Author: manish

Physical Therapy Clinic in West BloomfieldArticles by: manish
By manish 0 Comments Surgical Rehab

Pre and Post Surgical Rehab: What Is It, and Is It Really Important?

Scheduling Surgery? Don’t Forget the Pre-Operative and Post-Operative Rehab

Surgery might not be as much certainty in life like death or taxes, but many of us will undergo some kind of surgical procedure. If you will be scheduling major surgery in the near future, give serious thought to scheduling two other important tasks: pre-operative and post-operative rehab. Physical rehabilitation both before and after surgery can have a huge positive impact on your ability to recuperate more quickly and completely. Let’s examine what goes into these two forms of physical training and how our physical therapist can use them to optimize your surgical success.

The Sensible Strategy of “Pre-Hab”

Pre-surgical rehabilitation belongs to a category of preventative care known as “pre-hab.” The purpose of pre-hab is to get the body as ready as possible for a challenging situation. Athletes often undergo pre-hab to help them prepare for a grueling sporting event that might cause injury to weak muscles or connective tissues.

This strategy makes just as much sense for individuals who expect to undergo surgery. If, for example, you need to have reconstructive surgery on your knee, you might engage in several weeks of physical therapy exercise to maximize the knee’s flexibility, strength, and overall wellness before your surgery date approaches. This preparation allows the knee to withstand the surgery itself more easily and pave the way for a smooth recovery.

Rehabilitative Physical Therapy to Help You Heal

After you’ve had your surgery, you’ll want to schedule a course of post-surgical rehabilitation to continue the good work you started with pre-hab. It’s important to get moving again, to whatever degree is considered safe and beneficial, as soon as possible after your procedure. Post-surgical physical therapy offers a controlled environment for a swifter, less complicated recuperation by:

  • Helping muscles regain their strength and function
  • Ensuring that your joints regain their preoperative flexibility and range of motion
  • Easing your post-operative discomfort naturally by boosting blood flow and encouraging fluid drainage
  • Re-training you to use a part of your body that was unusable before the surgery
  • Discouraging the development of unwanted scar tissue (which might interfere with muscle, skin or connective tissue motion, leaving you with long-term pain and stiffness)
  • Helping you regain your balance after an extended period off of your feet

Our Physical Therapist Can Help you Have a More Successful Surgery

Our physical therapist can discuss your current health status and impending surgery with you and then figure out a detailed “battle plan” that includes both preoperative and post-operative rehabilitation. You’ll want to allow several weeks, at a minimum before your procedure so that you have time to engage in the necessary pre-hab regimen. Strength and flexibility training may feature prominently in your pre-hab.

At a reasonable interval following your surgery, you can begin your post-operative physical therapy program. In addition to strength and range-of-motion exercises, you may benefit from stability training, Kinesio taping, massage therapy, cold laser therapy, cryotherapy, or electrical muscle stimulation. These techniques can complement each other to provide synergistic healing effects.

Whatever pre-surgical and post-surgical rehabilitation routine you undertake, it’s definitely worth undertaking. A study of knee construction surgery patients revealed that those patients who went through pre-hab and post-operative rehab didn’t just heal more quickly after their surgery — they continued to enjoy better long-term results (for up to two years afterward) than the patients who didn’t experience rehabilitation. If that sounds like the kind of outcome you want, you owe it to yourself to contact our physical therapist at Premier Therapy Center in Bloomfield, MI!

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By manish 0 Comments Aches & pains, Nutrition

How Proper Nutrition Can Help With Aches and Pains.

Many people know that good nutrition is the pathway to good health. But, many don’t realize that good nutrition can also help with those aches and pains. Combine good nutrition with physical therapy for those aches and pains, and it’s a powerful duo.

Nutrition and Physical Therapy

“A systematic review and meta-analysis in the 2017 European Journal of Nutrition found that a Mediterranean-style eating pattern exerts a protective effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease, and is associated with smaller gains in BMI and waist circumference.

