If You’re in Pain, We’ve Got Your Back!

Relieve Chronic Back Pain with These 5 Tips

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 1 in 5 people have chronic pain.

If you experience pain and discomfort on a daily basis, we encourage you to consult with a physical therapist who can work with you to address the symptoms and causes of your pain and help you to function better.

Are you looking for other ways to feel less pain? Here are five of our top tips, all supported by research and relatively easy to implement.

1. Make sure you are maintaining proper posture

Do you constantly slouch in your chair or hunch over your phone? Are you using proper body mechanics when picking up objects—whether it’s a heavy box, a pencil on the ground, or even your child or grandchild?

There are so many ways we move our bodies every day that may not necessarily seem problematic. But if we repeatedly put our bodies under certain types of strain, over time we can begin to experience tissue damage and chronic pain.

Consult with a physical therapist in Orland Park, Homer Glen or Crestwood, IL who can evaluate your posture, movement mechanics, and ergonomics. He or she can help you identify patterns and habits which you may not even be aware of but are still exacerbating your pain.

2. Adopt an anti-inflammatory diet

Yes, food really is thy medicine! Research suggests that avoiding highly processed foods and consuming a lot of veggies, fruits, whole grains, high quality protein, and healthy fats can help decrease pain.

One reason is that eating a lot of nutrient-dense foods ensures our tissues get the raw materials they need to heal and repair. Plus, when we minimize or eliminate foods in our diet that tend to promote inflammation, including alcohol and sugar, then pain our pain levels can naturally go down.

3. Get moving!

Exercise can alleviate pain by increasing blood flow, stimulating the release of hormones and neurotransmitters that provide natural pain relief, and increasing joint strength and stability. So get active—around 30 minutes of exercise on most or all days of the week.

It’s helpful to talk to a physical therapist if you have chronic pain before starting an exercise program. Your physical therapist can provide services that naturally alleviate your pain and maximize your function so exercise is easier and safer for you to do.

4. A good night’s sleep goes a long way

Sleep is essential for optimizing your body’s healing and regeneration process. It’s also an important way for managing stress. For these reasons, getting enough sleep can actually help you experience less pain.

Does pain make it tough to fall asleep or stay asleep? Try these sleep hygiene tips to make it easier:

  • Sleep in a pitch black room with the bedroom temperature set to 65 to 68 degrees.
  • Dim the lights and power down your electronics for at least an hour before bedtime.
  • Go to bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every morning (weekends and holidays included).

5. Exercise your breathing

Deep breathing is good for your body because it helps you get plenty of healing oxygen into your tissues. But taking deep breaths also stimulates the part of the nervous system that helps you relax, which is a great way to alleviate stress and ease pain.

The following exercise, known as four-square breathing or box breathing, has been shown to help manage pain. Sit in a comfortable position and follow these steps:

  • Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts.
  • Hold your breath for 4 counts.
  • Breathe out through your mouth for 4 counts.
  • Hold at the bottom of your exhalation for 4 counts, then repeat the cycle for 2 minutes.

When back pain becomes chronic…

The unfortunate truth is that many people will recognize back pain at some point in their lives.

Many problems with back pain are associated with acute injuries, such as auto accidents, sports accidents, pregnancy pains, or injuries of the workplace from improperly lifting heavy objects. These injuries typically heal on their own and may not even need PT intervention.

However, sometimes back pain develops into a chronic problem, especially if you experience it for longer than 3 months at a time. Some conditions (such as spinal arthritis, spondylolisthesis, or spinal stenosis) don’t heal themselves, and can result in constant or recurring discomfort.

Other types of chronic back pain are caused by repetitive motion injuries and soft tissue strain. Weak back muscles that do not support normal posture, or musculoskeletal irregularities (such as falling arches, poor workplace or sporting ergonomics) may also place your upper or lower back in a state of true agony. Fortunately, physical therapy in Orland Park, Homer Glen or Crestwood, IL can help with these chronic conditions.

Consult with a physical therapist today

Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact our physical therapy clinic today!

Sources:

Upcoming Surgery? Recover Faster with PT!

Discover How Physical Therapy Can Make Your Recovery Quicker and Easier!

Every year, our physical therapy team treats thousands of people recovering from surgery.

Whether you’re undergoing a joint replacement, back surgery, or some other procedure, we’re confident that working with a physical therapist in Orland Park, Homer Glen or Crestwood, IL can help you heal and get back to your active lifestyle as efficiently and safely as possible.

