Achieve Therapy: Determining The Origin Of Your Pain

Achieve Therapy: Determining The Origin Of Your Pain

Performance For Life N E W S L E T T E R

Determining The Origin Of Your Pain

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• Determining The Origin Of Your Pain • Holiday Tips For Dieting • A Stretch for Relieving Knee Pain • Seasonal Recipe

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Performance For Life N E W S L E T T E R

Sometimes ithappenswhenapaindevelops thatyoucan immediately identify the cause. A new pair of shoes may cause a sharp pain in your heel, or an old chair at work may cause your back to grow sore and uncomfortable as time goes on. But there are other situations in which pain develops, and the cause of the pain is unclear. Different types of bodily pain can tell you different things about your body and overall bodily health. Sometimes, a pain in your arm or your leg may have little to nothing to do with an actual issue in your arm or leg. Physical therapists are like well-trained detectives when it comes to identifying the causes of pain. A physical therapist knows the way that the nervous systemworks, making it possible to identify the potential causes of pain, even if the pain is manifesting itself in an unusual or seemingly inexplicable way. Whether you are suffering from pain in your head, your back, your neck or anywhere else in your body, working with a physical therapist can help you find the relief you are looking for. Physical therapists are trained in identifying and treating the cause of your pain, giving you theopportunity toshiftaway from theongoinguseofpainmedication and instead find relief from your pain with a series of strategies that include stretching, muscle building and flexibility training. Understanding Your Pain When you meet with a physical therapist to understand where your pain may be coming from, one of the first things you’ll do is have a conversation about your pain. How long you’ve been experiencing Determining The Origin Of Your Pain

pain, where it developed and how the pain manifests itself are all very important distinctions that can help shed some light on what may be causing your discomfort.

Here are a few things you may want to consider before heading into physical therapy:

• Considerexactlywherethepainoccurs inyourbody,andresearch what the different parts of the body are called so that you can have an accurate and helpful conversation about your pain. For example, back pain has a lot of different differentiations, and lumbar pain (which is in the lower back) is frequently caused by factors different fromwhat would cause upper-back or neck pain. • How does the pain feel when it develops? Is it a lingering ache? Is it a sharp stab? Is it more of a tingling feeling? Each of these sensations is actually associated with different types of problems,sodescribingyourpainappropriatelymaybehelpful in determining the best treatment methods for your body’s needs. • Whatdoyou thinkmaybecausing thepain?Ofcourse, ithappens that a pain will develop, and you are dumbfounded as to why, but more often than not, there is something that you think could be influencing it. If the pain started around the same time as a change in environment or life circumstances, then it is worth telling your physical therapist about the association.

If you’re suffering from pain, call us at (701) 858-0302 or visit achieve-therapy.com today!

Determing The Origin Of Your Pain (continued)

Another thing to consider about your pain is whether or not it develops at particular times of the day or year. There are plenty of situations when someone begins to experience pain when the weather starts to change, and it turns out that the pain is a result of arthritis and inflammation.There are other situations in which the pain will develop as a result of prolonged sitting or the opposite — such as when things get crazy at home or at work, and you find that you are not getting as much sleep as usual. Considering any changes in your daily habits or environmental factors can be very helpful in determining what is causing your pain.

Regardless of where your pain is, how long you’ve been dealing with it, orhow intense thepain feels, thesmart thing todowhenpaindevelops is to speak with a physical therapist. Working with a physical therapist can help you finally get a step ahead of your pain, finding treatment options that are designed to provide you with long-term relief instead of temporary relief from medication. For more information about physical therapy for overcoming bodily pain, contact us. If you’re suffering from pain, call us at (701) 858-0302 or visit achieve-therapy.com today!

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Relieve Knee Pain Knee Extension

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Sit inachairwithgoodposture. Straighten your knee as much as you can, then relax your knee back to the start position in a controlled manner. Repeat 6-10 times.

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Holiday Survival Tips to Maintain Your Diet During The Holidays

The holidays are just around the corner, meaning athletes and dieters are in for quite the struggle when it comes to that irresistible holiday food. Surrounded by traditional favorites, baked breads, rich desserts and decadent cocktails, one can almost visualize the numbers on the scale heading in the wrong direction. FearnotandRSVPyes toyour festiveengagementsbyarmingyourself with these helpful tips: • Eat before you go. As silly as this may sound, the best way to arrive at your function and be able to pass on high calorie and high fat hors d’oeuvres is to not be plagued with hunger pangs. In addition, you will be able to make healthier food choices placing more emphasis on salads, protein and vegetables. • Avoid high sugar spirits like daiquiris, coladas and margaritas. With just two of these types of cocktails, you could consume half of your days’ worth of calories. Instead, choose light beer, red wines like pinot noir or chianti, white wines like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc or mixed vodka club drinks with a splash of juice. Since alcohol dehydrates the body which can lead to extra snacking, be sure to drink plenty of water in between.

• You can’t have your fruitcake and eat it too. Holiday desserts can be rich in sugar, fat, and calories which can really pack on the pounds especially if coupled with a high carbohydrate dinner.Try chewing on gum or sipping on a flavored herb tea to help squelch the desire to sample a little bit of everything. But if you must indulge, choose a reasonable portion of one of your favorites or two half portion sized desserts. • Calories in, calories out. If you are going to indulge you must exercise. Exercising an hour a day, or 30 minutes at high intensity, 5 times a week will help keep your clothes fitting nicely. • 80/20 rule. Stick with a low carbohydrate diet throughout the season with plenty of protein, vegetables and healthy fats. No need to add any extra rice, pasta, cereal or bread to breakfast and lunch meals.This will allow you to partake in some decadent foods a few times a week without adding the average 5-7 pounds of holiday weight gain.

Seasonal Recipe Sweet Potato Pecan Casserole

Ingredients • 3 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks • 1/3 cup honey • 1 large egg

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg • 1/8 tsp ground ginger • Kosher salt

• 1 tbsp packed dark brown sugar • 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions Preheattheovento350degreesF.Mistan8-inchsquarebakingdishwithcookingspray.Bringafew inchesofwater to a boil in a pot with a large steamer basket in place. Put the sweet potatoes in the basket, cover and steam until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add the honey, egg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the nutmeg, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt; whip with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread the sweet potatomixture inthepreparedbakingdish.Mixthebrownsugar,pecansandtheremaining1/2teaspooncinnamon in a bowl; sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake until hot and beginning to brown around the edges, 40 to 45 minutes.