Fit 4 Life: 5 Keys To A Healthy Spine

Fit 4 Life: 5 Keys To A Healthy Spine

Health & Fitness

The Newsletter About Physical Therapy & Personal Training

DISCOVERHAPPINESS INPAINRELIEF! 1. Watch your sitting Sitting is the position that puts the most pressure on the low back. It is important to break up your sitting time throughout the day and take frequent breaks. Work in standing or walking tasks at various times throughout the day, limiting your sitting to about 30 minutes at a time. (continued inside) 5 Keys To A Healthy Spine

INSIDE: • Care For Your Garden With A Healthy Back • Healthy Recipe • Patient Spotlights • Exercise Essentials

Health & Fitness The Newsletter About Physical Therapy & Personal Training

CARE FOR YOUR GARDEN WITH A HEALTHY BACK

2. Protect your spine with better posture How you sit, stand, stretch and lift all play a role in the pressures on your spine. We all know to bend with our knees, not our back when lifting, but do you really do it? Really bend down deep with your knees to pick up objects off low shelves, such as in the refrigerator or shoes off the floor. When standing, walking and sitting, imagine a string pulling you up through the top of your head. This brings your neck, shoulders and back into better alignment. 3. Tighten your core muscles Your core muscles are made up of your abdominal muscles, spinal muscles and pelvic / hip muscles. It is very common for these muscles to become weak with prolonged sitting, before/after pregnancy, after surgeries or injuries. Strengthening your abdominal and hip muscles can go a long way to providing the necessary muscle support to your spine. Speak with one of our experts on what exercises are right for you.

4. Improve your nutrition Your body is a machine and it needs the right fuel to run. Since you use your body all day long, it needs to rebuild itself constantly. The ligaments, tendons, muscles and discs in your spine need the right nutrition to stay healthy. Make sure to eat dark green leafy vegetables, lean protein and stay hydrated. Avoid smoking and fried foods, which actually harm your tissues and make pain more prevalent. 5. Get your spine moving Your body was made to move, especially your spine. It is common for areas of your spine to tighten up, placing too much strain on other areas. These areas, then become irritated and painful. Restore the flexibility in your spine with gentle, specialized hands on therapy as well as specific exercises. Participate in Yoga and Pilates to improve your stability, strength and spinal balance.

Contact us today to improve the health of your spine!

Fit4LifeTampa.com

If you are experiencing back pain, Fit 4 Life has a 95% success rate! Schedule an appointment today with the best quality therapist in Florida!

FINDING THE SOURCE TO PAIN CAUSED BY THE SPINE Most of us will experience back or neck pain at some point in our lives. It is the price we pay for walking on two legs. If you suffer from the occasional ache or have chronic low back or neck pain, the goal is to relieve the pain, without the need for surgery. In fact, recent studies point to the fact that patients who underwent a common fusion procedure for the spine, were more likely to have a second surgery within 2 years*. The best way to avoid the need for spine surgery is to improve the health of your spine, and physical therapy plays a key role in making that happen. WHY DOES YOUR NECK OR BACK HURT?

One thing to understand about neck and back pain is that it is mechanical. Just like a car can have problems with moving parts, so can your spine. The daily barrage of strain on our backs with sitting, lifting improperly and poor nutrition can wreak havoc on our spines.

Most spine pain comes from the following 4 trouble areas: 1. Poor posture and alignment 2. Lack of knowledge on how to bend, lift, sit, sleep 3. Lack of muscle strength 4. Poor flexibility and muscle coordination

The good news, is that your body is adaptable and you can always improve what you have. With the right treatment and training, your back or neck can usually make a full recovery. Physical therapists are the mechanics of the body, and coming to a physical therapist first can often avoid expensive testing or medical procedures. Fit 4 Life Can Help You Maintain A Healthy Spine, Naturally! *Anand Veeravagu, Tyler Cole, Bowen Jiang, John K. Ratliff The Spine Journal, Vol. 14, Issue 7, p1125–1131 Published online: October 14 2013

ATTENTION HEALTHY LIFESTYLE SEEKERS Mention or Bring in This Coupon Today For

2 FREE SESSIONS for any new training client

FREE CONSULTATION for any new therapy patient

OR

17419 Bridge Hill Court Tampa, FL, 33647 P: (813) 907-7879

DO I NEED A PRESCRIPTION TO START PHYSICAL THERAPY? No, you don’t. Although we see many patients sent directly by their physician, in the state of Florida, a licensed physical therapist may begin the physical therapy process by performing a full physical therapy evaluation. We will verify benefits for you so that you can get started right away.

