Newsletter by Northern Physical Therapy
Newsletter
Beat Sciatica In 4 Easy Steps Get Back To An Active Life!
• How To Beat Sciatica In 4 Easy Steps • Tips To Prevent Holiday Stress
• Seasonal Recipe • Free Injury Evaluation
Newsletter
BEAT SCIATICA, DON’T LET IT BEAT YOU!
Discussing Ways to Beat Sciatica. Ever have that aching pain from your back into your buttock, or even down the back of your thigh? This could be sciatica, a broad term used to describe radiating pain, numbness or tingling symptoms into the legs. The sciatic nerve stems from your lumbar spine and travels deep through the buttock, down the back of the thigh. Sciatica is very common, because of the amount of sitting we now do in our daily lives.Thisdrasticallyaffects thestrainonyourspine,hipandpelvicmuscles, irritating the sciatic nerve. Do you ever feel like it is a challenge to get moving in the morning, or are you now careful about the way you bend down to pick something up? This is a clear sign that your spine is not functioning the way it should.The good news is that you can dramatically improve the way you feel and eliminate that sciatic pain or back pain for good! Physical therapy exercises incorporating a combination of strengthening, stretching, and aerobic conditioning are a central component of almost any sciatica treatment plan. When patients engage in a regular program of gentle exercises, they can recover more quickly from sciatica pain and are less likely to have future episodes of pain. Sciatica exercises usually focus on three key areas: strengthening, stretching, and aerobic conditioning. Strengthening exercises. Many exercises can help strengthen the spinal column and the supportingmuscles, ligaments,and tendons. Mostof these back exercises focus not only on the lower back, but also the abdominal (stomach) muscles and gluteus (buttock) and hip muscles. Strong core muscles can provide pain relief because they support the spine, keeping it
in alignment and facilitating movements that extend or twist the spine with less chance of injury or damage. Stretchingexercises. Stretching isusuallyrecommended toalleviatesciatic pain. Stretches for sciatica are designed to target muscles that cause pain when they are tight and inflexible. Hamstring stretching is almost always an important part of a sciatica exercise program. Most people do not stretch these muscles, which extend from the pelvis to the knee in the back of the thigh, in their daily activities. Another stretch that is often helpful in easing sciatica is the Bird Dog move: After getting on their hands and knees, individuals extend one arm and the opposite leg. The arm and leg extensions are then alternated. A more advanced version of this exercise is the Plank Bird Dog move, in which the extensions are done once the person is in the plank position on their hands and toes. Low-impact aerobic exercise. Some form of low-impact cardiovascular exercise,suchaswalking,swimming,orpool therapy isusuallyacomponent of recovery, as aerobic activity encourages the exchange of fluids and nutrients to help create a better healing environment. Aerobic conditioning also has the unique benefit of releasing endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers, which helps reduce sciatic pain. These types of exercise may be done separately or in combination. If you are suffering from sciatica pain and need treatment, contact us to schedule an appointment and return to a pain free, active lifestyle.
www.nptvt.com
HOW TO BEAT SCIATICA IN 4 EASY STEPS
1. Start stretching. Your muscles were made to move, and when you don’t, your muscles become tighter. In addition, as you age, your tissues become less elastic, worsening the effects. Stretching needs to be part of your daily routine. We teach you the best stretches to reverse sciatica symptoms quite quickly. 2. Improve your core and hip strength. Doing the correct exercises for the abdomen, hips and spine can make a world of difference in how well you feel. Most sciatica sufferers actually have very weak hip and core muscles from sitting too much.This weakness places enormous strain on thespineandsciaticnerve.Alwayscheckwithyourphysical therapist first, before starting an exercise program, to ensure you do the right exercises, the correct way. 3. Limit your sitting and change positions frequently. When you are suffering with back pain or sciatica, the key is to change positions from sitting tostanding,to lyingdownfrequently.Yourmusclesareuseddifferent ways,when indifferentpositions.Give themabreakbygettingupfromyour chair and moving at least every 20-30 minutes. If your back is bothering
you, then try to lie on your back or side with a pillow under your legs or between your knees. 4. Improve your posture. Posture is one of the long-term problems with back pain and sciatica. Your body is fighting gravity 24 hours a day. How yousit,stand,walk,bendand reachcanmakeall thedifferenceon thedaily strain you place on your back. Our physical therapists are the experts in restoring your natural posture and teaching you the techniques by which you can keep your back working at its best. You now have unique knowledge that most people suffering with back or sciatica pain, never know about. It doesn’t take advanced surgery or medication to fixsciatica, just therightknowledgeofhow torestorenatural body movement. Therightphysical therapyexpertsmake thathappen.Everybody’scondition isunique,sotakeaminutetocallustodayandspeakwithoneofourexperts for a complimentary phone consultation about your problem. After all, the relief you have been searching for, can be a few simple answers away!
www.nptvt.com
Holiday Stress Be realistic. The holidays don’t have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Chooseafew toholdon to,andbeopen tocreatingnewones.Forexample, if your adult children can’t come to your house, find newways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, e-mails or videos. Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don’t try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts.
Try these alternatives: • Donate to a charity in someone’s name. • Give homemade gifts.
Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup. Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can’t participate in every project or activity.
Come Back In For An Evaluation Whether you want to come in for a check-up, suffered a recent injury or you want to improve your health, you can choose the physical therapy practice you want! Come back to Northern Physical Therapy for a consultation today! Don’t let the holidays become something you dread. Instead, take steps to prevent the stress and depression that can descend during the holidays. Learn to recognize your holiday triggers, such as financial pressures or personal demands, so you can combat them before they lead to a meltdown.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies
• 1 ripe banana mashed • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree • 2 large eggs • 1/2 cup peanut butter • 3 tbsp coconut oil melted
Beat Sciatica!
• 2 tsp vanilla extract • 3 tbsp maple syrup • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats • 1/2 cup oat flour ground • 1/2 cup almond meal • 1/2 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp baking soda • 1/8 tsp salt • 2 tsp Vietnamese 5% Oil • Cinnamon • 1/4 tsp Frontier allspice • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips • 1/2 cup dried cranberries & cherries
Good For A FREE Injury Consultation
Mention or bring in this coupon for a FREE Consultation with one of our physical therapy specialists!
• Recent injury • Nagging aches and pains at work • Back and neck pain
• Joint pain and movement problems • Walking or balance difficulties while working
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside. In a mixing bowl stir together mashed banana, pumpkin, eggs, peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla and maple syrup until well combined. Add in oats, oat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, chocolate chips and dried fruit; stir to combine. Refrigerate for 5 minutes to harden. Drop cookies by spoonfuls on prepared baking sheet.They won’t expand much, so feel free to press them down, slightly, and make them as uniform as possible to ensure even baking. Bake for about 12 minutes until lightly browned.
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