PTS_4 Quick Ways to Relieve Sciatica Pain

PTS_4 Quick Ways to Relieve Sciatica Pain

4 QUICK WAYS TO RELIEVE SCIATICA PAIN Health & The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Health & Fitness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

4 QuickWays To Relieve Sciatica Pain

Sciatica is a very common condition that affects 10% of the population. Sciatica is defined as pain that follows the course of the sciatic nerve. However, many people suffer with other sciatica like symptoms including low back pain, foot pain and even numbness in the leg. These symptoms can be signs of other back problems such as mechanical low back pain or even herniated discs. How Do You Know If You Have Sciatica? • Tenderness or sharp pain into the buttock muscles • Numbness, tingling or pain that travels down the back of the thigh • Constant pain that may originate in the low back, but travels mainly down the back of the buttock, thigh, calf and even foot • Pain that feels better when lying down but worsens with standing, walking or sitting Deep Friction Massage Can Help Eliminate Sciatica Some leg pain is caused by a spasm in a deep muscle located in the buttock called the Piriformis. The Sciatic nerve runs right on top of this muscle so a spasm here can cause pain in the leg. The treatment is to put deep pressure on this muscle. Prolonged pressure will cause this muscle to relax, decreasing the pain. This massage is quite painful but you feel great after it is completed. In fact, it is not normal to feel pain with deep pressure to this muscle – only a muscle in spasm will be painful. Spinal Mobilization Gentle mobilization (or movement) of each spinal segment helps to increase mobility of the spine and relieves pain. The pain relief from this technique lasts because it is paired with the right stretching exercise. Good Advice To Avoid Constant Irritation Of The Sciatic Nerve Good advice helps the condition begin healing. For example, you should stop strengthening exercises while you are in pain. If you are having back and leg pain, doing strengthening exercises like lifting weights or doing sit-ups will make the condition worse. Strengthening exercises increase pressure in the spine and initially you want to decrease pressure in the spine so that the condition calms down. You can return to these exercises once the leg pain is gone. Gentle Exercise The right stretch is the key to relieving pain. Some people need to stretch their spinal joints, others need to stretch muscles, some people need both. Once the pain is relieved, we instruct you in a gradual strengthening program to further protect the spine. (Continued Inside)

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Exercise Essentials Try these simple exercises to help keep you loose and pain-free... Share this with a friend or family member to help keep them healthy, too!

Stretches Back

Strengthens Legs

SIDELYING TRUNK ROTATION While lying on your side with your arms out-stretched in front of your body, slowly twist your upper body to the side and rotate your spine. Your arms and head should also be rotating along with the spine as shown. Follow your hand with your eyes. Hold for 20 seconds repeat 3 times on each side.

FORWARD BEND - LONG SITTING Sit with legs straight out and lower back tall. Bend forward keeping lower back tall to feel a stretch in the back of your thighs. Hold for 15 seconds, repeat 3 time.

Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.

Who do you know that needs our help?

Refer a Friend Do You Have Friends or Family Unable to Do The Following? 9 Move without pain 9 Bend and move freely

9 Balance confidently and securely 9 Sit for long periods comfortably 9 Walk for long distances 9 Live an active and healthy lifestyle

If you know someone suffering with aches and pains give the gift of health. Refer them to Physical Therapy Specialties today. Pass along this newsletter or have them call us directly for a Physical Therapy Consultation.

“Working in the pool has extremely decreased my pain as apposed to land exercises.” Jennifer PT and Hima.

Call Today! 925.417.8005

Bone Modeling and Remodeling

When bone is deformed by way of loading, the osteocytes detect the change and send signals to the osteoblasts and osteoclasts to repair and strengthen the bone.

Osteoblasts, Osteoclasts and Osteocytes Three types of cells make modeling and remodeling possible: osteoblasts, osteoclasts and osteocytes. Osteoblasts are cells that produce bone and are responsible for its mineralization. Osteoclasts do the opposite; they produce a mineral that breaks down the bone tissue. Toomany osteoclasts cause toomuch bone to be lost and shrink the bone mass, but if osteoclasts are too few bones can not get hollowed out enough for the new bone and for the bone marrow. Both imbalances can cause osteoporosis. Osteocytes, is star shaped bone cell, it is the most commonly found cell in mature bone tissue and can live as long as you do. The adult human body has about 42 billion of them and they make up about 90% of bone. Osteocytes do not divide and have an average half-life of 25 years. Osteocytes originate from osteoblasts and are deeply embedded in cortical and trabecular bone tissue. They have an extensive branching processes throughwhich they communicate with osteoblasts and other osteocytes. These signaling pathways play a crucial role in the skeleton’s ability to continually adapt in response tomechanical loading, because osteocytes can sense total mechanical load and trigger biomechanical responses. These responses can either encourage formation of new bone to handle heavier loads or remove bone in the absence of load.

