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Tag: back pain physical therapy

New Age Physical TherapyBlogback pain physical therapy
Physical Therapy
By nxg Uncategorized , , , ,

Importance of Sleep for Recovery after Injury

In this day and era, a lot of people are having a tough time going to sleep, staying asleep, or getting enough sleep. We as human beings are trying to adapt to living with all the technology around us while at the same time dealing with the demands and stress of life, and even still living through COVID.

Sleep is important for recovery. Our brain does a lot of things during sleep that helps with recovering from mental stress as well as from physical injuries. If you get enough hours of sleep, your body releases hormones to regulate cortisol (your stress hormone) which in turn indirectly affects the way you recover. The less stressed you are, the your body is heading towards the optimal state for recovery. You will end up getting a better quality of sleep in turn and your sleep cycle will improve.

During sleep your body also releases growth hormones which helps to repair damaged tissue. Being sleep deprived will prevent this and y our recovery rate will be on the decline.

How Do I get Enough Sleep?

Stay away from technology and white light 1 – 2 hours before bedtime. It is pretty tough these days especially with all the smartphones and Netflix binge. Set up an alarm for yourself, get in the habit of turning everything off and dim the lights if you can.

You can do some reading or journaling with a yellow/orange light on. Perhaps do some reflections/meditations, or some light stretches or a nice hot bath from the hard day at work. Your body will thank you for it and you will fall asleep more readily. Dedicate the time you will go to bed to get your self at least 6 – 8 hours of sleep.

Exercise can help too but avoid it right before bed as it can keep you up. It has shown to reduce and manage your stress better, improve your cardio, and losing an extra couple of pounds will improve your insulin resistance that in turn will help you keep the weight off. The heavier you are, the worse it is for your knees and ankles, your circulatory system, your heart, and even on your mind.

Your sleep position can be important too. If you are a back sleeper, the pillow can be relatively flat as it just needs to support the curve on the neck. Get more guidelines from Physical Therapy New York, NY. Therapist will guide you.

Physical Therapy New York, NY
By nxg Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Cold Weather and Arthritic Pain

Fall is already here and you probably experienced the cold front already. This is the time that your arthritis mostly flares up because of the temperature. So what can you do? There is actually a lot you can do for yourself to help manage your pain and to reduce the frequency of arthritic flares.

The first thing would be your diet. The holiday season is here and your guilty pleasures of eating processed meats and foods high in sugar will definitely get in the way of being pain-free. You don’t have to avoid it completely. Enjoy the day that you are celebrating with your family. 

What you can do is limit your intake of these types of food because they will increase the inflammatory response in your body that will cause those flare-ups. Know when to hold back and eat more leafy greens and foods that won’t cause inflammation and your efforts will add up.

The second would be the most obvious – staying warm. You will want to layer up, especially around the area where you get the attacks. If you have it in your extremities, especially in your hands, it is important to wear gloves made for arthritis which provide compression that increases blood circulation. It is also important to keep a hot pack handy a few minutes a day to keep the area in constant circulation and warmth for a smoother joint movement, to feel better.

Another way is to get some sunlight. During this season, the morning comes late and the sun goes down earlier. Perhaps you are just staying inside because it’s so cold. Chances are, you may not be getting enough of the sun to get the daily vitamin D that you need. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with more flare-ups as well as lower tolerance to pain. 

You can take vitamin D supplements but also adding at least 20 – 30 minutes of a daily brisk walk can be highly beneficial to you. As mentioned previously, you get your vitamin D naturally as well as getting cardiovascular activity in your walk which increases your circulation, temperature, and muscle tone.

The next thing is, you guessed it, exercise. As mentioned earlier, exercise will help strengthen the surrounding muscle around the joint. This puts less pressure on the joint and therefore, fewer flare-ups. 

In physical therapy, you will be taught exercises that will help target the muscles surrounding your specific joint. It’s important to be taught the exercises in the correct way, or preferably in a modified way to meet your current conditions. 

Perhaps you have less range of motion or have other underlying conditions that get in the way of performing an exercise. Speak to your physical therapist about the exercises that you can do. They can not only help with your exercises but provide some manual therapy, tissue work, and stretches to relieve the stiffness in your body to optimize your body for exercise and maintain or increase your level of fitness. 

You may need to visit more frequently in the beginning, but as you get better you can probably go in once a while to relieve the stiffness as well as update your exercise program to either modify or advance into it as you get stronger. One thing to note is that you can also incorporate yoga and pilates to help. 

Yoga will help with the flexibility and toning of the muscles and pilates strengthens the muscle, bone, as well as joints. Get in touch with your Physical Therapy New York, NY for an evaluation and find out what your best options are today.

Round Shoulders
By nxg Physical Therapy , , , , ,

How to Fix Your Rounded Shoulders?