What can physical therapy do for me after surgery?

A trained physical therapist can advise you regarding the best post-surgical plan for your specific needs. As soon as you know when your surgery is scheduled you’ll want to make an appointment with a physical therapist.

A therapist will likely do a complete physical assessment before creating a unique rehab program.

Physical therapy treatment can help you achieve as much strength, stamina, flexibility, and improved range of motion as possible both before and after your surgery.

In fact, according to the American Physical Therapy Association, there are proven benefits to both pre-surgical rehabilitation AND post-surgical rehabilitation. A physical therapist may use a variety of manual therapies or teach you exercises you can do at home.

A therapist might also use heat, ice, or electrical stimulation. You’ll want to get started as soon as possible to make sure you’re prepared for surgery and can make a quick and full recovery.

Curious about why physical therapy is so important in the post-surgical window? We’ve got three reasons to pique your interest.

1. Improve your recovery.

Our bodies are incredibly powerful and capable of healing themselves. The type of non-invasive and drug-free services and techniques a physical therapist can offer can enhance self-healing power and work with the body—instead of just covering up symptoms.

By minimizing pain and reducing the risk of complications, your physical therapy team can help you stay on track during your recovery period so you can regain and maximize your strength, balance, range of motion, endurance, and overall function as quickly as possible.

2. Avoid complications.

Any surgery comes with at least some level of risk for complications including postoperative bleeding, infections, range of motion limitations, and hardware malfunction. Working with a physical therapist in Orland Park, Homer Glen or Crestwood, IL may help reduce the likelihood of experiencing a complication, which reduces stress, saves money, and protects your short-term and long-term health.

For example, physical therapists are skilled in teaching you safe ways to move and function in your daily life. If your surgeon requests that you follow certain precautions or activity restrictions for a while following your operation, your physical therapist can teach you how to follow these restrictions and progress or modify them appropriately as time goes on.

Physical therapists can also prescribe and fit adaptive equipment such as walkers and braces to further protect your healing tissues and help you mobilize more safely.

Your physical therapist can also act as a supportive liaison between you and your surgeon and keep him or her updated with your progress and needs. This way, if any concerns arise there can be faster communication between all the need-to-know members of your medical team.

3. Manage and decrease pain.

A physical therapist can teach you exercises, provide manual interventions like massage, and implement non-invasive modalities that can work together alleviate your pain and even reduce your reliance on pain-relieving medications, including opioids.

Many of the interventions we provide in physical therapy work directly on the central nervous system to help modulate pain signals being sent to your brain, while others help reduce inflammation, swelling, and stiffness.

Of course, pain is normal and expected following certain types of procedures, including hip and knee replacements, and taking your pain medication as prescribed can help you participate in your physical therapy more fully. So, it’s important to talk to your doctor about your pain medication options and not to stop or start taking anything without his or her input.

That said, research shows that physical therapy is a safe alternative or beneficial component to effective pain management in the post-surgical window. So be sure to talk to your doctor about setting up a referral to see a physical therapist, too!

Ready to get started?

It’s never too early to see a physical therapist! Please contact our PT clinic today to schedule an appointment for your post-operative rehabilitation.

Get Moving Once Again with Physical Therapy

If you’ve been living with acute or chronic pain, physical therapy can help. Whatever your injury or underlying condition may be, our licensed physical therapists understand how pain can significantly impact your daily life.

Physical therapists are movement experts who are trained in several different methods and modalities that are natural, non-invasive, and successful. Schedule a consultation today to find out how PT can benefit you!

While there are numerous reasons why physical therapy is the best treatment method for achieving a happy, healthy, and pain-free life, the top 5 include:

1. Patients can maximize their functional performance, mobility, and capacity through physical therapy.

A physical therapist helps patients improve coordination, core stability, endurance, agility, and any other physical skills that they can carry over into their sports, work, hobbies, and everyday life. This is essential for young active people who are looking to improve performance, as well as the older population who are looking to avoid age-related debility.

In other words, our physical therapy team can manage your injury or disease now as well as help prevent injury in the future.

2. Physical therapy is an effective way to treat pain at its roots.

A physical therapist won’t just “mask” your pain. Our therapists identify and resolve underlying factors contributing to your current condition and increasing your risk of chronic issues. Common factors include shortened muscles, scar tissue, range-of-motion limitations, muscle activation problems, impaired ergonomics and body mechanics, and postural imbalances. If factors like these are left unaddressed, your symptom relief would likely be temporary at best.

