Back and neck pain are two of the most common issues that American adults experience, putting a huge physical and economic burden on working Americans by being both two of the leading needs for medical intervention and two of the most common causes people have to miss work. While these may feel like two separate issues, it is somewhat common that neck pain and back pain are actually related. Core strength can have a huge impact on your overall health and wellness, and when your core is weak, it could add up to weakness in your neck and back.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
GETTING TO THE CORE OF BACK & NECK PAIN Back and neck pain are two of the most common issues that American adults experience, putting a huge physical and economic burden on working Americans by being both two of the leading needs for medical intervention and two of the most common causes people have tomiss work. While thesemay feel like two separate issues, it is somewhat common that neck pain and back pain are actually related. Core strength can have a huge impact on your overall health and wellness, and when your core is weak, it could add up to weakness in your neck and back.
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GETTING TO THE CORE OF BACK &
NE CK PA I N 101 There are a lot of reasons why neck pain may develop, including everything from sudden incidents like a car accident or a slip-and-fall injury, tomore chronic issues, such as regularly hunching over a desk at work or even practicing poor posture. One of the biggest problems with neck pain is that it often triggers headaches, as the pain is so closely connected to the spine and nervous system. What is more, addressing neck pain is sometimes difficult as there is so much potential to cause more damage to the neck. This is why working with a physical therapist to address neck pain is wise. A physical therapist can help treat neck pain by improving range of motion, using targeted massage techniques, and by improving strength as needed. For example, in many situations, neck pain can be treated by improving core strength. BACK PA I N 101 Severe back pain impacts more than half of the population, and many of those with pain in the back as a result of injury end up dealing with that pain long term. One of the biggest problems with back pain is that once it develops, it is difficult to work around it, and many people begin modifying their movements as a result, causing their back to compensate for the injury by putting pressure on other muscles that eventually just leads tomore back pain. For this reason, back pain can frequently become a Catch-22 — avoiding the things that hurt your back could actually lead you to develop more pain in the future. Working with a physical therapist is the best way to cut your back pain issues in half. Physical therapy can address back pain by helping to improve your range of motion, strengthen the
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muscles in your back and surrounding areas, and by using targeted massage to reduce tension. In many situations, working with a physical therapist to improve core strength can significantly reduce the severity of your back pain. COR E STR ENGTH & BACK PA I N You may be surprised how frequently issues with the neck and back actually stem from issueswith core strength. Your core refers to themuscles thatmake up your torso, including your abdomen. These muscles are called the core because they are at the center of your body, and they are necessary in just about every action that you engage in. Everything from walking and running and swimming to sitting and driving require you to engage your core. There are a lot of reasons to improve core strength outside of any existing neck or back pain. When you improve your core, you are likely to also improve your posture and thereby reduce your risk of developing further back pain in the future. Furthermore, the exercise that helps to improve core strength is often helpful in promotingweight loss, and for those who are overweight, this could also help reduce pain in the neck and the back. Sometimes, when your core isweak, it can cause you to experience added pressure on areas like your neck and back. There are a lot of ways that working with a physical therapist can help you improve your core strength. Youmay be encouraged to practice core exercises, for example, whichmay include abdominal crunches or leg lifts. Light weight-training activities are also frequently helpful, as are balance-based activities like yoga. If you haven’t spent much time building core strength in the past, then working with a physical therapist is a great place to start. Your physical therapist will guide you through proper postures and movements to reduce further risk of injury. For more information about how to start improving your core, contact us.
Return to a pain-free, active lifestyle, by calling 810-695-0750 to schedule your appointment.
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Healthy Recipe: Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
• cooking spray, INGREDIENTS
• 3 tbsp maple syrup • 1 tsp vanilla • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice • 1/2 tsp cinnamon • ¼ tsp salt
butter or coconut oil • 1 cup steel-cut oats • 2½ cups water • 1½ cups
unsweetened almond milk • 1 cup pumpkin
DIRECTIONS Coat your slow cooker with cooking spray, butter or coconut oil. Add all the ingredients into slow cooker and mix well. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. If you have a programmable slow cooker, set it to cook on low for 7 hours and then switch to warm. In the morning, give the oats a good stir as the oats will settle to the bottom. Portion into a bowl to serve and top with pecans, maple syrup and almond milk. Source: https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/slow-cooker-pumpkin-pie-oatmeal
Exercise Essentials Try this simple exercise to relieve back pain
SIDELYING TRUNK ROTATION While lying on your side with your arms out-stretched in front of your body, slowly twist your upper body to the side and rotate your spine. Your arms and head should also be rotating along with the spine as shown. Follow your hand with your eyes. Hold for 20 seconds repeat 3 times on each side.
Exercises copyright of
The above exercise is designed to be performed under the instruction of a licensed physical therapist.
www.simpleset.net
DO I NEED A PRESCRIPTION TO START PHYSICAL THERAPY? No, you don’t. Although we see many patients sent directly by their physician, in the state of Michigan, a licensed physical therapist may begin the physical therapy process by performing a full physical therapy evaluation. We will verify benefits for you so that you can get started right away.
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