BridleTrailsPT: How Bad Posture Affects Pain

Health & Wellness Newsletter by Bridle Trails Physical Therapy

Health &Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

STAND TALL & LIVE PAIN FREE

INSIDE:

• Could Your Posture be the Reason for Your Aches & Pains? • Healthy Recipe • Exercise Essential • Sudoku Puzzle

Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

COULD YOUR POSTURE BE THE REASON FOR YOUR ACHES & PAINS?

Do you suffer from daily or recurrent aches and pains? If so, your posture may be the culprit. Just think about the number of hours a day we spend staring at a computer screen, hunched over our desks, or staring at our phones. That creates a lot of stress on the neck and back, especially if you are slouched, titled forward, or looking down for prolonged periods of time. How does poor posture affect me? Changes to your posture can negatively affect your body, and you may find yourself experiencing some of the following symptoms: • If your posture contains a forward head tilt – This forward-head posture creates a strain on the neck, which can result in neck pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, chronic headaches, and lower back pain.Tilting your head forward for long periods of time shortens the muscles in the back of the neck, and can result in soreness throughout multiple parts of your body. • If your posture contains slouching of the mid-back – If you slouch the middle of your back, you can drive your head forward and alter the way your ribs naturally align. By doing this, you may experience pain in the slouched region of the mid-back, in addition to pain in the neck. If this is your average standing posture, it is important to seek physical therapy treatment right away – over time, standing like this day after day may cause internal issues,

as it creates pressure on your lungs, heart, and digestive system. • If your posture includes sitting for long periods of time – When you sit for prolonged periods of time, the muscles in your hips and legs will stiffen. When these muscles become stiff, they tighten and will pull on the lower back, causing pain. The joints also lose their range of motion, which can cause soreness or achiness in the hips, legs, and back, and can create issues with your gait. The way in which you walk can also have an effect on your posture. When you have improper posture, your center of gravity changes. This can cause your balance to decline, which can cause pain when walking, thus creating a vicious cycle of overcompensation and pain. The most common symptom of poor posture is lower back pain, although pain can be present in other parts of the body, as well. The back muscles constantly contract to keep you upright, and they overcompensate when you slouch or hunch over. Over a period of time, constant poor posture can create an unusual amount of wear and tear on the lower back, which can increase the risk of arthritis in the spine. Call us today to talk to an expert about how we can relieve your aches and pains!

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WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT MY POSTURE?

It can be difficult to correct poor posture, but there are a few steps you can take on your own to try and help: 1. Sit properly. – If you are at a desk for extended periods of the day, make sure your stance is okay. Sit upright, place your feet flat on the floor, and try not to cross your legs. Make sure there is a small gap between the back of your knees and the chair. Having a chair with strong back support and padding is also recommended for making your upright position more comfortable. 2. Take stretch breaks. – If you are an office worker, it is not secret that most of the day is spent with limited levels of mobility. It is important to make sure that you get up every 30 minutes or so, and take a small walk, at least for a minute or two. This will help in loosening up your muscles and joints, as well as initiating a stronger blood flow. 3. Exercise. – Exercise is incredibly important, especially if your job produces several hours of inactivity. When you exercise, you are stretching and strengthening certain muscles of your body, including problem areas such as your neck and back. Taking even a small amount of time to walk or jog around the neighborhood every day can highly improve your overall gait. 4. Set up your office properly. – If you work from an office all day, it is important to have a proper ergonomic setup. Make sure that you are at a proper height with your desk chair and computer, so you don’t have to slouch or lean forward. Additionally, make sure your chair has the proper lumbar support needed to help you sit straight while you’re working. These simple steps can help tremendously with your overall posture. How can physical therapy help? If these at-home treatments don’t work, it is important to consult help from a physical therapist. Simply standing up straight is a fight against gravity, and if you have been standing the

wrong way for several years, it may be difficult to change it on your own However, physical therapists are dedicated to getting you on back on trac to a pain free, and risk free life. They will evaluate your posture and gait t determine the best treatments necessary for you, and then they will creat a treatment plan unique for your needs. They can improve your posture eliminate your pain, and get you back to doing the activities you love t do. If you are experiencing pain, and you think it may be a result of you posture, give us a call today. We will help you get back to a comfortabl posture with just a few sessions.

Healthy Recipe: Cauliflower Hot Wings with Vegan Aioli

INGREDIENTS: • 1 head of cauliflower • 3/4 cup chickpea flour • 3/4 cup unsweetened almond or soy milk • 2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 1/2 tsp paprika powder • 1 cup spicy BBQ sauce • 1 tsp sriracha sauce (optional) • 2 green onions, cut into rings • salt • black pepper

DIRECTIONS: Heat the oven to 350 °F. Carefully cut cauliflower into bite-sized florets. In a large bowl, combine chickpea flour, the plant-based milk, garlic powder, paprika powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until well combined. Dip florets into batter so they’re completely coated. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay cauliflower florets on baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 °F. Once baked, transfer the cooked cauliflower wings to a bowl. Combine the BBQ sauce with a teaspoon of sriracha sauce and pour it over the baked cauliflower wings. Evenly coat them from all sides by stirring them a few times. Put coated hot wings back on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake again for 20 minutes at 350 °F. Serve immediately and sprinkle with green onions. Serve with vegan aioli or vegan ranch sauce.

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Patient Success Spotlight

DISCOVER HOW TO LIVE PAIN-FREE

At Bridle Trails Physical Therapy, you will receive hands-on therapy treatments by our friendly, caring health experts during focused and individualized sessions. It’s time to get Bridle Trails Physical Therapy if: • You’re tired of living in pain • You want to feel better and move better • You have been in an auto accident or injured on the job • You want to prevent injury 1. Call and talk to a therapist 2. Discover why your pain has come back 3. Get your custom recovery program

“I have been running most of my life and always assumed hamstring pain was normaldue tohighmileage training.AftermyfirstvisitwithCole, I felt100xbetter! Idon’tknowwhathedid,butheworkedhismagicand Ihad thebest run inmonths that evening! Since that first visit, I have learned valuable stretching and strength training exercise that are keeping me strong and healthy!” - M.K. “After my first visit with Cole, I felt 100x better!”

Sudoku Puzzle

Exercise Essential Try this movement to relieve back pain.

SCAPULAR RETRACTION Stand tall, shoulders relaxed. Pull shoulder blades back and down. Don’t hunch your shoulders. Good stretch to relax your shoulders. Hold for ten seconds and repeat five times.

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