Offer valid for the first 25 people to schedule.

Patient Spotlights

Hear What Our Patients Had

To Say! “I love the staff!”

“I love Fit 4 Life! This is the best place. I love the staff, they are well trained and they are experts.” – Shaila G.

“I love Fit 4 Life.” “I love Fit 4 Life. I have hurt myself on the exercise machines, but have not had that problem there. I’m not sure where I would be physically had it not been for Fit 4 Life” – Kathleen T.

Marissa Salvangni Physical Therapy Technician

Staff

Spotlight

Hello everyone my name is Marissa. I am a physical therapy technician here at Fit4Life and you can catch me at the front desk too. On top of being a part of the Fit4life team, I am a student at the University of South Florida pursuing a B.S. in Health Sciences. I plan on applying to Physical Therapy School once I graduate in 2019. I am very passionate in assisting and motivating people towards their recovery/goals to help them be the best version of themselves they can be. I look forward to working with you!” CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE A FITNESS, PT, OR HEALTH SESSION! 813-907-7879

Healthy Recipe

Eating Right Never Tasted So Good! SHRIMP BOIL-STYLE DINNER

SERVINGS: 4 • PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 45 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS: • 1 pound fresh or frozen large shrimp in shells • 1 pound tiny new potatoes, quartered • 2 small fresh ears of corn, husked and cut into 1½- to 3-inch-long pieces • 3 ounces cooked kielbasa or andouille sausage, coarsely chopped

• ¾ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning or 1½ teaspoons reduced-sodium Old Bay Seasoning • 1 lemon, cut into wedges • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS: 1. Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Rinse the shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Cook potatoes in a large covered saucepan in a small amount of boiling water for 6 minutes. Add corn; cook for 6 minutes more. Drain; set aside. Tear off four 24x18-inch pieces of heavy-duty foil. Fold each in half to make an 18x12-inch rectangle. 2. Divide the shrimp, potatoes, corn, and sausage among foil rectangles. Sprinkle with seasoning. For each packet, bring up two opposite edges of the foil and seal with a double fold. Fold remaining ends to completely enclose the food, allowing space for steam to build. 3. For a charcoal grill, grill foil packets on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 12 to 15 minutes or until the shrimp turn opaque and the vegetables are tender, carefully opening packets to check doneness. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place the foil packets on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)

4. Serve with lemon wedges and sprinkle with parsley.

• Variation: Oven Method: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare as directed through Step 2. Bake the foil packets directly on the oven rack for 12 to 15 minutes or until the shrimp turn opaque and the vegetables are tender, carefully opening the packets to check doneness. Serve as directed in Step 4.

Fit4LifeTampa.com

Exercise Essentials

Try these exercises to get you moving... CHILD’S POSE Kneel on the floor, buttocks over heels. Stretch arms forward far as you can. Let head and trunk sag to the floor and hang heavy. Keep buttocks over heels. Relax.

Think about moving joint by joint

Relieves Back Pain

ng heavy.

. tween your knees for support.

SIDELYING Lie on your side. Place a pillow between your knees for support. Relax. Start

Buttocks over heels, stretch arms

Stretches Back

Exercises copyright of

www.simpleset.net

Lie on side. Use pillows for support.

Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing. Think Fit 4 Life FIRST Why You Need To Schedule An Appointment With Our Physical Therapists or Personal Trainers: � Move without pain � Bend and move freely � Balance confidently & securely It’s Never Too Late To Get Fit & Active!

� Sit for long periods comfortably � Walk for long distances � Live an active & healthy lifestyle

Fit4LifeTampa.com