Outpatient: Life Without Back Pain

Newsletter by Outpatient Physical Therapy

NEWSLETTER

LIFE WITHOUT BACK PAIN Can You

Imagine How Awesome It Would Be?

StaffSpotlight Scott Akers

Physical Therapist, DPT, LAT, ATC • Clinic: Auburn He’s an eternal optimist who always tries to find a silver lining. A former collegiate football and soccer player, Scott loves sports and is both a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) and a Physical Therapist. After double majoring in Wellness Program Management and Athletic Training, Scott pursued his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from Creighton University in Omaha. He loves getting to know his patients and hearing about their dreams, passions and what truly motivates them. At OPT, he appreciates the patient-centered, fun and engaging environment as well as the community it creates. “My goal as a physical therapist is to empower my patients to become the best possible version of themselves that they can be and seeing them get back to doing what they love.”

NEWSLETTER

“Will I Ever Play With My Children Again Without Aching Back Pain? ” FINDING THE SOURCE & PAIN RELIEF FROM YOUR BACK PAIN

Is back pain causing you to move a little slower and more cautiously? If left untreated, chronic back pain can lead to long-term spinal joint and possibly nerve damage. Back pain is one of the most common physical complaints that people suffer from and more than 80% of the US population will experience back pain at some point in their lifetime. Back pain can interfere with your ability to bend, kneel, lift, reach, do work and enjoy time with your family. Not to mention, it can make you down right irritable and affect others around you. Why do I have Back Pain? Back pain occurs for a number of reasons, but has a few simple root causes: • Weakness in the spinal and core muscles of the trunk • Poor posture and strain on the spine with slouched sitting • Repetitive injury to muscles and tissues around the spine with poor lifting • Limited flexibility of the spine, hips and muscles of the thighs • Poor coordination of the abdominal, pelvic and back muscles Most people don’t seek treatment soon enough and continue to suffer with a nagging ache or pain in their back. They may even feel symptoms travel to the buttocks and legs. Many people feel that not much can be done for back pain and use medication to numb the pain to get through the day. However, medication mostly masks the pain and does nothing to address the root cause of the problem. Solutions to Back Pain Treating back pain starts with determining the true cause. A thorough evaluation of your movement, strength, posture and joint mobility can tell a lot about the true origins of your pain. Only then, can the proper plan be formulated to get you out of pain quickly and back to the activities you love. Whether you just tweaked your back or have been suffering for a long time, seeing one of our spine specialists can help you return to a more active and pain-free life.

INSIDE: FindingtheSource&PainReliefFromYourBackPain HowShouldITakeCareOfMyBack? AHelpfulQuickExerciseToRelieveBackPainInMinutes FreeDownload

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“HOW SHOULD I TAKE CARE OFMY BACK?”

1. Keep a Good Posture When you are standing, imagine a string through the top of your head lifting you straight up. This puts your neck, shoulders, spine and hips in natural alignment. With sitting, make sure you sit back in the chair with your feet on the floor and your lower back supported. Your shoulders should not slouch when sitting. Avoid soft couches when you can. 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 facewhat 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 onto a few segments, which can then fail. An easy stretching routine everyday 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 muscles and include your abdominal, pelvis, 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 medical experts in evaluating spine and body movement. By having a regular check up, you can make sure your body is in good condition 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 easy 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 Today!

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Star t Feeling Better Today!

7 Convenient Locations To Serve You!

Puyallup 2930 S Meridian STE 120, Puyallup, Washington 98373 Phone: (253) 445-2733 Fax: (253) 445-2399

Kent East Hill 13106 SE 240th Street, Ste 103 Kent, WA 98031 Phone: (253) 631-1933 Fax: (253) 631-2094

Covington Satellite 27005 168th Pl SE, Suite 200 Covington, Washington 98042 Phone: (253) 639-4788 Fax: (253) 639-4789

Auburn 701 M St NE, Suite 102 Auburn, Washington 98002 Phone: (253) 833-8766 Fax: (253) 833-6748

Maple Valley 26837 Maple Valley-Black Diamond Road SE, Suite 200 Maple Valley, Washington 98038 Phone: (425) 413-4425 Fax: (425) 413-4429

Kent 8009 S. 180th Street, Suite 112

Covington 16720 SE 271st St, Suite 200 Covington, Washington 98042 Phone: (253) 630-5808 Fax: (253) 630-6438

Kent, Washington 98032 Phone: (425) 226-7827 Fax: (425) 251-5757

Free Mobile Download Get Easy Relief For Your Pain With A Simple Click...

