Newsletter About Your Health and Caring for Your Body by Choice Physical Therapy
YOUR RESOURCE TO MOVING WELL AND LIVING LIFE
Inside: How To Approach New Year’s Resolutions
www.choiceptny.com A NEW YEAR AND A NEW YOU WITHOUT BACK PAIN
A NEW YEAR AND A NEW YOU WITHOUT BACK PAIN
Are you someone who pushes through those mysterious aches and pains that crop up occasionally? Do you just assume your lower back pain will get better on its own? While this can work out, it’s not a guarantee. If you’re struggling with back pain, make an appointment with Choice Physical Therapy and seek the treatment you deserve. Lower back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal ailments globally, with an estimated 80% of people experiencing it at some point. But just because it’s a common experience doesn’t mean it can’t cause complications: around 23% of the world’s population suffers from chronic back pain, pain that lingers for longer than three months. The good news is that physical therapy can resolve most cases of back pain through techniques like manual therapy and therapeutic exercise–no surgery or dangerous pain medications required. Even better, our therapists can often help you improve your back strength and mobility so your back functions better than before your injury. But to get to that point, you have to take the first step and make an appointment with the physical therapists at Choice Physical Therapy. Need a little extra push? Keep reading to learn why you shouldn’t ignore lower back pain. THREE REASONS TO SEEK TREATMENT FOR LOWER BACK PAIN 1. It could get worse. People develop lower back pain for all kinds of reasons. If you suffered a sudden injury, your pain might indeed resolve on its own. But sudden injuries aren’t the only cause of back pain. Many people will develop back pain due to prolonged sitting, which can contribute to a weakening of the core muscles that stabilize the spine–and puts undue strain on your lower back. Your pain will never fully resolve until you work to strengthen those muscles and address those postural issues. 2. It could indicate a serious underlying condition. Not all back pain results from an injury or poor posture. Certain medical conditions, such as spinal fractures, osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, can all cause back pain. If left untreated, your symptoms will get worse, and they might bring friends, such as restricted mobility or additional complications. Our team of physical therapists can help you determine the exact cause of back pain and suggest appropriate treatment methods. If you have developed a chronic condition, we can help you manage your symptoms and work with you to delay the disease’s progression. 3. You deserve a pain-free life. Back pain may be common, but it can also be debilitating. Intense, persistent pain can keep you from staying active, which only worsens your symptoms and delays healing. It’s a vicious cycle that keeps you from fully enjoying your life. Rather than waiting for your pain to resolve, take a proactive approach with physical therapy. We’ll give you the tools to build strength, improve your posture, and get moving–so you can experience lasting back pain relief.
HOW DOES PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP WITH BACK PAIN, ANYWAY? When it comes to back pain, movement is definitely the best medicine. Research repeatedly shows that regular exercise can reduce back pain and keep it from occurring.
INSIDE: • Healthy Recipe • How To Approach New Year’s Resolutions • Three Reasons to Seek Treatment for Lower Back Pain • At-Home Exercise
Continued Inside
START 2024 ON THE BEST FOOT
The problem is that exercise might feel like an impossibility when you’re in pain. That’s why physical therapy is such an excellent treatment option: we make movement the center of our treatment. Once you’ve decided to not ignore your back pain, give Choice Physical Therapy a call. Here’s what we’ll do to help you find relief: 1. Find the cause. Our in-depth physical assessments will help us identify precisely why you’re experiencing back pain, allowing us to develop a customized treatment plan. 2. Manage pain. We offer several drug-free techniques for managing pain so you can get moving again. Manual therapy, gentle mobilization exercises, and pain-relieving modalities can get you started. 3. Get moving. We’ll provide a tailored exercise program that suits your needs, interests, and ability levels. We can also help you strengthen your core muscles, ensuring your spine is well supported. 4. Prevent future pain. We’ll also help you avoid future incidences of back pain by instructing you on proper lifting techniques or offering ergonomic suggestions for your workspace. TODAY’S THE DAY TO STOP IGNORING YOUR BACK PAIN! Want to take action? The first step is simple: call Choice Physical Therapy to schedule an initial consultation. Then wave your back pain goodbye as you embark on a journey to long-term relief!
EXERCISE ESSENTIALS
RELIEVE LOWER BACK PAIN
STANDING LUMBAR SELF TRACTION Start in standing position. Find a table about waist height. Place your forearms on the table so that your wrists are facing away from you. Lean forward and make sure your weight is being held by your arms. Ease your lower back and slightly bend your knees. You should feel little to no weight in your legs. 3 sets, 10 reps, hold.
8 YEARS IN BUSINESS!
HOW TO APPROACH NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
5. Break down large goals into smaller ones so that they are more manageable and less intimidating. 6. Your resolution should not be too difficult to achieve. 7. Resolutions should be specific, making it easier to track your progress. 8. Your goals should be realistic and attainable but also challenging enough to push you out of your comfort zone. 9. A resolution should have deadlines, so there is a sense of urgency and accountability. 10. Pick a goal that will bring you joy. If your resolution brings you a sense of accomplishment or happiness, you’re more likely to stick with it.
A New Year’s resolution is a promise or commitment made by an individual to themselves, and it can be anything from a pledge to stop smoking to a promise to lose weight. Achieving your goals takes time, patience, and determination. It also requires you to set realistic goals that you know that you can work towards. Setting a resolution for the New Year is a great way to set yourself up for success. Resolutions give you direction and help you get things done. But how do you set a resolution? What if the resolution is too hard to achieve? What if you don’t know what your resolution should be? It’s essential to start with small achievable goals that will lead to bigger ones. When you’re crafting your New Year’s Resolution this season, keep these 10 tips in mind. 1. Start with a list of what you want from life and the most important things to you. 2. Choose one aspect of your life that you would like to improve from this list. This could be anything from your physical fitness to learning a new skill. 3. Write down your goal every day for a month to keep yourself accountable. 4. Find someone who will hold you accountable if necessary. You might find that working towards a goal with a buddy is also more fun!
Good luck completing your resolutions this year! Our team at Choice Physical Therapy is confident in your ability to hit your goals.
HEALTHY RECIPE
New Year’s Black-Eyed Peas For Good Luck
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes • 5 pepperoncini peppers • ½ teaspoon garlic powder • ¼ teaspoon ground thyme • 1 bay leaf • salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound dry black-eyed peas • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 large yellow onion, diced • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 8 cups water • 2 (32 ounce) cartons chicken broth • 1 pound smoked ham hocks
Place the black-eyed peas into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let soak, 8 hours to overnight. Drain and rinse before using. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in 8 cups of water and chicken broth; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in soaked black-eyed peas, ham hocks, tomatoes, pepperoncini, bay leaf, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer until peas are tender, ham meat is falling off the bones, and the broth is thickened, about 3 hours.
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