Bone Mineral Density Mechanical loading of a bone is the most important factor of bone strength and influencing muscle size and force, which in turn correlate with bone mineral density (BMD). We call this concept the “bone- muscle unit” because the development of one directly influences the other. This unit has extra importance during childhood and adolescence because accruing lean tissue mass during the formative years affects adult bone strength. The good news is that even as an older adult, loading the bone signals the osteocytes to send messages to the osteoblasts to build more bone and improve bone density. Correct exercise is the key to improving your bone density. If you have any questions about what kind of exercise would be safe for you to do, don’t hesitate to ask your physical therapist.

Bones are living, dynamic organs that serve many functions. Functions include support, protection, aid in movement, along with storing minerals such as calcium and phosphate for other uses in the body. The human skeleton ismade up of two types of bone, cortical and trabecular. Cortical bone, the dense outer layer makes up 80% of the adult human skeleton. Trabecular bone makes up the inner layers that are spongy and honeycomb like. The trabecular bone is found in the scull, pelvis, sacrum and vertebrae. This is where most of our bone minerals are stored. Bone mass reaches its peak density in late teen years. Bones continue to grow and change throughout lifetime and complete bone mass is replaced every 10 years. This process of change is called modeling and remodeling. Bone Modeling refers to the sculpting of the bones inner and outer shape, bone is formed, and old bone is removed. This process happens during childhood and adolescent years. The process allows the bone to grow and changes shape to adapt to the body of an adult. Bone Remodeling happens in adulthood. Remodeling does not change the shape or size like it does in adolescent years, it gradually replaces the bone.

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Patient Spotlights What our patients have to say! “The whole place is really well run, and I highly recommend it.”

“Physical Therapy Specialties is fantastic. I worked primarily with Mike and Shahrin; however, the support staff is excellent as well. I showed up with plantar fasciitis and was impressed with how they not only treated my injury but also treated me as a person. Shahrin noticed my whole lower right side was weak. Rather than focus on treating just the plantar fasciitis she explained how the leg muscles work in tandem and gave me additional exercises for my legs and hips. She also gave me the push and encouragement to join a gym and begin a strength training regimen so I can prevent future injury. Shahrin has a great personality - she is always upbeat and easy to talk to. The whole place is really well run, and I highly recommend it.” - Mat M. “Mike did a great job!” “I feel that Mike and I have brought my problem to a successful conclusion. Mike did a great job! He is very knowledgeable, and you can tell that he loves his work by how he treats his patients. I am feeling the best I have since my hip problem started about a year ago. We agreed that it’s in my hands now to maintain my stretches and exercises. I will not hesitate to come back to PTS if the problem comes back or if I have other difficulties. It was always a pleasure saying “Hi” to the friendly office staff when checking in and out.” - Robert B “She’s very knowledgeable, friendly, and she has all of her little extra techniques that make problems with the neck feel so much better.” “Ida is definitely one of my favorite therapists to work with when my neck is bothering me. She’s very knowledgeable, friendly, and she has all of her little extra techniques that make problems with the neck feel so much better. Love working with her!” - Sharon L. “They have the best therapists!” “I would highly recommend Physical Therapy Specialties! They have the best therapists, and the staff is very caring, personal, and professional.” - Shar L.

Talk to the experts! • Caitlin Cooper, PT • Jennifer Freitas, PT • Stephen George, PT • Catherine Noel PT. • Ida Hirst, PT

• Michael Petrak, PT • Shahrin Ahmad, PT • Shabeeba Shafi, PT • Dina Stepanek, PT

Email us: [email protected] CALL TODAY! 925.417.8005

4 Quick Ways to Relieve Sciatica Pain

(Continued From Outside)

4. Lying on your back, knees bent, slowly rock knees side to side to gently stretch your low back. This can help relax the muscles and relieve nerve pain. Speak to one of our specialists if you have questions on which exercises you should do. While sciatica can literally be a pain in the backside, it doesn’t have to stay with you. Simple strategies and seeing the right physical therapist early can make a big difference in quickly healing and returning to the pain free activities you love.

1. Get properly diagnosed by a physical therapist. Other low back conditions can present as sciatica symptoms and it is important to determine the exact origins of your symptoms. Seeing a physical therapist sooner, rather than later means faster recovery and less potential for damage that can occur to the spinal joints and nerves. 2. Alternate heat and ice to the low back and buttock area. Ice helps to relieve inflammation, while heat, helps relax muscles and improve blood flow. Try 10minutes on, 30minutes off when alternating. Make sure to check your skin frequently to prevent injury. Speak with one of our specialists if you have questions on what will work best for you. 3. Position yourself to relax your low back and take the pressure off the nerve. Twoways to do this are either: 1. Lie on your non-painful side with your knees bent comfortably with the top knee slightly forward of the other. 2. Lie on your back with a pillow under your knees. (Find your best position of comfort).

Come Back In For A Consultation Whether you want to come in for a check-up, suffered a recent injury or you want to improve your health, a doctor referral is not needed. In the state of California you have direct access to physical therapy!

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See our physical therapists for: • Recent injury • Nagging aches and pains • Back and neck pain • Joint pain and movement problems • Walking or balance difficulties

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