Move to Live Newsletter by Choice Physical Therapy
Move to Live Y O U R R E S O U R C E T O M O V I N G W E L L A N D L I V I N G L I F E
“Number 37!” “Did he say 37?! I have number 45 and there’s only 3 other people standing Your lower back has felt twisted up all day so you sigh and prop yourself over the handles of that sturdy Price Chopper grocery cart and “patiently” wait for number 45 to be called . (continued inside) here...” DELI MEAT, 80%, AND YOUR ACHING BACK
www.choiceptny.com
Move to Live Y O U R R E S O U R C E T O M O V I N G W E L L A N D L I V I N G L I F E
INSIDE: • How Can I Relieve My Arthritis Pain? • #CHOOSETOGIVEBACK • Choice Physical Therapy Team News • Patient Success Story DELI MEAT, 80%, AND YOUR ACHING BACK
(continued from outside)
• Most people with sore backs feel like they always need to “stretch it out”. The lumbar spine itself should be mostly stable (it’s supposed to move but most of the time it’s moving excessively which causes injury...the muscles surrounding it go into a protective spasm which gives you the sense that you always need to stretch them out. It’s a short term band aid and not addressing the underlying issue, most of the time) • Your mid back (aka. Thoracic spine) should be fairly flexible however due to our common tendency to sit most of the day we stiffen up in the mid back. Increased stiffness in the mid back forces us to ask for a bit of extra motion from the lower back. A bit of extra motion, day after day, week after week, month after month...you see where I’m going with this. • Lastly, our hips are ball and socket joints. They are meant to handle a HUGE amount of motion compared to other joints in our bodies. Just like our mid back, our hips also tend to tighten up due to sitting, footwear, etc. If you can keep your mid back and hips flexible while maintaining muscle memory & strength through your core muscles you should be much more resilient to that nagging lower back pain. Then it won’t matter how long you have to stand in line at the deli counter. Bring it on, inefficient deli counter numbering system, I can stand here all day.
All so you can get your pound of honey roasted turkey... constantly shifting your weight side to side to try and relieve some of the pressure off your back muscles. I’ve heard this story or a version of it many, many times before. You’re in good company. 80% of the population will experience back pain at one point or another in their lives. Furthermore, the best indicator for future injury is having a past injury. Therefore, once you’ve injured your back, you’re at increased risk for future back injury. Your lower back (or lumbar region) can be very complicated as it’s surrounded by many bones, joints, discs, ligaments, and muscles. Like other areas of the body, we’ve learned that pain in the lower back needs a two part assessment:
1. We need to figure out which tissue is injured and is causing the pain
a. Usually this is a muscle strain, related to arthritis of the spine, or could be related to irritation of the disc or nerves in your back
3. We need to figure out what surrounding areas aren’t doing their job and therefore putting increased stress on the lower back region
Luckily, as humans we tend to compensate in similar ways making it easier for people who study back injuries to uncover common themes. We’ve learned that incorporating a basic “set of rules” can significantly help in reducing lower back injuries.
Have a great month! Joe
www.choiceptny.com
HOW CAN I RELIEVE MY ARTHRITIS PAIN?
While there is not yet a known cure for arthritis, there are some steps you can take on your own, in addition to physical therapy treatments, to make sure your pain is managed to the best of your ability. These include: 1. Getting exercise. It can sometimes feel difficult to move when you are suffering from arthritis. However, exercise is important for relieving pain and maintaining joint function. It is also vital in strengthening muscles, increasing flexibility, and improving blood flow. In order to avoid additional pressure on the affected joint(s), you can mix weight bearing and non-weight bearing exercises, such as aquatic exercises or bicycling. Your physical therapist will prescribe targeted exercises to you that you can do both during your PT sessions and on your own time. Cartilage receives its nutrition from joint fluid, so the more you exercise, the better. 2. Taking your vitamins. The Arthritis Foundation states that there are a multitude of benefits in taking glucosamine and chondroitin vitamins. Glucosamine is naturally made in the body and helps support the cartilage by retaining water and preventing wear. Therefore, taking additional glucosamine vitamins can help with damaged cartilage. Some studies have also shown glucosamine to slow down joint damage altogether. Consult with your physical therapist about additional supplements to help ease your pain and promote cartilage health. 3. Avoiding certain foods. Did you know that some foods actually increase the body’s natural inflammatory response? Fried foods, soda, processed foods, and foods with high sugar content and high fat can cause the inflammation of your arthritis to worsen. By cutting out these foods, you can help naturally relieve the inflammation in your body.
