Activa: How Bad Posture Affects The Body

Health & Wellness Newsletter by Activa Physical Therapy

Health &Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Activa Physical Therapy Celebrates

4th Anniversary

Activa Physical Therapy is proud to celebrate our 4th anniversary in May! We are proud to celebrate this milestone as a member of the Naperville and Burr Ridge communities. It has been our pleasure to serve patients of all ages with a wide variety of conditions ranging from simple sprains to difficult post surgical conditions. We have aimed to provide care to all that have come through our doors with compassion, empathy, and a desire to help our patients get back to the active demands of life. We are honored that so many patients have turned to us in times in need, and thank our local physicians for trusting us with their patients’ care. It has been a pleasure to serve the community, and we look forward to many more years and anniversaries ahead! Thanks again for trusting Activa Physical Therapy!

Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

COULDYOURPOSTURE BE THE REASONFOR YOURACHES&PAINS?

Inside:

• What Can I Do About It?

• Healthy Recipe

• Relieve Back Pain In Minutes

• Patient Success Spotlights

Doyousuffer fromdailyor recurrentachesandpains? Ifso,yourposturemay be the culprit. Just think about the number of hours a day we spend staring atacomputerscreen,hunchedoverourdesks,orstaringatourphones.That creates a lot of stress on the neck and back, especially if you are slouched, titled forward, or looking down for prolonged periods of time. How does poor posture affect me? Changes to your posture can negatively affectyourbody,andyoumayfindyourselfexperiencingsomeofthefollowing symptoms: • If your posture contains a forward head tilt– This forward-head posture creates a strain on the neck, which can result in neck pain, shoulder pain, armpain,chronicheadaches,and lowerbackpain.Tiltingyourheadforward for long periods of time shortens the muscles in the back of the neck, and can result in soreness throughout multiple parts of your body. • If your posture contains slouching of the mid-back – If you slouch the middleofyourback,youcandriveyourhead forwardandalter thewayyour ribs naturally align. By doing this, you may experience pain in the slouched regionof themid-back, inaddition topain in theneck. If this isyouraverage standing posture, it is important to seek physical therapy treatment right

away–over time,standing like thisdayafterdaymaycause internal issues, as it creates pressure on your lungs, heart, and digestive system. • If your posture includes sitting for long periods of time – When you sit for prolonged periods of time, the muscles in your hips and legs will stiffen. When these muscles become stiff, they tighten and will pull on the lower back, causing pain. The joints also lose their range of motion, which can cause soreness or achiness in the hips, legs, and back, and can create issues with your gait. The way in which you walk can also have an effect on your posture. When you have improper posture, your center of gravity changes. This can cause your balance to decline, which can cause pain when walking, thus creating a vicious cycle of overcompensation and pain. The most common symptom of poor posture is lower back pain, although pain can be present in other parts of the body, as well. The back muscles constantlycontract tokeepyouupright,and theyovercompensatewhenyou slouchorhunchover.Overaperiodof time,constantpoorposturecancreate anunusualamountofwearand tearon the lowerback,whichcan increase the risk of arthritis in the spine. If you are suffering with aches and pains, discover our programs today and learn more about how to gain relief.

Have we been able to assist you in your recovery well? If so, please leave us a review on Google, Yelp or Facebook!

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WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?

It can be difficult to correct poor posture, but there are a few steps you can take on your own to try and help: 1. Sit properly. If you are at a desk for extended periods of the day, make sure your stance is okay. Sit upright, place your feet flat on the floor, and try not to cross your legs. Make sure there is a small gap between the back of your knees and the chair. Having a chair with strong back support and padding is also recommended for making your upright position more comfortable. 2. Take stretch breaks. If you are an office worker, it is not secret that most of the day is spent with limited levels of mobility. It is important to make sure that you get up every 30 minutes or so, and take a small walk, at least for a minute or two. This will help in loosening up your muscles and joints, as well as initiating a stronger blood flow. 3. Exercise. Exercise is incredibly important, especially if your job produces several hours of inactivity. When you exercise, you are stretching and strengthening certain muscles of your body, including problem areas such as your neck and back. Taking even a small amount of time to walk or jog around the neighborhood every day can highly improve your overall gait. 4. Set up your office properly. If you work from an office all day, it is important to have a proper ergonomic setup. Make sure that you are at a proper height with your desk chair and computer, so you don’t have to slouch or lean forward. Additionally, make sure your chair has the proper lumbar support needed to help you sit straight while you’re working. These simple steps can help tremendously with your overall posture.

