Nestor PT_: A Stronger Core Means a Healthier You

Nestor PT_: A Stronger Core Means a Healthier You

N EWS L E T T E R www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com

How is your posture? Posture is an impor tant par t of everyday life that many of us tend not to focus on – Do you slouch in your desk chair, or slump at your computer while you do work? When you stand for prolonged periods of time, do you notice your stomach sticking out a bit? (continued inside)

INSIDE: How You Can Improve Your Health By Strengthening Your Core How Can I Strengthen My Core Muscles? Heart Health & Wellness Tips

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How You Can Improve Your Health By Strengthening Your Core

NEWSLETTER

261 Main Street North Smithfield, RI 02896

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How You Can Improve Your Health By Strengthening Your Core

These are all signs of core muscle weakness that can affect your posture and cause pain in your back or neck. Your core muscles help you do a lot – from sitting, to walking, to doing a large number of physical activities. If your core muscles are weak, you may unknowingly be causing some damage to your body. What exactly are the core muscles? When most people think of core muscles, they immediately think of the abdominals. However, the core is made up of much more than that! In fact, your core muscles include your abdominal, lower back, pelvic, and gluteus muscles.

The group of muscles that make up your core help with stabilizing your body, constructing your posture, and allowing your skeleton to move properly. When any of the muscles within that group become weak, your body experiences an instability that makes it difficult for your body to function properly. As a result, you end up compensating by straining different areas of the body, most commonly the back and neck muscles. As a result, this leads to undesirable consequences, such as poor posture, fatigue, inflammation, or pain. Contact Nestor Physical Therapy today to figure out how we can help you strengthen your core muscles and improve your overall health.

Call Today! 401-356-4777

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How Can I Strengthen My Core Muscles?

When you are experiencing pain, sometimes it is necessary to seek the assistance of a trained professional in the field of human movement. At Nestor Physical Therapy, our licensed physical therapists will conduct a physical evaluation to determine where the pain is rooted and what muscles must be strengthened in order to correct it. Whether you are feeling pain in your back, neck, shoulders, or legs, we will perform a thorough analysis of your posture, movement, and strength to pinpoint exactly what is causing your pain. From there, we will create an individualized treatment plan for you based on your specific needs, aimed at strengthening your core, improving your posture, and alleviating your pain. There are also a few tips you can do on your own, either before PT treatments or in combination with them, in order to strengthen your core and relieve your pain. These include: 1. Improving your posture. Make sure to stand up frequently, at least every 30 minutes, and vary your positions of work throughout the day. Aim to correct your posture when sitting and standing, making adjustments as needed. 2. Avoiding injury. Make sure you know the proper way to lift, bend, and pick up objects, even if they are not heavy. It is important to lift with your legs, rather than your back. Our experts can show you proper body mechanics with everyday tasks. 3. Getting adequate rest and exercise. Every day takes a toll on your body, even if you don’t realize it. Sleep deprivation can actually worsen your pain tolerance and decrease your strength. Relaxing and sleeping helps your body to rejuvenate after a long day, and those hours before 12

a.m. are especially important. Exercising can help you fall asleep earlier, allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed the next day. By taking a walk for at least 30 minutes every day, you can get better sleep at night, in addition to improving your strength, flexibility, and heart health. 4. Eating nutritious meals. If you are in pain, it is incredibly important to eat the right foods. A poor diet can aggravate your pain by causing further inflammation, especially when eating processed or fried foods. Instead, make it a habit to eat vegetables, fruits, and lean protein. It is also important to drink a lot of water, as dehydration can dry out your tissues. Keep a glass of water by your desk and refill it during the day so you (and your tissues) stay hydrated. 5. Getting expert help. The best solution for your back or neck pain is to restore proper movement, strength, and coordination for maximum results. At Nestor Physical Therapy our physical therapists are here to help you improve your function and relieve your pain. If you are looking to strengthen your core, relieve your pain, and improve your overall health, contact us today!

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 answered “yes” to any of these, please call us today at 401-356-4777

Patient Success Spotlights

“I came to PT with sciatica and lower back pain. The pain was in my lower back and left leg. I had difficulty getting dressed & also driving. I worked with Dr. Nestor, Dave, and Josh over the last few months on stretching exercises and strength training. I have strengthened this area and I am pain-free! I now have a daily routine of stretching and weight exercises that I do and will continue to do going forward. Thanks to Dr. Nestor for his skills and continuing to improve all patient health!” - Rita Cotter “Thanks to Dr. Nestor for his skills and continuing to improve all patient health!.”

