Remember back when your mother used to tell you that if you wouldn’t stop hunching your shoulders, they’d be stuck that way forever? An idle threat, one that barely anyone took seriously. Yet, fast forward a few decades and it turns out that mom might have been on to something, after all.
HEALTH & WELLNESS The Newsletter About Your Health and Caring for Your Body
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INSIDE:
Aches & Pains Getting You Down? • Scoliosis: How Can Physical Therapy Help? • Arthritis Workshop: June 2 • Vegan Bean Soup • Exercise Essentials • Test Your Natural Posture with the Plumb Line Test
ACHES & PAINS GETTING YOU DOWN?
YOUR POSTURE MIGHT BE THE CAUSE
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ACHES & PAINS GETTING YOU DOWN? Y O U R PO S T U R E M I G H T B E T H E CA U S E
• The pain frequently starts in your neck and moves into your upper and lower back. Pain that seems to travel from one area of the back to another is frequently an indication of posture concerns.
Remember back when your mother used to tell you that if you wouldn’t stop hunching your shoulders, they’d be stuck that way forever? An idle threat, one that barely anyone took seriously. Yet, fast forward a few decades and it turns out that mom might have been on to something, after all. A poor habit of bad posture can have a lasting impact on your neck and back. The worse your posture is, the more intense your back and neck pain can become. Unfortunately, once you start experiencing neck and back pain, simply squaring your shoulders isn’t likely to be much help. Working with a physical therapist can help you to train the muscles in your back, neck, and shoulders so that you can improve your posture permanently, and in doing so bring relief to your chronic neck and back pain. The Posture and Pain Connection Not all back pain is caused by poor posture, and it is true that you can have poor posture for years without feeling the consequences of that slouch right away, but in time the habit is likely to catch up with you. There are certain ways that you can tell if neck or back pain may be a result of poor posture, including: • The pain in your back is worsened at certain times of the day. For example, after you’ve spent a day at the office, or after a few hours on the couch.
• The pain will subside after switching positions, such as switching from sitting to standing or vice versa.
• Back or neck pain that develops soon after a change in circumstances, such as starting a new job with a new desk chair, or getting a new car. After years of practicing poor posture, your back, shoulder, and neck muscles will likely find standing or sitting with straight posture to be uncomfortable. This is because your muscles have grown accustomed to the slouching, and standing up straight will require some thorough stretching and strengthening. That doesn’t mean that once you have bad posture you can never correct it. Working with a physical therapist to improve your posture is a great way to overcome chronic neck and back pain. In physical therapy, you will be guided through a series of stretches and strength building exercises that can help you begin training your body to practice better posture, thereby reducing your back and neck pain.
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Tips to Improve Your Posture at Home Here are several strategies that are typically helpful to improve your posture at home: • Try to stand tall whenever you are standing or walking. Hold your head high and square your shoulders, but more importantly work on being the tallest version of yourself. Hunching over is the leading cause of poor posture. • Use support when you sit to keep your posture correct. Lumbar support in office chairs and car seats will help a bit, but for improved posture, you may need to add additional cushioning that will help you keep your back straight. • Be mindful of how you sit at your computer or when you are using your phone. When sitting at your computer, work to sit tall so your ears are aligned over your shoulders and you have a slight downward gaze at your screen. When using your phone, hold your phone up at near eye level. If you find that you are looking down at your phone, you may develop a “text neck,” a condition where you may develop pain in the back of the neck and shoulders from having your head too far forward looking down. What can Good Posture do for You? There are a lot of benefits to having good posture. Aside from saying goodbye to neck or back pain, improving your posture can provide several unexpected benefits to your lifestyle and personal well-being. Here are a few of the additional benefits of having good posture: • Proper posture creates quality exercise for your core and back • Improved respiratory health • Added protection for your organs, bones, joints, and muscles • Reduced risk of arthritis
If you are experiencing chronic neck and back pain, there is a good chance that it could be related to your posture. Contact your physical therapist to learn more about how you can take steps to start improving your posture today. Call us today at 337-264-9856 or visit our website at bouletptandwellness.com. Request an appointment today to begin your journey toward increasing core strength and finally saying “goodbye” to the pain in your neck and back.
with a physical limitation. The cause is not always known, although rarer forms are connected to injury, muscular dystrophy, or cerebral palsy. Yet through a range of treatments, including physical therapy, scoliosis does not have to be disabling — or even noticeable. What AreWarning Signs of Scoliosis? In general, a lack of alignment in the upper body may indicate scoliosis. Specifically, if one hip and/ or one shoulder looks higher than the other, or one shoulder blade seems to be more easily discernible than the other, scoliosis may be a factor. Inmore advanced cases, backpain, a pronounced curve in the spine, or ribs that stick out noticeably on one side, can be a scoliosis indicator. Difficulty inbreathingmay occur, as your ribs press against one or both lungs.
