Hip and Knee Pains Got You Down? Here’s A Safe Solution!

Request an appointment with a physical therapist today to find pain relief.

Hip and knee discomfort can be caused by a variety of factors, including excess weight, sports injuries, advanced age, and repetitive motion injuries.

Whatever the reason for your hip and/or knee pain, you must find a strategy to manage it if you are suffering it regularly!

Typically, people lean on anti-inflammatories and other drugs to alleviate pain. However, because these medications can have adverse side effects, it’s a good idea to look for different ways to ease your pain.

The good news is  GoodLife Physical Therapy in EVERGREEN PARK’s physical therapy clinic could hold the solution you’ve been searching for. Call us today to learn more and schedule your appointment with one of our skilled therapists!

How can physical therapy help with hip and knee pain?

You may get pain relief when you are at the physical therapist and going through treatment, but what about when you go home?

Your physical therapist’s main purpose is to help you heal your injuries over time. The different workouts and therapies they utilize with you will gradually improve your condition, allowing you to live a life free of discomfort.

Your hips and knees are likely to become less painful as your body becomes stronger and more mobile.

What to expect with physical therapy treatment

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:

  • Heat and ice therapy. Heat can help you move more freely by improving your mobility and reducing the amount of pain you’re experiencing. Ice can also be used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation in your hip and/or knee.
  • Identify the causes of your hip and knee pain. Hip and knee discomfort can be caused by a variety of factors. A physical therapist can check your movement to see whether anything is contributing to your pain, such as bad posture, bad walking patterns, or bad job movement patterns. Physical therapists can inform you how to fix these problems once they’ve been identified.
  • Ultrasound therapy. Physical therapists utilize ultrasound to apply heat deeper in your soft tissues to relieve pain. The heat helps promote circulation and aid in healing, which might help you feel less pain on a daily basis.
  • Exercises to increase your strength. 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.
  • Exercises to improve mobility and flexibility. 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 guide you through exercises to enhance your mobility and flexibility, allowing you to move your limbs and joints through the full range of motion that your body and circumstances allow.

Evidence supporting physical therapy for hip and knee pain

Physical therapy has been proven as one of the most effective treatment methods for knee and hip injuries. This has been demonstrated through several research-based studies, including a 2014 study published by the Journal of American Medical Association.

The study, titled “Effect of a Home-Based Exercise Program on Functional Recovery Following Rehabilitation After Hip Fracture,” focuses on the benefits of exercise programs for those recovering from hip fractures. In this study, patients were split into two groups.

The intervention group received “functionally oriented exercises (such as standing from a chair, climbing a step) taught by a physical therapist and performed independently by the participants in their homes for six months,” while the other group simply received education on cardiovascular nutrition and recovery.

Results from this study concluded that those participating in the in-home physical therapy exercise programs demonstrated “modest improvement in physical function at six months after randomization.”

Our licensed physical therapists are movement experts. They will analyze how you walk in order to determine any abnormalities and to pinpoint stiff or weak muscles. By pinpointing the exact areas of your body that are not moving as they should, they are able to create a treatment plan that will improve your strength, coordination, and overall mobility.

Request an appointment with us today!

Restoring normal motion is a key aspect to alleviating pain and allowing you to safely partake in the activities you love. Our dedicated team can help you walk, run, and play better. With our motion analysis, strength testing, coordination testing, and more, we can spot your muscles and joints that are in need of treatment.

Your treatment plan will be individualized, based on your specific needs, in order to help you reach your optimum function with the least amount of effort.

Please contact us today to schedule an appointment with a physical therapist for your hip and knee pain. We are standing by to assist you!

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5 Tips To Help You Address Your Chronic Back Pain Problem

A physical therapist could help you feel better, faster!

Did you know that approximately 80 percent of Americans have experienced (or will experience) back pain? It’s true! In fact, 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 gain better function.

Do you live with chronic back pain? Here are five of our top tips for handling it, all backed by research and relatively easy to implement!

Request an appointment with one of our skilled physical therapists at GoodLife Physical Therapy in Evergreen Park today, and let us help you find true relief from your back pain.

Why does back pain occur?

