Nestor Physical Therapy Newsletter
NEWSLETTER www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com
INSIDE: Is Your Neck To Blame For That Nagging Back Pain? How Can I Tell If My Neck Is Causing My Back Pain? Feel Better By Eating Better And More! Your spine is a complex part of your body – it requires proper posture, flexibility, coordination, and strength, in order to do its job correctly. When one of these elements is altered, your spine can emit painful responses that can settle in other nearby parts of the body. (continued inside)
Is Your Neck To Blame For That Nagging Back Pain?
261 Main Street North Smithfield, RI 02896
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Is Your Neck To Blame For That Nagging Back Pain?
According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 80% of adults will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain is actually the most commonly reported location of pain across the globe. But how often is the source actually another part of your body? Pain is usually connected: Your spine is a lengthy structure, and pain can travel along it. Let’s say you are prone to neck pain – perhaps you have a slouched posture from sitting at a desk all day and the pressure radiates in your shoulders. Or, maybe you’ve had a previous injury, such as whiplash, that still elicits painful stings every now and then. Now, let’s say you begin feeling pain in your lower back in addition to your neck pain. Why does this happen? Basically, the pains are connected to each other. Your head weighs about 10-12 pounds, which is roughly the weight of a bowling ball. When you slouch, or compensate pain by realigning your body, your back muscles have to work extra hard to keep you from toppling forward. Have you ever been so tired that your head begins to bob and it jolts you awake? That’s because your head is heavy! The weight from the motion wakes you back up because your body isn’t used to carrying it in that way. This is also why pain in your lower back may occur as a result. Your back muscles are working in overdrive and may be constricting to try and hold you up. If you notice neck and back pain
at the same time as one another, try sitting up straighter – it should help ease some of the stress! Is your neck the culprit? The most common combination of pain is in the neck and the back. If you are experiencing both, it is most likely stemming from the neck. We don’t typically think about it, but we use our necks for a lot of our daily activities. Even simple things, such as turning to grab something out of the cupboard or looking over your shoulder when backing out of a driveway, use a lot of neck muscles. When you do simple tasks such as these, do you find yourself turning your entire body, as opposed to just your head? If so, you could experience back pain along with your neck pain. When you have limited motion in your neck, your body compensates by twisting more than it usually would, thus over-rotating your lower back. This could cause a source of pain or general discomfort in the area, due to abnormal overuse. If you are experiencing neck pain, back pain, or a combination of both, our physical therapists would be more than happy to meet with you for a consultation to discuss how they can help. Call us today to talk to an expert about how we can relieve your aches and pains!
Call Today! 401-356-4777
www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com
How Can I Tell If My Neck Is Causing My Back Pain?
It can sometimes to be difficult to determine if your back pain is rooted in your neck. This simple, at-home test can assist you in figuring it out: 1. Stand straight in front of another person. They will be your eyes regarding the movements you make. 2. Once they are watching you, turn your head as far as you comfortably can to the left. Repeat the same motion to the right. Have them take note of how far you are able to go. 3. Now, sit down in front of the same person. Repeat the same turning motions from a chair or couch. Again, have them take note of how far you are able to comfortably turn your head. 4. Ask if there were any differences in the turning movement. Did one side seem to turn further than the other? Was there a difference in standing vs. sitting? This test is helpful in finding out if your neck is causing (or is at risk of causing) pain in your lower back. If your movement is limited, especially sitting down, it means that the muscles in your back or upper back are tight. These constricted motions can cause pain in the lower back. How can physical therapy help me? Physical therapy is the leading recommendation for back pain. Physical therapists are trained to evaluate muscle and joint movement, and they can easily assist you in finding the root of your problem. They will thoroughly evaluate you to figure out why you are experiencing pain,
determining the source and treating all affected areas. After your initial consultation, they will create a specialized treatment plan for you, based on their diagnosis of your specific needs. A physical therapist’s end goal is the same as yours – to get you feeling better, healthier, and more comfortable! If you are experiencing lower back pain and think it may be caused by an issue occurring in your neck, give us a call today. We’ll get you moving comfortably again in no time.
www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com
Who Do You Know That Needs Our Help?
Refer a Friend Do You Have Friends or Family Unable to Do The Following?
9 Move without pain 9 Bend and move freely
9 Balance confidently and securely 9 Sit for long periods comfortably 9 Walk for long distances 9 Live an active and healthy lifestyle
If you answered “yes” to any of these, please call us today at 401-356-4777
Patient Success Spotlights
“I came in to work on a lumbar issue due to a workplace injury. Pretty much from the start, Dr. Nestor was able to loosen up the area and relieve the pain. The remaining sessions built-on one another getting me to the point where I am now able to return to my job as a truck driver full-duty. The greatest compliment that I feel I can give is that my back feels even better than it did prior to my injury. Thanks to Dr. Nestor and staff for all your help!” - Paul Martins “...my back feels even better than it did prior to my injury. Thanks to Dr. Nestor and staff for all your help!”