Nutritional interventions are alone useful tools to improve overall health outcomes in patients, and specifically reduce inflammation. Low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress underlie chronic osteoarthritis. Patients with poor nutrition habits who undergo physical therapy may notice a decrease in pain within as little as 4 days with the right diet. You will note a decrease of inflammation, a decrease of edema, an improved metabolic profile, a decrease of nociception, and improvements in function. When you combine nutrition with therapeutic exercise it is a powerful combination that sets you up for success and with this valuable health skill.”

Nutrition and the Physical Therapist

Every physical therapist knows that nutrition plays a critical role in the healing process from musculoskeletal injury. The phases of healing include inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Keep in mind that excess inflammation will cause cell damage to healthy tissue. To take control of inflammation, a physical therapist will advise that patients increase the consumption of omega-3. This nutrient can be found in avocado, almonds, fish oil, olive oil and pecans. A physical therapist will also advise you to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet. That’s because these foods are rich in antioxidants and contain pro-inflammatory cytokines.

The phases of proliferation and remodeling are centered on preventing atrophy and enhancing soft tissue repair. Musculoskeletal injuries are related to the inability of a muscle to synthesize protein. As a result, strength is decreased. Incorporating protein into your diet will help prevent muscle atrophy. A physical therapist is a good resource to learn more about good nutrition.

Although a physical therapist is a movement specialize, a physical therapist can provide basic food nutrition information to help you make healthier lifestyle choices. A physical therapist can help you develop an individualized nutrition plan. It’s part of their holistic treatment plan.

Most people see a physical therapist for pain without realizing that good nutrition can help alleviate their pain. For example, it has been found that good nutrition combined with physical therapy has helped patients with osteoarthritis, neuropathy, spinal pain, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, and more. Good nutrition is always part of a physical therapist’s treatment plan, and it is effective.

If you’re seeing a physical therapist at Premier Therapy Center, let them know about your daily diet. They will educate you about food and give advice on what foods are important for healing and decreasing pain. And the good news is that you won’t have to eliminate your taste for nutrition. There are plenty of tasty foods that are healthy for you to enjoy.

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By manish 0 Comments Back and Neck Pain, Health and Wellness, Physical Therapy

What do you think is causing your back pain? Could it be a herniated disc? Find out.

Has anyone ever told you they have a “slipped disc”? This term is actually a misnomer since discs don’t really “slip” but either degenerate, bulge, or herniate. Fortunately, a physical therapist can treat all these issues to resolve your back pain!

The latter condition, called a disc herniation, occurs when the outer layer of the disc tears. This allows the disc’s inner gel-like substance to leak out into the surrounding joint area. This ruptured disc tissue can then press on nearby structures, like nerve roots and joint spaces.

Could this be what’s causing your pain?

Top Signs and Symptoms of a Herniated Disc

Not all herniated discs cause pain, and even if they do cause pain they won’t all present in the same way. But there are some common signs and symptoms we see among our patients who come to us with this type of spinal condition. They include:

  1. Back pain and stiffness. This usually occurs right around the level of the herniated disc. There may also be overlying muscle spasms as a protective response.
  2. Pain, numbness, and tingling that radiates into an arm or leg. This happens if the herniated disc compresses a nearby spinal nerve root.
  3. Weakness in an arm or leg. Again, this is caused by compression of a nerve root near the injured disc. Many people notice foot drop (an inability to flex their ankle up), weakened grip strength, or frequent tripping or “clumsiness.”
  4. Pain that gets worse with certain movements. In many cases, forward flexion (bending forward in the spine) can cause a herniated disc to bulge even more out of place, which can increase pain or cause it to peripheralize (move farther down a limb). Meanwhile, backward extension (leaning backward in the spine) can cause the herniated disc to retract back into better alignment, which can decrease pain or cause it to centralize (move up a limb and closer to the spine).

