Emery PT: Is Back Pain Slowing You Down?

Emery Physical Therapy Newsletter

THE NEWSLETTER ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND CARING FOR YOUR BODY NEWSLET TER

Back pain can hinder your day-to-day activities. Left untreated, it can even lead to long-term joint, spine and nerve damage. As one of the most common physical complaints, over 80 percent of the U.S. population will suffer from it at some point in their lifetime.The pain itself can hinder your ability to reach, lean, kneel, lift or bend. It can also hinder your time spent with friends and family. Direct pain aside, minor aches and cramps associated with a back pain problem can make you irritable—ruining your good time. What Causes Back Pain? A few things cause back pain. The American Physical Therapy Association covers each of these, but the following are leading causes: • Spinal and core muscle weaknesses • Bad posture • Spinal muscle and tissue damage • Improper lifting form • Limited hip, spine and thigh muscle flexibility • Bad abdominal, pelvic and back muscle coordination Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t seek treatment when back pain arises. Before they know it, they have a big problem. They might assume nothing— except for medication—can solve their back pain problem. Medication might mask the pain, but it won’t cure the problem’s root cause.  OVERCOME BACK PAIN AND GET MOVING AGAIN! I S BACK PAIN SLOWING YOU DOWN? INSIDE : • How To Take Care Of Your Back • Healthy Recipe

• Exercise Of The Month • Patient Success Spotlight

Back Pain Solutions You’re in luck: Back pain can be cured! The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke covers a number of back pain remedies. These include the use of strength exercise, physical therapy and medication. Where medication is considered, anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesic medications and counter-irritants are the most popular. Before you can treat your back pain, however, you need to know why it started. Whether you’ve tweaked a muscle or have a deeper injury, a spine specialist can help. Back Pain Prevention A little prevention goes a long way. If you want to avoid future back pain, you can make sure you’re being good to your back. Lift Properly You pick things up constantly. Even if you’re lifting something light,makesureyou’re facing theobject.Squat,keepingyourspinestraight.Lift with your leg muscles, as this will reduce the pressure placed on your spine. Use Good Posture When you’re standing, imagine a string is attached to the top of your head—lifting you up. This will keep your hips, spine, shoulders and neck aligned. If you’re sitting, don’t slouch. Use Strength Training Your body has hundreds of muscles. These muscles protect and control your spine. By lifting weights, running and swimming, you can keep them strong. Train your core muscles. In doing so, you’ll easily control quick, lifting movements. It never hurts to visit a physical therapist, either. Get regular check-ups, and make sure your body is in good condition. If you have a history of back injuries, pain or minor aches, don’t hesitate to talk to a professional. You deserve a pain-free life, and your back will thank you.

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THE NEWSLETTER ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND CARING FOR YOUR BODY NE SLET TER

PHILIP OLASA, PT, OCS, CMT GETTING TO KNOW THE EMERY PHYSICAL THERAPY TEAM!

evidence based reasearch to have the greatest impact on people that needed help. In college, he worked as Health Aide and in the fitness centers. He received his certification as Health and Fitness Instructor with the American College of Sports Medicine and worked as a personal trainer to help pay for college. In physical therapy school, he trained at Mercy Hospital, Hinsdale Hospital, and Cook County Hospital where he treated everything from orthopedics and pediatrics to wound care and the burn unit. He also worked at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in the orthopedic, brain injury, and spinal cord departments. He eventually focused in orthopedic physical therapy and for the last 18 years, he has specialized in private out-patient orthopedic and manual therapy spinal care. He has attended numerous continuing education courses and certifications including differential diagnosis, vestibular rehabilitation, dry needling therapy, trigger point release treatment, osteopathic manual therapy, and advanced spinal treatment methods. After working at various hospital centers and briefly at some larger corporate physical therapy centers, he decided that he prefered to treat his patients in a patient focused one-on-one-setting to maximize the hands-on treatment approach that he developed. His treatment focuses on helping patients quickly and safely return to their daily activities and to educate them on how they can progress their recovery for the long term. Call us today to start your recovery journey with Emery Physical Therapy!

