Sciatica is pain that radiates alongside the sciatic nerve. This nerve, which branches from your lower back — spanning across your hips, buttocks and legs — can be injured or stressed in several ways. The most common cause of sciatica-related pain is inflammation along the spine, where compressed nerves are aggravated.
NEWSLETTER Health &Wellness
SCIATICA BACK PAIN MAKING MOVES TO UNDERSTAND
If you’ve experienced back pain, and even leg pain, you might have a deeper issue. Your minor aches and pinched nerves could be symptomatic of sciatica. While “sciatica” may sound serious, it’s entirely curable. Below, we’ll cover sciatica back pain. (continued inside)
NEWSLETTER Health &Wellness
SCIATICA BACK PAIN MAKING MOVES TO UNDERSTAND
(continued from outside)
INSIDE : • 30-Second Self-Test for Sciatica • 7 Summer Safety Workout Tips
• Exercise of the Month • Staff Spotlight
What is Sciatica?
called spinal stenosis. As we age, our backs undergo a lot of stress. This stress takes a toll, causing inflammation in several areas. If this inflammation reaches a certain point, it may compress these nerves — resulting in pain.
How Physical Therapy Can Help
Sciatica is pain that radiates alongside the sciatic nerve. This nerve, which branches from your lower back — spanning across your hips, buttocks and legs — can be injured or stressed in several ways. The most common cause of sciatica-related pain is inflammation along the spine, where compressed nerves are aggravated. While sciatica pain can be intense, it is treatable. A lot of sciatica cases, in fact, can be resolved without operation — and within just a few weeks. Even if you’ve suffered severe sciatica spawned from leg weakness, bladder changes or nerve issues, there’s still hope.
If you’re experiencing sciatica, contact a physician immediately. Medical News Today asserts that over-the-counter painkillers may alleviate pain, but in-depth physical therapy is often needed. Physical therapy can reduce sciatica compression by carefully introducing exercises and relaxing treatments. These treatments, hand-picked by professionals, can completely eliminate sciatica over time. If you’re experiencing back pain, don’t wait. Call one of our professionals today, and ask about physical therapy options. Your mobility is important, and your back can be healed. Sources: www.webmd.com/back-pain/what-is-sciatica#1 www.medicinenet.com/sciatica/article.htm www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sciatica/ symptoms-causes/syc-20377435 www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7619.php
What Are the Symptoms of Sciatica?
Sciatica back pain is normally noticed as a pain radiating from the lower back. Often, this pain extends to the buttock, spiraling down the leg and extending to the calf. If you’re suffering from sciatica, you might feel the discomfort anywhere along this nerve pathway. The pain itself can be dull, aching or even sharp. In some cases, the compressed nerve may feel like it burns. In other cases, the compressed nerve may simply issue a sharp jolt of pain. Some people experiencing sciatica may experience leg numbness, tingling or weakness. If sciatica isn’t treated, it can hinder mobility altogether.
What Causes Sciatica?
In most cases, sciatica occurs when one of the back’s discs are herniated. It can also happen if the spine narrows — an effect
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BRACE MARCHING While lying on your back with your knees bent, slowly raise up one foot a few inches and then set it back down. Next, perform on your other leg. Use your stomach muscles to keep your spine from moving. Try to keep your back still. Repeat 10 times. Strengthens Your Core www.simpleset.net Try this movement if you are experiencing pain. EXERCISE OF THE MONTH
Find Out if You Have Sciatica with a 30-Second Self-Test Do you have back pain or leg pain with standing or walking?
Do you have a shooting pain in your leg when you stand up?
Do you need to sit down for a minute for the pain to go away?
Take This 30-Second Self-Test to See If You Might Have Sciatica:
1. Sit on a chair and keep good posture. 2. Straighten one of your legs out in front of you, while pointing your toes to the sky. Pay attention to how high your leg can go and if you have any pain, numbness, or tingling. 3. Place your leg back down to resting position, and repeat the same movement with the opposite leg.