“Dr. Nestor & his team helped me build up some inner core strength to alleviate an angry hip flexor!! This was my third time doing PT for this problem. Nestor PT had a different approach than any previous experiences! This approach helped the most with my recovery. I’d definitely recommend Nestor PT.” - Tanner Pendleton “Nestor PT had a different approach than any previous experiences! This approach helped the most with my recovery.”

Hear t Health & Wellness Tips

1. Aim for lucky number seven. Young and middle-age adults who sleep 7 hours a night have less calcium in their arteries (an early sign of heart disease) than those who sleep 5 hours or less or those who sleep 9 hours or more.

5. Find out if you have diabetes. Millions of people don’t know that they have this condition. That’s risky because over time, high blood sugar damages arteries and makes heart disease more likely. 6. Think beyond the scale. Ask your doctor if your weight is OK. If you have some pounds to lose, you’ll probably want to change your eating habits and be more active. 7. Ditch the cigarettes, real and electronic. Smoking and secondhand smoke are bad for your heart. If you smoke, quit, and don’t spend time around others who smoke as well. E-cigarettes are popular, but they’re not completely problem-free. They don’t contain the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke but, they still do contain nicotine, so your goal should be to quit completely, not just switch to a less toxic version. 8. Clean up. Your heart works best when it runs on clean fuel. That means lots of whole, plant-based foods (like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds) and fewer refined or processed foods (like white bread, pasta, crackers, and cookies).

2. Keep the pressure off. Get your blood pressure checked every 3-5 years if you’re 18-39. If you’re 40 or older, or if you have high blood pressure, check it every year. 3. Move more. To keep it simple, you can aim for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week of moderate exercise. Even if you exercise for 30 minutes a day, being sedentary for the other 23 1/2 hours is really bad for your heart. 4. Slash saturated fats. To help your heart’s arteries, cut down on saturated fats, which are mainly found in meat and full-fat dairy products. Choose leaner cuts and reduced-fat options.

Steakhouse at Home!

In a recent Facebook post I asked what “you” would want to see in a future newsletter. Jason answered. Cooking steaks with the bone adds a great beefy flavor. This is a 24oz bone-in ribeye steak. It was enough to feed my wife and I for dinner and we added the leftovers to our eggs in the morning. You will have to order a steak like this from the butcher ahead of time. I ordered mine from a website that supplies BBQ competition teams.

Prepare a 2-zone fire on the grill (Gas or Charcoal). One hot zone and one cool zone without coals or burners. It allows you to move the steak once seared or if you have any flare-ups. Season the steak with freshly cracked pepper and kosher salt. I seared the steak for 2 minutes and turned the steak 45 degrees and cooked another 2 minutes…this is how you get cool grill marks! Turn the steak over and repeat. Now move the steak to the cool zone of the grill (see pic) and cover the grill. Due to the width of the steak (2 inches thick) it will burn if you leave it over the hot coals or burner. The steak will continue to cook due to the heat in the grill. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the steak and how “done” you like your steak. The easiest way to track temperature is a thermometer. Once the steak reaches desired temperature, remove it from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes. If you cut into the steak right away all the juice will run out and your steak will be dry. I cooked the steak to 135 degrees (medium-rare) knowing the temperature will come up another 5-10 degrees while it rests to 140-145 for medium. All of this might seem technical for cooking a steak. Once you do it a few times… it will be easy.

Cut the steak off the bone and then slice. The steak was served with mushroom risotto and grilled asparagus. Enjoy!

Pro-Tip: Grill a lemon cut side down and squeeze over the grilled asparagus. Try this with grilled fish, veggies, and even grilled chicken.

CUT OUT & COLLECT EACH OF OUR MONTHLY NEWSLET TER RECIPES AND CREATE YOUR OWN NESTOR PHYSICAL THERAPY COOKBOOK!

