Do you suffer from back or neck pain? At times this pain can radiate indicating a potential problem with the discs. The bones in your spine are called the vertebrae. The vertebrae are held together and in place by ligaments and small discs that act as shock absorbers. These control your spine’s range of movement, flexibility and keep the spinal cord safe from damage. However, when a disc is damaged, the inside can squeeze out of place and either bulge or herniate, leaving the spinal nerves susceptible to damage. When this occurs, the result is called a “herniated disc”, “slipped” or “ruptured disc.”
NEWSLETTER
Don’t Let A Herniated Disc Keep You Down Avoid Surgery and Get Moving Again With FYZICAL as Your Guide
NEWSLETTER
GET MOVING AGAIN AFTER A HERNIATED DISC
Doyousufferfrombackorneckpain?Attimesthispaincanradiate indicating a potential problem with the discs. The bones in your spine are called the vertebrae. The vertebrae are held together and in place by ligaments and smalldiscs thatactasshockabsorbers.Thesecontrolyourspine’s rangeof movement,flexibilityandkeep thespinalcordsafe fromdamage.However, when a disc is damaged, the inside can squeeze out of place and either bulge or herniate, leaving the spinal nerves susceptible to damage. When thisoccurs, the result iscalleda “herniateddisc”, “slipped”or “ruptureddisc.” A herniated disc can be incredibly painful and can cause a great deal of limitations on the body’s movement, thus hindering a person’s movement and overall ability to perform day-to-day tasks. A herniated disc can cause a variety of symptoms including radiating pain down the arm or leg, depending if the herniated disc is in your neck or low back. Bulging discs are the beginning phase of herniated discs. Very often peoplehaveabulging discand don’t even know it. Only when theoutsideof
a bulging disc becomes irritated and affects the surrounding tissue does it begin to cause back ache, generally in the same area and not down the leg. A herniated disc in the neck can be just as painful as a herniated disc in the back. Arm pain from a neck herniated disc is one of the more common neckconditions treatedby our spinespecialists.Although aneckherniated disc may start from injury to the spine, the symptoms, including arm pain, commonly start from poor posture or muscle strains. The arm pain from a neckherniateddiscoccursbecause theherniateddiscmaterial “pinches”or presses on a nerve, causing pain to radiate along the nerve down the arm. Our specialized physical therapists are trained to examine your spine and movement tofind therootcauseofyourproblem.Thenweworkwithyouand your doctor to put together a plan that helps you achieve optimum results Look inside to learn more about our programs and say good-bye to that aching joint pain!
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“Is That Thigh Pain Really Sciatica?”
PHYSICAL THERAPY HELPS RELIEVE SCIATICA PAIN One of the most common mistakes is to assume that all leg pain is sciatica, and must be due to a disc in the back pressing on a nerve. In fact, most leg pain is not pain from the nerve in your spine, and has nothing to do with a herniated disc.There is much confusion about the term sciatica.The term sciatica is defined as pain running down the leg in the path of the sciatic nerve. It isbest tounderstand thedifferencebetween referred legpain,which “refers” from another area and nerve root pain which begins in the spine. Irritation of any of the tissues of the back can cause pain down one or both legs. Seventy percent of patients with back pain have some radiating pain to their legs. This referred pain can come from the tissues, muscles, ligaments, joints, discs or other back structures. It is usually a dull ache that spreads into the buttocks and thighs. In addition, it may affect both legs, however, it usually does not go much below the knee. Referred pain is not due to anything pressing on a nerve. It is not sciatica. Irritation of the nerve root in the spine gives a quite different pain, which is sharp and specific to an area of your leg. Nerve root pain usually radiates to the foot or toes. Patients often describe the pain with sensations such as pins and needles or numbness. It usually affects one leg only and is greater than the pain one has in the back. Nerve root pain is much less common than referred leg pain. Furthermore, if you have back pain alone
and no leg pain or nerve symptoms, a nerve root problem is very unlikely. If you do have leg pain, then your legs should be examined by a physical therapist for signs of nerve irritation or nerve compression. Diagnosing nerve irritation depends on tests that stretch or press on an irritated nerve root to cause pain. Our physical therapists at FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers perform different tests for nerve irritation. A common test is raising the leg straight in the air and looking for radiating pain with limitation. Discover how our Spine Program transforms your back pain from a pressing problem, to a distant memory, allowing you to live a happy, active and pain-free life.
Exercise Essential
VeganCrepes Recipe
Helps Low Back Pain
INGREDIENTS • 1/2 cup soy milk • 1/2 cup water
PRONE ON ELBOWS Lying face down, slowly raise up and prop yourself up on your elbows. Hold for 8 seconds. Repeat 8 times.
• 1/4 cup melted soy margarine • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar • 2 tablespoons maple syrup • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Exercisescopyrightof
Directions In a large mixing bowl, blend soy milk, water, 1/4 cup margarine, sugar, syrup, flour, and salt. Cover and chill the mixture for 2 hours. Lightly grease a 5 to 6 inch skillet with some soy margarine. Heat the skillet until hot. Pour approximately 3 tablespoons batter into the skillet. Swirl to make the batter cover the skillet’s bottom. Cook until golden, flip and cook on opposite side. Garnish with fruit of your choice.
Always consultyourphysical therapistorphysicianbefore starting exercisesyouareunsureofdoing.
It’s Baseball Time
It’s also been fun to use my physical therapy brain on the field. There are a multitude of injuries that can come from baseball training. I have enjoyed being able to teach these young athletes how to manage and even prevent future injuries. This year, we’ve even been able to work with athletes from several other high schools get back on the field as quick and safely as possible. I’ve always been interested in sports injuries and baseball injuries in particular because of my own history. I played on American Fork’s Baseball team all through high school. To our FYZICAL Family, I’d say: Make sure you get out and watch a baseball game this spring! BRANDON BLISS, DPT,PT Brandon works in the FYZICAL Lehi location. He graduated from the University of Utah with a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Utah. Brandon enjoys working in the outpatient orthopedic setting with a special interest in treating disorders of the spine, and assisting with the rehabilitation of athletic injuries. Brandon enjoys seeing patients make progress and will help you in improving function and achieving therapy-related goals. STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Baseball season is underway. For me that means 2 things. Coaching and getting to spend even more quality time with my kids. I have spent the last 7 years coaching baseball and softball. I love the game, and I love teaching kids how to play it the right away and to have great sportsmanship. It’s a special kind of awesome when the kids work on skills, put them into practice and have success at them. Coaching has been a great way for me to spend more time with my kids and get involved with the community. This year, I had a new opportunity to grow when they asked me to coach the Lehi High School Sophomore Team. My son Connor is playing on the team, and I was excited to take that on as a new challenge. It’s taken a lot of time and preparation, but it’s been well worth it to spend time, and help these teenagers as they grow into men.
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