Through services such as patient education, work-hardening programs and other techniques previously mentioned, a physical therapist can address both symptom and cause.

3. There are little-to-no side effects of physical therapy.

Unlike many medications and invasive procedures, physical therapy services have a very low risk of side effects. They also remain highly effective in reducing pain, swelling, inflammation and other impairments related to a patient’s condition. PT techniques require less downtime and can be modified in order to allow for safe use on everyone, from infants to seniors.

4. The need for harmful drugs, such as opioids, is often eliminated through physical therapy.

The current opioid abuse epidemic across the nation suggests that these potentially harmful drugs are frequently overprescribed. The CDC recommends physical therapy before opioids for the management of many types of chronic pain. Additionally, treatment techniques used in physical therapy are “evidence-based,” meaning they are tested in scientific research studies in order to provide support for their safety, efficacy, and effectiveness.

5. Each treatment plan is customized to the specific needs of each patient.

A standard physical therapy plan of care is completely individualized to the patient. The main focuses of any plan of care are addressing the patient’s unique goals, resolving their impairments, and optimizing their recovery, functional independence, and long-term health. These outcomes can be achieved through PT techniques, including:

  • Modalities, such as ultrasound, kinesio taping, dry needling, orthotics and prosthetics fitting, electrical stimulation, or diathermy.
  • Therapeutic exercises.
  • Manual therapy, such as massage or joint mobilizations.
  • Neuromuscular re-education, such as balance training.

After undergoing a thorough examination with your physical therapist, you’ll receive an individualized treatment plan that will aim to accelerate your healing. This plan is modified to meet your specific needs and lifestyle, and it relies on your feedback throughout the process, giving you an active role in your recovery.

Schedule your consultation today!

Don’t let your pain limit your life any longer – schedule a consultation with us today to get started on the first steps of your physical therapy journey. We’ll walk you through each step toward your physical goals and help you achieve the active and pain-free life you deserve!

Sources:

https://www.moveforwardpt.com/benefits/default.aspx

https://www.moveforwardpt.com/Resources/Detail/7-myths-about-physical-therapy

Exercise and Stretching: The Greatest Pair!

The Many Benefits of Stretching Both Before and After a Workout

Exercising regularly is a great way to improve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, if you’re not stretching before and after your workout, you’re not really taking advantage of a complete workout routine.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “stretching can increase flexibility and improve your joints’ range of motion, helping you move more freely. And ensuring that you have equal flexibility on both sides might help protect you from injury.”

There are several specific benefits to stretching both before and after a workout – and a physical therapist can help you figure out what stretches are best for you!

How can working with a physical therapist improve my workouts?

Since stretching exercises offer so many important benefits, it’s not hard to see why we use them all the time in physical therapy.

It’s important to make sure you’re doing the right kind of stretching before and after your workouts. A physical therapist can set up an exercise routine for your specific type of workout. No matter what type of exercises you are doing, physical therapy can help you make the most of your activities.

Physical therapy can combine targeted stretches with strength building exercises, massage therapy, ultrasound therapy, heat or cold therapy, and many other techniques to help you feel better and stay healthy.

Your physical therapist can also guide you on which types of stretches are best suited to your current physical condition and the type of activity you’re participating in. It’s also important to make sure you do the right exercises in the right way. We can make sure you are doing the right stretches for your needs and show you how to perform them safely.

To learn more about the correct techniques and stretches for the types of physical activity you are participating in, scheduling an appointment with a qualified physical therapist is a great first step.

What kinds of stretches should I consider?

There are several different types of stretches a person can do before and after a workout. It’s important to know which types are right for you and when you should use them in a workout.

  • Ballistic: Ballistic stretching involves bouncing movement to push muscles beyond a normal range of motion.
  • Dynamic: These are active movements that are not held but still cause muscles to stretch. These are often done to prepare your muscles for movement.
  • Static: This involves holding a particular stretch for 10 to 20 seconds. This type of stretch should feel comfortable and is normally done after a workout.

Why should I stretch after exercising?

You may be tempted to go straight into relaxation mode after a workout. It’s important, however, to get in even a few minutes of stretching. There are several specific benefits of stretching after you finish your workout.