If you work or play long hours in front of the computer, the desk, or on the phone, chances are you may have rounded shoulders. The problems that can arise from this can be headaches, shoulder pain, back pain, or even nerve pain.

How Can I Fix My Rounded Shoulders?

Through exercise!

Prepare to get on the floor with a rolled-up towel. For these exercises, you will lay down face down with the rolled-up towel underneath your forehead.

– T’s: You will spread your arms to form a T with your torso. Lift your thumbs towards the ceiling and raise you arms up and down. Squeeze for a good second at the top and come back down. Perform 10 – 20 reps, 3 – 5 sets. Start with low reps and work your way up.

– Y’s: Same way but with your arms forming a Y with your torso. Lift your arms up and down towards the ceiling with a good second at the top and come back down. Perform 10 – 20 reps, 3 – 5 sets.

– W’s: Form a W. Lift your thumbs up and down with the ceilings. Perform 10 – 20 reps, 3 – 5 sets.

– I’s: Start the same with your arms straight up next to your ears moving your arms up and down. Perform 10 – 20 reps, 3 – 5 sets.

– Swimmers: With just your arms, start with palms facing down with arms next to your ears. As if you are swimming, wave your arms towards your hip, with both hands ending up behind your lower back, palms facing towards the ceiling. Then return to starting position. Perform 10 – 20 reps, 3 – 5 sets.

– Alternating arm and leg: Start on your hands and knees. Extend your right arm forward next to your ear and at the same time extend your left leg until it’s straight. Hold for a good second. Repeat on the other side. Perform 10 – 20 reps, 3 – 5 sets.

– Shoulder Shrugs: Just as it’s stated, you will stand with both arms on your sides at a relaxed position and raise it up to a shrug. Then come down to the relaxed position in a controlled manner instead of dropping them straight down. Perform 10 – 20 reps, 2 – 5 sets.

– Shoulder Retraction: Start with elbows bent at your sides. You will extend your arms forward, then bring them back so your hands are by your side, right underneath your chest level. The motion is like performing rows with a cable machine or as if you are skiing. Remember to retract your shoulders when you pull back – imagine there is a pencil between your shoulder blades and you are squeezing it in place. Perform 10 – 20 reps, 2 – 5 sets.

– Open Book: Start by laying down on your back with your knees bent. Then turn to the left. Your knees should still be bent, with your left leg and left arm on the floor. Your left arm should be in front of you extended out. Your right arm should lay on top of the left arm, palms touching each other. Then slowly turn your arms out towards the right as if you are turning a page. Do this nice and slow to feel the motion and stretches. Perform 10 reps. Next, turn on your right and repeat the same thing you did with the left, 10 reps. Do this 3 – 5 sets.

– Pec stretch: At the doorway, have your forearms touching the doorway, elbows bent at 90 degrees. Step forward with one foot. You will feel a stretch on your chest. Hold this position for 20 – 30 seconds. Perform 3 – 5 reps. Note: if your doorway is too big, you can do this one side at a time. If you are using your right forearm on the edge of the doorway, then use your right foot to step forward.

Do these exercises every day. You should start to see some improvements little by little. Remember, it can take a long time depending on how long you’ve had shoulders and how flexible you are. 

If you experience any sharp pain during or after exercise, stop and consult your doctor first. There could be other underlying issues that need to be addressed first. Otherwise, you may need supervision by a physical therapist of Physical Therapy New York, NY to modify the exercise or manipulate the joints and muscles to get the right results.

By nxg Fitness , , , , ,

Take Unlimited Advantages of Physical Therapy for Personal Fitness

Physical therapy assists people of all ages who have medical diseases, disabilities or injuries that restrict their normal capacity to move and to do work properly.

Physical Therapy Hillside, NY suggests different programs that can help people to return prior level of functioning and encourage activities and change the lifestyle that can help to stop additional injury and increase overall fitness and well being.

When the doctor suggests physical therapy, then obviously you have an injury or different problems that haven’t reacted properly to other treatments.

Sometimes it can be a difficult decision for many reasons to decide whether or not to go to physical therapy. For your any types of injury, it can help you amazingly, so there is no option for not going. Physical therapy treatment not only allows you to return your initial level of functioning, but it can accelerate the healing manner.

Wants to be feet and healthy life? Let’s know about the amazing advantages of Physical Therapy.

Reduce or Kill Every Pain

Corrective exercises and standard therapy methods such as common and simple tissue treatments such as ultrasound, taping or electrical stimulation can help to reduce pain and recover meat and joint function to reduce pain. Such therapies can also stop pain from stating.

Avoid Surgery

Surgery may not be needed if physical therapy helps to recover from an injury or reduce pain. And even if surgery is needed, you may help from pre-surgery physical therapy for better result. In many cases, you will recover faster if you are going into surgery more effective and in better shape. Additionally, health care costs are reduced by avoiding surgery.

