Living with Aches and Pains? There’s A Chance it Could be From Your Mattress

If Your Mattress is Leaving You Feeling Achy, Physical Therapy Can Help

Do you notice that you often wake up in more pain than you felt when you were going to sleep? If you have been dealing with low back pain that seems to be much worse in the morning, your mattress might be the culprit!

While back pain is a common enough ailment that most people think they’ll just be stuck with it forever, you can find relief! But what is the true cause of your back pain at night? Could it be your favorite sleeping position or is your mattress actually causing your recurring back pain?

Call our physical therapy offices today to schedule a free consultation with our skilled physical therapist and learn more about how you can get relief from your lower back pain naturally.

How do I know if my pain is from my mattress?

According to Spine Health, “Sleeping on the wrong mattress can cause or worsen lower back pain. Lack of support from a mattress reinforces poor sleeping posture, strains muscles and does not help keep the spine in alignment, all of which contribute to low back pain.

Sleep comfort is also sacrificed if a mattress does not match one’s individual preferences. A mattress that provides both comfort and back support helps reduce low back pain, allowing the structures in the spine to really rest and rejuvenate during the night.”

While the Better Sleep Council recommends replacing your mattress every 7 to 10 years, the way you feel in the morning is a better indicator that it’s time to replace your sleep surface.

If your mattress was once comfortable but now seems to be at the root of your aches and pains, it may be time to replace it. Physical changes like injuries, surgery and weight change can also change your body’s position as you sleep, necessitating a faster change in your mattress.

Are you experiencing back pain?

There are 2 main types of back pain. Subacute lower back pain can last between 4 and 12 weeks, while chronic back pain persists for 12 weeks or longer.

So, if you’re sleeping on the wrong mattress, it’s easy to see how what may have been a subacute injury, could easily progress into a chronic pain issue. Lower back pain is one of the most common conditions affecting Americans today.

In fact, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says close to 80% of adults will experience low back pain at some point in their lives.

Back pain can come on suddenly or gradually and can present as a dull ache or intense, sharp pains. And for many, low back pain can be a chronic condition.

Common causes of back pain

Before choosing to work with a physical therapist to relieve your lower back pain, it’s important to understand the possible causes of the condition and what changes you can make at home, including changing out your old mattress!

Sprains and Strains

Back sprains can pop-up due to overuse injuries, sports-related injuries, awkward twisting, improper lifting and more. A sprain typically occurs when you overstretch or tear one of your ligaments, tendons or muscles.

Common symptoms associated with a back sprain include swelling, tenderness, and recurring muscle spasms. They can usually be treated with targeted physical therapy sessions, at-home exercises, and over-the-counter pain medications.

Injuries

Anytime you are on the receiving end of a forceful impact, there’s a good chance that you could damage your spine with a vertebral fracture, a herniated disc or ruptured disc.

Common causes of this type of injury include auto accidents, falls, and sports injuries. Most people experience back pain immediately following their injury, with common symptoms including numbness, tingling, and burning sensations that can radiate down into the legs.

Improper Alignment

Not all mattresses are created equally and if your delicate back isn’t getting proper support at night, you could experience low back pain.

A good mattress should be supportive of your entire body when you are lying in a neutral position, providing proper spinal alignment.

If it is too firm, it can press against the pressure points in your spine. But if it’s too soft, your pressure points will be unsupported at night, resulting in spinal curvature.

Get started with physical therapy treatments

Our physical therapist is a movement expert who has the skills needed to help relieve low back pain naturally with a combination of hands-on care, prescribed exercises, and patient education.

When you work with an experienced physical therapist, you can enjoy fast pain relief, reduced inflammation, and increased mobility.

Give Goodlife Physical Therapy a call today to learn more about the benefits of physical therapy for low back pain and be sure to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Living With Aches and Pains? Try Changing Your Diet

Did You Know You Could Find Pain Relief with a Simple Diet Change

A physical therapist can help you identify ways to improve your nutrition to help reduce your aches and pains.

If you are what you eat, what are you based on your last meal? If your answer was full of saturated fat and processed sugars, it may be time to listen to what your body is telling you. Fortunately, physical therapy is more than just recovery after surgery.

Lifestyle changes can help tremendously when trying to reach your physical goals. But what kinds of lifestyle changes should you pursue? In addition to regular exercise, including the types of targeted exercises you might receive in physical therapy, you should examine your sleep, your workplace ergonomics – and your nutrition.