  • Relaxation of the mind and body: It’s beneficial for both body and mind to gradually slow down. When you stretch after a workout you’re giving yourself the chance to gradually wind-down.
  • Pain relief and injury prevention: Muscles that stay tight after a workout are more prone to injury. PT in Motion states that the right kind of stretching exercises can limit pain throughout the body. Loosening up your muscles will also reduce your chance of injury.
  • Reduction of lactic acid: Lactic acid is produced when you work out. This substance can make muscles achy and tired. Stretching can help reduce the amount of lactic acid throughout your body.

Why should I stretch before exercising?

You should always start your workout with a series of stretching exercises. Stretching 5 to 10 minutes is probably enough for most activities. It’s important, however, to adequately stretch all the muscles you’ll be using. There are several specific advantages you’ll receive when adequately stretching before your workout.

  • Improving overall performance: All of the above; increased blood flow, flexibility, and range of motion, will improve overall performance.
  • Improving flexibility and range of motion: Correct stretching will loosen your muscles and tendons. This will increase flexibility and range of motion during your workout.
  • Enhancing blood circulation: The first thing stretching can do is increase your blood flow. Increased blood flow to your muscles prepares them for strenuous activity.

Looking for more assistance? We can help!

Physical therapy can help you get the most out of your workouts and improve your overall health. Feel free to contact us today to get started!

How Does Nutrition Help Relieve Pain and Inflammation?

Are you living with chronic pain or inflammation? If so, there may be a simple solution for you: changing your eating habits. Proper nutrition can play an important role in managing your discomfort. Many people live with chronic pains every day, unaware that simply eating the right foods can actually help them find relief. Maintaining a healthy diet, in addition to frequent exercise and reduced stress, can help alleviate your inflammation and chronic pain. For more information on how nutrition can help you find relief, contact our office in Orland Park, Homer Glen, and Crestwood, IL today.

Why do we experience inflammation?

In many cases, inflammation is natural. Without inflammation, injuries would not be able to heal completely. It is the body’s way of promoting healing in response to physical harm or sickness. Pain and inflammation typically go hand-in-hand, so if you are feeling pain in a certain area, there’s a good chance that it’s also inflamed. With any wound, infection, tissue damage, or buildup of toxins in your body, your immune response will be triggered in order to initiate the healing process, thus resulting in inflammation.

While inflammation generally is a positive response, chronic inflammation can be an indication of a deeper underlying condition. Without treatment, chronic inflammation can lead to much worse outcomes, such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers. If your pain or inflammation has persisted for three months or longer, it is important to consult with a physical therapist as soon as possible, in order to get it under control.

Treating pain and inflammation with nutritious foods is a natural, easy, and healthy way to ease your discomfort.

A nutritious, anti-inflammatory diet:

Several patients who choose to participate in an anti-inflammatory diet report a significant decrease in symptoms. You can help speed up the healing process as the body purifies itself during the inflammation process by switching to a diet that complements the removal of toxins. The three basic components to an anti-inflammatory diet include:

  • Less dairy and grains. In order to strengthen your body’s immune response as much as possible, you’ll want to try and avoid simple carbs and sugars completely. That means no pastries, no donuts, and no white breads. Dairy products should also be extremely limited, so be mindful of serving very little cheese or milk with anything. Whole grains such as barley, oats, brown rice, and wheat are best when practicing an anti-inflammatory diet.
  • Less red meat. It is best to avoid red meat altogether in an anti-inflammatory diet, but if you must add some in there, it should be very scarce. One small piece of steak, one time per week, should be your maximum limit. The proteins in red meat require extra work from your kidneys to process; therefore, eating a lot of it will slow down your healing process. The good news is that chicken and fish are just fine for an anti-inflammatory diet.
  • More vegetables. One of the best ways to reduce inflammation is to increase your veggie intake. This diet is most successful if you eat up to nine servings a day, with the vegetables preferably served raw. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli are some the best options. It is okay to substitute fruits for a couple of your servings, in order to break it up, but vegetables should be your main ingredient for the most part.

Contact us for assistance:

The diet above should help reduce your pain and inflammation. Additional steps you can take to relieve discomfort and improve your health include exercising daily, managing your stress, and maintaining a healthy body weight.

If these tips don’t prove to be successful, or if you’d like more assistance in making them a part of your everyday lifestyle, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll set you up with a consultation to discuss how we can help you achieve your health and wellness goals!

