Remember back when your mother used to tell you that if you wouldn’t stop hunching your shoulders, they’d be stuck that way forever? An idle threat, one that barely anyone took seriously. Yet, fast forward a few decades and it turns out that mom might have been on to something, after all.
N E W S L E T T E R
STAND TALL
HOW POSTURE AFFECTS NECK AND BACK PAIN
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N E W S L E T T E R
How Posture Affects Neck and Back Pain
INSIDE :
• How Posture Affects Neck& Back Pain • What Can Good Posture Do For You? • Patient Success Spotlight
• Relieve Pain In Minutes • Vegan Sweet Potato Quesadillas • Being Grateful is Good For You!
Remember back when your mother used to tell you that if you wouldn’t stop hunching your shoulders, they’d be stuck that way forever? An idle threat, one that barely anyone took seriously. Yet, fast forward a few decades and it turns out that mom might have been on to something, after all. A poor habit of bad posture can have a lasting impact on your neck and back.The worse your posture is, the more intense your back and neck pain can become. Unfortunately, once you start experiencing neck and back pain, simply squaring your shoulders isn’t likely to be much help. Working with a physical therapist can help you to train the muscles in your back, neck and shoulders so that you can improve your posture permanently, and in doing so bring relief to your chronic neck and back pain. The Posture and Pain Connection Not all back pain is caused by poor posture,
and it is true that you can have poor posture for years without feeling the consequences of that slouch right away, but in time the habit is likely to catch up with you. There are certain ways that you can tell if neck or back pain may be a result of poor posture, including: • The pain in your back is worsened at certain times of day. For example, after you’ve spent a day at the office, or after a few hours on the couch. • The pain frequently starts in your neck and moves into your upper and lower back. Pain that seems to travel from one area of the back to another is frequently an indication of posture concerns. •The pain will subside after switching positions, such as switching from sitting to standing or vice versa. • Back or neck pain that develops soon after a change in circumstances, such as starting
a new job with a new desk chair, or getting a new car. After years of practicing poor posture, your back, shoulder and neck muscles will likely find standing or sitting with straight posture to be uncomfortable. This is because your muscles have grown accustomed to the slouching, and standing up straight will require some thorough stretching. That doesn’t mean that once you have bad posture you can never correct it. Working with a physical therapist to improve yourposture isagreatway toovercomechronic neck and back pain. In physical therapy, you will be guided through a series of stretches and strength building exercises that can help you begin training your body to practice better posture, thereby reducing your back and neck pain.
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What Can Good Posture Do For You?
Working with a physical therapist to improve your posture is a great way to overcome chronic neck and back pain. In physical therapy, you will be guided through a series of stretches and strength building exercises that can help you begin training your body to practice better posture, thereby reducing your back and neck pain. Ofcourse, thereareways thatyoucan improve your posture at home, as well. Here are several strategies that are typically helpful: • Try to stand tall whenever you are standing or walking. Hold your head high and square yourshoulders,butmore importantlyworkon being the tallestversionofyourself.Hunching over is the leading cause of poor posture. •Usesupportwhenyousit tokeepyourposture correct. Lumbar support in office chairs and car seats will help a bit, but for improved posture you may need to add additional
cushioning that will help you keep your back straight. • Be mindful of how you lift heavy objects. Keep your shoulders square and your chest forward. When lifting something that is over 50 lbs it is important to take extra care. Lead withyourhipsand try tokeep theweightclose to your body. Lifting something improperly can lead to injury to your neck or back, which may make proper posture uncomfortable. There are a lot of benefits of having good posture. Aside from saying goodbye to neck or back pain, improving your posture can provide several unexpected benefits to your lifestyle and personal well-being. Here are a few of the additional benefits of having good posture: • Proper posture creates quality exercise for your core and back
• Improved respiratory health • Added protection for your organs, bones, joints and muscles • Reduced risk of arthritis If you are experiencing chronic neck and back pain, there is a good chance that it could be related to your posture. Contact your physical therapist to learnmoreabouthowyoucan take steps to start improving your posture today.
VEGAN SWEET POTATO QUESADILLAS
INGREDIENTS • 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup black beans, cooked or canned • 2-3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped • salt & pepper to taste • 6 gluten-free tortillas • 1 cup vegan cheese, grated
• 1 sweet potato, grated • 1 tsp smoked paprika • 1/2 tsp chili (optional) • 1/2 tsp cumin (optional) • 2 handful of baby spinach
DIRECTIONS Filling: Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add grated sweet potato and roast for 30 seconds, then add spices and stir to combine. Once the pan is sizzling, add a little water, then cover the pan and reduce to low heat. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add baby spinach, and cook for 2 minutes until sweet potato is tender and cooked through. Stir in beans, corn, parsley and cook for 1 minute longer until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Quesadillas: Heat another non-stick pan with medium heat and brush with some oil. Spread 3 tbsp of the filling evenly over half of 1 tortilla, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Cover filling with grated cheese and fold over the empty side of the tortilla, pressing down carefully by using a spatula, so that it sticks. Cook for 2-3 minutes, flip and cook from the other side until golden and crispy. Repeat with remaining filling and as many tortillas as needed (about 4-6, depending on the exact size). Transfer quesadillas to a cutting board, slice, and then serve.
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BEING GRATEFUL IS GOOD FOR YOU!
From Our Family To Yours
Gratitude And Joy Robert Emmons, an internationally renowned scientific expert on gratitude, has found that acknowledging the good in life has a tendency to amplify positive emotions, such as joy and contentment, because it helps us slow down. “I think gratitude allows us to participate more in life,” he says. “We notice the positives more, and that magnifies the pleasures you get from life.” Consider the last time you had a good cup of coffee—did you pay Gratitude And Health Feeling thankful can improve your health in both direct and indirect ways. Some research shows that the experience of gratitude can induce a sense of relaxation, improve the immune system, and decrease blood pressure. But grateful people also tend to cultivate better health habits, like eating more nutritious food, exercising, and avoiding risky behaviors. Inaddition, theoptimism that stems from gratitude can create a healing attitude: research shows that people with optimistic attitudes have better outcomes after medical procedures.
Gratitude And Resilience Practicing gratitude can also make you better equipped to handle the difficulties of life that inevitably arise. In fact, according to Emmons, it’s an essential part of theprocessofhealingfrom trauma. Even despair can be mitigated by the experience of appreciation for the good, however slight it might be. Many survivors of the Holocaust, when asked to tell their stories, remember most strongly the feelings of gratitude for food, shelter,orclothing thatwasoffered to them.Thissenseof thankfulness for thesmallblessingshelped them maintain their humanity despite experiencing a horrific tragedy. Many people with life-threatening illnesses also report decreased distress and increased positive emotions when they practice gratitude. attention to the warmth of the cup on your hands, or the feeling of pleasure as you took the first sip? It’s easy to ignore these small moments of positivity in our day as we rush from one activity to another, but stopping to appreciate themmakes themmore powerful.
AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Relieve Back Pain In Minutes Try this movement if you are experiencing pain.
Stretches Back
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REPEAT TRUNK FLEXION | TO FLOOR Sit in a chair with good posture. Hands on thighs. Let your trunk sag toward the floor use your arms to control the movement. Let your arms dangle to the floor. Now use your arms to push yourself up.
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The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.
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