Health & Wellness Newsletter by Physical Therapy Institute of Illinois
Health&Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
“Life Is Better Without Pain!” Build A Strong Core To Relieve Back Pain
One of the first actions a physical therapist does is to evaluate your core strength, flexibility and coordination. This can pinpoint the root cause of your back pain. Then with hands on therapy, the spinal joints can be freed up to move like they should and specific exercises are prescribed to restore your core strength.
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Al Flores, PT, CFCE Director of Rehab
Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
“Life Is Better Without Pain!” Build A Strong Core To Relieve Back Pain
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Do you want to target your core? One of the first actions a physical therapist does is to evaluate your core strength, flexibility and coordination. This can pinpoint the root cause of your back pain. Then with hands on therapy, the spinal joints can be freed up to move like they should and specific exercises are prescribed to restore your core strength. Find out for yourself, what is truly causing your nagging back pain. After all, if you let it go on, it can get a lot worse, or even cause long-term damage such as arthritis. Call us today about your problem and discuss the right solution with one of our physical therapists. If you suffer from an aching back or even neck pain, weakness in your core muscles can be to blame. Do you have to sit for long periods at a computer, in the car, or are you just not that active anymore? All these
positions can lead your core muscles to become weak. Even if you exercise regularly, unless you target your core muscles, you can cause an imbalance in your muscle strength, straining your back and putting you at risk for injury. A prime example of how important core muscle strength is to protect against back pain was shown in a study with 443 firefighters that were put through core strengthening routines. Over a 12 month period, those firefighters had 62% less injuries than the group who did no core strengthening exercises. When your core is strong, it means your spine is better protected against injury when you twist, lift or strain your body doing an activity.
Bliven,KellieC.Huxel,andBartonAndersonE. “CoreStabilityTraining for InjuryPrevention.” Sports Health. SAGE Publications, Nov. 2013. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.
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4 CORE ACTIVATION TIPS
1. Strengthening Perform specific strengthening exercises that engage all the layers of your abdominal wall, pelvic muscles and spinal muscles. Lying on your back, place your hands on your lower abdomen. Try to activate the transverse abdominis muscles beneath your hands drawing the muscles together towards your belly button. Keep breathing while you do this and hold for 10 second counts. Repeat 10 times and do 3-4 times a day, even while you stand! 2. Balance While keeping your abdomen tight in standing, try to stand on one foot. Stand close to a wall so you can keep your hand on it. Hold for 10 seconds each foot and repeat 5 times a day. Enhancing your balance engages the nerves that control the core muscles, helping everything work together.
3. Move Avoid sitting for prolonged periods and if you have to work, then break up the day with standing for 1-2 minute periods every 30 minutes. Keep working on tightening up your abdominal muscles in sitting, standing and lying down. Walk for 15-30 minutes a day, focusing on your posture and abdominal muscles. 4. After pregnancy Pregnancy severely stretches out the abdominal wall and many women can suffer from a condition called diastasis recti. Carefully strengthening your core muscles is essential for long term spinal rehabilitation after childbirth. Talk to one of our physical therapists today about having a complete recovery, even years after your last pregnancy.
Come Back In For A Consultation Whether you want to come in for a check-up, suffered a recent injury or you want to improve your health, you can choose the physical therapy practice you want! Come back to PTII for a consultation today!
See our physical therapists for: • Recent injury • Nagging aches and pains • Back and neck pain • Joint pain and movement problems • Walking or balance difficulties
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EXERCISE ESSENTIALS
Try these exercises to get you moving... LUMBAR EXTENSION Stand with good posture, feet shoulder width apart. Position your hands on the back of your hips. Lean back, far as you comfortably can. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Exercisescopyrightof
Relieves Low Back Pain
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PRAYER STRETCH - LATERAL While on your hands and knees in a crawl position, slowly lower your buttocks towards your feet. Also, lower your chest towards the floor as you reach out towards the side. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 6 times.
Strengthens The Core
Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.
PATIENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHT
HEALTHY RECIPE
“I have been very limited in my range of motion from an elbow break 6 months ago. PTII has helped me get my range back and I can tell they truly care about my health and recovery. PTII has an excellent atmosphere. I enjoy my days at Physical Therapy Institute of Illinois!” - C.M. “PTII has helped me get my range back and I can tell they truly care about my health and recovery.”
INGREDIENTS • 2 vegan whole wheat wraps • 1/2 cup diced red peppers • 1/2 cup diced yellow pepper • 1/2 cup diced red cabbage • 2 large carrots, peeled • 6 - 8 tbsp. no-oil, hummus • 2 tbsp. raw sunflower seeds (or your choice of raw seeds) Veggie Hummus Rolls
INSTRUCTIONS Heat wraps for 10 to 20 seconds in the microwave. Spread each wrap with 3 to 4 tbsp of no-oil hummus (depending on the diameter of your wrap). Divide veggies and sprinkle on top of the hummus on each wrap. Makesure tostopyourveggiesabout 2 inches down from the edge of the tortillas (this will help the wraps seal up better). Starting on the opposite end, roll upwards tightly and press down to seal. Eat as whole wraps or cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces to make sushi-like rolls.
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