Category: Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy Clinic in West BloomfieldBlogPhysical Therapy
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.

Sources:

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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!

By manish 0 Comments Health and Wellness, Physical Therapy

3 Reasons to attend post-surgical rehab for a better recovery.

Every year, our physical therapy team meets thousands of individuals recovering from surgery. Whether you’re undergoing a joint replacement, a back surgery, or some other procedure, we’re confident that working with a physical therapist can help you heal up and get back to your active lifestyle as efficiently and safely as possible.

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

1. Control and minimize your pain.

A physical therapist can teach you exercises, provide manual interventions like massage, and implement non-invasive modalities that can work together alleviate your pain and even reduce your reliance on pain-relieving medications, including opioids. Many of the interventions we provide in physical therapy work directly on the central nervous system to help modulate pain signals being sent to your brain, while others help reduce inflammation, swelling, and stiffness.

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

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

2. Reduce the risk of complications.

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

For example, physical therapists are skilled in teaching you safe ways to move and function in your daily life. If your surgeon requests that you follow certain precautions or activity restrictions for a while following your operation, your physical therapist can teach you how to follow these restrictions and progress or modify them appropriately as time goes on. Physical therapists can also prescribe and fit adaptive equipment such as walkers and braces to further protect your healing tissues and help you mobilize more safely.

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

3. Accelerate your recovery.

Our bodies are incredibly powerful and capable of healing themselves. The type of non-invasive and drug-free services and techniques a physical therapist can offer can enhance self-healing power and work with the body—instead of just covering up symptoms. And by minimizing pain and reducing the risk of complications, your physical therapy team can help you stay on track during your recovery period so you can regain and maximize your strength, balance, range of motion, endurance, and overall function as quickly as possible.

It’s never too early to start seeing a physical therapist! Contact�Premier Therapy Centers today to schedule an appointment for your post-surgical rehabilitation.

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

What Herniated Disc pain feels like and when you should see a physical therapist

Did you know that a herniated disc can occur anywhere in your spine? At Premier Therapy Centers, we see disc herniations frequently among our patients with back, arm, and/or leg pain.

If you believe your pain and dysfunction is caused by a herniated disc, we encourage you to contact Premier Therapy Centers today to schedule an appointment with a physical therapist. Our experienced team can help you understand the source of your symptoms and heal the injured disc so your relief is longer-lasting.

How to Know if Your Back Pain is Caused by a Herniated Disc

Spinal discs are small soft structures found between vertebral bones. Their main jobs are to absorb shock and maximize mobility within the spine. On the outside, these discs are tough and fibrous, but on the inside, they are soft and gel-like. A herniated disc occurs when the tough outer layer of the disc (called the annulus fibrosis) ruptures. This allows the inner gel substance (called the nucleus pulposus) to leak out. The ruptured this disc tissue can trigger an inflammatory response and compress nearby structures, including joint receptors and spinal nerve roots.

Interestingly enough, not all herniated discs will lead to pain (especially because the discs themselves are relatively low in innervation and vascularization). However, when a herniated disc does cause symptoms, these symptoms often include:

  • Neck or back pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms at the level of the injured disc
  • Arm or leg pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness (if the herniated disc compresses on an adjacent nerve root that innervates the affected limb)
  • Pain that worsens with forwarding flexion or prolonged sitting—forward flexion may also cause the pain to “peripheralized” or move further away from the spine
  • Pain that improves or “centralizes” (moves toward the spine) with spinal extensions, such as when lying down or lying prone

A herniated disc is similar to a bulging disc; in the latter condition, the disc tissue may protrude out of place but will not rupture.

Risk Factors for Herniated Disc

In addition to analyzing your symptoms and performing various tests and measures, a physical therapist can help you determine if you have a herniated disc by assessing your medical history and lifestyle. We’ll look for risk factors known to be linked to herniated discs, including:

  • Physically demanding occupation
  • Frequent bending, heavy lifting, or twisting
  • Age between 30 and 50
  • Male gender
  • Obesity
  • Smoking
  • Acute trauma, e.g., auto accident or fall

When to See a Physical Therapist for Herniated Disc Treatment

Research shows that physical therapy is effective in treating herniated discs. If your symptoms are affecting your activities of daily life or work, or if your symptoms persist for longer than two weeks, we recommend consulting with a physical therapist. Physical therapy interventions like spinal traction, corrective exercises, and non-invasive modalities like electrical stimulation or diathermy can heal the injured disc, alleviate pain, and help you avoid recurring issues.

