Axcess PT. Maximize Your Health

The Bulletin The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body A U G U S T 2 0 1 9 Maximize Your Health! Stand Taller with Physical Therapy

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 9

The Axcess Bulletin The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Aaron Fuerst PT, DPT, CWCE, FAAOMPT

“If you have pain, you shouldn’t ignore it. We can help you feel better fast!”

Stand Taller With Physical Therapy

Didyouknow thatover80%ofpeopleacross theworldwillsufferanepisode of back pain at some point in their lifetime? If you are suffering from back pain or sciatica, you know how hindering it can be. With chronic back pain, radiating leg pain, or stinging sensations across the sciatic nerve, it can be difficult to liveyour life to thefullest. Ifyoufindyourself inpainwhenbending down, standing up, or lifting objects, it’s time to see a physical therapist. At Axcess Physical Therapy, we are fully equipped to treat any back pain you may be experiencing. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and find out more about how our services can benefit you! The differences between back pain and sciatica: It can be difficult sometimes to determine the differences between general back pain and sciatica. Sciatica is a specific type of back pain that is caused by a compressionor irritationof thesciaticnerve.Yoursciaticnerve is the largest nerve inyourbody– it isapproximately2centimeterswide,extendingall the way down your back, your buttocks, underneath the piriformis muscle, and to the backs of your legs and your feet. It is made up of several nerves that exityour lowerback from the lumbarandsacral levels (L4-S3), transmitting

sensation and muscle control. Common culprits of sciatica development include weakness in the gluteal muscles or tightness in the piriformis muscle, as they can compress and irritate the sciatic nerve. Common sciatica symptoms: The sciatica symptoms reported from patients tend to vary. Some may experience a deep ache in the buttocks, while others experience a severe pain radiating down one of their legs. It is also possible to feel a tingling or numbness in the back of the leg, calf, or foot. If left too long without proper treatment, irritation can become more severe and affect the strength of your leg muscles. Common sciatica treatment: Thesafest,easiest,andmosteffectivemode ofsciatica treatment is throughphysical therapy.Physical therapyexamines the root cause of pressure on the nerve and works to quickly alleviate that pressure. Our licensed physical therapists will analyze the movements of the muscles surrounding the sciatic nerve, in addition to the back and hip joints.Theywilldesignan individualizedtreatmentplanbasedonthespecific needsofeachpatient, inorder tostrengthen theaffectedmuscles, improve joint flexibility, and prevent problems from occurring again in the future.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.”-Oprah Winfrey

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Tips For Sciatica Relief: There are some tips you can follow to relieve your sciatica pain on your own. These can be done before coming in for treatments, or in tandem with your physical therapy treatments: • Performing gentle stretching exercises. • Avoiding prolonged sitting. Make sure to get up every 30 minutes and change positions frequently. • Putting a pillow behind your knees when sleeping on your back or between your knees when sleeping on your side. • Using your legs to bend down when picking up objects off the floor, rather than using your back. • Alternating ice and heat on the buttock to reduce inflammation. • Asking your doctor about coming to physical therapy, or giving us a call. 5 1 7 2 8 5 4 9 8 7 7 1 6 4 5 3 http://1sudoku.com n° 329837 - Level Hard 1 7 3 5 8 2 9 8 4 6 9 5

How successful is physical therapy for back pain?

A study found in the medical journal SPINE proves both the physical and monetary benefits to treating back pain and sciatica with physical therapy. It demonstrates that when doctors refer their patients for physical therapy treatments early on in the diagnosis, their patients have shown significant improvement and lowered treatment costs. In this study, patients saved an average of $2736.36 for their low back pain treatment simply by being referred to a physical therapist in the beginning. If you are suffering with back pain or sciatica, consult with your doctor about physical therapy treatments, or contact our office to learn more about how you could benefit. At Axcess Physical Therapy, we aim for speedy and effective recoveries at low costs. Don’t live with back pain any longer – stand taller with physical therapy.

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Exercise Essentials

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CURL UP Lie on back with one leg straight. The other leg is bent with the foot flat on the ground. Position your hands underneath your lower back. Tuck your chin and lift your shoulder blades off the ground slightly. Return to the start position in a controlled manner.

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Instructions: Fill all empty squares so that the numbers 1 to 9 appear exactlyonce ineach row,columnand3x3box,and thesumof thenumbers in each area is equal to the clue in the area’s top-left corner.

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POSTURE TIPS FOR STUDENTS

Patient Success Spotlight

We can help with all kinds of aches and pains. Check out one of our other patient success stories!

In the state of Illinois, you don’t need a doctor’s referral to choose physical therapy. Call 815.614.2100 today to treat your injury, improve your health, or resolve your chronic condition! SKIP THE DOCTOR! The benefits of good posture are more than just looking good, especially as a college student where you spend most of your time sitting down at a desk in the library or an uncomfortable chair in a lecture hall. No worries, though, we have your back and we have some tips for you to improve your posture without even trying. 1. Adjust your backpack: One of the reasons your back hurts is because the weight you carry on your backpack. The gap between your back and your backpack is what causes the stress to your back, though, which damages your posture at the end. To fix this, adjust your backpack handles so it can be as close to your back as possible to avoid your spine to curve excessively when carrying your backpack. 2. Unload your backpack: I know, I know, you have a biology exam tomorrow and you need to bring your chemistry book with you so you can do the lab properly. But carrying everything in your backpack and loading it with heavy school supplies is not good for your back or your posture. Leave the heavy supplies at your apartment and take a good walk home every time you need them (say yes to exercise!) or carry them in your hands. This will -literally- take weight from your back and will improve your posture. 3. Wear both stripes of your backpack: The cool kids walk around campus carrying their backpacks on just one shoulder, but the cool kids also have bad posture and back problems. Do not follow this trend, and use both straps of your backpack so the weight is evenly distributed on your back.

“When I first began physical therapy I couldn’t really understand why my doctor sent me to therapy before surgery. Not only is my knee more mobile, but my pain level is a lot better. My knee was so stiff, but with the exercises I was given, I feel so much better. I understand completely why my doctor recommended physical therapy before surgery. I have a wonderful outlook on what’s to come in my future for my condition. Thank you, Aaron and Jack for the needed assistance.“ - Nancy K.

Spinach & Egg Sweet Potato Toast Healthy Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large slice sweet potato ( ¼ inch thick) • ⅓ cup cooked spinach

• 1 large egg, fried or poached • ½ tsp sliced fresh chives • ½ tsp hot sauce

DIRECTIONS Toast sweet potato in a toaster or toaster oven until just cooked through and starting to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Top with spinach, egg, chives and hot sauce.

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