South Valley PT: Effective Ways to Beat Sciatica and …

Health & Fitness

Live Your Life Without Worry Of Sharp Pain! Effective Ways To Beat Sciatica & Back Pain...

Whether it’s a sudden, shooting pain down your leg or a persistent ache in your lower back, sciatica can seriously impact your daily life. While medications, injections and even surgery sometimes help people with sciatic nerve pain, physical therapy is the most effective and least invasive way to eradicate the problem. (continued inside)

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

Live Your Life Without Worry Of Sharp Pain! Effective Ways To Beat Sciatica & Back Pain...

(continued from outside) Physical therapy is invaluable for easing sciatic pain. Its effectiveness stems from the multi-faceted approach your therapist will take in order to reduce the pressure on the nerve. Improving your strength and the flexibility in your hip area can do much to decrease the pressure on your sciatic nerve, which in turn will relieve the pain you feel. The muscle and ligament structure of your hips tend to tighten if you spend too much time sitting. That causes your spine to take on the strain, often leading to sciatic nerve impingement. To combat this undue pressure, physical therapists work to increase hip mobility by helping you stretch your hip abductors and flexors. This opens up the pathway, through which your sciatic nerve runs, so that the nerve is freed from compression. In addition, strengthening hip abductors muscles, as well as building mobility, will enable the muscles and ligaments in your hips to be better aligned. Improved strength in your hip area, allows the effort used in everyday movement to be more evenly distributed, and therefore less apt to result in nerve irritation.

Call us today to speak with a physical therapist, or come on in for a consultation.

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You Should Consider Physical Therapy First!

If you’re concerned about shooting pains down one leg, buttock aching or lower back pain and numbness -- or any combination of sharp and dull aching anywhere along the sciatic nerve -- contact us right away for a consultation. We’ll work with your doctor to address the specific problems contributing to the ongoing impingement of your sciatic nerve, while also striving to reduce your pain as quickly as possible.

A study published in Spine , the respected medical journal, found that, when started early enough, physical therapy is a very effective treatment for sciatica, and one which is more budget- friendly for the average person. The study found that over a one-year period, people who had taken 10 sessions of physical therapy had better results for their sciatic pain than those who were only given guidelines for treatment. The study’s authors attributed the cost-effectiveness of the physical therapy approach in part to using it as a first line of defense against sciatic pain and back pain. For the many patients for whom physical therapy as the primary treatment was sufficient, there wasn’t a need for expensive tests, such as MRIs, or further invasive procedures.

http://journals.lww.com/spinejournal/Abstract/2017/02010/Individualized_Physical_Therapy_Is_Cost_Effective.15.aspx http://www.totalcarept.net/tips-relieving-sciatica-pain/ http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/sciatica/sciatic-nerve-and-sciatica http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/what-is-sciatica

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At South Valley PT with my rehab team (Claire, Daniel and Tom)

“I enthusiastically recommend Tom Sawhill and South Valley Physical Therapy ”

I fully recommend Tom Sawhill, physical therapist, and his experienced, skilled, attentive, thoughtful, and friendly staff. My orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Douglas Blatz, had referred me after repairing my fully ruptured quadriceps tendon just above the patella (from stepping/descending right over two steps at once, of all things.) At each visit Tom skillfully massaged the surgery area around the knee -- gently at first and then in subsequent visits using a metal plate with building force to break up scar tissue. Overall, he and his staff proceeded step-by-step and session-by-session through a regime of repetitive and increasingly challenging strength and balancing exercises to expand my knee’s range of motion and strengthen my leg, hip, and other muscles while rebuilding my atrophied leg muscles and tendons (after immobilization in a leg brace for weeks). In general, I felt confident in the therapy instruction and that Tom and his staff were assiduously listening and acting onmy feedback while at the same time encouraging forward development. At my request, Tom gave me advice on exercises I could do at the gym or at home between therapy sessions. I

found my PT sessions to be a highlight of my day. At my request, Tom once adroitly named and pointed out the fourteen leg muscles surrounding my knee. The facility has more than sufficient physical devices, equipment, and breakout rooms for doing the often humbling and sometimes fun therapeutic routines and exercises. Singular and artistic paintings on the walls of WW II naval and air battle scenes are fitting for building character. His front desk receptionist and office staff are friendly, cheerful, and amiable. Tom’s gregarious countenance and enthusiasm for doing the best job possible radiates to the entire staff. Overall, my recovery was rapid compared to others with this injury. Now, five months post surgery, I’m back into swimming, hiking, running hilly trails (slowly), X-country skiing (flat), and using strength training equipment at the gym. All-in-all, I enthusiastically recommend Tom Sawhill and South Valley Physical Therapy without hesitation! - Robert Garner

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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.

Do you want to take advantage of our Patient Referral Program but don’t have a card handy? Just clip this card from the newsletter, add YOUR name and phone number and give it to a friend or family member. For every new patient you refer we will give you your choice of a gift card to the movies (good for 2 admissions), $20.00 for coffee or tea at Peet’s or a $25.00 gift card for Le Boulanger. Remember each patient you refer must bring in a referral card and be a NEW patient to the clinic. South Valley Physical Therapy Would Like To Say Thank You!

Patient Referral Program Thank You!

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Name: Phone:

For scheduling and pricing questions please email [email protected]

Eating Right Never Tasted So Good!

Veggie Hummus Rolls

Ingredients • 2 vegan whole wheat wraps • 1/2 cup diced red peppers • 1/2 cup diced yellow pepper

• 1/2 cup diced red cabbage • 2 large carrots, peeled

• 6 - 8 tbsp. no-oil, low-salt hummus • 2 tbsp. raw sunflower seeds (or your choice of raw seeds)

Directions Heat wraps for 10 to 20 seconds in the microwave. Spread each wrap with 3 to 4 tbsp. of no-oil hummus (depending on the diameter of your wrap). Divide veggies and sprinkle on top of the hummus on each wrap. Make sure to stop your veggies about 2 inches down from the edge of the tortillas (this will help the wraps seal up better). Starting on the opposite end, roll upwards tightly and press down to seal. Eat as whole wraps or cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces to make sushi-like rolls.

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

RELIEVES LOW BACK PAIN

STRETCHES BACK

PIRIFORMIS STRETCH While lying on your back, hold your knee with your opposite hand and draw your knee up and over towards your opposite shoulder.

LOWER TRUNK ROTATION Lying on your back with your knees bent, gently rock your knees side-to-side.

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