Certain foods have been known to alleviate inflammation, where some foods can aggravate it. In fact, according to Harvard Health Publishing, “A lot of chronic pain is the result of chronic inflammation, and the evidence is quite strong that your diet can contribute to increased systemic inflammation.”

Curious about how your nutrition can help with pain relief? Call our office for more information.

What should I know about nutrition and pain relief?

With so much information about nutrition bombarding us from every side, it’s no wonder we are confused about what to eat for optimal health.

Make no mistake, proper nutrition isn’t about trying a fad to get results, it’s about feeding your body the nutrients it needs to carry you throughout your life.

That is why so many people find themselves gaining and losing the same 20 pounds as they cycle through various nutrition programs.

Fortunately, great nutrition information is easily available in an unlikely source, a physical therapist.

How is nutrition related to pain relief?

Physical therapy goes beyond recovering after surgery. A physical therapist is a specialist in total body movement, including how to give the body what it needs to optimize that movement.

Most pain is caused by inflammation of the joints, muscles or connective tissues throughout the body. As these tissues swell, they compromise the surrounding nerves. The brain processes this information as pain causing the typical aches and pains throughout the body.

Researchers have found that certain foods help fight the inflammatory response that contributes to aches and pains.

Fish high in Omega-3 fatty acids, colorful fruits and vegetables, nuts, and seeds have all been proven to offer relief to people suffering from joint conditions such as arthritis. These foods also boost the immune system, especially in people with autoimmune conditions that may cause pain.

How can physical therapy help with my nutritional changes?

A physical therapist’s extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology can provide you with vital nutrition information that will help minimize your aches and pains.

If your nutrients aren’t properly balanced, your physical function can be impaired. For example, neglecting to eat carbs before an endurance event will cause your body to burn fat as a substitute for fueling your energy.

Your body may even start burning protein, which can deprive your muscles of the strength they normally have. Comparatively, if you have an overload of calcium intakes, but you’re lacking Vitamin D, the calcium won’t make its way to your bones or tissues.

Even if you are not in physical therapy, a physical therapist is happy to impart this knowledge so you can live a happier, healthier life.

Consulting with a physical therapist can help you understand how much you should be ingesting of each nutrient, and when more or fewer intakes of a certain nutrient may be beneficial.

First, they will assess your current eating habits and identify ways you can reduce your consumption of foods that cause inflammation (sugar, processed foods, foods with additives or preservatives) and fill your diet with foods that will naturally fight inflammation.

A healthy balance of nutrients can help enhance healing, function, and overall comfort. For example, omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin C both help in reducing inflammation, which promotes faster healing.

Certain amino acids can also aid your body in synthesizing proteins. Eating the right amount of carbohydrates at the right times can help give you the energy you need to improve your physical performance.

Imagine ditching the anti-inflammatory medication simply by changing what you are eating on a regular basis. Even small changes can add up to big improvement in aches and pains.

How can I get started?

Curious whether a physical therapist can help you get your nutrition back on track and fight the aches and pains that are keeping you from living your best life? Call Goodlife Physical Therapy today to schedule a consultation.

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Get Moving with Ease Once Again! These 5 Tips Can Help You Live an Active Life

Ready to Get Moving? We Can Help!

Getting active can be intimidating. With thousands of exercise programs out there, it’s hard to figure out which one is right for you.

According to PT in Motion News, 80 percent of Americans aren’t meeting physical activity guidelines set forth by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Finding the time or the motivation to exercise is difficult for many people.

It isn’t always easy to stay active, especially if you’re already struggling with limited mobility. However, getting active can vastly improve your health, your comfort, your mobility, and your overall quality of life.

There are several easy ways to increase your activity level that most people can include in their daily routine.

In fact, there are a few, fun, favorite fitness activities that rise to the top for everyone, whether they are just starting out or are long-time fitness enthusiasts.

But before you dive into one of these activities, call our office to meet with our physical therapist and find out how to safely get in shape.

1. Pickleball

A cross between tennis and badminton, pickleball is taking the nation by storm with indoor and outdoor leagues popping up everywhere.

Pickleball uses specialized paddles and a wiffle ball and is played on a small court. Slower-paced than tennis, but faster than badminton, pickleball is ideal for people who enjoy the social aspects of competitive sports but who want to avoid running or jumping often associated with racquetball, tennis or squash.