“Back pain” is an all-encompassing term used to describe a vast number of conditions that cause pain in the upper or lower back. Sports-related injuries, poor posture, and car accidents are just a few of the many ways that someone can develop back pain.

The most common cause of back pain is from sustaining an injury. This can happen in one of two ways – from an instant, sudden trauma, or from a repetitive-use injury that develops gradually over time.

Approximately one-quarter of U.S. adults reported having low back pain lasting at least one whole day in the past three months, and 7.6% reported at least one episode of severe acute low back pain within a one-year period.

More than two-thirds of back strains are caused by lifting and other exertions, such as pulling and pushing. Most cases of back pain are mechanical—meaning they are NOT caused by serious conditions, such as infection, fracture, or cancer.

Regardless of the reason for your back pain and discomfort, the good news is that there are several ways you can manage your problem!

Tips for managing back pain

1. Practice deep breathing exercises.

Deep breathing is beneficial to your health because it allows you to receive enough oxygen into your tissues to heal them.

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.

Deep breathing also stimulates the area of the neural system that helps you relax, which is an excellent approach to relieve tension and pain.

2. Eat healthy food.

Yes, food is truly medicine! You are what you eat, and according to research, limiting overly processed foods and increasing your intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, high-quality protein, and healthy fats will help you feel better.

One explanation for this is that eating a varied diet rich in nutrient-dense meals guarantees that our tissues receive the raw ingredients they require to mend 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. Study your 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 numerous ways we move our bodies on a daily basis that may not appear to be troublesome. However, if we regularly put our bodies through certain forms of strain, we might develop tissue damage and chronic discomfort.

See a physical therapist and have your posture, movement mechanics, and ergonomics evaluated. They can assist you in identifying patterns and behaviors that are causing your pain even if you aren’t aware of them.

4. Get a good night’s rest!

Sleep is necessary for your body’s healing and regeneration processes to run smoothly. It’s also a good technique to deal with stress.

Getting enough sleep can help you experience less discomfort for these reasons.

Is it difficult to fall or remain asleep while you’re in pain? To make it easier, use these sleep hygiene tips:

  • 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 daily for at least 30 minutes a day.

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 chronic pain and maximize your function so exercise is easier and safer for you to do.

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.

Request an appointment today!

If you’re sick of dealing with your back pain on your own, know that help is available to you at GoodLife Physical Therapy in Evergreen Park. If you are ready to schedule an appointment, contact our physical therapy clinic today!

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3 Ways Physical Therapy Can Help You Combat Long Term Pain

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 1 in 5 people have chronic pain. In fact, approximately 80 percent of Americans have experienced (or will experience) chronic back pain. Physical therapy can help eliminate chronic pain.

As you can see, chronic pain is incredibly widespread, with over 100 million patients in the United States alone, so you are not alone if you are suffering from it. \

Standard pain drugs have so many drawbacks that you can’t rely on them to adequately relieve your pain, leaving you to wonder whether you’re doomed to live with it.

Fortunately, there is another option to consider. Physical therapy has been demonstrated to help people with chronic pain reduce or perhaps eliminate it.

With the right treatment plan at GoodLife Physical Therapy in Homer Glen you may be able to greatly reduce your discomfort!

Request an appointment at our physical therapy clinic today, and let us help you combat your back pain once and for all!

What is chronic back pain?

Back discomfort that lasts longer than three months is referred to as chronic back pain. It’s a steadily worsening pain that becomes worse with time and fundamental daily activities.

In addition, the exact reason for back discomfort may be unknown. It’s possible that no one knows what produced it or where it came from.

However, most people can recover from back pain by understanding its causes, especially those that do not derive from an incident, such as a car accident.

Where does back pain stem from?

Chronic back pain may arise from two issues, including a sudden, traumatic injury or repetitive stress on the vertebrae.

Age, weight, bad lifting techniques, and even mental health difficulties can all raise the risk of back discomfort, and it only takes one injury for a condition to progress into the realm of long-term issues.

Pain includes sensations, such as a prick, burn, tingle, sting, sharp pain, and aches. Acute pain is typically an expected bodily response to a severe injury.

