Next Step_Shoulder Elbow Wrist Pain

You try to get through the day, but that nagging pain in your shoulder, elbow or wrist just keeps your attention focused on it. It sure is hard to concentrate on work, your family and other activities you need to do!

NEWSLETTER The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Physical Therapist turned Carpenter

I wanted to share a little story with you about what’s going on in my house. When thinking about it, I also realized that there is a little moral to the story as well. That makes it a perfect topic to share with you. Everybody

Chris Ostling Now I have to set an example by fixing this wall! As of this writing I am not yet done but I’m betting that by the time you are reading this I’ll be watching TV in my newly improved room that I think I’ll call my TV room instead of the Play Room. When you’re done reading this, ask me if I finished fixing my wall. If I can get enough motivation to fix this wall then you can get enough motivation to fix yourself by coming to see me when you’re in pain. Now the pressure’s on! Disclaimer: I am not mechanically inclined. My running joke is that I can fix people but little else. So I decided that I was going to learn how to accomplish this task and in doing so I will have learned a new skill and not only have a better room but hopefully feel a little better about my “man” skills. This brings me to my little hidden message within the story. Doing something new that you’re not good at can be scary, intimidating, and can leave you a little overwhelmed. Many people, including myself would probably decide to just hire someone or even leave it as it is, rather than face the task at hand. When we have a problem, we usually ignore it or mask it, instead of fixing it. The funny thing is that I realized that people who are in pain act the same way. In talking to my patients I know that many of them ignore and mask their back pain or their knee pain (for example) instead of just fixing it (by coming in to see me of course ).

likes a good moral to a story right? I have this little room off the back of the house that we never use. We call it the Play Room, as it stored all of the toys for my kids. Well the kids don’t play with toys anymore/nowadays so I thought it would be a good idea to do something with the room to make it a little more enjoyable for everyone. The real problem with the room is that it has these cutouts in the wall that housed the previous owner’s speakers, DVD, radio, CD player, etc. They don’t look good and they really prevent me from hanging up a nice TV on that wall, which would be perfect because we have a comfy leather couch that is perfectly placed to watch TV on that wall. My options were as follows: • I could knock the wall down and put up a new wall (way too complicated for me). • I could fill in the holes with sheetrock and then tape, spackle, and paint it (maybe too complicated for me, but a better choice).

INSIDE : • Enjoy Precious Moments Without Fear of Pain! • What is Causing Your Shoulder Pain?

• Spinach Dip Recipe • Patient Success Spotlight www.nextsteppt.com

NEWSLETTER The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

You try to get through the day, but that nagging pain in your shoulder, elbow or wrist just keeps your attention focused on it. It sure is hard to concentrate on work, your family and other activities you need to do! It is common to fixate on the body part that hurts. It is often thought that because it hurts there, the problem is right there. However, this is typically not the case, as the cause of the problem is in another area. The body part that is painful is usually the one that is doing all the work because other areas are not doing their job. Why it hurts The body is truly amazing and all the parts work together as one whole. However, when an area of your body becomes weak or stiff because of poor posture, stress or injury, other areas strain from the overwork. A common word that is used for this type of repetitive injury strain is called SHOULDER, ELBOW& WRIST PAIN Enjoy Precious Moments Without Fear of Pain!

“tendonitis.” This is simply an inflammation of the tendons, which attach muscles to bones. The upper extremity works in 3 parts, the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. They rely on each other to make the incredible movements of your armsoyoucan reach,graspanddoordinarydaily tasks we take for granted. Proper movement relies on your posture to be in good order. When you slouch or sometimes do a repetitive task, like reaching across your desk, certain muscles can become too tight or strong while others become weak. This muscle imbalance leads to that area not working as well as it should. For example, you sit at a desk all day and you slouch your shoulders. Now, your shoulder doesn’t work as well, but you still move your mouse around with your arm, which causes your wrist and forearm muscles to overwork. As this happens over time, you start to notice aches and pains in your wrist and elbow. If this goes on too long, it becomes

severe and you need to seek medical help. Solving the problem Typically a brace may be put on the area, but that does not solve the cause of the problem. The real reason can be because your shoulder was stiff and weak from slouching. An expert physical therapist has the right medical training to spot where your posture is not optimum and how you are compensating. With the right evaluation and treatment from the experts at Next Step Physical Therapy, you can relieve your shoulder, elbow or wrist pain quickly and be back to doing what you like to do. Our home programs make it easy for you to maintain your gains and stay well for the long haul. Call us today to learn more about how we can relieveyourpainandgetyouback toenjoying your activities.