The range of motion required to swing a paddle combined with the steps required to walk back and forth on the court makes it ideal for everyone from young children to octogenarians. Best of all, the average adult burns 250 calories in a casual 30-minute game, making it a great low-impact workout.

2. Stand Up Paddleboarding

In recent years, stand up paddleboarding (SUP) has exploded in popularity with good reason. Not only is it low impact, but it is also a total body workout. Standing on top of a board, you use a paddle to navigate a body of water.

Engaging your core muscles for balance, using your upper body for propulsion and leg muscles for standing, an hour of leisurely paddle boarding burns 300 to 400 calories.

3. Hiking

The difference between walking and hiking is defined by the terrain. Traditionally, hiking means changing your elevation as you traverse unimproved trails.

The act of maintaining your balance, going up and down hills and traversing obstacles in your path can burn three to four times more calories than simply going for a walk.

Best of all, you don’t need special equipment to go for a hike. All you need are sturdy shoes, water, and a little wanderlust to get a great workout in nature. Best of all, studies have shown that exercising outdoors keeps you coming back for more.

4. Swimming

When it comes to fun, low-impact workouts, there are few more effective than swimming. 30 minutes of swimming laps may burn around 200 calories, but that isn’t the only way to reap the benefits of the pool.

Water aerobics, water dancing and water walking all help maintain a consistent level of exercise even if you are not a strong swimmer.

5. Walking

We tend to over-complicate physical fitness. Sometimes it is as simple as going for a walk.

In fact, consistent walking routines have been linked not only to weight loss and joint health, but they have also been linked to long term brain health in older adults.

If you cannot walk for 30 minutes at a time, start with 10 and work your way up, adding more time, distance and speed.

Reasons why inactivity is troublesome

Causes of inactivity could include everything from a busy schedule to a physical condition that’s keeping you inactive. If you don’t stay active enough you may struggle with weak muscle tone and aching joints.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, the more inactive you are, the more easily you’ll get tired. There are several other physical issues and conditions associated with inactivity.

  • Weakened bones
  • Increased inflammation
  • Poor blood circulation
  • Hormonal imbalance

Looking for more help? Contact us

You don’t need free weights and running shoes to reap the benefits of physical fitness. Everyone can enjoy a more active lifestyle if they simply start moving. That is why physical therapy so often includes targeted exercise.

If you need help getting started on your fitness journey, call Goodlife Rehab today to see how physical therapy can get you on the road to better health.

Finally Find Relief for Those Persistent Aches and Pains with These 3 Tips

Looking for Relief? Physical Therapy Can Help

There’s something oddly satisfying about waking up the morning after a hard workout and feeling a dull ache in your muscles.

But when that dull ache migrates to your joints and seems to happen every day, that satisfaction quickly turns to frustration.

The answer is not to take anti-inflammatory medication or simply ignore the aches and pains in your joints, but rather to talk to your physical therapist.

If these three reasons to consider physical therapy for joint pain aren’t enough to convince you, call our office to find out more.

1. Physical therapy can help you find relief the natural way!

It doesn’t matter whether it happens in your muscles or joints, your body’s pain receptors are there to alert you to a potential problem.

Whether it is a lack of fluid in the joint, damage to soft tissues like tendons or ligaments, or muscle strain or fatigue, pain signals are designed to keep you from doing permanent damage to your body. Yet, people have a tendency to treat pain as an inconvenience rather than a problem.

If pain is your first warning sign that there is a problem that needs to be fixed, suddenly getting to the root cause of that pain is a priority.

Fortunately, a physical therapist is a specialist in not only human anatomy, but how the body moves. They can uncover the cause of your pain during diagnostic testing and prescribe a series of therapies to address it.

2. Fear of the knife? Physical therapy can decrease the need for surgery.

Most people associate physical therapy with surgery. While it is a vital part of recovery after nearly every surgical procedure possible, that is not the only role physical therapy can play in healing.

In fact, with very few exceptions, physical therapy can help you resolve most joint pain without ever going under the knife.

In some cases, physical therapy has been proven more effective than surgery at treating certain types of joint pain. Joint pain relief without the anxiety and complications of surgery? Sign us up!

