Northern PTVT: 3 Simple Steps to Beat Aching Shoulders

Northern PTVT: 3 Simple Steps to Beat Aching Shoulders

Newsletter

Enjoy Daily Life Without SHOULDER PAIN

3 Ways To Beat Achy Shoulders

• 3 Ways To Beat Achy Shoulders • The Top 3 Ways to Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome • Healthy Recipe • Free Injury Evaluation

Newsletter

Enjoy Daily Life Without SHOULDER PAIN

• The Top 3 Ways to Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome • Exercise Essential • Healthy Recipe • Free Injury Evaluation INSIDE

3 Ways To Beat Achy Shoulders

Do you find your shoulders aching at the end of the day or when having to reach for items? Why your shoulders hurt Your shoulders have to move through an incredible 180 degrees of motion, while still maintaining stability and strength. The shoulder joint acts like a ball in a very shallow socket that is part of the shoulder blade. Some of the most important muscles in the rotator cuff are actually the smallest. The rotator cuff is made up of 4 muscles that are small, but vital to keeping the ball stable in the socket. When these muscles are weak or injured, the ball can jam up into the socket of the shoulder blade, causing inflammation and pain. Try these simple actions to improve the health of your shoulders and alleviate that nagging ache or sharp pain for good: 1. Sit up tall! – The number one reason for repetitive injury and pain in the shoulders is poor posture. When the ball moves forward in the socket, the rotator cuff becomes vulnerable to injury! There is less space for the muscles which can then get “pinched”. The muscles are also overstretched, making them weaker.

2. Strengthen your rotator cuff muscles – By keeping your rotator cuff muscles strong, you help guide your shoulder joints, lessening the chance for injury and inflammation to occur. A simple exercise to perform is while sitting or standing, keep elbows at your side bent to 90 degrees and thumbs up. Push your hands out like opening a newspaper. Repeat 10 times. 3. Improve your scapula stability – The shoulder blade makes up an important part of your shoulder complex. It has many different muscles attached to it, pulling at just the right time for proper shoulder movement. Improve the shoulder blade muscles by frequently firing them. In sitting or standing, drop your shoulders slowly down and back. This wakes up those important muscles which help guide the shoulder blade when using your arm. Perform 10-15 repetitions, holding the contraction for 5 seconds frequently throughout the day. By working on these 3 simple actions, you can dramatically improve the performance and feel of your shoulders. If your shoulders feel weak, achy, or painful give us a call today. We will definitely get your shoulders feeling limber, stronger and allow you to get back to doing life’s everyday activities pain free.

www.nptvt.com

THE TOP 3 WAYS TO AVOID CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

2. Improve your posture at work If you slouch at the keyboard, this puts the neck in a bad position and can put more pressure on your wrists, decreasing blood flow to your hands. Sit tall and have your keyboard slightly lower than the level of your elbow. 3. Stretch your chest and shoulders Improving your shoulder and chest mobility increases the circulation in your hands. The better your circulation, the less inflammation can build up in the hand and wrist. CTS is a condition that you can prevent with these tips. However, if you start to notice the tingling, numbness or weakness in your hand, see a physical therapist right away.

CarpalTunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a very common occurrence, especially in those that are at a computer all day.The carpal tunnel is in your wrist and made up of bones of the hand and ligaments that form the ceiling of the tunnel. With typing, pressure is frequently put on the wrists and base of the palm. In addition, the frequent use of the tendons that glide through this area, during typing can cause the tendons to become irritated and swollen decreasing the space in the tunnel. Your median nerve, which supplies sensation and muscle control to your thumb and first two fingers can become compressed. This is why with CTS, many people first experience tingling or numbness in the thumb and first two fingers. While this can be a sign of nerve compression, the good news is that this can be prevented and even reversed quite quickly. Seeing a physical therapist right away is essential, but here are some tips you can do in the meantime: 1. Stretch your wrists and hands - Stand up and grab the tips of your fingers with the other hand. With your arm outstretched, gently stretch your fingers back until you feel a gentle pulling in your hand and wrist. Hold this for 15-30 seconds and repeat on both sides for 3 times. Do this frequently throughout the day.

It is much better to catch CTS early, than after nerve damage has occurred. If you feel that you might be experiencing CTS or know someone with these symptoms, call us today to speak with one of our specialists.

www.nptvt.com

Exercise Essential

Patient Success Spotlight

Stretches Shoulders

Come Back In For An Evaluation Whether you want to come in for a check-up, suffered a recent injury or you want to improve your health, you can choose the physical therapy practice you want! Come back to Northern Physical Therapy for a consultation today! “I felt that each visit was very productive in moving forward with healing. I felt very well informed of what they were doing and why. I left with the tools to maintain the strength that I gained.” “I left with the tools to maintain the strength that I gained.”

POSTERIOR SHOULDER STRETCH Sit or stand with good posture. Reach across your chest. Use your other arm to pull a little bit further. Repeat 7 times on both sides.

Chicken & Mushroom Marsala

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 8 oz cremini mushrooms • 8 oz shiitake mushrooms • ½ cup chopped yellow onion • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish • ½ cup Marsala • ½ cup unsalted chicken broth • ½ tbsp butter

Good For A FREE Injury Consultation Beat Aches & Pains!

• 4 chicken breast cutlets • ½ tsp ground pepper • ¼ tsp kosher salt

DIRECTIONS Season chicken with ¼ teaspoon each with pepper and salt. Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge the cutlets in it, pressing gently to fully coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half the cutlets and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side.Transfer to a plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil and the remaining cutlets. Cover to keep warm. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and creminis to the pan; cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add shiitakes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to the bowl and season with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt. Add onion, thyme and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper to the pan; cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the mushrooms to the pan. Stir in Marsala and broth, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Serve the chicken topped with the sauce.

Mention or bring in this coupon for a FREE Consultation with one of our physical therapy specialists! • Recent injury • Nagging aches and pains at work • Back and neck pain • Joint pain and movement problems • Walking or balance difficulties while working

CALL TODAY! (802) 626-4224