Back In Motion: Treat Spinal Stenosis Naturally

Back In Motion: Treat Spinal Stenosis Naturally

C o mm o t i o n The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body The Back in Motion ®

At Back inMotion ® Physical Therapy we are experts in treating back pain associated with spinal stenosis. With our natural and safe methods we relieve your pain, strenthen your body, and get you moving again. Look insdie to discover the details on how we can help you. How you can avoid back or neck surgery, and get back to living pain free. We can help! WHY YOUWANT TO TREAT YOUR SPINAL STENOSIS NATURALLY...

C o mm o t i o n The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body The Back in Motion ®

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Spinal stenosis

Physical Therapy or Surgery for Spinal Stenosis? What most people don’t know... A narrowing of the spinal canal. Common More than 200,000 US cases per year Also called: spinal narrowing

Most commonly occurring in the neck and the lower back, spinal stenosis is the official term for when the openings between the spine’s vertebrae become too narrow. For patients with lumbar (lower back) stenosis, the resulting pressure on the spinal cord or the related nerves results in pain and limited range of motion. In addition, lumbar spinal stenosis sufferers can experience some form of tingling and weakness in their legs, and lower back. Often, walking for more than a short distance, or standing for extended periods, becomes almost impossible. Depending on where the pressure points occur, bowel and bladder problems may even become an issue. What is Spinal Stenosis?

Basic aging is a common, underlying factor for people who develop the narrowing of the openings between their vertebrae. Discs can wear away and flatten with age, leading to a smaller gap through which nerves can pass. In addition, bone spurs that form as a result of osteoarthritis may cause narrowing of the spine. In either case, these age-related disorders put pressure on the spinal nerve. It is possible for younger adults to also experience spinal stenosis. Poor posture, or certain injuries can lead to the narrowing of the vertebrae, as can disorders affecting joints above or below stenosis areas. What Causes Lower Back Spinal Stenosis? Treatable by a medical professional Requires a medical diagnosis Lab tests or imaging often required Chronic: can last for years or be lifelong Spinal stenosis can put pres ure on the spin l cord and the nerves w thin the spine. It commonly occurs i the n ck nd lower back. The condition is often ca s d by age-rel ted wear and tear. Symptoms, if they occur, include pain, numbness, muscle weakness, and im aired bladder r bowel control. Treatment includes medication, physical therapy, and possibly surgery.

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Symptoms

www.mainephysicaltherapy.com Requires a medical diagnosis

Spinal Stenosis: How Physical Therapy Can Help

Unless you have an extremely advanced form of spinal stenosis, your doctor will likely recommend a more conservative approach. Physical therapy is the physician preferred treatment for spinal stenosis. It improves your ability to walk and perform other daily movements -- and, most importantly, to eliminate the pain you feel when undertaking those movements. PT is effective because it provides a multi-dimensional approach to spinal stenosis, addressing both the causes and the effects of the disorder. Flexibility, postural support, and strength-building measures are built into the physical therapy treatment plan for this disorder. PT uses both joint mobilization and stretching to increase mobility in all of your spinal joints. These flexibility- enhancers allow all of your joints to work at full capacity, taking the pressure off affected areas. In addition, you’ll find it less painful to stand, walk and bend after building up strength in your hips, as well as stabilizing pelvic support, Why does PT work for spinal stenosis?

which supports the base of your spine. Strengthening your abs and other muscles in your core will provide better spinal support and stabilization. Avoiding Surgery Studies show that inmany cases, physical therapy for spinal stenosis can prevent the need for surgery altogether. If used as a first choice option, it is effective as a painmanagement tool and helps identify activities to avoid that may be making the symptoms worse. A 2015 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine followed two groups of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis -- one group which had opted for surgery, and one which had gone to physical therapy as the main course of treatment -- and found that both groups had similar success rates. If you’re coping with spinal stenosis and concerned about which course of treatment to undertake, call us today to arrange a consultation. We’ll work with your doctors to ensure that your treatment is the right fit for you. We can help treat your spinal stenosis whether 8 6 3 2 9 2 7 4 9 5 1 6 5 3 8 7 1 6 7 8 4 5 9 7 n° 19750 - Level Easy 2 8 5 3 7 5 4 1 8 3 3 4 2 4 1 9

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you’re undertaking physical therapy as a first-course option, or as a way to ease the recovery process following spinal stenosis surgery. Give us a call today! 839-5860 5 1 9 6 4 3 8 2 9 5 6 3 1 8 4 9 7 2 5 6 4 2 4 8 7 5 3 6 1 3 7 9 This Month’s Sudoku! The goal of Sudoku is to fill in a 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, row, and 3×3 section contain the numbers between 1 to 9. At the beginning of the game, the 9×9 grid will have some of the squares filled in. Your job is to use logic to fill in the missing digits and complete the grid. 2 6 http://1sudoku.net 6 5 3 7 5 8 7 8 1 2 5 8 5 1 7 9 6 9 2 4 9 7 5 2 6 4 1 5 7 6 5 1 2 4 1 9