Risk Factors for Herniated Discs

A herniated disc can happen to anyone, but you may be more at risk if you:

  • Sit a lot
  • Do a lot of frequent bending, heavy lifting, or twisting
  • Have a physically demanding job
  • Suffer a traumatic event, such as a fall or auto accident
  • Smoke
  • Are obese or overweight
  • Are male
  • Are between the ages of 30 and 50
  • Have a family history of disc and spine problems

What a Physical Therapist Can Do for Your Herniated Disc

Scientific evidence shows us that individualized physical therapy in addition to education and lifestyle advice is highly effective for reducing chronic back pain, including back pain caused by a herniated disc. In fact, it’s considered best practice to seek conservative treatment options like physical therapy long before undergoing any surgical intervention. And because physical therapy is non-invasive, it doesn’t expose the patient to potential risks and adverse reactions of surgery, including opioid addiction, failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), and post-operative pain, bleeding, and infection.

If you believe you have a herniated disc, we encourage you to see a physical therapist at Premier Therapy Centers. He or she can perform various tests and assess your history to make or confirm a diagnosis, so you’ll have a better understanding of what you’re dealing with. Then, he or she can prescribe customized interventions to alleviate your symptoms, heal the injured disc, and perhaps most importantly prevent recurring problems! Expect services such as:

  • Core stabilization exercises
  • Stretches to improve mobility elsewhere in the body, especially the shoulders and hips
  • Non-invasive modalities like electrical stimulation, cold laser therapy, and diathermy
  • Manual therapy, including massage and traction.
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By manish 0 Comments Health and Wellness, Hip and Knee Pain, Physical Therapy

Hip and Knee Pain Relief with Physical Therapy

There are so many causes of hip and knee pain, from excess weight to sports injuries, advancing age to repetitive motion injuries. Whatever the cause of your hip and/or knee pain, if you are experiencing it regularly you need to find a way to manage it. Many people use medications like anti-inflammatories to minimize their discomfort. However, these medications do have potential side effects, so it can be helpful to find other ways to relieve your pain. Physical therapy may be the solution you are looking for.

An Alternative to Daily Pain Reliever Use – Physical Therapy

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:

  • Identify the causes of your hip and knee 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.
  • 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 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 today.

How Does Physical Therapy Reduce Daily Pain?

You may get pain relief when you are at the physical therapist and going through treatment, but what about when you go home? A major goal of your physical therapist is to heal your injuries over the long term. The various exercises and treatments they use with you will steadily 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.

Should I Stop Using Pain Relievers?

If your doctor has prescribed you pain relievers it is best to follow the guidance of your doctor. However, you are welcome to discuss physical therapy with your doctor as well. If you find that your pain level has decreased through physical therapy, you can discuss reducing your pain reliever usage with your doctor.

Schedule an Appoint with a Physical Therapist

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

By manish 0 Comments Health and Wellness, Opioids, Physical Therapy

Reduce Opioid Consumption and Feel Better with Physical Therapy

Long-term opioid consumption is not a good strategy for managing chronic pain. In addition to the risk of addiction, opioids simply alleviate the symptoms (pain) of a larger problem. For very real, measurable improvement over chronic pain, physical therapy has been proven to be a much better option than opioids or other pharmaceutical painkillers. If you are considering opioids for pain relief but would like to explore other options first, contact Premier Therapy Centers to talk with a physical therapist.

Opioid Treatment is Not a Cure

The opioid epidemic in America has gotten so bad in recent years that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now recommending that patients explore alternative options for pain relief. The CDC recommends that opioids now be considered as a “last option” for only the worst pain cases. Alternative and holistic pain relief methods, including physical therapy, are not as fast as opioids, but these methods do not carry the extreme risks of addiction and overdose.

It’s important that anyone suffering from pain should understand that opioids will not solve the underlying physical problem that is causing the pain. In fact, opioids can make the original problem even worse.

For example, suppose a person is suffering chronic pain several months after having shoulder surgery. The wound from surgery has long since healed, but the pain persists. If that patient relies on opioids to dull the pain, they run the risk of re-injuring their shoulder. Pain is the way the body tells us that something is wrong. With opioids removing the pain, that patient might be using their shoulder muscles incorrectly and ultimately making the underlying problem worse.

If that same patient were to work with a physical therapist on pain relief, they stand a much better chance of eliminating the pain entirely. Their shoulder could be healed through physical therapy, manual therapy, proper exercise, body mechanics and posture work — all without turning to addictive opioid painkillers.