“I had spinal surgery for multiple problems. My right side was very compromised. I came to Nestor Physical Therapy to work on gaining my strength back, so I could go back to living. Well, we did it. I am back to doing all my favorite things (walking, gardening, golfing) at full strength and with little to no pain. Thank You Dr. Nestor, Joshua, Abby & staff for getting me to this point.” - Joyce Fortier “I am back to doing all my favorite things (walking, gardening, golfing) at full strength...”
Feel Better By Eating Better
There’s no question that what you eat affects how you feel, and a healthy diet helps you feel better. The healthiest diet is one that emphasizes whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables and that includes lean protein and low-fat or no-fat dairy products. Combine a healthy diet with regular exercise, and you will find it helps your mood as well as your body. Here are some tips to help improve your mood and activity with the right nutrition. Mix in Protein to Boost Mood: Like fiber, protein can help you to avoid blood sugar crashes. Some good sources of protein are chicken, fish, eggs, seeds and nuts, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese and milk, tofu, and peanut butter. Don’t Worry, “B” Happy: The B vitamins, including B6, B12, and folic acid, play a role in the production of brain chemicals that regulate mood. Especially if you have depression, be sure to consume foods rich in these vitamins. Good food sources for many
B vitamins include shellfish, poultry, eggs, low-fat yogurt, and fortified breakfast cereals. Folic acid in particular is found mostly in leafy greens. Drink water: Sip water or other drinks with few or no calories to help maintain a healthy weight. Keep a water bottle in your bag or at your desk to satisfy your thirst throughout the day. Be active whenever you can: Set a goal to fit in at least 2½ hours of moderate physical activity in your week. Being active 10 minutes at a time also adds to your weekly total. Ask your friends or family to keep you company as you bike, jog, walk, or dance. Don’t forget to do some muscle strengthening activities twice a week. Enjoy your food but eat less. Use a smaller plate for meals to help control the amount of food and calories you eat.
Grilled Lobster Tails with Fennel-Apple Slaw
I’m bringing the sea and the garden to the table in this recipe. Some ingredients were selected since they were fresh out of our garden. Start with fresh lobsters and break off the tails. The claws can be grilled or saved for another recipe. Or you can pay extra for lobster tails at the fish market. Use kitchen shears or a sharp knife and cut down the back to lobster shell (don’t cut through the meat). Pull the meat up through the shell and keep shell attached. The shell will keep the lobster from burning.
Prepare your grill for direct grilling. I used a charcoal grill. Melt ½ stick of butter with the zest and juice of one lemon in pot on the grill (or use a side burner). Add whatever fresh herbs you have in your garden. I used fresh tarragon, lemon thyme, and chives and added them to the butter to make a basting sauce. Baste the lobster tail and start grilling meat side down for about 3-4 minutes. Turn the lobster tails and start basting with the butter sauce and cook for 6-8 minutes until the lobster feels firm. Watch for flare-ups from the butter sauce. Grill a lemon cut side down to squeeze over the lobster tails to serve. Fennel and Apple slaw starts with the dressing. Mix ¼ cup citrus champagne vinegar (or any white vinegar), 1 Table spoon of honey, zest and juice of one lemon, ½ Teaspoon of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper and whisk in ¼ to ½ cup of olive oil. Remove fennel stalks and clean bulbs. Finely slice 2 fennel bulbs, julienne 2 green apples, and finely slice a red onion and add to the dressing. Next add ¼ cup of tarragon and mint. Toss all ingredients. Refrigerate for about an hour and serve with lobster tails. The last surprise on the plate are fresh zucchini flowers from our garden. They are stuffed with fresh herbs and goat cheese. Once the flowers were filled with herb-cheese mixture, I dropped them in a tempura batter and pan fried them on the grill. Enjoy!
CUT OUT & COLLECT EACH OF OUR MONTHLY NEWSLET TER RECIPES AND CREATE YOUR OWN NESTOR PHYSICAL THERAPY COOKBOOK!