Improve Flexibility

Are you having difficulty in standing, walking, moving or working any work? Then get the best recovering treatment. Here, no matter your age because physical therapy can help you. Strengthening and stretching exercises help to recover your capacity to move. Physical therapists can properly fit individuals with a stick, crutches or any other assistive equipment, or estimate for orthotic medicine.

Increase Your Balance and Stop Falls

When you start physical therapy, you will get screened for covering opportunity. If you are injured and at high risk for falls, therapists will provide the best exercises that safely examine your stability as a way to simulate real-life conditions.

When the stability problem is created by a problem in one’s vestibular method, Physical therapists can perform special exercises that can immediately recover proper vestibular functioning, and decrease eliminate signs of dizziness or vertigo.

Physical therapy will come in beneficial, as it can lightly exercise the arm, strengthening the muscles and dramatically increasing versatility, while decreasing pain. If you have any doubt or query about the physical therapy treatment and how it helps to recover your injury, please don’t hesitate to ask a qualified physical therapist or health care provider for more information.

Back Pain Relief Exercise
By NewAge Fitness, Health Tips , ,

Does Spinal Decompression Help Low Back Pain?

Spinal decompression may help treat low back pain, but this popular treatment isn’t a sure thing. Advertising for spinal decompression targets people with degenerative disc disease, bulging discs, herniated discs, or spinal stenosis.

What is spinal decompression?

Spinal decompression is a form of mechanical spinal traction, which refers to the separation of the bones, joints, and discs of the back.

It is theorized that this separation relieves pressure on the nerves in the back and helps decrease pain, and thus, improve function.

Many spinal decompression systems are operated by the use of a computer, allowing the health care provider to adjust the amount of traction force, the angle of traction provided, or the amount of time the traction force is applied. Common trade names of spinal decompression devices are the VAX-D System, the Spinal Aid System, and the DRX-9000 System, among others.

Some spinal decompression units require that you lie on your stomach while treatment is rendered; others have you lie on your back.

Are there risks associated with spinal decompression?

A review of the published data for the use of spinal decompression reveals very little risk associated with treatment. One study reported on a patient who developed severe pain while on the unit. A follow-up MRI of the spine revealed that this patient’s lumbar herniated disc had increased in size.

The patient subsequently had a lumbar surgery and it was reported that the patient recovered fully. Other studies report some increase in pain for a few participants.

Does spinal decompression help low back pain?

The main theory behind spinal decompression is that providing traction to the compressed structures in the spine helps relieve pressure and pain.

So traction must help low back pain, right? Well…

A study published in the 2001 issue of Physical Therapy Journal (PTJ) evaluated various forms of treatment for acute (symptoms for less than 4 weeks), sub-acute (4-12 weeks) and chronic (more than 12 weeks) low back pain. The published evidence available for the use of traction for low back pain received a grade of “C” (no benefit demonstrated).

Claims have also been made that spinal decompression creates negative pressure in the discs of the spine, which helps to pull bulging discs back into place. A published study reporting on three patients concludes that spinal decompression did lower the pressure in the discs while using decompression. This is a small study, however, and no cause and effect conclusion about spinal decompression and low back pain can be made.

However, more studies have been conducted since the ones mentioned above. More observational studies using larger trial groups are finding the spinal decompression may help with some of the symptoms of low back pain, specifically the radicular leg pain.

And, there are still smaller studies finding positive outcomes.

Simply put, there is limited scientific evidence that spinal decompression can help your low back pain. Does that mean that it does not work? Not entirely. It just means that the current level of research is not sufficient to draw positive cause/effect conclusions for the use of spinal decompression. There may be other more affordable options for you to consider when faced with treating your low back pain.

What does help low back pain?

While many treatments are available for your low back pain, the scientific data indicates that maintaining normal activity is a good treatment (grade of “A” — benefit demonstrated — in the 2001 PTJ review) for acute low back pain. Exercises for your low back also received a grade of “A” for sub-acute and chronic low back pain.

The great thing about exercise is that it is a low-cost, easily implemented treatment. Your physical therapist can teach you how to improve your posture and implement the right exercise program for your specific condition to treat your low back pain.

Back Pain Physical Therapy
By NewAge Fitness, Health Tips ,

Back Pain and Sciatica Method

Anybody who gets back pain and sciatica kind of pain will have common questions what should i do, what i should not?  Who should I see and can I fix pain by myself?  Should I do flexibility exercises or strengthening exercise?

In most cases patient with severe sciatica kind of pain end up in first med or emergency room.  They might do x-ray and most likely give them pain killers and would advise patient to see either orthopedic or physical therapist depends on their condition.