Arthritis InTheNeck

CedarPlankedSmokedCheese

Theproblemwitharthritis is the lossof rangeofmotion in theneck joints. Asbonewearsonbone, the surfaceof thebones actually start to change shape.This thins thebones in the neck in someparts leading to a lossof heightbetween thebones.Due t abnormalwearand tear,newbone forms where it shouldn’t, creeping into the holeswhere the spinal cord passes through. In addition it can rub on the nerves out to your neck, shoulers, arms and even hands. This can lead to a condition called cervical spinal stenosis,whichcanbequitepainful. Whatcanbedone tohelpneckarthritis? Whilepainmedicationscanhelp control pain, they don’t address the root cause of the pain,which is poor strength and lackofnormalmovement.Theneck jointson the sideof the spinenormallyexperiencewearand tearover theyears.However,when this wear and tear is accelerated due to poor posture,weakness or injury, this cn lead to limited,painful rangeofmotion. Inaddition,withneckarthritis, thesmallermusclesthatguide themotions of theneckbecomeweaker,eventually leading tomore rubbingandarthritis. Bygentlystretching these tightand restricted jointswithspecifichandson therapyandexercises,rangeofmotioncanbereturned.Whilephysicaltherapy cannot restore the cartilage or change the bony structure, it can certainly helpyourneckmovebetter,becomestronger, reducepainandgiveyou the power tostayhealthier longer. imple test. See if you have restricted cervical joints.Standwith yourbackagainst thewall.Canyou touch thebackofyourhead to thewall whilekeepingyourchin level? Ifyoucannot, thenyourneck jointsare limited andyouneedphysical therapy to restore the range fmotion. Try this

This is a great appetizer for the holidays. It looks fancy but is quick and easy tomake.Yourguestswill think you are agourmet chef!

Thecheesecanbe smokedonagasgrill if youmakea smokerpack. Iused the charcoalgrill.

Youwillneeda cedarplank, camembert cheeseorabrie (soft creamy cheese), pepper jelly, and1-2 jalapenos.

Place theplankon thegrill for1-2minutesa side.Youwill see somegrillmarksand youwill start to smell the aroma of the cedar plank. (See thegrillmarks in the picture).

Spread the pepper jelly on the cheese. Slice the jalapeno in half, remove the seeds if you like it on themildside,andarrange jalapenosliceson topof thecheese.Slice the jalapenocrosswisewith the seeds if you like it spicy.Place the cheese in the plank. Place the plank on the grill (indirect heat) no flame under the plank. (See picture).Add a fewwood chips to the charcoals.Use smoker pack if using gas grill.Cook about 10minutes until the cheese becomes soft.Some of the cheesewill start to ooze out.

Is your neck pain affecting your balance? Have you ever seen a person with t ir head protruding forward and their body bent over?This can be subtle orquite noticeable.With neck pain, limited neck posture results in loss of balance. Just pull anyone by their nose and youwill see theywill falter forward.This isbecause thenormal linesofgravity through thebody changewhen thespineposturechanges. If youorsomeone youknowhas poorbalance, itcouldbeaproblemwith theirposture. Gtyourneckmovingand feelingbtter.Callus to learnmoreaboutour programs today!

Servewithgrilled bread or fancy crackers. Enjoy!

www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com

Try thismovement forneckpain relief. RelievePain InMinutes:

Patient Success Spotlight

RelievesNeckPain

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CERVICALROTATION Turn yourhead towards the side, then returnback to looking straightahead.

“Sincemy initialonsetof injury, Ihavebeensufferingmajor tingling inmyarmandneckpain. I'vebeen to2otherphysical therapistsand Dr.Nestorhaseliminatedmysymptoms.Hehasgivenmehope that Icanmakea full recoveryandgetback to theactive life that Ihad!” -MichaelOrsini

www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com

CallToday! 401-356-4777

www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com

Call Today! 401-356-4777

www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com

Exercise Essentials Flexibility, strength, and stability are needed to keep you moving. Share this with a friend or family member to help keep them healthy too!

CURL UP Lie on back with one leg straight. The other leg is bent with the foot flat on the ground. Position your hands underneath your lower back. Tuck your chin and lift your shoulder blades off the ground slightly. Return to the start position in a controlled manner.

PRONE ALTERNATE LEG While lying face down and keeping your lower abdominals tight, slowly raise up a leg. Slowly lower and then raise the opposite side. Do not allow your spine to move the entire time.

Exercises copyright of

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Strengthens Your Core

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Expires: 3/31/20 Call today as spots are limited!

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Expires: 3/31/20

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Call Today! 401-356-4777

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