South Valley: 3 Powerful Steps To Stronger Hips & Knees

South Valley: 3 Powerful Steps To Stronger Hips & Knees

Health & Fitness

3 POWERFUL STEPS TO STRONGER HIPS & KNEES

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

DO YOU HAVE HIP, KNEE OR LEG PAIN? YOU ARE NOT ALONE

The Importance of Movement While your knees mainly move forward and backward, they do also rotate, and move slightly side-to-side. This helps stabilize the rest of your body when you walk, run or bend at the knees. These movements are referred to as accessory motions. In addition, the hip also uses accessory motions to stabilize your upper body as you move. In time, the tissues around your hip and knee joints tighten in response to disease, injuries, prolonged sitting and everyday use. This tightening can restrict accessory motion and even lead to a gradual loss of the primary motions of moving the joint forward and backward. Loss of motion also causes inflammation, which can lead to excessive pressure on the joint and pain. When you lose movement in your hip, knee or leg, muscles in other parts of your body take on the workload. Without relief, this excessive workload leads to abnormal strain resulting in pain. While analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs can decrease inflammation and alleviate pain, they cannot address the underlying cause of the pain. No matter how you ended up with a hip, knee or leg problem, pain and disability can prevent you from leading an active life. If you are like most people, you want relief from the pain but hope to avoid having to take pain medicines, lie in bed all day, receive injections or undergo surgery. Fortunately, physical therapy helps to relieve hip, knee and leg pain without other more aggressive forms of treatment. Get your hip and knee motion back on track by coming in for an evaluation.

Nearly one-third of people said they experienced some form of hip, knee or ankle joint stiffness or pain within the previous 30 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pain in your hip, knee or leg can be debilitating, and prevent you from going to work, attending school, playing sports or taking care of your family. You want to seek treatment, but the risks associated with surgery or drugs may worry you. Fortunately, physical therapy can help alleviate many types of hip, knee and leg pain. About Hip, Knee and Leg Pain Your hips and knees are the largest joints in your body, according to Harvard Medical School. Trauma can cause hip, knee and leg areas. Pain can occur within the hip or knee joint itself or in the muscles, tendons and other structures surrounding the joint. Osteoarthritis is one of the main causes of hip and knee pain. While this type of arthritis can develop in any joint in the body, it occurs most commonly in the weight-bearing joints, especially the knee and hip. Up to 70 percent of people with knee pain, due to osteoarthritis, have weak quadricep thigh muscles, according to the Arthritis Foundation. The foundation also notes that physical therapists are an important part of the treatment for osteoarthritis, as they perform hands on treatments, and prescribe exercises that improve strength and flexibility.

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3 Powerful Steps To Stronger Hips And Knees

Pain in the hip, knee and leg is often the result of poor flexibility, muscle weakness, lack of coordination, or a combination. You should never feel pain in your hip, knee or leg while you exercise. If you do, talk to your doctor or physical therapist. A physical therapist can target your weak spots then help you improve your balance, strength, posture and joint alignment to alleviate pain. 1. Comprehensive Evaluation Physical therapy always starts with a comprehensive evaluation to determine the source of the hip, knee or leg pain. Our physical therapists examine how you walk, bend, squat and move. We also evaluate joint movement, and compare the strength and mobility of your joints. 2. Personalized Treatment Plan Our physical therapists then create a personalized treatment plan that includes exercises and special hands- on techniques. This brings quick relief, and the longest lasting results possible. Physical therapy exercises

strengthen, stretch and stabilize muscles surrounding the affected joints to provide additional support. We also advise you on biomechanical devices that help reduce hip, knee and leg pain, such as braces and other orthotics. 3. Meaningful Lifestyle Change Our team also suggest meaningful lifestyle changes that help reduce your existing pain, and prevent new pains from developing. As part of your treatment, your physical therapist also can recommend gentle activities that strengthen your legs, such as swimming, riding a bicycle or engaging in water exercises. If you have hip, knee or leg pain, call us to schedule a consultation or evaluation. We help to determine the underlying cause of your pain, and then create a personalized treatment plan just for you. Start enjoying a more pain free active lifestyle by calling us today!

Patient Spotlight A fabulous, must-read story of success

“I now can play ping-pong, golf, and swim 20 laps in our pool!” “After the life threatening events of the previous nine months of being in and out of the hospital, I was very weak, unsteady, and uncertain if I would ever feel like myself again. Due to my therapy at South Valley I now can play ping-pong, golf, and swim 20 laps in our pool! I can even raise and lower myself in and out of the pool, just using my arms. The best part of the therapy was the sense of accomplishment I felt after each session. I would leave tired but happy. Every day challenges where I could see improvement, helped in the healing process. I think people should choose South Valley because the staff wants to see you succeed and cares about you as a person. They are friendly and encouraging and help you to set reasonable goals to aid in your success.” -Eleanor G.

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Practice News We want to not only help our patients but we love to give back to our community. Discover our events, recipes and goings on.

South Valley would like to send a BIG thank you to Melany Apalis, PTA for her 20 years of dedication to the patients at SVPT. Melany has been our chief assistant for many years and is a real asset to the practice. Melany loves what she does and it shows in her care and compassion for all of her patients! In her spare time she loves being in the outdoors, camping and fly fishing.

GIFT AND TOY DRIVE The holidays are quickly approaching and SVPT will be collecting new gifts/toys for the underserved youth of San Jose by partnering with Sacred Heart Community services. We will have the collection box set up, so feel free to come by and drop off a gift and pick up a raffle ticket for a $50.00 Amazon Gift Card (our little incentive for donating). CONGRATULATIONS! SVPT would like congratulate Tom and Kathy on the birth of their 6th grandchild. Ashlynn McKenna Sawhill was born on November 6th to their son Jeff and daughter in law Hannah. Ashlynn is their second child, they have a son, Maddox Emerson who is 2½. Tom and Kathy are very thankful to have all of their grandchildren living close by. Ashlynn joins Kassidy (16), Nolan (10), Shane (9) Bryce (6) and Maddox (2).

What you can do to relieve pain and feel energized! 2 Easy Stretches

1. HIP ABDUCTION

2. PRONE HIP EXTENSION

Stretches Hips

Strengthens Hips

While lying face down with your knee straight, slowly raise up leg off the ground. Repeat 20 times on both sides.

Lie on your side with your legs straight. Rotate your hips forward toward the bed. Extend your straight leg behind you and point your toe toward the floor. Lift the leg up and slightly behind you using your buttock muscle. Repeat 20 times on both sides.

Exercisescopyrightof

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Does Your Friend or Family Member Need Physical Therapy? Tell Them to Check Us Out!

Do You Have Friends Or Family Unable To Do The Following? • Climb stairs without pain • Bend and move freely

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

CALL TODAY! 408-365-8400 Fax: 408-365-8417

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