Physical Therapy as a Long-Lasting Pain Cure

Researchers at Stanford University have shown that turning to physical therapy early on, as soon as a person is diagnosed with musculoskeletal pain, reduced the need for opioid pain prescriptions by 7 to 16 percent. Among patients who did require opioids for pain relief, the duration of using painkillers was reduced by as much as 10 percent.

Physical therapy helps patients to cure the source of the pain, rather than ignoring the source by dulling the pain. If a patient suffers from arthritis or any other type of chronic pain, a physical therapist can teach that patient the proper ways to move and utilize key muscle groups so that the pain source does not worsen. Another goal of physical therapy will be to strengthen muscle groups that support aching or painful parts of the body so that real healing can take place.

Your choice to pursue physical therapy will not be a quick solution to pain relief, in most cases. But your physical therapist will construct a customized plan that will produce measurable results in pain relief. Because the work will be geared toward curing the source of the pain, you can often eliminate the need for prescription painkillers or opioids.

If you suffer from chronic pain and want to know more about how physical therapy can help, call Premier Therapy Centers today to schedule your first appointment with a licensed physical therapist.

By manish 0 Comments Aches & pains, Health and Wellness, Hip and Knee Pain, Physical Therapy

Do You Take a Pain Reliever Every Single Day? See How Physical Therapy Can Help Relieve Hip and Knee Pain.

Are your hips and knees in pain when you wake up? Are you pain when you go to bed? Are the activities you do between sunrise and sunset impacted by chronic hip and knee joint dysfunction? You don’t have to give up hope of living with less pain—nor become reliant on the medicine cabinet, either.

At our physical therapy clinic, we have an experienced physical therapist staff who can help you find more ease, strength, and confidence in your day-to-day-life. We believe, like the American Physical Therapy Association and other organizations, that conservative treatment options like physical therapy are just as if not more effective for pain relief than medications and surgery. Contact us and find out how we can help, and read more to learn what we do every day for our patients in hip and knee pain.

5 Ways a Physical Therapist Can Help You Reduce Your Hip and Knee Pain

1. A physical therapist has advanced training in manual skills that improve joint health.

When you see a physical therapist for hip or knee pain, he or she may use joint mobilizations or manipulations to help promote healing and attract circulation to the inner joint surfaces. These techniques have also been shown to reduce pain and improve joint alignment…and they feel good, too! When complemented with services like massage and Active Release Technique, physical therapy can help you get physical and mental relief.

2. Physical therapy features non-invasive modalities to help relieve pain and heal injured tissues.

You don’t have to rely on over-the-counter or prescription painkillers to ease those achy, stiff, swollen joints! Physical therapy modalities that have been shown to ease pain, reduce spasms, increase circulation, and promote healing include electrical stimulation, diathermy, cold laser therapy, dry needling, and therapeutic ultrasound.

3. Physical therapy improves the strength and range of motion around your joints.

Increasing muscle strength and mobility of the connective tissues around your joints (including the tendons, muscles, fascia, and joint capsules) will help your joints feel better and move better. This can also help you improve your functional activity tolerance, which is essential for work, leisure, and simple daily function.

4. Physical therapy is where you can learn how to move more efficiently and safely.

Many of the impairments you and your physical therapist work to correct—including weakness, poor posture, and limited range of motion—may have been caused or worsened by things you’re unknowingly doing. This includes sitting too much, using poor body mechanics, breathing improperly, and having an ineffective ergonomic set-up at work. A physical therapist can educate you about ways to move in more energy efficient and safe ways to enhance the overall effects of your care and reduce the risk of re-injury.

5. A physical therapist can get you moving again.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, exercise is one of the best ways to manage hip pain and knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. By implementing some or all of the above interventions in a customized treatment plan, a physical therapist can help you get back to regular exercise in a way that is safe and effective for you, based on your current abilities, goals, and needs. This is especially helpful if you’re currently on a fat loss journey, since being overweight is a major risk factor for knee and hip pain.

Do You Have Painful Hips or Knees?