Sources:

https://www.apta.org/PatientCare/Nutrition/


Stress-Related Headaches Don’t Have to Cause More Stress in Your Life

Discover the Relief You’ve Been Looking For!

Millions of people suffer from a variety of headaches. This may include sinus headaches, hormonal headaches, and migraines. Various types of stress can also play a role in causing headaches.

In fact, stress-related headaches are considered to be one of the most common headaches people experience. It is important to understand how stress headaches differ from other types of headaches, in addition to the causes of these types of headaches and how a physical therapist can help.

As stated by Choose PT, “There is effective treatment for almost every type of headache.” Find out how physical therapy can help you!

How can physical therapy help relieve my headaches?

Physical therapy might not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering treatment options for headaches. Physical therapy, however, may be the ideal treatment if you’re experiencing tension or stress headaches.

A physical therapist would probably conduct a review of your medical history and conduct a thorough evaluation of your current physical abilities and limitations. A specific treatment plan could then be created that would address your individual condition.

There are several specific ways that physical therapy can help reduce stress-related headaches:

  • Lifestyle Changes: A physical therapist can teach you new ways of sitting, standing, and even different ways to complete daily tasks that can reduce the stress and tension that contributes to stress headaches. Over time, even improved posture may be able to decrease the amount of headaches you experience.
  • Stretches: Stretching exercises can help loosen tight muscles and ligaments in your neck and back that are contributing to your headaches. Certain stretches may also strengthen muscles in your neck and back. You can reduce pressure in your neck and shoulders as the muscles become stronger and more flexible.
  • Ice/Heat Therapy: Alternating between heat and cold therapy can often reduce the tension and stress in muscles. It not only reduces muscle strain but can provide immediate soothing relief.
  • Soft Tissue Mobilization: Massage and other types of manual therapy can often provide immediate relief from pain associated with stress headaches. A physical therapist using the correct massage techniques can help prevent contractions in the shoulders, neck, and head that can cause headaches.

A physical therapist can also help in the following ways:

  • Postural improvement: How your posture is held during the day significantly impacts your pain levels and the likelihood of experiencing a stress-related headache. Your physical therapist will teach you how to improve your posture for a greater quality of life.
  • Neck adjustments: Your physical therapist can use manual therapy to stretch muscles in your neck to relieve pain and increase range of motion.
  • Improving your muscle strength: You’ll learn exercises to help strengthen the muscles that control your upper back and neck. This way your posture will improve, and you’ll be able to sit or stand for long periods without experiencing pain and discomfort.

Why am I experiencing headaches?

There are a number of reasons why you may experience a stress-related headache.

Anxiety, fatigue, and general stress can all contribute to these types of headaches. Certain health conditions, including arthritis, may also lead to stress-related headaches.

It is also possible for poor posture to contribute to stress-related headaches. Improper posture can make the muscles tense and cause the blood vessels to dilate.

So, what are stress-related headaches?

Stress-related headaches are sometimes also referred to as tension headaches. In stressful situations, our bodies often go into fight or flight mode. During this time, certain chemicals in the brain can be released that can cause a variety of changes in the body that can lead to pain.

You may experience a dull, achy pain along your forehead or through the back of your head. The pain sometimes begins in the neck or shoulders and progresses through the areas of the head. Sometimes aches or pains may also occur in the jaws and cheeks.

Get started today!

If you are struggling with stress-related headaches, a personalized physical therapy plan may reduce or even eliminate headache pain.

Ready to get started? Contact us today to get in touch with a physical therapist who can help relieve your headaches and get you on the path to a pain-free life.

Physical Therapy: Treating Arthritis the Safe and Easy Way

Anyone living with arthritis knows how debilitating it can be. Several people dealing with arthritic aches and pains end up resorting to steroid injections, antirheumatic drugs, or even joint replacement surgery, in order to manage their pain. However, physical therapy itself has proven successful for many arthritis sufferers. Before turning to potentially harmful drugs or an invasive surgical procedure, give physical therapy a try! Contact us today or visit us in Orland Park or Homer Glen, IL to schedule a consultation and learn how we can treat your arthritis the safe and easy way.

Isolating painful joints:

Rest can sometimes be the best cure for arthritic joints. However, too much inactivity can actually worsen the problem by weakening the surrounding muscles.

