Your spine is a complex part of your body – it requires proper posture, flexibility, coordination, and strength, in order to do its job correctly. When one of these elements is altered, your spine can emit painful responses that can settle in other nearby parts of the body.
Health &Wellness The Newsletter About Health And Self-Care
Also Inside: • Experiencing Lower Back Pain? • Practice News • Patient Success Spotlight • Healthy Recipe
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Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
EXPERIENCING LOWER BACK PAIN? Chances Are, It Is Being Caused By Another Issue
Your spine is a complex part of your body – it requires proper posture, flexibility, coordination, and strength, in order to do its job correctly. When one of these elements is altered, your spine can emit painful responses that can settle in other nearby parts of the body. According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 80% of adults will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain is actually the most commonly reported location of pain across the globe. But how often is the source actually another part of your body? PAIN IS USUALLY CONNECTED: Your spine is a lengthy structure, and pain can travel along it. Let’s say you are prone to neck pain – perhaps you have a slouched posture from sitting at a desk all day and the pressure radiates in your shoulders. Or, maybe you’ve had a previous injury, such as whiplash, that still elicits painful stings every now and then. Now, let’s say you begin feeling pain in your lower back in addition to your neck pain. Why does this happen? Basically, the pains are connected to each other. Your head weighs about 10-12 pounds, which is roughly the weight of a bowling ball. When you slouch, or compensate pain by realigning your body, your back muscles have to work extra hard to keep you from toppling forward. Have you ever been so tired that your head begins to bob and it jolts you awake? That’s because your head is heavy! The weight from the motion wakes you back up because your body isn’t used to carrying it in that way.
This is also why pain in your lower back may occur as a result. Your back muscles are working in overdrive and may be constricting to try and hold you up. If you notice neck and back pain at the same time as one another, try sitting up straighter – it should help ease some of the stress! IS YOUR NECK THE CULPRIT? The most common combination of pain is in the neck and the back. If you are experiencing both, it is most likely stemming from the neck. We don’t typically think about it, but we use our necks for a lot of our daily activities. Even simple things, such as turning to grab something out of the cupboard or looking over your shoulder when backing out of a driveway, use a lot of neck muscles. When you do simple tasks such as these, do you find yourself turning your entire body, as opposed to just your head? If so, you could experience back pain along with your neck pain. When you have limited motion in your neck, your body compensates by twisting more than it usually would, thus over-rotating your lower back. This could cause a source of pain or general discomfort in the area, due to abnormal overuse. If you are experiencing neck pain, back pain, or a combination of both, our physical therapists would be more than happy to meet with you for a consultation to discuss how they can help. Call us today to talk to an expert about how we can relieve your aches and pains!
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I S Y O U R N E C K T H E C U L P R I T ?
• Ask if there were any differences in the turning movement. Did one side seem to turn further than the other? Was there a difference in standing vs. sitting? This test is helpful in finding out if your neck is causing (or is at risk of causing) pain in your lower back. If your movement is limited, especially sitting down, it means that the muscles in your back or upper back are tight. These constricted motions can cause pain in the lower back. HOW CAN PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP ME? Physical therapy is the leading recommendation for back pain. Physical therapists are trained to evaluate muscle and joint movement, and they can easily assist you in finding the root of your problem. They will thoroughly evaluate you to figure out why you are experiencing pain, determining the source and treating all affected areas. After your initial consultation, they will create a specialized treatment plan for you, based on their diagnosis of your specific needs. A physical therapist’s end goal is the same as yours – to get you feeling better, healthier, and more comfortable! If you are experiencing lower back pain and think it may be caused by an issue occurring in your neck, give us a call today. We’ll get you moving comfortably again in no time.
HOW CAN I TELL IF MY NECK IS CAUSING MY BACK PAIN? It can sometimes to be difficult to determine if your back pain is rooted in your neck. This simple, at-home test can assist you in figuring it out: • Stand straight in front of another person. They will be your eyes regarding the movements you make. • Once they are watching you, turn your head as far as you comfortably can to the left. Repeat the same motion to the right. Have them take note of how far you are able to go. • Now, sit down in front of the same person. Repeat the same turning motions from a chair or couch. Again, have them take note of how far you are able to comfortably turn your head.
Healthy Recipe: Greek Turkey Burgers with Spinach
INGREDIENTS
• ¼ tsp ground pepper • 4 small hamburger buns, preferably whole-wheat • 4 tbsp tzatziki • 12 slices cucumber • 8 thick rings red onion (about ¼-inch)
• 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ tsp garlic powder • ½ tsp dried oregano • ¼ tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat grill to medium-high. Squeeze excess moisture from spinach. Combine the spinach with turkey, feta, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; mix well. Form into four 4-inch patties. Oil the grill rack. Grill the patties until cooked through and no longer pink in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register 165°F.) Assemble the burgers on the buns, topping each with 1 tablespoon tzatziki, 3 cucumber slices and 2 onion rings.
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PATIENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHT
PRACTICE NEWS
FUNCTIONAL NUTRITION FOR CHRONIC PAIN Have you ever wondered how the food you eat may be impacting your pain and function? Would you be willing to start with 2-3 simple changes in your diet to help heal your pain and get back to doing the things you love? Many of the foods we consume contribute to chronic inflammation inside of our bodies, which can lead to chronic pain. Osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and even Irritable Bowel Syndrome are conditions that can be persistent and often have a hard time responding to medications. Dr. Taylor Burchel has recently earned her certification in Functional Nutrition for Chronic Pain (FNCP) and is here to help you! By combining physical therapy and functional nutrition, she can help you treat that pain that has been bothering you for months, and maybe even years. If you are interested in nutritional changes for your pain, call us today at 972-961-3360!
Thanks for helping me recover and back to normal life. I am so grateful to you!" — Ben D.
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Exercise Essentials
Exercise To Relieve Back Pain
Do You Suffer From Back or Neck Pain?
FOUR POINT + ARM RAISE Start on hands and knees, hips and shoulders at 90°. Lift one arm out front. Bring it back down and then repeat on opposite side. 8-10 times on both arms.
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