HowDoesPhysicalTherapyHelpScoliosis? Your physical therapist can help you retrain your body to function more effectively with your particular alignment issues. In addition, physical therapy for scoliosis increases your range of motion, as well as builds strength in parts of your body which have been weakened through misalignment. Physical therapy is also useful for those with scoliosis who have muscles and joints which have stiffened over time. Your physical therapist will help to ease this tension while redirecting movement. Electric stimulation, ice, and heat applications can also be beneficial for back pain and stiffness issues. It’s never too late to begin physical therapy. Call BouletPhysicalTherapyandWellness Institutetoday for a consultation and treatment plan suggestions for your back pain.
SCOLIOSIS: HOW CAN PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP?
Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, often occurs whenchildrenare just enteringpuberty, which is a stressful enough timewithout also having to deal
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ARTHRITIS WORKSHOP
OUR SERVICES • Cupping • Dry Needling • Electrical Stimulation • Ergonomic Training • IASTM • Joint Mobilization
• Muscle Energy Techniques • Myofascial Release • Postural Re-Education/ Training • Therapeutic Exercise
JUN 2 , 6PM
Have youhad itwitharthritis pain? Iswalkingexcruciating? Are stairs intimidating? Do you strugglewith standing for any length of time?Have you been avoiding activitieswith your friends and family because of the pain? Come learnwhat successful natural treatment methods look like without the use of drugs, injections, or surgery. Theworkshop is FREE to all that attend. Seating is limited, so call to reserve your chair at (337) 264-9856. Only 20 spots are available for this workshop.
Upcoming Workshops: • Shoulder Pain & Rotator Cuff: JUN 30, 6PM • Arthritis: JUL 28, 6PM • Shoulder Pain & Rotator Cuff: AUG 25, 6PM
• Ultrasound • Vestibular Therapy
• Kinesio Taping • Laser Therapy • Manual Therapy
Call us at (337) 264-9856 to Register Today!
TEST YOUR POSTURE Does your natural static posture match with the plumb line to the right? Postural Re-Education/Training canhelp youachieve ideal posture. At your initial appointment, you will undergo a thoroughevaluation that will assess your postural dysfunctions, asymmetrical adaptations, interferences on your polyarticular chain, and accompanying symptoms. An individualized treatment planwill be created based on your specific needs, in order to help you achieve postural restoration.
HAS YOUR PA I N COME BACK?
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Keep up with your physical therapy exercises to relieve pain and prevent further injuries. If your pain doesn’t subside, consult with your therapist about what other things might be causing pain.
Call Boulet Physical Therapy & Wellness Institute for a
complimentary injury consultation. We will guide you so you can get back to the activities you love.
Single-Leg Stance (Forward) Sit on a sturdy chair and scoot your hips forward. Place your feet flat on the floor. Tip your pelvis slightly forward. Straighten your spine until your ears are directly over your shoulders and your shoulders are over your hips. Draw your shoulder blades gently back and together. Tuck your chin. Stretch up tall; imagine a string attached to the top of your head, pulling you up to your full height. EXERC I SE ESSENT I AL S US E T H I S E X E RC I S E TO H E L P YOUR S I T T I NG POS T UR E
Exercises copyright of
GIVE YOURSELF AN IMMUNITY BOOST! VEGAN BEAN SOUP • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil • 1 red onion, diced (cooked or canned) • 1 tsp turmeric powder • 1.5 L (6 cups) vegetable broth • 1 small bunch of Tuscan • 4 garlic cloves, minced • 2 medium carrots, diced • 2 tbs ginger, finely grated • 4 cups lima beans kale, roughly chopped • Salt & pepper to taste Ina largesaucepan, heat theoil andoniononmediumheat until onionhasslightlybrowned. Add ingarlicandcook for another 1-2 minutes, followed by carrots, ginger, beans, and turmeric cooking for a further 5-7 minutes. Once the ingredientsarewell combined, pour in thevegetablebroth. Bring toaboil andsimmer for 10minutes. Add inkaleand seasontotaste.Oncethekalesoftensalittle,thesoupisready.
Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.
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