Tired of spending every day in pain? Contact our clinic today to schedule an appointment with a physical therapist and heal from the inside out.

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By manish 0 Comments Aches & pains, Health and Wellness, Physical Therapy

Aches and Pains in the Morning? Find Out What Might Be Causing Them.

A Troubleshooting Guide to Morning Aches and Pains

Do you leap out of bed excited at the thought of experiencing another morning — or do you just lie there, afraid to move because of the pain you’re likely to feel? Aches and pains are never welcome, but they can really dash your spirits when they plague you from your first waking moments. It helps to understand why these discomforts are occurring in various parts of your body, and how you can put a stop to them through safe, drug-free methods such as physical therapy.

Where Does It Hurt?

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.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Heel pain– If taking those first steps in the morning is torture for your heels, but the pain then recedes as you walk around, you probably have chronic inflammation of the arches called plantar fasciitis.

Physical Therapy Can Help You Have Nicer Mornings

Morning pain and overnight pain are closely related. Issues such as chronic lower back pain may nudge you into wakefulness many times each night, creating a twinge with every little body motion. By the time you have to get up, you feel even more pain than you did when you went to bed.

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

This understanding allows for the creation of a physical therapy program aimed at eliminating or controlling those causes. For instance, we might determine that your back needs a firmer or softer mattress, or that your neck could benefit from a contoured cervical pillow. Other time-tested physical therapy modalities can help you strengthen your back, tame bursitis, relieve plantar fasciitis, or control osteoarthritis symptoms. We can even educate on stress-busting techniques to help your jaw, as well as which sleep positions are most likely to ease joint discomfort.

Awaken to the Benefits of Working With Our Physical Therapist

From conquering chronic pain sources to improving your “sleep hygiene,” you’ll find that physical therapy can help you ease morning aches and pains in a number of ways. Don’t sleepwalk through life in a haze of chronic pain — wake up and contact Premier Therapy Centers�for an evaluation!

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By manish 0 Comments Health and Wellness, Natural Pain Relief, Physical Therapy

How to Stay Active When You Have a Desk Job

At Premier Therapy Centers, we see hard-working patients who want to excel in their careers and provide for their families—but it’s hard to do that when dealing with an injury. Unfortunately, many people eventually realize that it’s the sedentary nature of their job that’s directly impacting their health and job performance.

Everyone needs to move a lot throughout the day. But if you sit for the majority of your work day, it’s essential to find a way to get moving more frequently. Not only will regular movement help mitigate the risks associated with excessive sedentary behavior (like back pain, obesity, and even heart disease), but research suggests it can also increase your productivity, mental focus, and job satisfaction.

Need some tips to stay moving? Check out these helpful ideas from our physical therapist staff.

Here’s How to Move More If You Sit at a Desk for Work

  • Do mini “workouts” throughout the day. At least once per hour, pause what you’re doing and take a few minutes to run through some simple exercises or stretches. These can be done in the privacy of your own office or even out in the open (hey—maybe you’ll inspire your co-workers!). Ask a physical therapist to provide you with an individualized program that can address your specific needs and be tailored to your job duties.
  • Drink water. Staying well-hydrated on the job offers multiple benefits: it helps your tissues and joints stay healthy, it improves focus, it eases headaches, and yes—it will make you need to get up more frequently to use the bathroom!
  • Use the building to your advantage. Come up with ways to move more on and around your work area. Can you park farther away from the building? Allocate 10 minutes of your lunch break to a brisk walk around the campus or neighborhood? Take the stairs instead of the elevator? Walk down the hall to chat with your colleague or employee instead of sending an email or text?
  • Wear a pedometer. Research shows that wearing a simple pedometer (you can find super inexpensive options online and in sports retail stores) helps increase the number of steps you take per day. This kind of objective data can be inspiring and get you to move more frequently than you may otherwise. You may even consider getting some colleagues to join the “pedometer club” and create a little friendly competition to see who can get the most steps in throughout a typical workday or week!
  • Get nagging injuries addressed. It’s hard to stay focused and comfortable at work if you’re in pain. And while we know that sitting for longer than 7 to 8 hours per day is associated with health problems, sometimes the idea of increasing your physical activity can seem like a huge obstacle. By consulting with a physical therapist, you can get underlying health problems diagnosed and managed. Our therapists use non-invasive, evidence-based techniques that work with your body’s natural healing power—it’s not just about masking the pain! Doctors of physical therapy can also prescribe expert guidance on ergonomic improvements around your office and can help you maximize your posture, core strength, and other elements of health so you can function better while on and off the clock.
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By manish 0 Comments Back and Neck Pain, Health and Wellness, Physical Therapy

