PTII: Relief and Better Motion for Necks

PTII: Relief and Better Motion for Necks

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

Relief & Better Motion For Aching Necks “Enjoy Precious Moments Without Pain!”

Do you find your neck aching at the end of the day or stiff in the morning? Do you have headaches more than once a week? You are not alone. According to the Institute of Medicine of The National Academies, over 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Over 15% of those, suffer from chronic neck pain and 27% with back pain. (continued inside)

Al Flores, PT, CFCE Director of Rehab

Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body “Enjoy Precious Moments Without Pain” Relief & Better Motion For Aching Necks

Why does neck pain happen? There is a golden rule, that the structure of your body governs its function. Your body, especially your neck, relies on good flexibility, posture, strength and coordination. In our daily lives, we place tremendous strain and demand on our neck. Poor posture when sitting or stress causes weakness in our postural muscles. In addition, this causes long-term damage to the muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons of the neck. This chronic strain and stress on the neck causes inflammation, which over time will increase aches and pains. Institute of Medicine Report from the Committee on Advancing Pain Research, Care, and Education: Relieving Pain in America, A Blueprint for Transforming Pre- vention, Care, Education and Research. The National Academies Press, 2011.

In a survey conducted with over 300 chronic pain sufferers, 59% reported an impact on the quality of their life and 77% of those surveyed reported feeling depressed. Even small amounts of pain, can lead to a downward spiral in quality of life, energy, and well-being. However, it doesn’t have to be this way and dependency on medication is not the answer. Discovering and treating the root cause of your pain is the answer. Physical therapy is the natural solution for treating the mechanical cause of your pain. The neck is an incredible part of your body with 7 vertebrae (bones), over 16 joints and many muscles in the front and back of your neck. The greatest concentration of muscles and tissues is in the upper neck, at the base of your skull. This is where many of the larger muscles that support the head attach, to support your head and neck. Needless to say, this is a very tightly packed area and muscle tension can affect blood flow to the scalp, causing headaches.

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KEY AREAS TO FOCUS ON REDUCING NECK PAIN “ Think Of Your Neck As Machinery In A Car ”

What can be done? Neck pain is most often relieved by simply restoring the proper movement and mechanics of the neck. Think of your neck much like the machinery in a car. Keeping it well maintained and in good alignment, will allow it to perform well. Here are the key areas you need to focus on to reduce your neck pain: • Have good posture when sitting and standing. • Restore your flexibility to the neck muscles and joints. • Strengthen your mid-back muscles and shoulders to support your neck. • Improve coordination of your neck muscles. • Eat well, reducing consumption of processed foods and food that increases inflammation in your body. • Seek professional help for aches and pains lasting more than 3 days. A physical therapist is the muscle and skeletal specialist who analyzes your posture and movement, then helps you restore posture, flexibility and strength. Why physical therapy relieves neck pain Many people have discovered the benefits of seeing a physical therapist first when they have aches and pains. Our physical therapists are experts in analyzing your posture and movement, spotting your true trouble source. From there, our medical training allows us to create a proper treatment plan that will quickly relieve your pain, improve your posture, mobility, strength and coordination. We even teach you how to maintain your improvements with specific, gentle exercises. Think of us as the mechanics for your body. Come in for a regular tune up and your neck and back will be as good as new.

To Learn More About How Our Programs Can Help You Eliminate Your Neck Pain, Call Us Today!

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, you can choose the physical therapy practice you want! Come back to PTII for a consultation today!

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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FOX RIVER GROVE LOCATION: 1009 IL Route 22 Suite 1 Fox River Grove, IL 60021-1998

PARK RIDGE LOCATION: 1550 North Northwest Highway Suite 120 Park Ridge, IL 60068

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EXERCISE ESSENTIALS

Try these exercises to get you moving... CHIN TUCK SITTING Sit with good posture. Tuck your chin and gently nod ‘yes’. Repeat 6 times.

Exercises copyright of

Helps Neck Pain

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SCALENE STRETCH Sit with good posture. Hold the front of your neck with your hand. Look up into the corner away from your hand. You should feel a stretch in the front part of your neck. Repeat 6 times.

Improves Neck Mobility

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

Eating Right Never Tasted So Good! CLEAN EATING 30 MINUTE CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 20 min Total Time: 35 min INGREDIENTS:

TO GARNISH: • Fat-free or Light Sour Cream • Chopped Cilantro • Salsa • Corn Tortilla Chips • Diced Avocado • Lime Slices • Cheddar Cheese

• 4 large Grilled Chicken Tenders either Cooked or Frozen • 1 28 ounce can Crushed Tomatoes • 1 ½ tsp Cumin • ½ tsp Chili Powder • ½ Cup Water • 1 15 ounce can Black Beans • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil • 1 ½ tsp Coarse Real Salt • 4 Cups Chicken Broth • 2 Tbsp Chopped Cilantro

• 2 Tbsp Oil of your choice • 1 Yellow Onion, chopped • 1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped or sliced • 2 Small Zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into half-moons • 4 oz Diced Green Chilies • 1 Diced Jalapeno (or you can omit if you don’t like the heat and flavor) • 4 cloves Garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS: 1. In a large dutch oven or stockpot, add oil and heat on medium-low. 2. Add the onion, peppers, zucchini, chilies, and jalapeño. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. 3. Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. 4. Add the rest of the ingredients. 5. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are all soft. 6. Just before serving, add the chopped cilantro and other garnishes, and check seasonings. Add more salt and pepper if desired. **Recipe Credit: CleanEatingRecipes.com