Nestor PT: Helping Aches and Pains

NEWSLETTER www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com

It is an unfortunate reality that pain is a part of life. Having aches and pains in your neck, back, knees, and hips is commonplace, especially as you begin to age. However, as those aches and pains grow more severe they can become more challenging to deal with. (continued inside)

INSIDE: Why Do Your Muscles Ache? Exercise Essentials Patient Success Spotlight

HelpingYour DailyAches&Pains

261 Main Street North Smithfield, RI 02896

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HelpingYour DailyAches&Pains

(continued from outside)

It is never a good idea to let aches and pains grow so severe that they interfere with your quality of life.These are a few ways to help alleviate any aches and pains that you may have: 1. Hot and Cold Therapy. Using ice and heat to manage pain is one of the oldesttricks inthebook.Oftentimes,musclepaindevelopsasaresultof injury oroveruseandusingover thecounterpainmedications likeacetaminophen or ibuprofen can help, but combining those medications with repeated ice and heat therapy is a better strategy for reducing overall pain and tightness. 2. Rest. When you are experiencing pain in a certain muscle group, resting that muscle group is a good idea. Sleep, in general, is beneficial for helping decrease pain. Increasing the amount of sleep you are getting by just one or two hours per night could be beneficial in reducing your overall pain level.

3.Exercise. Lackofexercisecan lead tostiffnessandweakness inmuscles and joints,andregularlystretchingandmovingcanhelp increasebloodflow. Carrying excess weight can also lead to pain and discomfort, and exercise is beneficial in supporting weight loss efforts. Cardiovascular activities like walking, cycling, and swimming are especially good options for alleviating pain.Checkwithyourphysical therapistbefore tryinganewformofexercise. 4. Physical Therapy. Physical therapy is an ideal solution for addressing pain, especially pain thatdevelops following an injury or surgical procedure. At Nestor Physical Therapy we provide specialized “hands on treatment” including deep tissue massage and manual techniques to relieve muscle tension/tightness and align the spine and joints. We provide instruction in stretchingandstrengtheningexercisesaswellas instruction inproperbody mechanics and injury prevention.

Call Today! 401-356-4777

www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com

Why Do Your Muscles Ache?

ATTENTION BACK PAIN SUFFERERS!

FREE BACK PAIN WORKSHOP

Muscle pain is one of the most common forms of pain. It frequently develops as a result of injury or overuse and can develop almost anywhere in the body. It is most common in the arms, shoulders, legs, and back and neck. Sometimes, muscle pain will come and go, developing and then quickly subsiding before becoming a long-term issue. But this is not always the case. A sprain or strain of a ligament, which are the fibrous tissues that connect bones and joints, can cause long-term pain if correct healing does not occur. The most common issues of muscle pain are related to injuries, especially: • Neck and back injury • Shoulder injury • Sprain or strain injury • Stress from overuse or tension In some situations, muscle pain can also be caused by: • Certain medication usage • Fibromyalgia In situations like these your pain may need to be addressed by a medical professional. Physical therapists are able to address the underlying cause of pain in many chronic conditions, such as in the cases of certain autoimmune diseases and fibromyalgia. Most aches and pains are temporary and generally last 1-3 days. However, once muscle pain begins to go past 3 days without changing, or you feel the same aches and pains repeatedly, it’s time to give us a call as there may be an underlying problem such as muscle imbalance, or stiff tissues and joints. • Autoimmune disease • Other chronic concerns

Saturday, August 18th at 10 AM When you have back pain, you need to feel better FAST, so you can get back on your feet and keep on moving. Our responsibilities never end: kids, grandkids, jobs, leisure activities... but back pain can stop you in your tracks. We take mobility for granted. Walking, hiking, cycling, running: these are all activities you may have loved in the past but now you may be considering giving up because of lower back discomfort. The Back Pain Workshop at Nestor Physical Therapy will teach you about the latest treatment techniques to figure out exactly where and how your pain affects your movement and your physical health. Call today at (401) 356-4777 or visit www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com to register!

Patient Success Spotlight

Try this movement if you have hip pain. Relieve Pain In Minutes:

Helps Relieve Hip Pain

www.simpleset.net

HIP HIKES While standing up on a step, lower one leg downward towards the floor by tilting your pelvis to the side. Then return the pelvis/ leg back to a leveled position.

“I attended Dr. Nestor’s workshop and knew he could help me. The pain down the back of my left leg to my foot was so severe I’d cry every day. Within the first couple of weeks I felt a difference. I looked forward to coming here because I knew it was working. Now I can stand and sit with no more pain in my leg. The staff is wonderful and I will miss coming for therapy. Thank you for your help in allowing me to live with no pain.” - Debra Caruso

www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com

Smoked Potato Salad

Make this or bring it to your next family cookout and you will be the hero! Here’s what you will need: 2 bags of small potatoes (white or red or a combo), mayo, grain mustard, sweet pickle relish, olive oil, kosher or sea salt, cracked black pepper. Optional: bacon and chives to garnish. Wash, dry and quarter the potatoes. Coat potatoes with olive oil and season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Put potatoes in a foil pan or a cast iron skillet. Add a little olive oil to the foil pain or skillet to keep potatoes from sticking. Grill or fry strips of bacon while the potatoes cook. Cool and chop to

put on the top of potato salad. Set up charcoal grill for indirect grilling. This means no heat under the food. Add wood chips or chunks to coals to create smoke. Once you see the smoke coming through the vents add the potatoes. If you do this on a gas grill, make a smoker packet with woodchips and tin foil. I used 2 un-soaked wood chucks since I wasn’t doing long cooking and wanted to add smoke to the food right away. Roast potatoes for 45-60 minutes. If grill is at 400°, it will take about an hour. If the grill is hotter, the cooking time may be quicker. If the grill is hotter, the cooking time maybe quicker. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from the grill to cool. In a large bowl, mix ¾ cup of mayo, 3 tablespoons of grain mustard, 2 tablespoons of sweet pickle relish, pinch of kosher salt. Stir in the cooled potatoes and mix until coated. The potato salad is ready to eat but is better if you let it sit in the fridge for a few hours. Serve the potato salad topped with chopped bacon and chives.

Call Today! 401-356-4777

www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com