ARE YOU HURTING YOUR NECKWHILE YOU SLEEP? We spend one third of our lives sleeping. Therefore, how you sleep and the bed you sleep on can have a dramatic effect on the support of your body. When you sleep you need to be aware of how your neck and spine are supported. There are many different types of beds on the market today which can be very confusing for consumers.The best type of bed is the one thatyou tryoutand feelmostcomfortableusing.Typically,abed that isfirm underneath, with a softer top helps to provide support as well as contour your body. If your mattress is old, then think about investing in a new one so that your neck and spine are supported well.
Ethel Pitts started coming to Eastern Shore Physical Therapy over 10 years ago. She and her husband Tom told me her goal was to walk down the aisle at her church. At the time Ethel was in a wheelchair and had bilateral below knee amputations with prostheses and she had a difficult time just standing. We continued to work on various balance and strengthening exercises with Ethel in 2006. She was beginning to be able to walk about 25 feet with a rolling walker and assistance from a therapist. She was also on the waiting list for a new kidney and both her andTomwere waiting anxiously for the call any day. The time came for us to schedule the walk down the aisle at church as Ethel was able to walk the required 100 feet with a walker and minimal assistance. Then a couple days before the scheduled walkTom and Ethel got the call and Ethel was rushed to the hospital in Baltimore and received her new kidney. After that we did not see Ethel for years as she recovered from her surgery. This year Ethel returned to therapy and had the same goal from over 10 years Ethel was able to walk the required 100 feet with a walker and minimal assistance! The best positions to sleep in for your spine are on your back or sides. Avoid sleeping on your stomach since your spine ends up twisted, especially your neck.Over thehoursof repetitivesleepingonyourstomach,youcandamage the joints of your spine and compress the nerves exiting your spine. Use a pillow to help support your body and take the weight of your legs off your spine. Ifyou like tosleeponyourback,placeapillowunder thebacksofyour thighs and knees. This should place your knees in a slight, supported bend which takes pressure off your lower back. If you sleep on your side, be sure to put a pillow between your knees. This helps keep the alignment of your spine, and takes the pressure of your upper leg off the spine. Have 1-2 pillows under your head to keep your neck in proper alignment. If you need 2 pillows stagger them so that one pillow overlaps the other by one half. The lower half goes under the shoulders, while the upper half supports the neck. Our physical therapists at Eastern Shore Physical Therapy can show you exercises, stretches and techniques to relieve your pain and prevent it from returning.
If you are suffering with neck or back pain, call us today to learn more about how we can relieve your pain, returning you to a more active, pain-free life!
Patient Success Spotlight
ago. Ethel was determined to walk down the aisle at church. On Sunday August 27th Ethel met her goal! She walked down the aisle at church. We can all learn from Ethel that family, friendship and faith can help us achieve any goal we have. We would like to thank Ethel and Tom for allowing us to share their story. If you have a success story or a goal that you would like to achieve please give us a call at 410-641-2900.
CALL TODAY! 410.641.2900
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