Dresher PT: 5 Keys to a Healthy Spine

Monthly Newsletter by Dresher Physical Therapy

HEALTH AND WELLNESS NEWS YOU CAN USE!

JULY 2019

5 KEYS TO A HEALTHY SPINE

1. Watch your sitting Sitting is the position that puts the most pressure on the low back. It is important to break up your sitting time throughout the day and take frequent breaks. Work in standing or walking tasks at various times throughout the day, limiting your sitting to about 30 minutes at a time. (continued inside)

Details Inside FREE EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP TUESDAY, JULY 23 RD @ 6:00PM

INSIDE : • 5 Keys To A Healthy Spine

• Next Workshop Coming Up Soon! • Patient Success Spotlight

• Finding The Source Of Your Pain

(215) 619-4545 FORT WASHINGTON

(267) 419-8160 BLUE BELL

HEALTH AND WELLNESS NEWS YOU CAN USE!

JULY 2019

5 KEYS TO A HEALTHY SPINE

INSIDE : • Don’t Let Pain Put You On The Sidelines! • Pro Tip Of The Month

• Next Workshop Coming Up Soon! • Patient Success Spotlight

4. Improve your nutrition Your body is a machine and it needs the right fuel to run. Since you use your body all day long, it needs to rebuild itself constantly. The ligaments, tendons, muscles and discs in your spine need the right nutrition to stay healthy. Make sure to eat dark green leafy vegetables, lean protein and stay hydrated. Avoid smoking and fried foods, which actually harm your tissues and make pain more prevalent. 5. Get your spine moving Y our body was made to move, especially your spine. It is common for areas of your spine to tighten up, placing too much strain on other areas. These areas, then become irritated and painful. Restore the flexibility in your spine with gentle, specialized hands on therapy as well as specific exercises. Participate in Yoga and Pilates to improve your stability, strength and spinal balance. Make your back as healthy as it can be this year by investing in it. Physical therapy is the right solution to improving your spinal health and saying goodbye to that aching neck or back. Prevent future pain by seeing one of our specialists today. Call us to speak with one of our experts.

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2. Protect your spine with better posture How you sit, stand, stretch and lift all play a role in the pressures on your spine. We all know to bend with our knees, not our back when lifting, but do you really do it? Really bend down deep with your knees to pick up objects off low shelves, such as in the refrigerator or shoes off the floor. When standing, walking and sitting, imagine a string pulling you up through the top of your head. This brings your neck, shoulders and back into better alignment. 3. Tighten your core muscles Your core muscles are made up of your abdominal muscles, spinal muscles and pelvic / hip muscles. It is very common for these muscles to become weak with prolonged sitting, before/after pregnancy, after surgeries or injuries. Strengthening your abdominal and hip muscles can go a long way to providing the necessary muscle support to your spine. Speak with one of our experts on what exercises are right for you.

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Finding The Source Of Your Pain

MENSA Workout

Continue the following number series with the group of numbers below which best continues the series? 1 10 3 9 5 8 7 7 9 6 ? ?

A) 11, 5

C) 10, 4

B) 10, 5

D) 11, 6

ANSWER IN BOTTOM LEFTCORNER OF PAGE

Most of us will experience back or neck pain at some point in our lives. It is the price we pay for walking on two legs. If you suffer from the occasional ache or have chronic low back or neck pain, the goal is to relieve the pain, without the need for surgery. In fact, recent studies point to the fact that patients who underwent a common fusion procedure for the spine, were more likely to have a second surgery within 2 years * . The best way to avoid the need for spine surgery, is to improve the health of your spine, and physical therapy plays a key role in making that happen. Why does your neck or back hurt? One thing to understand about neck and back pain is that it is mechanical. Just like a car can have problems with moving parts, so can your spine. The daily barrage of strain on our backs with sitting, lifting improperly and poor nutrition can wreak havoc on our spines. Most spine pain comes from the following 4 areas: 1. Poor posture and alignment 2. Lack of knowledge on how to bend, lift, sit, sleep 3. Lack of muscle strength 4. Poor flexibility and muscle coordination The good news, is that your body is adaptable and you can always improve what you have. With the right treatment and training, your back or neck can usually make a full recovery. Physical therapists are the mechanics of the body, and coming to a physical therapist first can often avoid expensive testing or medical procedures. *AnandVeeravagu,TylerCole,BowenJiang,JohnK.RatliffTheSpineJournal,Vol.14, Issue7, p1125–1131 Published online: October 14 2013 WE HAVE OVER 40 INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS ON OUR ONLINE DATABASE!

Berry-Almond Smoothie Bowl HEALTHY RECIPE

• ⅔ cup frozen raspberries • ½ cup frozen sliced banana • ½ cup plain unsweetened almond milk • 5 tbsp sliced almonds, divided • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon • ⅛ tsp ground cardamom • ⅛ tsp vanilla extract • ¼ cup blueberries • 1 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes

INSTRUCTIONS: Blend raspberries, banana, almond milk, 3 tablespoons almonds, cinnamon, cardamom and vanilla in a blender until very smooth. Pour the smoothie into a bowl and top with blueberries, the remaining 2 tablespoons almonds and coconut.

Patient Success Spotlight

VISIT WWW.DRESHERPT.COM AND CLICK ON THE VIDEO LIBRARY TAB AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE!

"Dresher PT also helped me gain the strength that I lost from my injury."

“PT was very helpful. When I first hurt my arm, I could barely move it and could not throw a baseball. Now I can move my arm freely and throw a baseball without pain. Dresher PT also helped me gain the strength that I lost from my injury. Without DPT I would not able to do be the things I can do now!" - Tyler N.

Come Join Us For This FREE Workshop! Call Or Go Online TODAY To Register!

YOU WILL LEARN: 1. The Biggest Mistake Low Back Pain/ Sciatica Sufferers Make 2. The Three Most Common Causes For Low Back Pain & Sciatica 3. Three Strategies to Reduce Back Pain & Sciatica

BACK PAIN & SCIATICA WORKSHOP

Dresher PT’s Blue Bell Office - 7 East Skippack Pike Suite 250, Ambler, PA 19002 FREE EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP // TUESDAY, JULY 23 RD @ 6:00PM CALL CLINIC OR VISIT DRESHERPT.COM TO REGISTER TODAY! LOOK FOR THE WORKSHOP TAB ON THE HOMEPAGE

POSTURAL RELEASE Lay length-wise on the foam roller so that both your tailbone and neck are supported by the roller. Relax for 1-2 minutes with arms palm-up at your side. This will allow your shoulder blades to slowly relax into a more neutral position. Next: spend 3-4 minutes with arms either out to the side or overhead. Allow a gentle stretch to occur into your pectorals, shoulders and upper back. Repeat this procedure 1-2x/day Try this exercise if you're experiencing back, neck or shoulder pain or spend hours each day siting or at the computer. PRO TIP OF THE MONTH

Coupon Corner

Expires: July 31, 2019 CALL EITHER OFFICE TO SCHEDULE YOUR 15-MINUTE SCREEN TODAY!! TRUST THE EXPERTS AT DPT TO SCREEN YOUR BALANCE AND HELP YOU DECIDE IF A SHORT COURSE OF PHYSICAL THERAPY WILL IMPROVE YOUR BALANCE AND SAFETY. FREE BALANCE SCREENING! Are you or a loved one at risk for injury from a fall? Have you fallen recently? Do you limit your social activities because you’re concerned with your balance? Have you noticed that you are walking slower or holding onto furniture to get around your home?

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