Low back pain is by far one of the most common ailments ever experienced. Just about everyone deals with low back pain at one point in their life. For some, the lucky ones, perhaps, the pain is just for a day or two as a result of a particularly grueling day of yard work or a slip-and-fall accident that landed you flat on your bum with a bruise to prove it. For others, the low back pain is something that lingers for years and years, getting worse as a result of improper footwear or particularly unsupportive furniture, and never really healing or going away. It is estimated that one-half of all Americans experience lower back pain annually, and it is considered to be the leading cause of workplace disability worldwide—not just in the United States. It is also one of the most common reasons that people miss work, and is the second most common reason that people visit the doctor’s office. When you put those two facts together, the cost of dealing with lower back pain really starts to add up.
GREAT ADVENTURE ON THE GREAT SOUTH BAY! NEWSLETTER The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
and jump into the water. Standing on the sand bar, the water was only waist deep so we were able to let the kids run around and use their floats to explore the bay. Turns out it was also great for clamming, and I taught my kids (Ryan and Ella) how to find clams. They weren’t too interested - until I offered one dollar per clam. Then they were dancing around and twisting their legs in hopes of finding some (they each found one). Finally, after we finished we stayed on the boat until night, where we were treated to an amazing firework show (did I mention it was the 4th of July). Although the local towns didn’t have any shows there were plenty of locals putting on their own shows that were probably just as good if not better. And we could see all of them from our vantage point out in the water. Truly one of the best summer days we’ve had this year - if you don’t count all of the mosquito bites the next day!
Earlier this summer my family had a wonderful opportunity to go boating on the Great South Bay. For those of you that don’t know where that is - it’s not too far away. It’s the body of water between Long Island and Fire Island (roughly). Because it’s protected from the ocean by Fire Island, the waves are much more calm and great to take a boat ride in. And that’s exactly what we did. My cousin has a nice 30 foot boat that we went out on to enjoy the beautiful day. We packed lunch and some cold refreshments, brought our swim trunks - and even the kids too! Apparently when Hurricane Sandy hit the island it caused the ocean to breach over a part of Fire Island and meet the bay on the other side. This is now permanent open water known as “the breach” and is great for fishing and boating. Close to “the breach”, there is a sand bar that we were able to anchor by INSIDE : • Don’t Let Pain Hold You Back • Stay Motivated To Eat Healthy • Healthy Recipe
• Keeping Your Health In Mind! • Patient Success Spotlight •Exercise Essentials www.nextsteppt.com
NEWSLETTER The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
DON’T LET PAIN HOLD YOU BACK
The Ideal Treatment for Low Back Pain
Low back pain is by far one of the most common ailments ever experienced. Just about everyone deals with low back pain at one point in their life. For some, the lucky ones, perhaps, the pain is just for a day or two as a result of a particularly grueling day of yard work or a slip-and-fall accident that landed you flat on your bum with a bruise to prove it. For others, the low back pain is something that lingers for years and years, getting worse as a result of improper footwear or particularly unsupportive furniture, and never really healing or going away. It is estimated that one-half of all Americans experience lower back pain annually, and it is considered to be the leading cause of workplace disability worldwide—not just in the United States. It is also one of the most common reasons that people miss work, and is the second most common reason that people visit the doctor’s office. When you put those two facts together, the cost of dealing with lower back pain really starts to add up. The average annual cost of dealing with back pain in the United States is $50 billion. Unfortunately, a lot of those financial resources go into dealing with back pain through pain management and medication, but that is not an effective long-term solution for dealing with back pain. A far healthier and cost-effective solution is through physical therapy. Lower Back Pain in the United States: According to the National Institute for Health, the rates of low back pain have been steadily rising in the United States over the past 20 years. The study was conducted by medical researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Researchers consulted with members of the North Carolina community who experienced back pain to understand what caused their pain, how frequently they experience the pain, and what the severity of the pain is like. They found by talking with household members across the state that the incidence of lower back pain has increased significantly since the last time this survey was conducted, which was in 1992. Since 1992, the percentage of people coping with lower back pain increased from just over three percent to well over 10 percent. This is a significant finding, especially when it was found that the increase in lower back pain remained constant across demographics. A further interesting finding is that of those who experience lower back pain, 84 percent opted to seek medical treatment to address the pain, which was
