Dynamic PT: Back Pain & Difficulty Walking

Dynamic PT: Back Pain & Difficulty Walking

NEWSLETTER Health&Wellness

Low Back Pain&Physical Therapy

Do you have back pain? You are not alone, at any given time, about 25% of people in the United States reported having low back pain within the last 3 months. In most cases low back pain will be mild and go away on its own. However, for some people pain can hang on or return, leading to a decrease in quality of life or even to disability. Symptoms of low back pain can vary greatly. Pain may be dull, burning or sharp. It may be point tender or over a broad area. Back pain may be accompanied by muscle spasm or stiffness. Sometimes you can get pain, numbness or tingling that runs down one or both of your legs. Back pain can be categorized into acute, recurrent or chronic. Acute pain is pain that last less than 3 months, where chronic is pain that lasts longer than 3 months. There are several conditions that may lead to low back pain including lumbar strain, SI joint dysfunction, degenerative disc disease, lumbar spinal stenosis, fracture, herniated disc, osteoporosis or osteoarthritis. If you suffer with back pain Physical Therapy should be at the top of your list to try. With proper evaluation, a skilled therapist can differentiate what is causing your back pain and get you going on a program to decrease or

get rid of low back pain. Physical Therapy in not just exercise. It will include modalities, such as heat pack, cold pack, ultrasound or electric stimulation depending on your symptoms. There will likely be a component of manual therapy depending on your symptoms and needs. The early stage of therapy is working to reduce pain. The later part of therapy is working to restore flexibility and strength that may be leading to more chronic pain or recurrent pain because the biomechanical issues have never properly addressed. At Dynamic Physical Therapy we strive to help our patients get rid of their pain and back to the daily and functional activities that they want to be performing. If you have back pain, give Physical Therapy a try, because no one should live with pain.

www.dynamic-physical-therapy.com

NEWSLETTER Health&Wellness

“Help Others By Relieving Yourself From Pain!” WALKING AWAY FROM BACK PAIN

INSIDE: • Fixing Your Stride • Healthy Recipe • Patient Success Spotlight • FREE Mobile Download

Does going for a walk sound like a big pain in the back? For those who struggle with chronic back pain, even the basic task of going for a walk can be overwhelming and painful. Back pain can strike at any time. Whether in the upper back, surrounding the neck and shoulders, or in the lower back at the lumbar or sciatica, back pain is something that no one likes to deal with for too long. Relying on pain medications to help you overcome back pain will leave you disappointed.Whilepainmedicationsare frequentlyhelpfulatalleviating the discomfort of your back pain for a short period of time, they are not capable of resolving the issue that is causing your pain to develop in the first place. The only thing that can actually fix your back pain is addressing the issue that is causing your pain head on. Physical therapy is a great resource for addressing your back pain and can be a helpful tool in getting you back on your feet. So,whether it isfollowingasudden injuryorachronic issuethathasdeveloped over time,physical therapycouldbe theanswer tohelpingyouenjoy life free

of back pain. And the secret to success is learning to approach recovery one step at a time. Walking your Way Pain Free. Walking is a great form of exercise, but more than that, it is a necessity of life. When you can’t walk, even basic tasks becomecomplicated. Getting out of bed in themorning, getting to and from work,movingyourwayaround theoffice,andevenspending timewith family on the weekends all rely heavily on your ability to walk. When your back pain begins to interfere with your ability to move around freely, then you know it is time to start doing something about it. Conveniently,walking ismore thanagoalwhen itcomes tobackpain, itcould bepartof thesolution.Workingwithaphysical therapist todevelop improved strategies and techniques with your walking could help you to get back on your feet even sooner than you thought possible. What’s more, for those whoareable towalk,gettingonyour feetmoreoftenwith targetedexercises could help you find relief from back pain even sooner than expected. Look inside to learn more about our programs and say goodbye to back pain!

www.dynamic-physical-therapy.com

FIXING YOUR STRIDE

When you are experiencing regular back pain—especially if you are experiencing back pain while walking—you should consider ways that you can reduce back pain by taking small steps to support your back. There are several things that you can do at home to improve your stride, which can make a significant difference when it comes to managing back pain day-to-day. Here are several ways that you can start taking care of your back with each step you take: 1. Make sure that you are wearing the right types of shoes. While the golden rule for walking is to wear sneakers, not all sneakers are created equally. You need to wear a sneaker that is going to provide you with the arch support that meets your individual needs.This may mean upgrading from your minimal support sneaker to something more athletically designed. 2. Try a custom insert in your shoe. Of course, you can’t wear sneakers all the time. When you are at the office, professional footwear matters. You may find it helpful to have custom orthotics made for your work shoes so that you can have more arch support around the clock. 3. Work on improving your posture. If you are slouching when you walk, then that may be impacting the way that your back feels. Take a few minutes in the morning and again in the afternoon to stretch your back, and then make a point of keeping your shoulders square and your back straight as you walk. Simply standing tall may alleviate some of your back pain. Another way that walking can help alleviate back pain is by encouraging weight loss. Being overweight puts added pressure on your back, and this www.dynamic-physical-therapy.com

can contribute to increased back pain. Working with a physical therapist to improve your walking technique can help you to overcome back pain one step at a time. Discover how our programs can improve your pain, allowing you to live a happy, active and pain-free life.

SERVICES • Pre & Post Surgical Rehab • General Orthopedics • Sprains & Strain Overuse • Work Related Injuries • Vestibular Rehabilitation • Back & Neck Pain SPECIALTIES

• Neurological Disorders • Balance Training • Post MVA • Hand Therapy • Work Conditioning •PosturalCorrection (Ergonomics)

INSURANCE Star t Feeling Better Today! We accept and bill most insurances, including, but not limited to: • Regence • Blue Cross • Medicare • Medicaid of WA and ID • TriCare • VA/Champus • Auto injury • Workman’s Compensation

• Manual Therapy • Kinesio Taping

• Myofascial Release • Trigger Point Therapy •Pre-natal&Perinatal (Women’sHealth)

Call Today! (208) 743-1795

Free Mobile Download Get Easy Relief For Your Pain With A Simple Click...

Do you or someone you know have back or neck pain? As a current or past patient, you have access to this valuable information, at your fingertips. Start feeling better today in the privacy of your home. Go to www.dynamic-physical- therapy.com, and scroll down to themiddle of the page foryour free download.This is the easiest wayto get this information to our patients. Download and share with friends and family today!

Patient Success Spotlight

“It’s unusual to look forward to Physical Therapy but both my wife and I have had sessions here with excellent results.We enjoyed our interactions with the friendly and helpful therapists and staff. They actually made it fun to go through the therapy and did their utmost to help alleviate my conditions with great results. - Wes W. “Did their utmost to help alleviate my conditions!” Stuffed Zucchini Boats Eating Right Never Tasted So Good! INGREDIENTS

You can find the FREE Back & Neck Pain ebook download on our homepage at: www.dynamic-physical-therapy.com

• 1-2 cups of marinara sauce • Chopped parsley

• Four medium-sized zucchinis • One 5oz log of goat cheese

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice zucchini lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet. Using 1/2 of the goat cheese, spread small amount into the zucchini and cover with marinara sauce. Drop dots of remaining cheese over the marinara, bake until cheese is soft and marinara is bubbling (about 20 minutes).

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