3. Physical therapy can help you move with ease.

There are times when rest is the appropriate course of action for treating acute joint pain, especially if there is an injury involved. However, targeted exercise, recommended by a physical therapist, can help relieve joint pain and stiffness.

Not only does exercise improve your overall health and fitness levels, but it also works to strengthen the muscles around your joints, providing them with more support.

Physical therapy can also help protect your bone density, give you more energy, help you sleep, and help you maintain a healthy weight. What does this have to do with joint pain?

A 2005 study found that losing just one pound can eliminate four pounds of pressure on your knees. Even modest weight loss, 5 to 10 pounds, can relieve as much as 20 to 40 pounds of pressure on your joints. A physical therapist can help you stay safely moving while you recover from aches and pains in your joints.

Find relief with our passive and active therapies!

Once your physical therapist has isolated the underlying cause of your chronic joint pain, we can prescribe techniques to help you start feeling – and moving – more like your old self.

Physical therapy for joint pain may start with passive exercises, in which we move the afflicted joint for you to increase its pain-free range of motion.

Exercises that reduce the amount of weight on the joints can also be extremely helpful. For instance, we may recommend swimming or water walking as a means of exercising the hips and knees without also forcing them to bear your full weight.

Other types of exercises can also help you overcome your joint pain while improving joint function. Strengthening exercises help by reinforcing the muscles and connective tissues that serve the joint. Corrective exercises and neuromuscular re-education can help you maintain a straighter, more symmetrical posture.

Last but not least, physical therapy offers a variety of helpful modalities beyond exercise. We may treat your joint pain with heat, ice, and manual therapies such as massage, just to name a few.

Ready to get started on the path toward relief?

Don’t let aches and pains in your joints keep you from living the life you want.

Call GoodLife Rehab today to schedule your consultation with our physical therapist and find out how physical therapy can help you live a pain-free life.

Chronic Back Pain Can Leave You Feeling Defeated – Physical Therapy Can Help

Are You Living with Chronic Back Pain?

Does your back hurt all the time? Can’t seem to get comfortable or engage in your normal activities?

If so, be sure to give us a call and schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapists.

Our physical therapists can help lessen your pain or alleviate it entirely.

Chronic back pain, defined

Most back pain is short term. It persists from a few days to a few weeks. Chronic back pain is pain that lasts for 12 weeks or more.

The American Physical Therapy Association states that back pain is the most commonly experienced form of pain for Americans. In fact, one in every four Americans has sustained some sort of back pain in the past three months.

Chronic back pain is pain that persists for three months and longer. This type of pain can be due to a variety of reasons, including arthritis of the spine, aging, disc problems and myofascial pain syndrome.

About 20 percent of people who have back pain will have it develop into chronic back pain with persistent symptoms. Chronic back pain ranks number three on the scale for the most burdensome conditions for Americans.

What could be causing my chronic back pain?

Most chronic back pain causes are mechanical in nature. Some of the causes include:

  • Intervertebral disc degeneration
  • Radiculopathy
  • Herniated discs
  • Sprains and strains
  • Traumatic injury
  • Sciatica

Sprains and strains are caused by tears in the muscle, twisting or lifting improperly or overstretching. Disc degeneration occurs when the rubbery discs in the spine lose their integrity and no longer act as a cushion between discs. Herniated discs occur when the discs become compressed and bulge outward.

Radiculopathy is caused by injury, inflammation or compression of the spinal nerve root. It can occur with a herniated disc, too.

Sciatic is a type of radiculopathy due to compression of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is a large one and compression to it can cause a burning or shock-like pain that radiates to the leg and feet. It also may cause numbness and weakness in the leg.

Traumatic injuries can occur from falls, car accidents and sports. Damage to the ligaments, muscles and tendons can lead to chronic back pain as the result of a traumatic injury.

How will physical therapy help my chronic back pain?

Physical therapy is often recommended by physicians for people with chronic back pain. The goal of physical therapy is to decrease back pain, increase function and provide education to avoid future recurrences. A physical therapy program typically has two components: passive treatment and active treatment.

Passive treatments consist of ultrasound, ice and heat therapy, TENS units, electric shock, massage and stabilization techniques. Active treatments consist of stretching and targeted exercises.

