Newsletter for REHABILITY Health & Fitness
He a l t h & F i t ne s s The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
RELIEVE YOURPREGNANCY-RELATEDBACKPAINSTRENGTH BY STRENGTHENING YOUR CORE MUSCLES
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He a l t h & F i t ne s s The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
REDUCING PAIN. RESTORING FUNCTION. ACHIEVING GOALS.
RELIEVE YOURPREGNANCY-RELATEDBACKPAINSTRENGTH BY STRENGTHENING YOUR CORE MUSCLES
INSIDE Strengthen Your Core Muscles And Relieve Your Back Pain Staying Motivated To Eat Healthy
Exercise Essentials
It is no secret that pregnancy takes quite a toll on the body. It severely stretches the abdominal wall, causing core muscles to weaken and resulting in back pain. Fortunately, our physical therapists at Rehability can help relieve your back pain, both during your pregnancy and after you have given birth. We can help you achieve a complete recovery, even if it has been years since your last pregnancy. Even if you still exercise regularly, if you do not target your core muscles specifically, an imbalance in muscle strength will occur. When your core is strong, it means your spine is better protected against injury when you twist, lift, or strain your body while doing an activity – such as picking up your little one! If you have been suffering from back pain either during or after a pregnancy, don’t hesitate to contact Rehability today. We’ll help you relieve your undesirable back pain so you can get back to comfortably doing what matters most – preparing and caring for your bundle of joy. Why am I experiencing back pain with pregnancy? If your pregnancy is causing you back pain, you are not alone. In fact, many women report back pain both before and after giving birth. Most expecting mothers report their back pain occurring at the “sacroiliac joint,” which is the area where your pelvis meets your spine. There are many reasons
why you may experience prenatal or post-partum back pain, including:
• Increased weight. Women typically gain 25-35 pounds during pregnancy. This puts extra stress on the spine since it is responsible for supporting your weight. The growing baby in your uterus also puts extra pressure on the nerves and blood vessels surrounding your back and pelvis, which can also attribute to your back pain. • Separation of muscles. As your uterus continues to expand throughout your pregnancy, stress is put on your “rectal abdominis” muscles. These muscles run parallel to one another, from the rib cage to the pubic bone. With continued expansion of the uterus, it is possible for these muscles to separate along the center seam, in a condition known as “diastasis recti.” This may cause or further aggravate your back pain. • Changes in posture. When you’re pregnant, your center of gravity changes. To compensate for this, most women will adjust their posture and the way they move, sometimes without even realizing they are doing so. Postural changes may cause a strain in the back, leading to discomfort. • Changes in hormones. During pregnancy, your body releases a hormone known as “relaxin.” This increases joint laxity and – much like its name infers – allows the ligaments and joints in the pelvic area to relax. This is your body’s natural way of preparing for vaginal birth; however, the relaxin hormone can also cause ligaments in the spine to loosen. When this happens, instability and pain can ensue.
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STRENGTHEN YOUR COREMUSCLES AND RELIEVE YOUR BACK PAIN
Try this on your own: In addition to our physical therapy services, there are exercises you can do on your own to try and strengthen your core muscles and relieve your back pain. One common exercise that engages all the layers of your abdominal wall, pelvic muscles, and spinal muscles is as follows: 1. Begin by lying on your back, with your hands placed on your lower abdomen. The muscles beneath your hands are known as your “transverse abdominis muscles.” 2. Try to activate your transverse abdominis muscles by drawing the muscles together towards your belly button. 3. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Remember to keep breathing as you do so, taking slow, relaxing breaths. 4. Repeat 10 times. Contact us today: You don’t need to live with back pain during or after your delivery. Contact us today to schedule an appointment, and we’ll create a plan to help you along your pregnancy and/or childbirth recovery. At Rehability, we want to make sure you are as comfortable as possible as you welcome the new addition to your family!
At Rehability, we offer both pre- and post-natal treatments for pregnancy- related pain relief. At your initial appointment, you will be greeted by one of our experienced and dedicated physical therapists who will perform a physical evaluation in order to assess the nature of your symptoms. Your medical history and any health risks will also be discussed and taken into account prior to creating a treatment plan. After your evaluation, your physical therapist will put together an individualized treatment plan for you, aimed at providing relief for your back pain and allowing for a smooth pregnancy and/or recovery from childbirth. Treatment plans typically involve gentle therapeutic exercises, stretches, and manual therapy. These are all done in order to relieve pain, strengthen your core muscles, and improve posture. Your physical therapist may also suggest additional methods and modalities, such as massage or ice and heat therapies, in order to provide additional relief and optimum function as deemed necessary. For specific conditions, such as cases regarding diastasis recti, condition- specific treatments will be designed to correct the symptoms. Diastasis recti can interfere with the strengthening of the abdomen muscles, resulting in exceptionally weak core muscles and increased back pain. Our highly-trained physical therapists use the latest evidence-based clinical knowledge in the field to identify and treat this condition, based on its severity and the personal needs of the patient.
Exercise Essentials
Exercises copyright of
www.simpleset.net
Helps Relieve Back Pain
PLANK FOREARMS AND KNEES Position yourself on forearms and knees. Make your body flat as a plank from head to feet. Keep trunk engaged, do not let lower back arch.
Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.
STAYING MOTIVATED TO EAT HEALTHY
1. Set small, measurable goals that will help you get to your overall large goal. 2. Keep a food and exercise journal. This is extremely helpful to track how much you’re eating – sometimes you don’t realize how many small bites here and there add up. You can do a hand-written journal or go digital and log your food/fitness from the computer or your smartphone. 3. Crowd processed junk food out of your diet by adding nutritious whole foods. 4. Skip the pantry and head to the fridge. No one really keeps a lot of processed foods in their fridge because they’re usually self-stable. When looking for an afternoon snack, stick with something from the
fridge (non-fat greek yogurt, fruit, veggies with hummus, edamame, etc.)
5. Try new foods. Eating the same meal every night can get old. Look for new healthy recipes online, in cookbooks or magazines so you don’t get bored with eating healthy. 6. Eat something every 2-3 hours. This keeps your metabolism running and also makes sure you don’t overeat after work. 7. Keep nutritious foods on hand and ready to eat. Preparation is the key to eating healthy! Having fresh vegetables and fruits, lean protein, healthy fats, and smart carbs each week is super helpful for staying on track.
https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/14-tips-getting-and-staying-motivated-to-eat-healthy/
Staff Spotlight
Joseph Jimenez, MD is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialist, with over 15 years of diverse experience and training in Interventional and Medical Pain Management, Sports Medicine and Non-Surgical Orthopedics.
healthcare technology. Dr. Jimenez also specializes in minimally invasive procedures including Percutaneous /Endoscopic Discectomy, Radiofrequency Ablation, SacroIliac Joint Fusion and Spinal Cord Stimulation. In joining the REHABILITY Team, Dr. Jimenez is eager to assist our patients in an integrative fashion achieve optimal physical function, recovery and wellness, all under one roof!
His practice ideals include preventive care for optimal musculoskeletal health, conservative management of pain and minimally invasive surgery for select patients, using cutting-edge research and
• Spine injections, such as Epidurals and Facet Joints
• Trigger Point Injections • Medical Acupuncture • Electrodiagnostic Medicine
• Ultrasound-Guided Procedures • Regenerative Medicine • Performance Nutrition
• Extremity Joint injections • SacroIliac Joint injections
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