Get Back to Comfort with These Back Exercises – All of Which You Can Do at Home!

Are you feeling back pain after being quarantined to your home? You may be wondering, “Why is this? I’ve barely left the couch!” Well, therein lies the issue.

The sedentary lifestyle that I’m sure many people have experienced since being quarantined to their homes can actually lead to more aches, pains, and discomfort than one may think – especially in the back.

Your body, quite simply, was made to move! With gyms and exercise classes closing down, for the time being, it can be difficult to find the motivation to get your daily physical activity while sitting at home. Luckily, there are several easy exercises you can do on your own to relieve your back pain and get moving!�

Always exercise and stretch within your comfort zone. Never push into pain and if you are unsure of doing any of the exercises below, simply consult your physical therapist first.

6 exercises to stretch those back muscles:

  • Lumbar Rotation Stretch in Lying. Back giving you troubles? Try a Lumbar Rotation Stretch in Lying. Lying sideways with your top knee bent and bottom knee straight, gently rotate your torso so your head is facing the opposite direction of your legs. Hold the stretch and then switch sides. This will stretch out your back and get you feeling comfortable once again!

Here is a video for your reference: https://vimeo.com/333092920/1dbb30daae

  • Bird Dog (Leg Slide). With major businesses shutting down, we know how disappointing it is to not be able to attend the weekly yoga classes you enjoy so much. Fortunately, you can bring the same yoga stretches to your own home. Begin on the floor with your knees bent beneath you and your hands flat in front of you, so your back is flat toward the ceiling. Stretch your left arm out in front of you and your right leg out behind you, so your toes are pointing down at the ground. Hold this stretch and then repeat on the opposite side, with your right arm and your left leg. The Bird Dog (Leg Slide) exercise is great at targeting the back muscles to give you that relieving stretch you’re looking for!�

Here is a video for your reference: https://vimeo.com/371130374/85ad5de4ee

  • Hip Bias Lunges (Back Heel Down). Who doesn’t love a good lunge? This is a great exercise to get you moving. As a bonus, it not only targets your back but also focuses on your knee muscles. Begin standing in a slight lunge position with one leg slightly bent out in front of you and the other leg straight behind you. Lean your torso forward so it is almost in a 90-degree angle with the floor (this will cause your back leg to bend, as well). Hold this stretch and continue reps on the side you are on, then switch sides repeating the same steps.

Here is a video for your reference: https://vimeo.com/391227766/dc90917bdc�

  • Standing Hip Abduction 45 Degree Angle Back Arom. This exercise may have a lengthy name, but we promise it’s not that difficult! For this exercise, you will need a chair or something else to steady yourself. Stand with your left hand on the back of the chair and place your right hand on your hip. Keeping your back straight and face forward, slowly kick your back leg out behind you until you feel the stretch in your back. Continue a few reps and then switch sides, placing your left hand on your hip and kicking your left leg out behind you. Make sure to always keep the opposite hand on the chair to steady yourself.�

Here is a video for your reference: https://vimeo.com/285854056/0165cea4f4

  • Standing Shoulder Flex/Hip Extension With Back Arch (Wall). Another exercise that has a lengthy name but is very easy to do! For this exercise, you will begin standing with your hands outstretched directly in front of you on a wall. In a fluid “swinging” motion, extend your right arm and left leg behind you so your back is arched, then bring them both toward the wall. Continue doing this in fluid motions. After a few reps, repeat this exercise on the other side of your body, with your left arm and right leg.