However, the repeated use of joints after an inflammatory response may lead to the worsening of symptoms and disease progression, explains the NINDS.

According to the Mayo Clinic, people with particularly poor posture, bulging or ruptured discs, arthritis, skeletal abnormalities, and osteoporosis are more likely to experience chronic back pain than their peers.

How can physical therapy help me?

Physical therapy can improve your life in several ways! If you are struggling to do things you once loved doing without experiencing debilitating pain, it’s a good idea to contact GoodLife Physical Therapy to see how we can help you.

1. Increasing your physical strength

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.

2. Electrical therapy and cold/hot therapies

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.

3. Teaching you how to move safely

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.

4. Improving your flexibility

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.

Ready to find relief for your chronic pain?

If you are struggling with chronic pain, we want you to know that we are here to help. Our physical therapy team can design an individualized treatment program to help alleviate your pain and improve your life. Call our clinic today to schedule an appointment, and let us help you return to living your best life possible!

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Therapeutic Massage Can Improve Your Physical Function and Mobility

If you’re an athlete, you’re well aware of the commitment required. It’s no secret that substantial training is required whether preparing for a major game, competition, concert, or marathon. As a result, you’re likely to hit a hurdle along the route owing to sore or stiff muscles.

Thankfully, therapeutic massage can assist. Massage therapy relieves discomfort and loosens tight areas, allowing you to recuperate faster and get back into the game.

Do you want to learn more about how therapeutic massage can improve your performance? GoodLife Physical Therapy can help you get on the right track. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

How do soft tissues work?

Your soft tissues work to make sure your body is functioning the way that it should. Because of this, it is important to make sure that your soft tissues are as strong and healthy as possible at all times.

Muscles are made up of many small, thin fibers that contract on command, working together to mobilize your muscle groups. These muscles are attached to your bones by connective tissues called tendons, enabling them to move your body parts.

Our bones are then connected by tougher bands of connective tissue called ligaments, for added stability. Your ligaments are covered by yet another connective tissue called fascia. All of these connective tissues can be referred to as “soft tissues.”

Soft tissues help in mobilizing your joints and giving your body the strength it needs to perform tasks. Your soft tissues provide you with the ability to do many things but they can aso limit you from pushing yourself too far – even if that’s your intention! These can be damaged by certain stresses, especially those caused by repeated actions within the athletic activity.

For example, “tennis elbow” or “golfer’s elbow” are both colloquial terms used to describe tears in the tendons of the elbow. They got their name from the repeated swinging action that tennis players and golfer’s do, making it a common injury that they experience. A tear in the tendon such as this can lead to a significant amount of swelling and inflammation. Many athletes also experience sprains, which are caused by a ligament stretching farther than intended.

These may occur in response to the intensity of your sport, but they can also occur if muscles simply are too tight before you begin one of your workouts. Therapeutic massage can help with this, as it loosens up the muscles, and may even prevent some of these injuries from occurring.

How can therapeutic massage help athletic performance?

Therapeutic massage can benefit athletes both before and after training. There are different types of therapeutic massage that your physical therapist may recommend for your specific needs, including:

  • Swedish massage. This type of massage relaxes any stiff or tense muscles you may have, allowing for increased blood flow and fluid drainage from swollen areas.
  • Myofascial release. This type of massage creates room for tissues that may be trapped by distortions or fascial adhesions, freeing them from constriction.
  • Deep tissue massage. This type of massage loosens up your muscles and their connective tissues.

One of the numerous advantages of therapeutic massage is that it speeds up the natural healing process of your tissues, allowing you to return to your sport sooner. It works to relax, loosen, and mobilize any trouble spots so you can go back to normal as soon as possible. This also reduces your chances of suffering an injury that would keep you out of the game for a long time.

Enhance your physical performance through therapeutic massage today!

Did you sustain an injury that you need fast relief from? Are you tired of dealing with random aches and pains that plague you day and night? Do you want to improve the health of your soft tissues? Are you looking to improve your performance?

If so, contact us as soon as possible to get started on one of our therapeutic massage treatment plans. We can get you back to the sport you love in no time!

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