Your physical therapist can help you isolate the painful joint, so you can remain active while finding relief. Bracing provides natural pain relief for your arthritic condition. Depending on where your arthritis is rooted, a specialized neck collar or wrist splint can also provide specialized support for that joint. By isolating the painful area, you will be able to go about your daily life without worrying about the aches and pains you are carrying with you.

Building range-of-motion:

Anyone with arthritis can vouch for the painfully stiff joints that accompany the condition. If you try to push the affected joint further than it can move, the resulting sensation can range from a nagging twinge to sheer agony. Flexibility exercises learned in physical therapy sessions gradually allow your joints to become more limber, while resistance exercises work to strengthen the muscles that support those joints. By participating in such treatments, your complete physical therapy session will allow you to achieve lessened discomfort and greater freedom of movement.

Incorporating manual therapy:

Physical therapy isn’t just about doing specialized exercises. In fact, manual therapy is a crucial part of many physical therapy treatment plans. It is the hands-on component of PT that not only gives arthritic patients much-needed pampering, but also helps to ease discomfort. Manual pain relief treatment often occupies a significant portion of an arthritic patient’s physical therapy session.

Additional treatment methods may include ice and heat therapies, massage, and even specialized machines, in order to ease aching joints. Your physical therapist can alternate heating pads and ice packs to naturally relieve pain. Targeted massage boosts circulation and creates a soothing, warming sensation for arthritic areas. Ultrasound machines bring soothing heat deeper into the affected joints. No matter what methods and modalities you are prescribed, you can find solace in the fact that your physical therapist designed your treatment plan specifically for you.

Moving in new ways:

It’s not always simple to anticipate which actions you make will bring on arthritic twinges and sharp pains. Even something as simple as turning a corner while walking can cause your arthritic shoulder to tense and twist in a way that you never even noticed before, resulting in a jolt of pain that seems to shoot right through you. Because of this, learning new ways to move is important, in order to help you avoid some of those unwelcomed painful sensations throughout the day.

During physical therapy treatments, arthritic patients are able to learn which motions lead to discomfort. Their physical therapists are also able to demonstrate new joint protection techniques, in order to avoid unnecessary pain. This could be something as simple as using a purse with a particular kind of strap, in order to take pressure off your wrists, or exiting the car or bathtub in a different way.

If you have arthritic fingers, a physical therapist can demonstrate how to carry objects with your palms instead of grasping them. Laying objects across the arms instead of carrying them in your hands is another common technique. Throughout your treatments, you will also gain information on the latest tools and gadgets that can help make day-to-day tasks much less challenging.

Find relief today!

Each arthritis case is different. Because of this, your treatment plan will be dependent upon the location and severity of your condition, as well as any physical limitations you may have. At your initial appointment, you will undergo a thorough assessment in order to determine which methods will provide you with optimum pain relief. If you are looking for a safe and easy way to treat your arthritis pains, look no further! Schedule a consultation today and get started on your path toward long-lasting pain relief.

Sources:

https://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/understanding-arthritis/what-is-arthritis.php

https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/

Find Relief for Your Hip and Knee Pains with PT

You Don’t Have to Live with Constant Pains!

There are many factors that could lead to pain in the hips and knees, from excess weight, to sports injuries, to rising age, to repetitive motion injuries. Regardless of the cause of your hip and/or knee pain, if you experience it regularly, it’s important to find a way to manage it.

Hip and knee pain can be difficult to live with. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, knee pain is a common condition resulting in 19.4 million pain-related visits to a physician’s office each year!

Many people rely on medications, such as anti-inflammatory drugs to minimize their discomfort. However, these drugs do have potential side effects, so it would be in your best interest to also find other ways to relieve your pain. Physical therapy may be the solution you’re looking for!

Why pain management drugs are not ideal

If you have been prescribed pain relievers by your doctor, it is best to follow the advice they have given you.

However, you are welcome to discuss physical therapy with your doctor as well or with one of our dedicated team members. If you find that your pain level has decreased through physical therapy, you can discuss reducing the use of your pain reliever with your doctor.

PT for persistent pain

You may notice pain relief when you’re actively participating in your PT sessions, but what about when you go home? Your physical therapist’s main goal is to heal your injuries over the long term.

The various exercises and treatments that they prescribe to you will constantly improve your condition so that you experience less pain on a daily basis. As your body gets stronger and more mobile, you are likely to experience less pain in your hips and knees over time.

How will physical therapy benefit me?