Here is a video for your reference: https://vimeo.com/394420569/71808708d0

  • Neural Mobility SLR (Outward Turn). Looking for a great way to stretch your back, legs, and glutes at the same time? This exercise is for you! Begin by laying down on your back with both arms clasped around your right hamstring. Raise that leg in the air, keeping the left one bent with your feet flat on the ground. Flex your right foot that is in the air so that the bottom of your foot is flat facing the ceiling, then point that foot so that your toes are straight up toward the ceiling. Then, slowly bring that leg back down to a bent position between your hands. Continue for a few reps and then switch legs, repeating the same steps.

Here is a video for your reference: https://vimeo.com/370059225/1087fe3a40

Questions?

If you have any questions about any of these exercises or if you are looking for more ways to relieve back pain during the quarantine, call or message Premier Therapy Centers at any time. We want to make sure you are as comfortable as possible while also staying active at home!

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By manish 0 Comments Hip and Knee Pain

Get Your Hip and Knee Joints Moving Again with These 5 At-Home Exercises

Are your hips and knees feeling stiff, achy, or even painful? Noticing more discomfort in your joints when standing up and moving around? If so, you’re not alone.

This quarantine has taken a toll on many people’s bodies, as it has become much more difficult to maintain the same levels of physical activity at home. However, getting exercise is still very important – especially for your hips and knees!

Your hips and knees were made to move, and when we sit around without exercising them, they can lock up, become tight, and result in discomfort. You may be wondering how you can get the same workouts in your lower extremities without gym equipment – well, we’ve got you covered! Follow the exercises below for both relief and prevention for hip and knee pains – and, as always, if you have any questions about these exercises, don’t hesitate to call or message Premier Therapy Centers.

5 exercises to stretch and strengthen the lower extremities:

  • Hip Circles Hips bothering you while stuck at home? Try some Hip Circles! This easy-to-do exercise is exactly what it sounds like – simply lie on your side, raise your top leg and rotate your hip in a circular motion. Then, switch to the opposite direction. Begin by doing 3 reps of 10 with both legs – your hips will be feeling better in no time!

Here is a video for your reference: https://vimeo.com/253319361/385e6397da�

  • Straight Leg Raise. When stuck at home, sedentary tendencies can cause the knees and hips to lock up, resulting in pain. Get those joints moving again with a Straight Leg Raise. Simply lay flat on the ground and lift your legs until they are straight in the air at a 90 degree angle with the rest of your body. Repeat 3 reps of 10 for both legs. Bonus – this also works your abs!

Here is a video for your reference: https://vimeo.com/253319361/385e6397da�

  • Hip External Rotation Stretch. This is a great stretch for targeting both your hip and knee joints. Begin by sitting on the floor with your feet straight out in front of you. Then, bend one knee across the opposite leg and push down on said knee with your hand – you should feel this stretch in both your hips and knees! Repeat these directions on both sides to get a full stretch.

Here is a video for your reference: https://vimeo.com/396686977/03443a1dcc

  • Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch. If you are looking for a deep stretch, this is the one for you. Kneel on a mat or soft surface. Make sure you’re positioned so your right knee is straight up and the bottom of your right foot is flat on the floor. Extend your left leg behind you so the top of your left foot is flat on the floor. Begin to shift your weight forward and stop when you begin to feel the stretch in your hip. Hold for 30-45 seconds, then switch legs.

Here is a video for your reference: https://vimeo.com/313249747/fc2b99416b�

  • Standing Hip Flex. This one will surely get your blood pumping! Begin by standing up straight and then lift your right knee up in a 90 degree angle in front of you. Then, rotate your leg sideways while keeping that same position by shifting your hip muscles. Hold this position and then slowly rotate your hips back to the front and place your foot back down, flat on the ground. Repeat these same instructions with your left knee, completing 3 reps of 10 on each side.�

Here is a video for your reference: https://vimeo.com/398211318/e408af2c5c

Questions?

Looking for more assistance with these exercises? No problem! If you have any questions about how to perform these exercises or add more into your daily routine, call or message Premier Therapy Centers at any time. We are here to help you remain active, safe, and healthy at home!