Philip Olasa earned his degree at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, and his Master of Physical Therapy degree (MPT) in 1999 from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, IL. Philip is board Certified in orthopedics (OCS) through the American Physical Therapy Association and is Certified in Orthopedic Manual Therapy (CMT). He grew up in Oak Park, IL and Elmhurst, IL and enjoyed exercising, playing basketball, and running. He was introduced to weight lifting in high school and went on to become a competitve weight lifter where he learned the importance of performing the right exercises, the proper sequence, and taking precautions to emphasize safety. This was when he knew that he wanted to be in the health and fitness field. After exploring numerous health careers, he knew that physical therapy was the right field that combined his passion for exercise with the latest

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SUPPORTED BRIDGE Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip distance apart. Place your feet close enough so they can be touched by your fingertips. Inhale and lift the hips, place a block under the sacrum. Keep the chest open. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 10 times. Strengthens Core www.simpleset.net EXERCISE OF THE MONTH Try this movement if you are experiencing back pain.

How to Take Care of Your Back

1. Make Good Posture A Habit When you are standing, feel that the weight in your feet is going through your arches. Stack your knees over your ankles, your pelvis over your knees, and your shoulders over your pelvis. Let your head be in a relaxed position without your chin poking forward. Good posture doesn’t mean holding yourself up like you’re in the army. You should be comfortable, though it might still take time to get used to a new posture, even if it’s a better one. While sitting, make sure you’re using the backrest without your shoulders slouching or your head far forward and your feet are on the floor. 2. Lift Properly Picking things up is a normal part of our day. Even if you pick up something light, your back muscles have to lift the weight of your upper torso and control that movement. Make sure you always face what you need to pick up, squat keeping your spine straight and push with your leg muscles. This helps reduce the excessive pressure on your spine. 3. Stay Flexible Flexibility is key to maintaining a healthy back. By keeping your body flexible, the normal forces of movement and lifting can be distributed across the spine, rather than focused on a few segments, which can then fail. An easy stretching routine every day can keep you feeling great and put a spring in your step. 4. Stay Strong You have hundreds of muscles, which control the movement of your spine. Major muscles that support the spine are called your core and include your abdominal, pelvic, spinal and hip muscles. By keeping your core muscles strong, you support your spine and have the ability to easily control lifting, quick movements, bending and a lot more. 5. Physical Therapy Our physical therapists are experts in evaluating spine and body movement. Byhavinga regular checkup, youcanmakesureyourbody is ingoodcondition to tackle the activities you love. If you have a history of back pain, injury or are currently experiencing aches and pains, we can analyze your problem and construct a treatment program that will work best for your individual problem. With soothing hands-on therapy and targeted exercises, we can help you return quickly to feeling your best. Even if you suffer from severe pain, we can help you get out of pain and living the life you deserve. Call us today to schedule an appointment.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls HEALTHY RECIPE

INGREDIENTS • 2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats • ½ cup of ground flax seed • 1 tablespoon of black chia seeds • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon • ½ cup of raw honey • ½ cup of peanut butter • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract • 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder • ½ cup of dark chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Add rolled oats, ground flax seed, chia seeds, cinnamon, honey, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and vanilla protein powder to food processor. 2. Pulse until ingredients are blended (about 7-9 times). 3. Add mixture to a large bowl, add in chocolate chips. Stir to combine. 4. Form energy bite mixture into 1” balls and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet. 5. Cover and place in refrigerator for 2 hours. 6. Serve!

CALL US TODAY IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING BACK PAIN

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Patient Success Spotlight

Do you or someone you know have back or neck pain? As a current or past patient you have access to this valuable information, at your fingertips. Start feeling better today in the privacy of your home. Go to www.spinebook. net/emerypt for your free download. This is the easiest way to get this information to our patients. Download and share with friends and family today!

“I highly recommend Emery to anyone that may need physical therapy.” “I have been coming here for physical therapy the past 6 months because of injuries I sustained in a car accident. I never give reviews but I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the staff at Emery for being so caring and professional. I never have to wait when I go in for my appointments and I always feel so much better when I leave. I highly recommend Emery to anyone that may need physical therapy. Thank you Emery.” - Mary V. Direct Access To Physical Therapy Didyouknow that theStateof Illinoishaspasseddirectaccess tophysical therapy this year? You no longer need a prescription or referral to start therapy. This was done to help combat the opiod crisis and encourage the use of physical therapy as the safe and effective alternative for treatment of acute and chronic pain and injuries. A PHYSICIAN REFERRAL IS NO LONGER NEEDED FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS!

DOWNLOAD INSTANTLY AT: www.spinebook.net/emerypt

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