If your doctor has told you to take pain relievers every day for your hip and/or knee pain, you should follow your doctor’s recommendations. But it also cannot hurt to ask about alternatives like physical therapy.

Working with a physical therapist can help reduce or eliminate your pain in a variety of ways, including:

  • At-home exercises – Did you know you don’t always have to be in a clinical setting to do physical therapy exercises? It’s true! Physical therapy techniques can be incorporated into a home exercise program that can become part of your daily routine.
  • Manual physical therapy – Hands-on techniques are used often in physical therapy to reduce pain in your hips and knees. This could include stretching exercises or a variety of massage techniques.
  • Laser therapy – Laser therapy has become much more popular in physical therapy for pain management. It can help improve the growth and reproduction of cells, increase circulation, and also reduce inflammation.
  • Heat and ice therapy. Heat can be used to improve your mobility and decrease the amount of pain you are experiencing so that you can move more freely. Ice can also be used to lessen pain from your hip and/or knee as well as to reduce inflammation.
  • Mobility and flexibility exercises. Often hip and knee pain can lead to loss of mobility and flexibility – which then increases the wear on your joints and leads to even more pain. Physical therapists can take you through exercises to improve your mobility and flexibility so that you can move your limbs and joints in the fullest range of motion that is available based on your body and circumstances.
  • Ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound is used by physical therapists to apply heat deeper in your soft tissues to provide pain relief. The heat can improve circulation and aid in healing, which can ultimately reduce the pain you experience day to day.
  • Strengthening exercises. Loss of muscular strength can contribute significantly to hip and knee pain because the weaker your muscles get, the more stress is put on your joints. Physical therapy centers around specific exercises designed to target various muscles and strengthen them so that they better support your joints.
  • Identifying the root cause of pain. There may be one or several reasons why you are experiencing hip and knee pain. A physical therapist can examine your movement to help identify things that are contributing to your pain, such as poor posture, unhealthy walking patterns or unhealthy movement patterns at work. Once they identify these kinds of issues, physical therapists can tell you how to correct them.

Ready to begin treatments?

Please contact us today to schedule an appointment with a PT who specializes in hip and knee pain. We’re waiting to help you!

A Physical Therapist’s Role in Chronic Pain Relief

Ready to Relieve Your Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain is extremely common – with more than 100 million sufferers alone in the U.S. So, if you’re struggling with chronic pain – you’re not alone.

Standard pain medications have so many undesired qualities that you can’t rely on them to fully treat your pain, which can leave you wondering if you’re just stuck with your pain.

Luckily, there is another potential solution. Physical therapy has been shown to be effective in reducing or eliminating chronic pain. With the right treatment plan, you may be able to reduce your discomfort significantly.

How can a physical therapist help relieve my chronic pain?

1. TENS, Ice Therapy, Heat Therapy

Physical therapists have a variety of tools at their disposal to treat your immediate pain as well. They can use things like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), hot and cold therapies to help reduce inflammation and ease some of the pain you are feeling. These therapies can also help improve your body’s ability to heal.

2. Safe movements

Most people are not fully aware of how they move in their day to day activities. You could be bending over, lifting, walking, running, sitting, or moving in some other manner that is contributing to your chronic pain. Learning how to improve the issues with your movements can significantly decrease the pain you experience.

Your first session with your physical therapist will include an exam where they watch the way you perform different activities – like walking – to identify any possible problems. Once they know where things are going wrong, they can teach you how to improve so that you do not unknowingly increase your chronic pain.

3. Flexibility improvement

Improving your flexibility can also help reduce your pain. When you are suffering from an injury, it is common for your body to compensate in some way to avoid the pain – which can lead to unhealthy movement patterns that you may not even be aware of.

The way your body compensates may help right after the injury, but over time it will lead to wear and tear on other parts of your body. If you feel really tight or locked up in one way or another, you are probably experiencing this type of situation.

Physical therapy can gently relax your body so that you can return to moving in a healthy manner. Your physical therapist will work with you to ease the tension so that your body can move correctly and increase the strength of the muscles surrounding the joint so that you can maintain the correct movement patterns.

4. Strength training

Depending on your condition, your physical therapist may teach you some exercises designed to strengthen your muscles and soft tissues.

It may seem strange that getting stronger is recommended by medical science when you are in pain – since exercising may be painful in and of itself, especially at first. But there are good reasons to try and make you stronger.