Staff Spotlight
What Your Self-Test Results Could Mean:
If the leg with pain, numbness or tingling does not go up as high as the other leg, you likely have Sciatica. Your next step is to see what is causing the pressure on your sciatic nerve. Call us today at 907-456-5990 to schedule an appointment. Willow Physical Therapy can help you relieve your Sciatica pain. We can teach you strengthening, stretching, and low impact aerobic conditioning exercises that will help you find sciatica back pain relief. Strengthening exercises help provide pain relief by building up the muscles that give support to the spine, helping keep the spine in alignment and facilitating movements that extend or twist the spine with less chance of injury or damage. Stretches for sciatica are designed to target muscles that cause pain when they are tight and inflexible. Walking and swimming are both great aerobic activities that encourage the exchange of fluids and nutrients to help create a better healing environment.
Rhonda has worked with Willow PhysicalTherapy as one of our traveling physical therapists for almost two years and fell in love with Alaska and decided to become a resident. Rhonda’s home state is Wisconsin, she has been a PT for 19 years. She is trained in outpatient orthopedic, balance, hand therapies, vestibular, and BPPV treatments. Willow Physical Therapy would like to officially welcome Rhonda Pearson to our team!!
Congratulations Rhonda! We are so happy to have you on our team!
Salmon with Honey & Garlic Sauce HEALTHY RECIPE
Patient Spotlight
INGREDIENTS • 1 1/4 lb salmon fillets • 2 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 1/4 cup water • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce • 3 tbsp honey • 2 tsp cornstarch • 1 tbsp chopped parsley • Lemon wedges for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste. Place the salmon skin side up in the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove the salmon from the pan, place on a plate while covering with foil to keep warm. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the water, soy sauce and honey combination to the pan, and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the pan and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute or until sauce has just thickened. Return the salmon to the pan and spoon the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired. Recipe/Photo Courtesy: Sara of dinneratthezoo.com/honey-garlic-salmon
I came in with pain and limited range of motion and ended my treatment pain-free! “I very much enjoyed and appreciated the care that was given to me by my therapist at Willow Physical Therapy. I came in with pain and limited range of motion and ended my treatment pain-free!” - R. Elmer
7 Summer Workout Safety Tips
tend to radiate heat and reflect the sun’s rays, making you feel hotter. Live near water? Take advantage of the breeze on even steamy days; if possible, start out with the wind at your back, so when you’re finishing you’ll be running into a headwind, which feels cooler. 3.Cool Down with Essential Oils. Dabbing a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil on the back of your neck and at your temples just before your workout provides a cooling effect and also opens up your nasal passages, so you can breathe a little easier when the air is humid. 4.Summarize Your Intervals. To keep your fitness level up, do your regular cardio at a slightly slower pace, but add in 30-second speed bursts every three to five minutes. You’ll maintain your conditioning and burn more calories without having to go all-out the entire time. 5.Refuel with Fruit. They’re more than 80 percent water, so fruits such as grapes, watermelon,
cantaloupe, and honeydew are a tasty way to replenish fluids and boost your energy post- workout. Keep them frozen or grind them into a smoothie for a refreshing treat! 6.Give YourselfTime to Acclimate. Ease yourself gently into your workout so your body can adjust to the season’s warmer temperatures. The acclimatization process, which streamlines your body’s cooling and circulatory efficiency, can take between 10 to 14 days. When temperatures climb, reduce your duration and workout intensity while slowly and gradually increasing your exposure to the heat. 7.Exercise with a Buddy. Aside from being safer, having an exercise partner makes workouts more enjoyable. No one is too fit to succumb to heat exhaustion, and it can strike anyone at any time during the summer. Minimize your risk by being careful and paying attention to how your body responds to the heat.
Put the cool factor back into your workout routine with these tricks this summer! Always remember to stay hydrated and listen to your body to avoid dehydration or stressing any muscles. 1.Adjust Your BodyTemperature. Hop into a cold shower before your workout. Studies show that a pre-exercise cool down improves performance in the heat — probably because it lowers your heart rate as well as core and skin temperatures. 2.Get the Dirt. Try to walk, run, or cycle on dirt or gravel paths, since asphalt and concrete
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