Physical therapists also give patients with chronic back pain a routine exercise program to do at home. Physical therapy also helps those with chronic back pain avoid depending on pain meds and having surgery. Heat and cold therapy may be used to increase blood flow, reduce inflammation and lessen pain. Ultrasound is a common passive modality that physical therapists utilize. Ultrasound uses sound waves for deep heating that penetrates the soft tissue.

According to the NBCI, “in chronic low back pain, the physical therapy exercise approach remains a first-line treatment and should be routinely used. “

Stabilization exercises may also be included to retrain the deep muscles. Your physical therapist will show you how to use the right spinal and abdominal muscles before beginning any exercises to stabilize the spine. Manipulation is another technique to alleviate chronic back pain. Short and rapid thrusting movements are done over a joint to reduce pain and increase mobility.

Not only does this method alleviate back pain, it enhances healing of the affected area. A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) unit may be ordered by a physical therapist. This unit helps override painful signals sent to the brain.

It can be used at home and on a long-term basis. Deep tissue massage is another common treatment for chronic back pain. This manual method increases oxygen and nutrients to the affected areas for healing and also helps reduce muscle spasms and stiffness.

If you’re suffering from chronic back pain, be sure to contact Goodlife Physical Therapy for a consult and an evaluation.

Ready to find relief?

Our physical therapists will review your medical history, evaluate your function, determine your range of movement and develop a personalized treatment plan that will get you on the path to recovery.

Our goal is to improve your quality of life and help you perform your daily routine.

Stress-Related Headaches Can be Difficult to Live With – Consult With a PT Today

Did You Know Physical Therapy Could Help You Combat Your Stress-Related Headaches?

Daily stresses in life can add up to the point where you feel physically ill. This is what happens when stress-related headaches occur – it’s your body’s way of demonstrating a physical reaction to overwhelming stress.

While pain-management drugs can help in the short term, they won’t fix the overall issue. The next time you have a stress-related headache, don’t reach for the aspirin.

Give us a call to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapists to get rid of your pain.

How can I tell if my headache is stress-related?

One of the main causes of stress-related headaches is right there in the name: stress. The headache generally happens when the muscles in the neck or scalp become tense and contract.

A stress-related headache is often a result of the daily grind. It’s often the everyday irritants like sitting in traffic and tolerating with everyday annoyances at work that trigger this type of headache.

Stiffening your shoulders or tensing your muscles can make these types of headaches even worse.

Depression and anxiety are similar emotions to stress that can also lead to headaches. In addition, there may be a physical cause behind your stress-related headaches. An accident or injury to the neck or back can contribute to headaches. Poor posture and arthritis are two other potential causes.

The good news is you can stop relying on those over-the-counter meds to get rid of your stress-related headaches, and instead opt for physical therapy.

Why did my stress-related headaches develop?

Stress-related headaches can cause pressure, tightness and pain around the back of the head and neck and around the forehead. It may feel like a clamp squeezing your head. And there are two types of stress-related headaches.

The first type is known as episodic tension headaches. These types of headaches occur less than 15 days per month.

The second type is known as chronic tension headaches. These occur more than 15 days a month and can last from 30 minutes to several days.

Often, these types of headaches begin gradually and likely in the middle of the day. Pain may ease up or get stronger, but it’s always there. Up to 80 percent of Americans experience stress-related headaches from time to time.

How can physical therapy help me relieve my stress-related headaches?

Physical therapy is often the best treatment for stress-related headaches. Physical therapy focuses on promoting relaxation and prescribed exercises.

Your physical therapist can help you get to the bottom of your stress-related headache problem. Your physical therapy treatment plan will likely include a combination of treatment methods, including, but not limited to:

  • Exercises that strengthen and loosen your neck muscles can help to ease the stresses that set off your headaches.
  • Chiropractic adjustment can correct skeletal misalignment issues that place your neck muscles under unnatural strain. These adjustments can also help to reduce headache attacks.
  • Laser therapy and massage therapy can both relax tight neck tissues and speed recovery to injured muscles.
  • Corrective exercises and postural/ergonomic changes can help you steer clear of “text neck” and other occupational headache triggers.
  • If your headaches are the result of a recent concussion, a carefully-administered course of physical therapy can actually help you recuperate from that concussion more quickly.
  • Your physical therapist can help you identify other headache triggers and suggest strategies for avoiding them in your everyday life.