Physical therapy may also be indicated if you’ve been told by a surgeon that you could need spinal surgery to fix the herniation. In many cases, surgeons ask their patients to work with physical therapy before undergoing a spinal fusion or disc decompression procedure to preemptively improve core strength and spinal health. This can maximize surgical outcomes and reduce the risk of complications post-operatively.

Interestingly, research shows that even “idiopathic” cases of back pain (conditions with no known cause) respond positively to physical therapy. In other words, even if it’s not entirely clear whether you have a herniated disc, our services can still help. Contact�us today!

By manish 0 Comments Back and Neck Pain, Joint Stiffness and Pain, Physical Therapy

Addressing Chronic Back Pain: Tips to Help You Feel Better Faster

Do you periodically find yourself disabled by bouts of back pain? Do you experience ongoing back pain that never gives you a moment’s relief? Whatever form it may take, back pain can put all kinds of limits on your life — until you finally start taking the necessary steps to address it head-on. But you don’t have to schedule major surgery or allow yourself to become addicted to prescription painkillers just to keep this lurking monster at bay. Conservative strategies such as physical therapy and smart lifestyle practices can help you manage your chronic pain for life. Ask our physical therapist to evaluate your conditions and recommend specific treatments! Schedule an appointment with Premier Physical Therapy Centers today!

What Is Chronic Back Pain?

If you’ve ever injured your back in a car crash, high-impact sports injury or work-related accident, you know just how bad back pain can get. As horrendously painful as that acute back pain may be, however, at least it goes away at some point. Chronic back pain hangs on long after an acute injury or another ailment should have resolved it through healing. Technically, back pain is categorized as chronic if it continues for at least 3 months — and in many cases, chronic back pain can haunt sufferers for years. This is especially true if your back pain stems from an irreversible or progressive condition.

Typical Causes of Chronic Back Pain

The first step in addressing your back pain is having some understanding of its cause. Chronic back pain can be caused by many underlying issues, from an acute injury that failed to heal correctly to chronic health problems such as:

  • Degenerative disc disease, a condition in which the spinal discs bulge and flatten
  • Arthritis in the facet joints that mobilize your spinal column
  • Chronic muscle or connective strain due to stress, overuse or repetitive motion
  • Muscle knots associated with fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome and other chronic problems
  • Physical or postural imbalances that lead to chronic muscle strain and soreness
  • Congenital deformities such as scoliosis
  • Excess weight from obesity or pregnancy
  • Herniated discs that compress spinal nerve tissue

Chronic back pain doesn’t always limit itself to your back. Conditions that involve pinched nerve roots may send pain and other odd sensations into your upper or lower extremities.

How Physical Therapy Can Help You Fight Back

Don’t fall into the trap of feeling helpless against your chronic back pain. Our physical therapist can analyze your current condition to determine the exact cause of your symptoms. We can then prescribe, not just physical therapy exercises, but an entire way of living that helps you maintain optimal day-to-day comfort. Here are some tips you can incorporate into your new pain-management routine:

  • Exercise – Regular physical therapy exercises to strengthen your core muscles (including the muscles of the abdomen, pelvis and lower back) can stabilize your spine and ease muscle pain.
  • Change your ergonomics – Move things around in your workplace so that you can reach frequently-needed items with a minimum of stooping, bending or twisting.
  • Sleep differently – Switch to a different type of mattress or adjust your sleep position to minimize nighttime (and next-day) pain.
  • Pursue stress reduction – Yoga, meditation, and other stress-busting techniques can help you keep your back muscles relaxed.
  • Improve your nutrition – Emphasize anti-inflammatory foods, “nature’s medicine” for chronic pain. Our physical therapist can also prescribe exercises to help you lose weight, thus taking pressure off of your spine.

Ready to learn more about how to fight chronic back pain? Contact�Premier Physical Therapy Centers today!

