Peak Motion: Where Is Back Pain Coming From?

Health & Wellness Newsletter by Peak Motion Physical Therapy

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

July, 2019

PREGNANCY & BACK PAIN

Treatment plans for prenatal and perinatal care related to back pain 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, ice and heat therapies or pregnancy support belt or brace, in order to provide additional relief and optimum function. In addition to your back pain, our services can help provide relief for a large number of pregnancy symptoms you may be experiencing, including: • Pain during sexual intercourse. • Pain during exercise. • Vulvovaginal pain.

physical therapists will also help in addressing any problems or questions that may arise during this time. You don’t need to suffer before your delivery. Contact us today to schedule an appointment, and we’ll create a plan to help you. By including physical therapy in your prenatal care, you’ll be able to relieve your pain and better prepare yourself for one of the biggest challenges in a woman’s life: delivering and caring for a baby.

• Tailbone pain. • Incontinence. • Headaches. • Neck pain. • Painful, numb, or weak hands.

Peak Motion Physical Therapy can help expecting mothers find relief from prenatal pains as their bodies experience the effects of pregnancy. Our

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

ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGSWITHOUT FEAR OF PAIN July, 2019

INSIDE: • Is Your Neck The Culprit? • FREE Screening • Patient Success Spotlight • Healthy Recipe

Your spine is a complex part of your body – it requires properposture,flexibility,coordination,andstrength, in ordertodo its jobcorrectly.Whenoneoftheseelements is altered, your spine can emit painful responses that can settle in other nearby parts of the body. According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 80% of adults will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain is actually the most commonly reported location of pain across the globe. But how often is the source actually another part of your body? Pain is usually connected: Your spine is a lengthy structure, and pain can travel along it.Let’ssayyouareprone toneckpain–perhaps you have a slouched posture from sitting at a desk all day and the pressure radiates in your shoulders. Or, maybe you’ve had a previous injury, such as whiplash, thatstillelicitspainfulstingseverynowand then.Now,

let’s say you begin feeling pain in your lower back in addition to your neck pain. Why does this happen? Basically, the pains are connected to each other. Your head weighs about 10-12 pounds, which is roughly the weight of a bowling ball. When you slouch, or compensate pain by realigning your body, your back muscles have to work extra hard to keep you from toppling forward. Have you ever been so tired that your head begins to bob and it jolts you awake?That’s becauseyourhead isheavy!Theweightfromthemotion wakes you back up because your body isn’t used to carrying it in that way. This is also why pain in your lower back may occur as a result. Your back muscles are working in overdrive and may be constricting to try and hold you up. If you notice neck and back pain at the same time as one another, try sitting up straighter – it should help ease some of the stress!

Patient Success SPOTLIGHT

My symptoms decreased and my condition improved! "I originally injured my ribs a little over a year ago during a jiu-jitsu class. Although PT is usually the first thing I try, my usual physical therapist had moved.So, Iput itoffandsaw twoother doctorsandachiropractor,beforefinally finding my way to Peak Motion. My symptoms decreased and my condition improved fairly quickly. I was able to return to jiu-jitsu with no pain. Peak Motion and Bre Lohn will be my first stop after my next jiu-jitsu injury.Thank you tobothBreandJonathan forgetting me in fighting shape again.” - Sarah S.

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IS YOUR NECK THE CULPRIT?

The most common combination of pain is in the neck and the back. If you are experiencing both, it is most likely stemming from the neck. We don’t typically think about it, but we use our necks for a lot of our daily activities. Even simple things, such as turning to grab something out of the cupboard or looking over your shoulder when backing out of a driveway, use a lot of neck muscles. When you do simple tasks such as these, do you find yourself turning your entire body, as opposed to just your head? If so, you could experience back pain along with your neck pain. When you have limited motion in your neck, your body compensates by twisting more than it usually would, thus over-rotating your lower back. This could cause a source of pain or general discomfort in the area, due to abnormal overuse. If you are experiencing neck pain, back pain, or a combination of both, our physical therapists would be more than happy to meet with you for a consultation to discuss how they can help. Call us today to talk to an expert about how we can relieve your aches and pains! How can I tell if my neck is causing my back pain? It can sometimes to be difficult to determine if your back pain is rooted in your neck. This simple, at-home test can assist you in figuring it out: 1. Stand straight in front of another person. They will be your eyes regarding the movements you make. 2. Once they are watching you, turn your head as far as you comfortably can to the left. Repeat the same motion to the right. Have them take note of how far you are able to go. 3. Now, sit down in front of the same person. Repeat the same turning motions from a chair or couch. Again, have them take note of how far you are able to comfortably turn your head. 4. Ask if there were any differences in the turning movement. Did one side seem to turn further than the other? Was there a difference in standing vs. sitting?

This test is helpful in finding out if your neck is causing (or is at risk of causing) pain in your lower back. If your movement is limited, especially sitting down, it means that the muscles in your back or upper back are tight. These constricted motions can cause pain in the lower back. How can physical therapy help me? Physical therapy is the leading recommendation for back pain. Physical therapists are trained to evaluate muscle and joint movement, and they can easily assist you in finding the root of your problem. They will thoroughly evaluate you to figure out why you are experiencing pain, determining the source and treating all affected areas. After your initial consultation, they will create a specialized treatment plan for you, based on their diagnosis of your specific needs. A physical therapist’s end goal is the same as yours – to get you feeling better, healthier, and more comfortable! If you are experiencing lower back pain and think it may be caused by an issue occurring in your neck, give us a call today. We’ll get you moving comfortably again in no time.

Source: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/ Low-Back-Pain-Fact-Sheet

HEALTHY RECIPE

Arugula, Grape, &Sunflower Seed Salad

INGREDIENTS • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar • 1 tsp honey • 1 tsp maple syrup • 1/2 tsp stone-ground mustard • 2 tsp grapeseed oil

• 7 cups loosely packed baby arugula • 2 cups red grapes, halved • 2 tbsp toasted sunflower seed • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS Combine vinegar, honey, syrup, and mustard in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk. Combine arugula, grapes, seeds, and thyme in a large bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over arugula; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat.

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DISCOVER HOW TO LIVE PAIN-FREE

At Peak Motion Physical Therapy, you will receive hands-on therapy treatments by our friendly, caring health experts during focused and individualized sessions.

More Patient Success

It’s time to get Peak Motion 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

“I’m an active person who loves to run, hike, bike, ski, and more. While marathon training, I discovered serious, sharp pain in my lower back that lasted days after a training run. I finally reached the point that I could no longer put on socks or get out of a car without extreme pain. With patience, strength, and mobility exercises introduced and incorporated, in weeks I was back in action! Thanks Peak Motion!” - Marilyn A. www.mypeakmotion.com In weeks I was back in action!

1. Call and talk to your therapist 2. Discover why your pain has come back 3. Get your custom recovery program

Take Care of Your Aches and Pains Before It’s Too Late. Attention Pain Sufferers!

Do You Have Difficulty With Aches Or Pains?

• Decrease your pain • Increase your strength • Increase your activity level We can help:

• Increase your flexibility • Improve your health • Get back to living

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