Arthritis InTheNeck
CedarPlankedSmokedCheese
Theproblemwitharthritis is the lossof rangeofmotion in theneck joints. Asbonewearsonbone, the surfaceof thebones actually start to change shape.This thins thebones in the neck in someparts leading to a lossof heightbetween thebones.Due t abnormalwearand tear,newbone forms where it shouldn’t, creeping into the holeswhere the spinal cord passes through. In addition it can rub on the nerves out to your neck, shoulers, arms and even hands. This can lead to a condition called cervical spinal stenosis,whichcanbequitepainful. Whatcanbedone tohelpneckarthritis? Whilepainmedicationscanhelp control pain, they don’t address the root cause of the pain,which is poor strength and lackofnormalmovement.Theneck jointson the sideof the spinenormallyexperiencewearand tearover theyears.However,when this wear and tear is accelerated due to poor posture,weakness or injury, this cn lead to limited,painful rangeofmotion. Inaddition,withneckarthritis, thesmallermusclesthatguide themotions of theneckbecomeweaker,eventually leading tomore rubbingandarthritis. Bygentlystretching these tightand restricted jointswithspecifichandson therapyandexercises,rangeof otioncanbereturned.Whilephysicaltherapy cnot restore the cartilage or change the bony structure, it can certainly helpyourneckmovebetter,becomestronger, reducepainandgiveyou the pwer tostayhealthier longer. Try this simple test. See if you have restricted cervical joints.Standwith yourbackagainst thewall.Canyou touch thebackofyourhead to thewall whilekeepingyourchin level? Ifyoucannot, thenyourneck jointsare limited andyouneedphysical therapy to restore the range fmotion.
This is a great appetizer for the holidays. It looks fancy but is quick and easy tomake.Yourguestswill think you are agourmet chef!
Thecheesecanbe smokedonagasgrill if youmakea smokerpack. Iused the charcoalgrill.
Youwillneeda cedarplank, camembert cheeseorabrie (soft creamy cheese), pepper jelly, and1-2 jalapenos.
Place theplankon thegrill for1-2minutesa side.Youwill see somegrillmarksand youwill start to smell the aroma of the cedar plank. (See thegrillmarks in the picture).
Spread the pepper jelly on the cheese. Slice the jalapeno in half, remove the seeds if you like it on themildside,andarrange jalapenosliceson topof thecheese.Slice the jalapenocrosswisewith the seeds if you like it spicy.Place the cheese in the plank. Place the plank on the grill (indirect heat) no flame under the plank. (See picture).Add a fewwood chips to the charcoals.Use smoker pack if using gas grill.Cook about 10minutes until the cheese becomes soft.Some of the cheesewill start to ooze out.
Is your neck pain affecting your balance? Have you ever seen a person with teir head protruding forward and their body bent over?This can be subtle or quite noticeable.With neck pain, limited neck posture results in loss of balance. Just pull anyone by their nose and youwill see theywill falter forward.This isbecause thenormal linesofgravity through thebody changewhen thespineposturechanges. If youorsomeone youknowhas poorbalance, itcouldbeaproblemwith theirposture. Gtyourneckmovingand feelingbetter.Callus to learnmoreaboutour programs today!
Servewithgrilled bread or fancy crackers. Enjoy!
www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com
Try thismovement forneckpain relief. RelievePain InMinutes:
Patient Success Spotlight
RelievesNeckPain
www.simpleset.net
CERVICALROTATION Turn yourhead towards the side, then returnback to looking straightahead.
“Sincemy initialonsetof injury, Ihavebeensufferingmajor tingling inmyarmandneckpain. I'vebeen to2otherphysical therapistsand Dr.Nestorhaseliminatedmysymptoms.Hehasgivenmehope that Icanmakea full recoveryandgetback to theactive life that Ihad!” -MichaelOrsini
www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com
CallToday! 401-356-4777
www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com
Call Today! 401-356-4777
www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com
Exercise Essentials Flexibility, strength, and stability are needed to keep you moving. Share this with a friend or family member to help keep them healthy too!
CERVICAL CHIN TUCK While lying on your back with a small rolled up towel under the curve of your neck, tuck your chin towards your chest. Maintain contact of your head with the surface you are lying on the entire time.
CERVICAL SIDE BEND Tilt your head towards the side, then return back to looking straight ahead. (Be sure to keep your eyes and nose pointed straight ahead the entire time.)
Exercises copyright of
www.simpleset.net
Relieves Neck Pain
FREE PAIN CONSULTATION FOR YOU AND A FRIEND!
THIS COUPON IS GOOD FOR: A FREE PAIN CONSULTATION FOR YOU FREE PAIN CONSULTATION
FREE PAIN CONSULTATION
THIS COUPON IS GOOD FOR: A FREE PAIN CONSULTATION FOR A FRIEND
Expires: 9/30/19 Call today as spots are limited!
Call today as spots are limited!
Expires: 9/30/19
401-356-4777 CALL TO SCHEDULE TODAY!
Call Today! 401-356-4777
www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com
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