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By manish 0 Comments Chronic Pain, Natural Pain Relief, Physical Therapy

NO MORE OPIOIDS! Seek help from a physical therapist.

Are you taking opioids to relieve pain? The National Institutes of Health states that the number of adults in the United States suffering from pain related health conditions has dramatically increased in recent years. Pain can substantially affect your ability to engage in even basic daily activities. You may feel that taking opioids to relieve the pain is your only choice. There are other options available, including physical therapy, that can help you live a pain-free life. Call Premier Therapy Centers to learn more about how we can help you reduce or completely eliminate your opioid use.

What are Opioids?

Opioids are a group of pain medications that work by attaching to opioid receptors in the brain.

The perception of pain is then dulled or eliminated. They are also classified as narcotics.

Sometimes opioids are prescribed for pain when recovering from an injury or after a surgical procedure. There are several types of opioids that are often prescribed for pain.

  • Oxycodone
  • Codeine
  • Fentanyl
  • Morphine

These are also sometimes sold under brand names such as OxyContin, Vicodin, and Percocet.

They can be administered in a variety of ways. They are often taken in pill form but can also be taken by IV, an injection, nasal sprays, skin patches, or even as lozenges. It’s extremely important that opioids, no matter what type or brand, only be taken as directed under a doctor’s supervision. While they may temporarily eliminate physical pain, they aren’t ideal for long-term use.

Causes and Symptoms of Opioid Use

You may have been in an accident that left you experiencing chronic pain. Certain health conditions may also increase the likelihood of recurring pain. While opioids are effective for treating pain, they have the potential to be highly addictive. The longer these medications are used, the greater the tolerance an individual has for them. When an individual takes greater amounts of an opioid to receive the same effects, this can increase the risk of overdose.

Side-effects and symptoms of opioid use include nausea, constipation, and sleepiness.

Long-term symptoms related to excessive opioid use could include impaired memory, inability to concentrate, or increased drowsiness. Individuals may experience increased cravings for the medication when they stop taking it. Life-threatening symptoms associated with an overdose may include slowed heart rate, shallow breathing, and unconsciousness.

How Physical Therapy Helps

It’s always better to treat the source of pain than to mask it or simply treat symptoms. A physical therapist may be able to help you reduce or even eliminate the amount of pain you’re experiencing. This can help you reduce your reliance on opioids. Whether your pain is the result of an injury or a medical condition, a physical therapy treatment program may be able to help. A therapist can evaluate your individual condition and create a program designed to treat your specific needs.

According to Move Forward, there are several specific ways physical therapy can reduce pain. A therapist can prescribe exercises to improve muscle tone, increase flexibility, and help you move more effectively, which can all help reduce pain. Manual therapy and dry needling may be able to ease pain in your joints and soft tissues. Physical therapy can also be used before and after a surgical procedure to eliminate any potential pain. Contact Premier Therapy Centers to learn more about how physical therapy can reduce your pain and eliminate your need for opioid medication.

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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

How much time do you spend in a chair or on a couch?

Did you realize that sitting for 6-8 hours per day—or watching 3-4 hours of television—has been shown to increase the risk of chronic illness and early death? It’s stunning research, especially considering that the average American sits as much as 12 hours per day!

Sitting too much is simply hard on the body. Excessive sedentary behavior—common and seemingly “unavoidable” if you have a desk job—can increase the risk for back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and other types of work-related musculoskeletal injuries.

At our physical therapy clinic, it’s our mission to help people move better and feel better—and minimizing chair time is a huge part of this. Talk to our physical therapist at Premier Therapy Centers staff if you’d like to set up an appointment and get going on a treatment plan that will help you start feeling (and standing) better than ever.

In the meantime, check out these tips for increasing your physical activity during your workday.

Stay Active at Work—A 5-Step Cheat Sheet to Get out of That Seat

1. Have Your Meetings in Motion

Instead of holding your meeting or phone calls while sitting in a boardroom, see if it’s possible to take that appointment on the move and talk while you walk. Bonus: walking has been shown to boost creativity and problem solving.

