Newsletter for Providence Physical Therapy
NEWSLETTER
NOVEMBER 2020
Improve Your Health BY STRENGTHENING YOUR CORE
ALSO INSIDE: • Laura’s Corner • Frozen Banana Pops • How Can I Strengthen My Core Muscles? • Exercise Essentials
PTPROVIDENCE.COM
NEWSLETTER
NOVEMBER 2020
Improve Your Health BY STRENGTHENING YOUR CORE
How is your posture? Posture is an important part of everyday life that many of us tend not to focus on – Do you slouch in your desk chair, or slump at your computer while you do work? When you stand for prolonged periods of time, do you notice your stomach sticking out a bit? These are all signs of core muscle weakness that can affect your posture and cause pain in your back or neck. Your core muscles help you do a lot – from sitting, to walking, to doing a large number of physical activities. If your core muscles are weak, you may unknowingly be causing some damage to your body. Contact Providence Physical Therapy today to figure out how we can help you strengthen your core muscles and improve your overall health.
What exactly are the core muscles? When most people think of core muscles, they immediately think of the abdominals. However, the core is made up of much more than that! In fact, your core muscles include your abdominal, lower back, pelvic, and gluteus muscles. The group of muscles that make up your core help with stabilizing your body, constructing your posture, and allowing your skeleton to move properly. When any of the muscles within that group become weak, your body experiences an instability that makes it difficult for your body to function properly. As a result, you end up compensating by straining different areas of the body, most commonly the back and neck muscles. As a result, this leads to undesirable consequences, such as poor posture, fatigue, inflammation, or pain.
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Laura’s Corner
When we think of our core, most of us see images of “six-packs” and flat tummies. And while that is true, it is only partially true. Our core, is actually made up of our deepest abdominal layer – transverse abdominis, our deepest layer of spine muscles – multifidus, our pelvic floor muscles (seen in this picture) and the intermuscular attachments. Further, the core works in harmony with our diaphragmand responds in coordination with our breathing. This group of muscles working
together supports our spine, all of the organs in the pelvis (including the bladder, uterus, and rectum), helps us maintain control of urination and defecation, and activates to aid balance and posture with every step we take and every arm movement we make. In other words, if your core is weak or lacks proper motor control, many aspects of your life and function can be affected. If you think this could be happening to you, instead of heading to the gym to start doing crunches, come see one of the physical therapists at Providence Physical Therapy. We are core specialists! Our unique specialty in pelvic health, gives us the tools to help identify the key source of your coreweakness and what to do to help you to return to full health, function and pain-free activity. You won’t believe howmuch stronger you can be, howmuch faster you can run, or how much your balance can improve, simply by increasing the strength and control of your core.
We look forward to helping you!
Frozen Banana Pops
INGREDIENTS • 4 bananas, peeled and cut into thirds • 6 oz dark chocolate, chopped
• 3 tbsp toasted pecans, finely chopped • 12 wooden popsicle sticks
INSTRUCTIONS Insert 1 stick into each piece of banana. Arrange bananas on a plate or flat pan and freeze at least 3 hours. In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate in 30-sec. intervals, until melted and smooth, stirring in between intervals. Let cool slightly. Working with 1 banana at a time, dip
into melted chocolate to coat, then immediately sprinkle with toasted pecans. Place on a sheet of parchment paper until set. Repeat with remaining bananas, chocolate, and toppings. Return to freezer until ready to eat.
Do you suffer with pain? We can help you get back to living pain free call us today 303-799-6336
Our Specialties • Women’s Health • Men’s Health
• Pre/Post Natal • Manual Therapy • Dry Needling • Sports Rehab • Spine Rehab • Orthopedics
HowCan I StrengthenMy CoreMuscles? When you are experiencing pain, sometimes it is necessary to seek the assistance of a trained professional in the field of human movement. At Providence Physical Therapy, our licensed physical therapists will conduct a physical evaluation to determine where the pain is rooted and what muscles must be strengthened in order to correct it.
3. Getting adequate rest and exercise. Every day takes a toll on your body, even if you don’t realize it. Sleep deprivation can actually worsen your pain tolerance and decrease your strength. Relaxing and sleeping helps your body to rejuvenate after a long day, and those hours before 12 a.m. are especially important. Exercising can help you fall asleep earlier, allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed the next day. By taking a walk for at least 30 minutes every day, you can get better sleep at night, in addition to improving your strength, flexibility, and heart health. 4. Eating nutritious meals. If you are in pain, it is incredibly important to eat the right foods. A poor diet can aggravate your pain by causing further inflammation, especially when eating processed or fried foods. Instead, make it a habit to eat vegetables, fruits, and lean protein. It is also important to drink a lot of water, as dehydration can dry out your tissues. Keep a glass of water by your desk and refill it during the day so you (and your tissues) stay hydrated. 5. Getting expert help. The best solution for your back or neck pain is to restore proper movement, strength, and coordination for maximum results. At Providence Physical Therapy our physical therapists are here to help you improve your function and relieve your pain. If you are looking to strengthen your core, relieve your pain, and improve your overall health, contact us today!
Whether you are feeling pain in your back, neck, shoulders, or legs, we will perform a thorough analysis of your posture, movement, and strength to pinpoint exactly what is causing your pain. From there, we will create an individualized treatment plan for you based on your specific needs, aimed at strengthening your core, improving your posture, and alleviating your pain. There are also a few tips you can do on your own, either before physical therapy treatments or in combination with them, in order to strengthen your core and relieve your pain. These include: 1. Improving your posture. Make sure to stand up frequently, at least every 30 minutes, and vary your positions of work throughout the day. Aim to correct your posture when sitting and standing, making adjustments as needed. 2. Avoiding injury. Make sure you know the proper way to lift, bend, and pick up objects, even if they are not heavy. It is important to lift with your legs, rather than your back. Our experts can show you proper body mechanics with everyday tasks.
Exercise Essentials
HELPS WITH LOW BACK PAIN
SUPINE 90/90 ABDOMINAL BRACING Setup: Begin lying on your back with your knees bent and feet resting flat on the floor. Movement: Tighten your abdominals and lift one leg up to a 90 degree angle, then lift your other leg to the same position and hold, keeping your abdominals tight. Then lower each foot in the same order. Tip: Make sure to continue breathing normally during the exercise and keep your low back flat against the floor.
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