Patient Success Spotlight

Awonderful establishment!

“My wife was in three car accidents, and they restored her to health through multiple months of physical therapy. I have been visiting Outpatient PTfor the past 3 months, receiving treatment for neck & back injuries that I sustained during a fall at work. I have been familiar with George’s work for many years, because he volunteers his time assisting the Kentridge Football team. He also helped my son with some upper back problems that related from a baseball injury. Outpatient Physical Therapy is a wonderful establishment that has helped me and my family tremendously. Their office is clean, modern and professional, and they are always punctual with their appointment times.”

Relieve Back Pain In Minutes Try this movement if you are experiencing back pain.

LOWER TRUNK ROTATIONS Lying on your back with your knees bent, gently rock your knees side-to-side. Repeat 8 times on both sides. Loosens Low Back www.simpleset.net

Do you or someone you 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/OutpatientPT for your free download. This is the easiest way to get this information to our patients. Download and share with friends and family today!

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Download at: www.spinebook.net/outpatientpt

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7 Convenient Locations To Serve You!

Puyallup 2930 S Meridian STE 120, Puyallup, Washington 98373 Phone: (253) 445-2733 Fax: (253) 445-2399

Kent East Hill 13106 SE 240th Street, Ste 103 Kent, WA 98031 Phone: (253) 631-1933 Fax: (253) 631-2094

Covington Satellite 27005 168th Pl SE, Suite 200 Covington, Washington 98042 Phone: (253) 639-4788 Fax: (253) 639-4789

Auburn 701 M St NE, Suite 102 Auburn, Washington 98002 Phone: (253) 833-8766 Fax: (253) 833-6748

Maple Valley 26837 Maple Valley-Black Diamond Road SE, Suite 200 Maple Valley, Washington 98038 Phone: (425) 413-4425 Fax: (425) 413-4429

Kent 8009 S. 180th Street, Suite 112

Covington 16720 SE 271st St, Suite 200 Covington, Washington 98042 Phone: (253) 630-5808 Fax: (253) 630-6438

Kent, Washington 98032 Phone: (425) 226-7827 Fax: (425) 251-5757

Outpatient PT Can Help You Reach Your Fitness Goals 9 WAYS PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN HELP IMPROVE YOUR FITNESS

You have chronic back pain. You think medication will help, but your doctor recommends physical therapy. What is it, and can it really help you? Yes! It’s a high-benefit, low-risk solution to diagnose and treat many different conditions. Physical therapy helps people of all ages who have medical conditions, illnesses or injuries that limit their regular ability to move. It helps patients return to their prior level of physical functioning. 1. Reduce or eliminate pain - Hands-on therapy or treatments such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation can help relieve pain and restore muscle and joint function to reduce low back pain. Such therapies also can prevent pain from returning. 2. Avoid surgery - If physical therapy helps you eliminate pain or heal from an injury, surgery may not be needed. And even if surgery is required, you may benefit from pre-surgery physical therapy. It will allow you to recover from surgery faster because you’re stronger prior to it. 3. Improve your mobility - If you’re having trouble standing, walking or moving - no matter your age - physical therapy can help. Stretching and strengthening exercises help restore your ability to move. 4. Recover from a stroke - It’s common to lose some degree of function and movement after stroke. Physical therapy helps strengthen weakened parts of the body and improve gait and balance. 5. Recover from or prevent a sports injury - Physical therapists understand how different sports can increase your risk for specific types of injuries (such as stress fractures for distance runners). They can design appropriate recovery or prevention exercise programs for you. 6. Improve your balance and prevent falls - When you begin physical therapy, you will get screened for fall risk. If you’re at high risk for falls, therapists will provide exercises that mimic

real-life situations. Therapists also help you with exercises to improve coordination. 7. Manage diabetes and vascular conditions - As part of an overall diabetes management plan, exercise can help effectively control blood sugar. We can create an individual plan with the right combination of aerobic and strengthening exercises. 8. Manage age-related issues - As you age, you may develop arthritis or osteoporosis or need a joint replacement. Physical therapy can effectively keep older patients more mobile and fit them with the appropriate walking device if needed. 9. Manage heart and lung disease - While most patients will complete cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack or procedure, you also may receive physical therapy if your daily functioning is affected. “Wellness Resources.” 10 Ways Physical Therapy Can Help - Lehigh Valley Health Network - A Passion For Better Medicine. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.

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