SERVICES & THERAPIES :

• Wrist / Hand Pain • Wellness / Balance Problems • Ankle / Foot Pain

• Knee Pain • Sports Injuries • Shoulder Pain

• Physical Therapy • Low Back Pain • Neck Pain

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WHAT IS CAUSING YOUR SHOULDER PAIN?

The majority of pain that travels to your shoulder from your neck is referred pain. Your shoulder may not necessarily be the problem. In fact, the first 10 degrees of movement in your shoulder comes from your shoulder joint. The rest relies on the movement of your upper back, neck, shoulder blade, and collarbone. If these areas work incorrectly then shoulder pain can occur. Most neck and shoulder pain is a result of prolonged poor posture, lifting heavy objects and minor falls or injuries. These irritate the joints in the neck and upper back. This then makes the muscles around the upper back and shoulder tighten and become sore. Suddenly, you now have neck and shoulder pain. There are many nerves that come off of the cervical (neck) vertebral bodies that pass down in front of the shoulder heading towards the arm. Irritation of these nerves can refer pain to the shoulder. Poor posture, especially while sitting at work or at home, can cause this to occur. Rotation or tilting of the neck may create your shoulder pain if these nerves are involved. It is important that a physical therapist examine you thoroughly if you are experiencing these symptoms. If you have had a fall injury and suddenly develop shoulder and neck pain, seek help immediately. Any injury may affect the many sensitive structures in your neck and upper back. Shoulder and neck pain, if they occur together, may relate to disc injuries. This is more likely if you are having neck and arm pain, rather than just shoulder pain. Pain that travels down the arm to any extent may indicate more severe problems. Shoulder pain can result in restricted movement of your body. Pain involves the nervous system, immune system, digestive system, and respiratory

system. To avoid referred shoulder pain or any kind of referred pain, you should have a strong immune system for prevention of diseases. A strong body can fight infection or disease and can enhance the functioning of all the body systems. A balanced diet, regular physical therapy exercises and a stress-free mind are the keys to maintaining an active life. If you are experiencing shoulder pain, consult one of our expert physical therapists for a full evaluation to determine where your problem is originating from, so correct treatments can be applied to help you.

Relieve Hand Pain In Minutes Try this simple exercise to keep you moving

SPINACH DIP RECIPE

PINCH GRIP Pinch tip of finger and thumb together. Hold for 5 seconds repeat 8 times.

• 2 cans of Rotel • Small onion, chopped • 1 tsp cumin or to taste • 1 tsp garlic salt or to taste

• 1 package frozen spinach (drain) • 2 - 8 oz packages cream cheese • 1 package colby jack cheese • 1 package parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS Combine all ingredients well and place in a 11 x 13 pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes.

www.simpleset.net

CALL TODAY! (516) 681-8070

What’s New?

Patient Success Spotlight

Hopefully March will see the end of Winter and the first inkling of Spring. I don’t know about you but I am definitely ready for Spring! Lots of new stuff going on here at Next Step Physical Therapy. We are expanding our staff and adding another physical therapist. When people can’t schedule their appointments because there aren’t enough openings you know it’s time to grow. Of course we wouldn’t be able to grow if we didn’t have such incredible support from our patients - That’s you! So thank you for choosing us to help you get rid of your back pain, knee pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and everything else in between. Talk to you soon. Chris Ostling

“I feel great, it’s like magic! ” “I had terrible shoulder pain. I couldn’t bathe, brush my teeth, dress or sleep without pain. I came thinking my shoulder would never stop hurting since it had been such a long time and it continued to hurt. I then remembered that I had PT with Dr. Chris years ago and how good I felt after that experience. I started again and it worked. I feel great, it’s like magic! The difference I feel today vs. when I first came is remarkable. If you’ve never tried PT for an injury/pain, I highly suggest Next Step Physical Therapy.” -Grace Bryant

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