4. Taking calcium and magnesium supplements. Many people are deficient in calcium and magnesium. These are vital minerals needed for hundreds of processes in your body. Having enough calcium and magnesium allows you to build strong bones while simultaneously reducing irritated nerve endings, thus decreasing pain. If possible, find supplements that are in powder form that can be easily digested and help your body’s intake of these essential minerals. 5. Getting plenty of rest. Sleep is a time for our body and brain to repair itself. Making sure you are getting enough sleep is important. By allotting yourself 7-8 hours of rest each night, you are able to allow your body to repair and decrease pain. When you are tired, your body does not function as well, increasing the inflammatory response and reducing your pain threshold. Contact Choice Physical Therapy for relief: Regardless of the cause of arthritis, physical therapy plays a major role in the treatment of its symptoms. Physical therapy should always be the first method of treatment, before resorting to more aggressive procedures, such as surgery. In fact, in many cases, physical therapy can even eliminate the need for risky treatment methods altogether, such as harmful pain-management drugs or invasive surgical correction. If the condition is severe and surgery is required, physical therapy can also help you prepare and recover from your procedure. If you or a loved one is suffering from arthritis (or you think you might be), contact Choice Physical Therapy today. We will get you started on a treatment plan that will help restore your mobility, comfort, and quality of life.
PAT IENT SUCCESS STORY
EXERCISE ESSENT IALS
POSTERIOR PELVIC TILT Stand with good posture with your hands on your hips as shown below. Execute the movement by slowly tipping your pelvis backward and then forward while keeping your core engaged. Rest and repeat 7-10 times. RELIEVES BACK PAIN www.simpleset.net
CALL TODAY!
CHOICE PHYSICAL THERAPY TEAM NEWS
CHOICE PHYSICAL THERAPY TEAM MEMBERS OF THE MONTH!
FREE CONSULT WEEK BOTH CLINICS! JULY 12 TH - 16 TH , 2021
Dr. Dominic Zotto, PT, DPT & Dr. Cody Csontos, PT, DPT
CPT ANNIVERSARY! 5 years ago we took a leap of faith in hiring our first PT to join Joe and I in helping patients through
Have you or a family member been suffering from LOW BACK PAIN? If so, call the clinic that is most convenient for you to reserve a spot with one of our PT’s!
Choice PT, and we are SO glad we did! With two treatment tables in the gym, interviews in our room 4 “office”, and unsure when the next new patient would call in, adding Sarah to our team was the best decision ever! Sarah is compassionate, an ultimate team player, has proven to be a leader on all fronts, and is a phenomenal Doctor of Physical Therapy. Thank you Sarah for taking this ride with us, Choice would not be where we are today without you!
506 Campbell Avenue Troy, New York 12180 TEL: (518) 203-6761
290 Speigletown Rd Troy, NY 12182 TEL: (518) 279-2740
#CHOOSETOGIVEBACK
Throughout the month of May we raised awareness for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and donated $250 in honor of a CPT teammate’s family member. In addition to wearing purple throughout the clinic, on May 16th, several of our team members walked a 5k to support Great Strides, which is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s largest national fundraising event.
If you too would l ike to suppor t this cause, visit www.cff.org/northeastern- newyork for the Northeast NY Chapter!
Gratefully,
Erin
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Converter PDF to HTML5