Physical Therapy
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As a physical therapist I see many people with shoulder pain. One thing I tell them to avoid is sleeping like the man pictured above. This compresses the shoulder over a long period of time and can cause or worsen shoulder pain. When you sleep on your side make sure your head is supported by a pillow and keep your arm at your side. If this doesn’t help then see a physical therapist or orthopedic doctor.
Try these “isometrics if you have knee and hip pain
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Ever since I became a physical therapist people have been complaining to me that when the weather gets “bad” their body pain gets worse. Is this possible? My professional opinion and the anecdotal evidence compel me to say, “YES”.
What’s might be causing the pain is the change in the air pressure that cause already inflamed body parts to swell even more, resulting in more pain. What can you do about it?:
- Do physical activity everyday to keep your muscles strong and joints more stable
- Eat anti inflammatory foods like salmon & berries and as many fresh vegetables & fruit as possible
- Replace processed foods and sugary drinks with the foods above
- If that doesn’t work, move to Arizona and invite me to visit often
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“This is a previous blog that I have republished to compliment what Dr Oz was talking about today on his show. Check out his back pain questionnaire”
Answering the question above is one of the best ways to prevent or cure your pain. Here’s what to consider first:
- Does it hurt more when your sitting or standing?
- At rest or during activity?
- In the morning or as the day goes on?
Now here’s a common scenario; “My back hurts more when I’m working (sitting) at my desk (rest) especially after a long day (end of day).” These are classic symptoms of a vertebral disk being involved.
The point is, if you know when and why your back hurts, you can avoid making it worse by avoiding those positions and activities. Pay attention to your symptoms, avoid what makes you worse and see a physical therapist or chiropractor whom you trust if your symptoms persist, (and smile more
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A client sent me an email about this recently. Clicking in the knee isn’t always a sign of a problem. It might just be part of your “normal” anatomy. Here are some questions I ask my clients to find out if it’s related to a problem:
- Is pain associated with the click?
- Does your knee ever lock, buckle or “give away”?
- Do you have pain when you get into or out of a car?
- Is your knee swollen at the end of the day?
If you answer yes to any of these questions then it makes sense to go to a sports medicine Dr. (orthopedist) or great physical therapist. I happen to know a great physical therapist. You can reach him here Peter K
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Kay, above is performing the perfect row: knees bent, head straight, stomach tight, elbows in, and slow & controlled movements. I’ve written before that besides not stretching enough, poor form is a primary cause of pain during exercise. Follow these rules to make sure you are doing an exercise right: Join the club to read more »
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Recently a client came to see me for shin splints (shin pain) right before a triathlon. Here’s why they might occur:
- Too much exercise (activity) too soon
- Not stretching daily
- Tight achilles tendon (calf)
- Worn sneakers or improper footwear (think flip flops)
What to do:
- Do the stretch above daily and especially before and after exercise
- Stretch your calves
- Hold all stretches for 30 sec (if your knees are pain free)
- Cut back on the exercise that’s causing the pain for 1 week
- If you’re running try biking or swimming intermittently
- If it doesn’t get better see a physical therapist and of course you can email me with your physical therapy question
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My mom recently called me because her upper shoulder has been bothering her.
Why it might hurt:
- Poor, slouched posture while standing or sitting (think- on phone or computer)
- Herniated disk in the cervical spine
- Overuse (think- using computer mouse)
What do to:
- Stand and sit as tall as possible
- Elevate computer screen to eye level and bring within arms reach
- Use phone headset
- Switch mouse to other hand 50% of time
If this doesn’t help, find a great physical therapist or chiropractor. Of course you can email me.
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Alison recently shared a very good article with me which I have attached below. In a nutshell; muscle soreness occurs for different reasons including new activities and repetitive training (stress). It’s part of living a fit lifestyle and there are things you can do to decrease soreness, pain and injury, besides drugs, like:
- Start slowly and listen to your body when it tells you it’s in pain
- Use ice for acute injuries and pain (immediately and up to 72 hours)
- Use heat for chronic pain- (longer than several weeks)
*****You can use ice and heat contrasts for stubborn soreness/pain/injuries- Apply ice to the area for 10 minutes, then moist heat for 10 minutes, then ice again for 10 minutes, then moist heat for last 10 minutes.
Here’s the link to the article that goes into more detail and medications as well. http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/5-Tips-to-Treat-DOMS-and-Tendonitis.htm?cmp=291&memberid=107039837&lyrisid=20716849
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If you sit like the girl above the answer is YES. But………..
If you sit like this girl above, NO.
The point is you can slouch in a $1000 or a $10 chair. You have to train yourself to sit like the girl in the first picture. Here’s how to do it:
- Put a sticky note on your computer screen that says “SIT UP”.
- Set an alarm to ring every 15 minutes.
- Tell others to remind you not to slouch. (don’t attack them when they do
- Just do it! You can train yourself to do almost anything.