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http://www.moveforwardpt.com/symptomsconditionsdetail.aspx?cid=5e4daaa0-cb21-4eee-8484-e728617397aa http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/News/2015/4/7/StenosisPTvsSurgery/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25844995

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FREE CONSULTATION Items the Center does NOT need: character items, coloring books, crafting kits, crayons,markers, used toys, board games, puzzles, stuffed animals. Schedule Yours Today! Prevent injuries, shorten recovery time and improve your flexibility with a free consultation. Take Care of Your Aches and Pains Before It’s Too Late. Our charity for the months of May and June is the Center for Grieving Children. We will be collecting specific arts & craft supplies through June 30th. Wish List: big roll of white or brown paper, big roll of black roofing paper, Fimo soft polymer clay, Play Doh, colored modeling clay, glue sticks,Modge Podge, oil and chalk pastels, scissors (left and right handed), tape dispensers, tape, tissue paper, watercolor paper and paint, light weight hammers, nails, knitting needles, sewing needles, and thread. Back in Motion ® Gives Back! Collecting Arts & Crafts Supplies

“I’m going to do stuff that I like that I didn’t feel like I could do before because I hurt so bad.” Robyn M., Gorham “My back and neck were hurting really badly. I had gone to chiropractors and it just wasn’t going away. I’m 39 years old and wanted to be able to do stuff with my kids.That’s why I figured I would try this route and see if it worked. It did! Maggie was awesome. She helped me strengthen my core and taught me to do the same things I was doing but in a different way so I don’t have pain later on. After 39 years of doing things one way, it takes time to change. I have Maggie’s voice in my head all the time. I’m going to do stuff that I like that I didn’t feel like I could do before because I hurt so bad.” Patient Spotlight Research Indicates PT Is The Most Effective and Lowest Cost Solution For Most Types of Back Pain. Take Care of Your Aches and Pains Before It’s Too Late. Think PT FIRST Statistics show 8 out of 10 people have some type of backache. Are you one of them?

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SOUTH PORTLAND: (207) 799-8226

GORHAM: (207) 839-5860

PORTLAND: (207) 699-4111

Practice News! We would like to introduce our newest employees: Ryan Weeks and CJ Cline. Ryan is a PT in our South Portland location and CJ is working reception in Portland. Welcome aboard! Happy Father’s Day: Happy Father’s Day to Paul Brown, Ryan Martin, Michel Brunet, Mike Moras, Stephen Faria, Chance Farwell,Tristan Hayes, Ted Greeley, Philip Joseph, and our newest father, Ryan Weeks. Birthdays and Anniversaries: Happy Birthday to Kristin O’Kelly, Ryan Weeks, Maggie Masiak, Kevin Flanagan, Chance Farwell, Lori McDonald, and MauraWadsworth! Tess Rockwood and Krista Delcourt celebrate their first year with us and Andy Broomhall and Claudia Burns celebrate their 3rd BIM anniversary with us this month! We will be closed on Tuesday, July 4th for Independence Day. THANK YOU! The Back in Motion ® Gives Back program is 9 years old this month! Thank you to everyone who has donated along the way; we have made a HUGE impact on our community. Throughout the years we have donated to dozens of local charities and non-profits. Here’s to another year of giving!

Do you know someone that we can help? Tell Them to Check Us Out!

Are Your Friends or Family Unable to Do The Following? • Walk without pain • Bend and move joints freely

Pass along this newsletter or have them call us directly for a Free Consultation; if they mention that you referred them you will be entered to win our monthly refer a friend prize!

• Balance confidently and securely • Sit for long periods comfortably • Go up and down stairs easily • Live an active and healthy lifestyle • Complete tasks without aches

Referral Hotline (207) 839-5860

Simple Exercises You Can Do At Home To Help Your Pain Exercise Ess ntials Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing or if any of these exercises cause pain or discomfort.

Doorway lumbar traction: Lie on your back with knees bent and hips just inside the doorway. Using a dowel or broom push gently into the doorframe until a stretch is felt in the low back. For more traction do this with bare skin touching the floor. Hold for 10-20 seconds then relax, repeat for 2-3 minutes.

Double knee to chest stretch: Lying on your back with knees bent, bring one knee to chest and then the other and hug to chest until a stretch is felt in the low back. Hold for 30 seconds, repeat 3 times.

Donovan Hodges, Aide

Featured Employee: Jordan Hopkins, Reception

Where are you from? I was born in Connecticut but moved to midcoast Maine when I was 7. I’ve been in Portland for just over a year now. What schooling/training do you have? I went to Quinnipiac University in Connecticut for a year before I decided to start working. I then worked for an upscale bed and breakfast for a year and a half before I worked my way down to the “city”. How long have you been with Back in Motion ® ? I have been at Back in Motion ® for just over a year. What is your best work story (funny, happy, inspiring)? My favorite workmoments are when former patients either stop in to visit or come back for PT. I like to think the BIM staff and our patients are just one big family! What are your hobbies? I enjoy running, reading and binge watching Grey’s Anatomy or football when it’s in season. What is one interesting fact about you that most people don’t know? I love going to metal/heavy rock concerts. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? After this winter? Hopefully somewhere tropical!