In any case, you might end up with physical therapy.  Physical therapist role is to centralize your pain, help you to maintain correct posture and do back stabilization exercises. Physical therapist may also use pain modalities to control your pain.

Physical therapists who is trained in McKenzie methods are specialist while treating sciatica kind of pain.  Therapist should be able to do thorough assessment of your problem and see whether you are right candidate for McKenzie technique.

With McKenzie technique therapist will try to centralize radicular pain and then help you to reduce or eliminate pain from back completely.  Mackenzie exercises are done in progression.  Once patient is comfortable with first step of exercise then move to next.

How Do I Know If the Exercise is the Correct One for Me?

If you are experiencing pain on one side of your back or leg, then try the first exercise and monitor symptoms as you exercise. Watch for centralization, which is a decrease in leg or thigh pain and an increase in low back pain.  Centralization that occurs while you are performing an exercise is a good sign and indicates that the particular exercise is the correct one for you to be doing.

If your symptoms worsen, fail to centralize, or only centralize partially, move on to the next exercise in the list. Attempt the exercise, and monitor any changes in your symptoms.  Remember pain that moves closer to your spine is a good sign.  Any sign of more radicular pain or worsening symptoms patient should stop those exercises immediately and speak to their physical therapist.

Also before starting any exercise for your back in severe cases, it is a good idea to check in with your doctor to be sure that exercise is safe for you to do.

  • Prone Lying, Prone Props, and Press Ups

In the case of sudden onset of acute low back pain, you should try the emergency back pain exercises first.  Lie on your stomach for a few minutes, if that is comfortable then prop onto your elbows for a minute or two.  Monitor your symptoms for centralization.  If it centralize continue and you can slowly go on elbows.

If symptoms are improving then and then only, try a few press ups.  Try to keep your hips and back relaxed as you use your arms to press your upper body up.  Try to press up as far as possible to restore the normal forward curve in your low back.  Perform 10 repetitions and monitor your symptoms.

If your pain does not fully centralize with the press up exercise, you may need to see doctor or physical therapist.

Above mentioned exercises first step in McKenzie exercises.  If that has not resolved your problem you need attention for your problem.

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Lower Back Pain
By NewAge Fitness, Health Tips ,

Understanding Back Pain

People who suffer from lower back pain are encouraged to help themselves with exercises and being active and getting skilled physical therapy.  Lot of times patients are not explained in detail what is causing their pain and how to manage them so they can get better faster.

As back pain is very common and most of us experience in our lifetime.  Best way to avoid surgery or get better faster is to perform skilled exercises with help of physical therapist who can tailor exercises depends on type of back pain patient has.

Understanding back pain

There are several structures in the back that can cause and/or contribute to low back pain.

  • Intervertebral Discs

Although the intervertebral disc is a remarkably versatile and strong structure, essentially acting as a shock absorber during everyday activities, sometimes the disc fails when there is a sudden, unexpected force (such as a fall, lifting, or other trauma), or due to ordinary wear and tear over time. And when the disc does get injured it repair itself with fibrous tissue which can also cause pain and patient could hae recurrent back pain.

Activity is also needed to maintain the exchange of fluids in spinal structures and reduce swelling that naturally occurs in the tissues surrounding an injured disc. This swelling can further irritate nerves that are already affected by herniated disc material.  It can be achieved by particular exercises and physical therapy modalities.

These patients are normally complain of radiating, numbness, heaviness kind of pain and also complains of weakness in some leg muscles at times.

  • Spinal Muscles, Ligaments, and Tendons

The collective soft tissues around the spine – the muscles, ligaments and tendons – are also very important in maintaining proper spinal balance and strength. With decreased activity, the connective fibers of ligaments and tendons can begin to adhere to each other and lose resilience and may tear when sudden overload occurs. Unlike discs or connective tissue, however, when soft tissues are injured, they can quickly repair themselves.

Since muscles are in constant communication with the central nervous system, anger or anxiety can tense the muscles and cause muscle spasms. Ongoing tension inhibits normal muscle function and leads to muscle wasting and further stability problems, which in turn can lead to chronic lower back pain.

In this cases normally patient is complain of localized pain.

  • Spinal Nerves

When nerves are cut, pinched, or otherwise irritated, the muscles that the nerves control cannot work or reduce function of muscles. For example, when a herniated or bulging disc presses on the L4-L5 nerve root, it may inhibit the nerve’s ability to make the muscles it controls in the ankle and foot work properly, causing what is known as foot drop – the ability to raise the foot or stand on one’s tiptoes.

Most of these patients are complain of radiation, numbness, burning pain along with weakness in muscles or unable to move muscle.

Above mentioned are few reasons person can have lower back pain or leg pain with or without back pain.  In any case, Patient should consult orthopedic or neurologist if pain is really worst. In other circumstances patient can have consult with physical therapist and see if they can help them.

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