A physical therapist will address the pathophysiological aspects of the stress-related headache by implementing hands-on manual massage and soft tissue mobilization. Both increase the blood flow of tissue and reduce myofascial trigger points.

A physical therapist may also perform soft tissue mobilization and hands-on manual therapy to alleviate the pain from stress-related headaches.

In addition, a physical therapy treatment plan for a stress-related headache may include cold and heat therapy. The electronic pulse wands used for these ease muscle strain and provide a soothing relief.

Often, a physical therapist will evaluate your posture in order to lessen the stress on muscles. They may also recommend lifestyle changes, at-home exercises and modifications to workstations at work and home. The goal of physical therapy is to treat the root cause of your stress-related headache.

Get started with us today

Want to learn more about relieving the frequency and severity of your stress-related headache? Give Goodlife Physical Therapy a call today, and we’ll set up an evaluation.

Our physical therapist will also suggest a specific treatment plan to ward off those debilitating stress-headaches. Live a pain-free life with physical therapy.

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Do You Know the Importance of Stretching After Exercise?

Stretching After Exercise Can Improve Your Health and Decrease Your Risk of Injury!

Have you decided to skip stretching after exercise? After a good workout it may be tempting to just hit the couch and take it easy.

Your workout, however, isn’t quite finished. A proper cool down is necessary and this would include different types of stretching.

Some people think that stretching is an unnecessary part of exercising. The truth is that stretching is a necessary component of exercise.

Can some simple physical motions dramatically improve your overall health, wellness, and quality of life? In the case of stretching, the answer is most definitely yes. Stretching exercises are a staple of physical therapy for just that reason.

If you haven’t been stretching after a workout you may be experiencing problems with your muscles and joints.

You may not be aware of what the best stretches are after a workout. Call our office for information on how you can stretch correctly after exercise.

3 reasons why you should stretch after exercise

The following are three specific reasons why you shouldn’t skip stretching after exercising:

1. Reducing lactic acid – The body produces lactic acid whenever you exercise, which contributes to sore, achy muscles. Stretching can help reduce the accumulation of lactic acid throughout the body. It also relaxes tense muscles.

2. Improving heart function – Exercise gets your blood flowing which provides several important health benefits. It’s just as important, however, to get your heart rate back to a normal level after the workout is over. Stretching correctly will help your heart return to a normal rate in a healthy manner.

3. Avoiding muscle and joint strain – Stretching in the correct way can limit the strain on your muscles and joints. It will help your muscles stay flexible and toned. This will ultimately reduce the chance of injury after exercising.

What are the risks of not stretching?

After a workout you may not feel the need to stretch if your muscles aren’t aching or sore. You may just not want to take the time to do it.

But there are several potential effects of not taking the time to stretch correctly after exercise. You might experience stiffness if you’re not stretching adequately.

Muscles and tendons that aren’t stretched properly after exercise may be more susceptible to injury. If you already have an injury the Mayo Clinic advises adjusting your stretching routine.

It’s also important to not only make sure you’re stretching after exercise, but that you’re doing the right types of stretches.

How are stretching and physical therapy related?

Stretching typically involves the connective tissue, a muscle or a tendon. The goal of stretching is to improve range of motion, flexibility, and muscle elasticity. The five most common stretching exercises are:

  • Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
  • Dynamic
  • Ballistic
  • Static
  • Low Load

A physical therapist can teach you different methods for stretching more effectively. Move Forward states that stretching is an important part of exercise recovery, yet it usually doesn’t get the attention or time it deserves.

A physical therapy program that is created to meet your unique needs can help you learn to stretch correctly after exercise. A trained physical therapist can teach you the best stretching techniques whether you’re a regular athlete or just getting in occasional exercise.

Stretching after exercising can help keep your muscles and joints in top condition. It’s important to find a qualified physical therapist that can teach you a variety of stretches.

If you’re struggling with muscle and joint pain caused from lack of stretching it can also help to visit a physical therapist. Stretches taught by a therapist can increase your flexibility, reduce injuries, and may even improve your athletic performance.

Physical therapy and improved health

Stretching provides numerous benefits to help your body keep itself healthier. One of the most important of these is stress relief. Everyday life throws lots of challenges at you, and the resulting stress can be held in your muscles.

This leads to tightness, spasms, and chronic discomforts such as headaches and neck pain. Stress also floods your body with “fight or flight” hormones such as cortisone and adrenaline. These imbalances can suppress your immune function, making you more vulnerable to viruses and other diseases. Hypertension is yet another dangerous consequence of chronic stress.