How can physical therapy help? If these at-home treatments don’t work, it is important to consult help from a physical therapist. Simply standing up straight is a fight against gravity, and if you have been standing the wrong way for several years, it may be difficult to change it on your own. However, physical therapists are dedicated to getting you on back on track to a pain-free , and risk free life. They will evaluate your posture and gait to determine the best treatments necessary for you, and then they will create a treatment plan unique for your needs. They can improve your posture, eliminate your pain, and get you back to doing the activities you love to do. If you are experiencing pain, and you think it may be a result of your posture, give us a call today. We will help you get back to a comfortable posture with just a few sessions.

CUCUMBER KIMCHI

Relieve Back Pain In Minutes Try this movement if you are experiencing pain.

Strengthens Back

PRONE ON ELBOWS Lying face down, slowly raise up and prop yourself up on your elbows. Look forward, and hold for ten seconds. Repeat 8 times.

www.simpleset.net

INGREDIENTS • 2 pickling cucumbers/small cucumbers • 1 tsp kosher salt • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped • 2 scallions finely chopped

• 1¼-inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped • 2 tbsp rice vinegar • 1 tbsp Korean chile powder • 2 tsp sugar • ½ tsp fish sauce

DIRECTIONS Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and then crosswise into ⅛-inch-thick half moons. Place in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly with salt. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine garlic, scallions, ginger, vinegar, chile powder, sugar and fishsauce inamediumnonreactivebowl.Drain thecucumbers (discard the liquid).Stir the cucumbers into thevinegarmixture.Coverandrefrigeratefor12 to24hoursbeforeserving.

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DISCOVER HOW TO LIVE PAIN-FREE

Refer A Friend

At Activa Physical Therapy, you will receive hands-on therapy treatments by our friendly, caring health experts during focused and individualized sessions. It’s time to go to Activa Physical Therapy if: • You’re tired of living in pain • You want to feel better and move better • You have been in an auto accident or injured on the job • You want to prevent injury 1. Call and talk to your therapist 2. Discover why your pain has come back 3. Get your custom recovery program

Do You Have Friends Or Family Unable To Do The Following:

Who Do You Know That Needs Our Help? � Move without pain � Bend and move freely � Balance confidently & securely � Sit for long periods comfortably � Walk for long distances � Live an active and healthy lifestyle If you know someone suffering with aches and pains, give the gift of health. Refer them to Activa Physical Therapy today. Pass along this newsletter or have them call us directly (630) 637-9955 to schedule an appointment.

What our recent graduates had to say...

They have been very accommodating with my busy schedule! “I sprained my ankle during a dance recital. My doctor recommended that I go to Activa for PT. They have been very accommodating with my busy schedule. Everyone is very friendly and informative. My ankle is way better now and has made it through the timeline that they have set up. I will be going on a service trip to Guatemala and my ankle feels ready to go.” – Madeline C. I am now back to my normal workout routine! “I came in after spending six weeks in a boot due to an ankle fracture. At the time, I had difficulty with balance and mobility. I am now back to my normal workout routine. My ankle feels stronger and I am more confident with mobility.” – Tempest H. I now have a full range of motion throughout my body! “Before coming to Activa I was unable to walk, sit and stand without assistance. Iwas in extremepain all day, every day.From themoment Icame into Activa, I was cared for with great attention, patience, and knowledge. Thanks to the team of Activa I now have a full range of motion throughout my body, pain-free.” – Elisabeth B. I am now able to start back to a fitness class! “I had torn my hip labrum and was scared to do any exercising. After therapy at Activa, I am now able to start back to a fitness class with no fear.” – Sandra K.

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