an increase of more than 10 percent in 1992. This means that while more people are experiencing back pain, more people are also seeking treatment for that pain, though there is still an approximate 15 percent of the population who are coping with severe lower back pain without treatment. For those, seeking support from a physical therapist could significantly improve quality of life. Lower Back Pain and Physical Therapy : Physical therapy is a great resource for lower back pain because it addresses the cause of the pain, rather than simply attempting to hide the symptoms. Working with a physical therapist can help you to experience improved range of motion, to restore strength to muscles in your lower back that may have experienced atrophy through lack of use, and also reduce tension in your lower back muscles through targeted massage. When working with a physical therapist, you may also be guided through different lifestyle changes that you can make that can help you begin to overcome your back pain with everyday activities. This can include: • Making changes to the type of shoes that you wear so that your back is getting more support with every step. Sometimes, using special insoles can significantly improve your back pain. • Adjusting your sleeping habits, or perhaps investing in a new mattress so that your back has more support at night. • Using more lumbar support at work or on your commute by using a special chair or chair cover. Lower back pain is a pain in the butt, but you don’t need to deal with it any longer. Reach out to your physical therapist for information and support on overcoming lower back pain, and finally find long-term relief. Source: https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/Health-Wellness-Information/Back-Pain- Facts-and-Statistics
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• Wrist / Hand Pain • Wellness / Balance Problems • Ankle / Foot Pain
• Knee Pain • Sports Injuries • Shoulder Pain
• Physical Therapy • Low Back Pain • Neck Pain
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STAY MOTIVATED TO EAT HEALTHY
1. Set small, measurable goals that will help you get to your overall large goal. 2. Keep a food and exercise journal. This is extremely helpful to track how much you’re eating – sometimes you don’t realize how many small bites here and there add up. You can do a hand-written journal or go digital and log your food/ fitness from the computer or your smartphone. 3. Keep processed junk food out of your diet by adding in nutritious whole foods. 4. Skip the pantry and head to the fridge. No one really keeps a lot of processed foods in their fridge because they’re usually self-stable. When looking for an afternoon snack, stick with something from the fridge (non-fat greek yogurt, fruit, veggies with hummus, edamame, etc.) 5. Try new foods. Eating the same meal every night can get old. Look for new healthy recipes online, in cookbooks or magazines so you don’t get bored with eating healthy. 6. Eat something every 2-3 hours. This keeps your metabolism running and also makes sure you don’t overeat after work. 7. Keep nutritious foods on hand and ready to eat. Preparation is the key to eating healthy! Having fresh vegetables and fruits, lean protein, healthy fats and smart carbs each week is super helpful for staying on track.
Source: https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/14-tips-getting-and-staying-motivated-to-eat-healthy/
Healthy Recipe: Gluten-Free Breakfast Hash
Exercise Essentials Try this simple exercise to relieve your back pain.
INGREDIENTS : • ¼ c olive oil • ¼ c lemon juice • ¼ c white vinegar • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried thyme • ¼ tsp salt • ¼ tsp ground black pepper • 2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces • 6 wooden skewers
• 2 large green or red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces • 1 large onion, quartered and separated into pieces
Stretches Your Back
www.simpleset.net
STANDING EXTENSIONS While standing, place your hands on your hips and lean back to arch your back. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 8 times.
• 12 cherry tomatoes • 12 fresh mushrooms
INSTRUCTIONS: Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, thyme, salt, and black pepper together in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the chicken and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Soak wooden skewers in water for about 30 minutes before use. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat; lightly oil the grate. Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off excess liquid. Discard the remaining marinade. Alternately thread pieces of the marinated chicken with pieces of bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms onto the skewers. Cook the skewers on the preheated grill, turning frequently until nicely browned on all sides, and the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes. Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/218485/greek-island-chicken-shish- kebabs/?internalSource=streams&referringId=84&referringContentType=Rec ipe%20Hub&clickId=st_trending_b
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Keeping Your Health In Mind!
The dog days of summer! It’s hot and things continue to get back to normal. Dr. Giordano and myself are running at full capacity now and have hired some new staff as well. I think you’re going to love them. Like most of us - no big vacations this year. We were supposed to take our annual trip to visit my In-laws in St. Louis this month but we’ll have to do it another time. I hope everyone
Next Step Physical Therapy is committed to your health and wellbeing. In the wake of the recent spread of COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus, we are taking every precaution. Before and after every session, we are asking our clients and staff to wash or sanitize their hands. Additionally, we have increased the number of times per day that we sanitize our equipment and facility. To do your part to prevent the spread of this contagious disease, we ask patients that if you are demonstrating symptoms of coronavirus— coughing, sneezing or fever—please stay home. Additionally, if you have been exposed to someone who has a confirmed case of the virus, please notify us immediately, so we can take the necessary steps. Your cooperation in this tough time is what makes us able to continue to provide valuable services to you and your family. We appreciate your ongoing support.
is enjoying their summer anyway and finding new and fun things to do locally. We had a great little adventure out in the Great South Bay just recently (see our story within). If you need anything or just want to talk please don’t hesitate to call us 516 681 8070. Talk to you soon. -Chris Ostling
You Help Us, Help Others! THANK YOU TO OUR REFERRAL CLUB MEMBERS! I.M. A.F. D.S. T.N. J.M.
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“When I first came in, I thought I was dealing with a hamstring injury but Chris was able to determine I had an injury in my lower back area. It took some doing and he was able to help me stop limping and play golf again. I am very grateful to Chris and his entire staff. I would recommend Next Step to anybody looking for PT.” - Sean Sadowski.
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