Regular stretches help your body release all that pent-up stress. By relaxing and loosening your muscles, you can maintain better control over your blood pressure, avoid chronic muscle pain, and keep your immune system ready for anything.

Contact us for more assistance

Contact us today for a free consultation to learn how we can help create the best stretching routine for your fitness level.

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Consult with a Physical Therapist to Find Relief for Your Hip and Knee Pains

Looking for Relief? Physical Therapy Has You Covered

Does nagging hip and knee pain keep you from completing everyday tasks with ease? If you’ve been living with chronic aches and pains in these areas, you may benefit from regular physical therapy treatment.

A skilled physical therapist can help to improve your daily quality of life by targeting your problem areas to decrease pain and boost mobility over time.

If you or a loved one experiences pain and discomfort when getting up from a chair, walking down to the corner store, or going up and down the stairs—there’s a good chance that physical therapy can help to ease your pain, stiffness, and weakness.

Call our offices today to learn more about how we can help to reduce your chronic hip or knee pain and be sure to schedule a free initial consultation with our physical therapist.

Why did my hip and knee pain develop?

The hips and knees are the largest joints in the human body and do much of the work in supporting your body weight.

They must both work together in close coordination to keep your body mobile but can easily be affected by injury, arthritis and other common conditions.

In some cases, knee and hip problems can be treated with certain exercises or pain relief medication. But it is also very common for hip and knee problems to worsen over time, making them difficult to treat with over-the-counter solutions.

Common conditions resulting in hip and knee pain

While each person is different, many of our physical therapy clients experience recurring hip and knee pain as a result of a few different causes.

These include:

  • Core Muscle Injury — Notice a pain in your groin area after a weekend of playing ball with your pals? If so, you may be suffering from a core muscle injury, like a strain or tear of the muscles and soft tissues in your lower abdomen area. Rest can help this common injury, but we recommend scheduling an appointment with our physical therapist if the hip pain lasts for several days to a week or more.
  • “Runner’s knee” – An unstable kneecap can lead to chronic knee pain. This condition is known as patellofemoral syndrome or “runner’s knee.”
  • Bursitis — If you notice recurring pain on the outside of your hip, buttocks, or thigh, there’s a good chance that you have bursitis or inflammation of the cushioning pillow-like sacs that work to keep your tendons from rubbing against your bone. This is a common condition as we age and can be relieved with targeted physical therapy treatments.
  • Strains, sprains, and ruptures – The knee and hip joints can move thanks to muscles, tendons and ligaments. Repetitive motion or acute injuries can cause a strain (damage to muscles or tendons) or a sprain (hyperextension of a ligament). Athletes are vulnerable to ruptures of the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).
  • Fractures — The bones of the knee can easily be broken during a fall, car accident or sporting accident. The risk of suffering a knee fracture increases as we age, as many older adults develop osteoporosis which weakens the bones. Physical therapy can help to reduce pain and inflammation after a fracture and increase mobility over time.
  • Osteoarthritis – Osteoarthritis is a degeneration of the cartilage that normally keeps the bone ends in a joint from rubbing together. The resulting friction causes chronic pain and inflammation.
  • Torn Meniscus — The meniscus is a tough, rubbery piece of cartilage that works as a shock absorber in the thigh bone and shinbone area. If you suddenly twist your knee while playing sports or attempting other strenuous moves, the meniscus can be torn, causing intense and long-lasting pain. Regular visits with our physical therapist can help to reduce your symptoms.

Ready to get started on a treatment plan?

Depending on the severity of your injury, physical therapy can provide a safe, non-invasive and holistic treatment option.

Physical therapy treatments for hip and knee pain may include stretching and strengthening, balance training, joint mobilization, electrical stimulation and more.

Our physical therapist will work with you to tailor a treatment plan that works to fit your specific lifestyle needs and can also help to create a comprehensive home exercise routine that will help you to maintain a better quality of life between appointments.

The sooner you seek physical therapy for knee or hip pain, the better. Research shows that patients who rehab their hip or knee pain with physical therapy within 15 days of symptom onset have less need for pain injections, medications, or surgical intervention.

Contact Goodlife Physical Therapy today to schedule your free initial physical therapy consultation.