Physical Therapy Guide to Low Back Pain

Physical Therapy Guide to Low Back Pain

If you have low back pain, you are not alone. At any given time, about 25% of people in the United States report having low back pain within the past 3 months. In most cases, low back pain is mild and disappears on its own. For some people, back pain can return or hang on, leading to a decrease in quality of life or even to disability. Physical therapists help people with low back pain improve or restore mobility and reduce their pain.

Physical therapists are movement experts. We can improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement. Don’t wait to get your treatment started. Call asap to get an evaluation so we can start working together to GET you better!

Workout Wednesday - Sliding Lunge

Workout Wednesday

This week’s exercise is the Sliding Lunge

Physical Therapy More Cost Effective Than Injections For Knee OA

Physical Therapy More Cost-Effective

Than Injections For Knee OA

Patients tend to take 1 of 2 non surgical routes when it comes to pain due to knee osteoarthritis: glucocorticoid injection, or physical therapy. New research shows that physical therapy may, in fact, be the more cost-effective approach.

The research showed that after one year, the average total knee-related costs were nearly the same for the injection group and physical therapy group. However, patients who received physical therapy were found to have higher quality-adjusted life-years scores, while the injection patients ultimately added costs through additional treatments, later physical therapy, and surgery.

My take on this article: There are times when corticosteroids can be beneficial to decrease pain. However, if physical therapy isn’t initiated during this time period, the pain will likely return when the medication wears off. Why? Because nothing changes for your arthritic joint in the long run. However, if you can work with a physical therapist to improve muscle flexibility, muscles strength, and biomechanical movement patterns while you have less pain…. then you have a better likelihood of making positive changes in the joint. Improving muscle imbalances around a joint can help improve shock absorption, improve the forces through a joint to be more symmetric and congruent, rather than just one aspect of the joint. And better motor control patterns can help coordinate proper muscle control.

— Korey Pieper, DPT, OCS

Workout Wednesday (catch up): Bicep Curls

Workout Wednesday!

Every Wednesday we will be posting a workout move and our tips on how to do it CORRECTLY! We missed posting the past 2 weeks, so we are going to play catch up today!

Week 14: Bicep Curls

Workout Wednesday: Deadlift

Workout Wednesday!

Every Wednesday we will be posting a workout move and our tips on how to do it CORRECTLY!

Week 13: Dead Lift

Workout Wednesday - Bird Dog

Workout Wednesday!

Every Wednesday we will be posting a workout move and our tips on how to do it CORRECTLY!

Week 6: Bird Dog

3 Ways a Physical Therapist Can Help Manage Headaches

3 Ways a Physical Therapist Can Help

Manage Headaches

Headaches affect 47% of the global population and are described by the type and location of pain in the head. Many headaches are harmless and resolve gradually. However, more frequent moderate to severe headaches can impact your ability to do daily activities and quality of life. 

Different types of headaches include:

• Tension.

• Cervicogenic or neck muscle-related.

• Migraine.

• Secondary headaches from an underlying condition, such as fever, infectious disease, sinus disorder, or in rare cases, a tumor or more serious illness.

• Unspecified headaches.

A physical therapist will perform a clinical examination to diagnose the type of headache and develop an effective treatment plan.

Physical therapy has been proven to:

• Decrease or resolve the intensity, frequency, and duration of headaches.

• Decrease medication use.

• Improve function and mobility.

• Improve ease of motion in the neck.

• Improve quality of life.

  A physical therapist treatment plan for headaches may include:

  1. Manual therapy

  Proven hands-on techniques are designed to alleviate joint and muscle stiffness, increase mobility of the head and neck, decrease muscle tension and spasms, and improve muscle performance. Some physical therapists also provide dry needling for certain types of headaches.

  2. Exercise

  Research has shown that various types of specific exercises will decrease pain, improve endurance, decrease inflammation, and promote overall healing. In addition to individualized prescribed exercises, customized home-exercise programs are an essential part of the treatment plan.

  3. Education

  Educational strategies have been found helpful at lessening severity and/or frequency of headaches. These strategies include identifying highly individualized triggers (ie, dietary, sleep, movement/postural habits, stressors, hydration). Effective strategies to alleviate symptoms also include a wide variety of relaxation techniques.
  

Reposted from: Health Tips | 3 Ways a Physical Therapist Can Help Manage Headaches | Choose PT

Physical Therapy Isn't Just For Pain. It Can Keep You Healthy For Life.

Physical Therapy Isn't Just For Pain. It Can Keep You Healthy For Life.

You know that physical activity is good for you. The benefits are well researched and the list is impressive.

Here's just a sampling:

● Releases endorphins to make you feel good and fight depression

● Helps control weight

● Prevents diseases like stroke, diabetes and some forms of cancer

● Improves sleep

● Helps you live longer

Recent studies even show that physical activity strengthens your immune system, with a protective effect against COVID, and that staying active through middle age protects your brain as you age.

Physical activity is a wonder drug. If it was a pill, you'd buy it and take it every day. But even though activity is free, less than 25% of Americans meet the CDC recommendations for activity. We clearly need help.

Physical Therapists Are The Experts in Human Movement To be active, you need to be able to move. Physical Therapists do more than help you recover from surgeries or major injuries. They are the experts in human movement.

Sure, you could see a strength coach to lift weights, hire a personal trainer, go to a yoga class to work on your flexibility and balance, and see a chiropractor for adjustments. But that seems like a lot of people when a PT can help you with all of these things and more.

Nobody knows more about human movement or looks at your health the same way a PT does. Your PT can help you with every aspect of movement including strength, range of motion, flexibility, endurance, balance and coordination. As medical professionals they can help you with injuries or other issues.

Your PT can work with your doctor to help use activity to manage things like diabetes, cholesterol levels or blood pressure instead of prescriptions.

Your PT is also trained to work with people of all ages, so you can develop a long-term relationship and they can continue to adjust and modify your routine as you age or your goals change.

Staying active has a long list of benefits both now and in the future. But chances are you're not moving enough to make the most of those benefits. Most people need help. Physical therapists are the most qualified professional in existence to help keep you healthy now and in the future.

So don't think of your PT as someone you see when you need help with pain or an injury. Think of them as your partner and coach working to help you stay healthy for life