and nerves that can cause pain and tingling in the neck, arms, and hands when too much pressure is applied. • Adjust the shoulder straps so that the pack fits snugly on the child’s back. A pack that hangs loosely from the back can pull the child backwards and strain muscles. • Wear the waist belt if the backpack has one. This helps distribute the pack’s weight more evenly. • The bottom of the pack should rest in the curve of the lower back. It should never rest more than four inches below the child’s waistline. • School backpacks come in different sizes for different ages. Choose the right size pack for your child as well as one with enough room for necessary school items. • Only put items in your backpack that you need for the day. CORRECT
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Physical Therapists Offer Backpack Safety Tips
Strap on one shoulder Wide, padded straps on
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both shoulders
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Wear both straps Use of one strap causes one side of the bod wearing 2 shoulder straps, the weight of the Wear the backpack over the strongest Pay close attention to the way the backpack evenly in the middle of the back. Shoulder st put on and take off the backpack without diffi Straps should not be too loose, and the back Lighten the load Keep the load at 10%-15% or less of the chil are required for the day. Organize the conte items closest to the back. Some students ha carry the heavy books to and from school. How a Physical Therapist Can Help A physical therapist can help you choose a p child. Children come in all shapes and sizes, require special adaptations. Additionally, a p CORRECT Load no more than 10%-15% of body weight
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Strap on one shoulder Wid , padded str ps on
Load too heavy
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Wear both straps Use of one strap causes one side of the body to bear the weight of the b ckpack. By wearing 2 shoulder straps, the weight of the backpack is better distributed.
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