2. Stay Hydrated

Drinking at least one third to one half your body weight in fluid ounces per day can keep your body properly hydrated. It’ll also force you to get out of your chair more, because you’ll find yourself needing to relieve yourself more often!

Keep a stainless steel or glass water bottle handle, drink regularly, and thank your body for the frequent signals that are sending you to the bathroom.

3. Get an Adjustable Sit to Stand Set-Up

Many companies now offer sit to stand desks because they’ve seen the research: employees who get to stand more may experience increased job satisfaction, alertness, and productivity—while also reducing their risk for the physical effects of “sitting disease.”

Even if you can’t get an adjustable desk for your office, it may be possible to make your own DIY version with some sturdy boxes and other material. Get creative…and don’t hesitate to ask your supervisor or office manager about investing in adjustable desks or attachments.

4. Take the Stairs

Physical activity may not be able to offset all the negative effects of sitting too much, but it may help some. Meeting the American Heart Association’s minimum recommendation of 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise is important, but those “non-exercise” activities add up, too.

So: park farther away from the office, take the stairs, and if necessary, talk to a physical therapist about custom orthotics and other strategies to make activity more comfortable.

5. Use Technology to Your Advantage

Wear a pedometer to track your steps and motivate you to get up and move around the office more often. Also, consider setting a timer to go off once per hour to alert you when it’s time to take a break from sitting and get out of your chair.

The bottom line: sitting for too long just isn’t good for your body or your lifespan. Our physical therapy staff can help you manage an injury or condition that has limited your standing tolerance, and get you on your feet with greater confidence. Call Premier Therapy Centers today to schedule an appointment!

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By manish 0 Comments Health and Wellness, Physical Therapy

Stress no more over stress-related headaches! Physical Therapy can help relieve the pain.

Can you feel it? Starting with tension in your neck or shoulders and creeping upward through the base of your skull? You may have even tried stretching and optimizing your work station, but if you are suffering from stress-related headaches, you know that the only relief comes from either reducing stress or taking medication. Why live this way when a physical therapist can help you relieve the pain and get rid of stress headaches once and for all?

What Are Stress-Related Headaches?

Stress-related headaches, also known as cervicogenic headaches or tension headaches, start in your neck and radiate to other areas of your body. The back, side or top of your head may become painful.

Your shoulder may start to ache on the same side where your headache began. As a result, you may even experience weakness, dizziness or nausea.

What Causes Stress-Related Headaches?

Stress-related headaches are often the result of stiff joints in your neck. As these joints become immobile, the soft tissue around them becomes tight, irritating the nerves in the area. Once communication from the nerves is limited, your brain begins compensating in an attempt to return your body to proper function. As a result, you experience pain, stiffness, tension, even numbness, and tingling.

Our sedentary lifestyle is partly to blame. According to one study by the Centers for Disease Control, one in four Americans spends more than 8 hours a day sitting down. With more and more work happening at computer terminals, many of these hours are spent using poor posture as we slump over a computer screen and keyboard.

Of course, the natural solution has been ergonomically designed workstations that place your entire body into proper place before beginning work, but the sheer volume of time we spend sitting down during the day often contributes to the amount of stress-related headaches the typical person experiences.

How can Physical Therapy Help Stress-Related Headaches?

Most people associate physical therapy with surgery. While it plays a vital role in the recovery after going under the knife, physical therapy is also designed to help you live a happier, healthier life. A physical therapist can examine not only your current shape, but they can also dive into the details of your work life to find ways to help you beat the sedentary slump contributing to your headaches.

First, a physical therapist will take a detailed history, including an accounting of how you spend your time.

This will be followed by diagnostic testing that evaluates your muscle strength, balance, ability to stand, walk and sit, and your typical working posture.

Next, the physical therapist will prescribe pain-relieving manual therapy and stretches as well as targeted exercises designed to improve your posture and help fight the immobility at the root of your headaches. Periodically, the physical therapist will evaluate your progress and make suggestions for getting the most out of your physical therapy experience. Best of all, treatments are non-invasive and do not involve prescription pain medications that may make your symptoms worse.

Still unsure whether physical therapy is right for you? Call�our office to talk to our physical therapist and find out how you can beat your stress headaches.