Often, the cause of chronic pain is pressure on nerves in your joints, whether your spine, knees, hips, elbows, or some other joint. When you make the muscles around those joints stronger, they are better at providing support – which can take some of the pressure off of your nerves.

What should I know about chronic pain?

As stated by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke,

“While acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to possible injury and the need to take care of yourself, chronic pain is different. Chronic pain persists. Pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years.

There may have been an initial mishap — sprained back, serious infection, or there may be an ongoing cause of pain — arthritis, cancer, ear infection, but some people suffer chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage. Many chronic pain conditions affect older adults.

Common chronic pain complaints include headache, low back pain, cancer pain, arthritis pain, neurogenic pain (pain resulting from damage to the peripheral nerves or to the central nervous system itself), psychogenic pain (pain not due to past disease or injury or any visible sign of damage inside or outside the nervous system).

A person may have two or more coexisting chronic pain conditions. Such conditions can include chronic fatigue syndrome, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease, interstitial cystitis, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and vulvodynia. It is not known whether these disorders share a common cause.”

Find relief for your chronic pains today

If you’re struggling with chronic pain, we want you to know that we’re here to help. Our physical therapy team can design an individualized treatment program to help relieve your pain and improve your life. Please don’t hesitate to contact us today to schedule a consultation!

Feeling Those Morning Aches and Pains? We Can Help!

Find Out How Physical Therapy Can Help You Fight Painful Mornings!

Do you jump out of bed excited to experience another morning—or do you just lie there, afraid to move because of the pain you know you’ll feel when you get up?

Aches and pains are never welcome, but they can really break your spirits when they have plagued you from the very first moments of your awakening.

It helps to understand why these discomforts occur in different parts of your body, and how you can stop them by using safe, drug-free methods such as physical therapy.

How can physical therapy help me relieve my pain?

Morning pain and overnight pain are closely linked. Issues such as chronic lower back pain may cause you to wake up many times every night, creating a twinge with every little body movement. When you get up, you feel even more pain than you did when you went to bed.

Physical therapy can help you reduce your morning aches and pains. An experienced physical therapist knows how to evaluate your symptoms in detail, see how they relate to your quality of sleep (or lack of sleep), and identify the underlying causes.

This understanding enables the development of an individualized physical therapy program, aimed at eliminating or controlling the specific causes of your pain. For example, we might determine that your back needs a firmer or softer mattress, or that your neck might benefit from a contoured cervical pillow.

Other proven physical therapy methods can help you strengthen your back, tame bursitis, relieve plantar fasciitis, or control the symptoms of osteoarthritis. We can even help you learn stress-relieving techniques to help your jaw, as well as which sleeping positions are most likely to ease your joint discomfort.

Do you have any of these conditions?

Each area of the body has its own particular vulnerabilities to different kinds of morning pain. Here’s a quick troubleshooting guide to help you figure out what’s going on:

  • Heel pain: If taking those first steps in the morning are torture for your heels, but the pain then recedes as you walk around, you probably have a chronic inflammation of the arches called plantar fasciitis.
  • Hip pain: If you experience hip pain that feels like it’s coming from within the joint and is at its worst upon awakening, suspect osteoarthritis. If the pain feels like it’s on the outside of the hip and bothers you more at night, suspect bursitis.
  • Back pain: Pain can afflict any part of your back first thing in the morning. If you can barely move in the morning or never get quite comfortable at night, you may be using the wrong kind of mattress for your back.
  • Neck pain: If you feel like someone tried to twist your head off during the night, you may have the wrong kind of pillow for your individual needs. Incorrect head and neck support can leave you with agonizing stiffness.
  • Jaw pain: Does your jaw feel stiff and achy when you wake up in the morning? You may be grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw as you sleep, a problem known as bruxism. This habit is associated with emotional and physical stress.

Increasing your physical activity could help!

If you spend your days hobbling painfully from your bed to your reclining chair and back, the notion of pursuing any kind of vigorous activity may be the furthest thing from your mind.

The truth, however, is that getting active can vastly improve your health, your comfort, mobility, and overall quality of life.

The key is to find a fun activity that you enjoy doing and that also fits your current fitness level.

Make your mornings more comfortable with physical therapy!

From conquering chronic pain sources to improving sleep hygiene, physical therapy can help you ease morning aches and pains in a number of ways.

Don’t sleep through life in a haze of chronic pain—wake up and get in touch with our physical therapist for an evaluation!