 Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash Do you want to know the truth about pain? Then read on, my friend.
Simply put it is just a signal perceived by the brain that something is wrong. The brain senses the pain signal and tells you that something is off balance, out of the neutral, out of the order. Next the mind starts producing rather unpleasant thoughts accompanied by rather unpleasant emotions. The usual response to pain in the body goes like this. The muscles tense up, the breath becomes shallow, shoulders ride up to the ears, the ribcage lowers down to the pelvis, the hips and calves tense up. Sound familiar? Feeling all of this nonsense happening in your body brings on more unpleasant emotions and thoughts. You tense up more, clench your jaw, tighten your fists and the buttocks. Now you are creating compression on your joints and organs. The brain screams louder and you get caught up in the cycle of negative signals going between the body and the brain. Now imagine if you were going on vacation tomorrow. You are boarding the plane and arriving at a beach paradise. Palm trees, sunshine, the waves crashing, the breeze in your hair… Or maybe you head up to the mountains. Snowy peaks, sunshine, snow covered trees, the quiet… For a moment the mind gets taken away by the beauty of nature and you get a flood of pleasant emotions, thoughts of happiness and relaxation. The body responds by relaxing the shoulders and the hips, now you want to take a deep breath, and slowly a smile appears on your face. And what happens to the pain? You forgot about it! For a split second, you forgot about it! Yes you did! Or maybe it was longer than a second or maybe it just went away? On its own? How could this happen? Well, my friends this is the beauty of mind body connection. You take your mind off of something and it no longer exists in the awareness. Out of sight, out of mind. I have two little kids, you know what is the best way to get them to quiet down after a scraped knee? Switch their attention to something else. All of a sudden the tears dry, the smile is back and they are chasing after Josie (the dog) again. The knee is still scraped though, the problem is still there… but it gets better after about a day or two. It heals on its own because of our wonderful built in healing potential. You are wired to be resilient and to get better. Now I know, some of you had knee pain or back pain for years and it is not going away on its own. However, every day when I ask my patients what took them so long to get help, they respond with “oh it would just come and go, get better and then get worse.” Yes! It gets better when you are happier and it gets worse when times are hard. This is the mind body connection at work. Unfortunately it doesn’t go away completely, right? That’s because the muscles have become habitually shortened, so they are creating compression on the joints and joints hurt or deteriorate with time. When you are in pain, you start moving differently. Your body does a magnificent job compensating for lack of mobility. The problematic area becomes extra sensitive because of lack of movement and old swelling. The area of the brain that senses the signal from the original injury becomes bigger. This is called the sensitization. Now add an emotional component to this mess and you got yourself a big problem. Luckily, there is a way out of this. There are many different bodywork techniques that can be done to release the tight muscles. Here at Healing In Motion we do a variety of different techniques. It may be massage, dry needling, work with nervous system (Neurovascular Integration), etc. We place a lot of emphasis on work done by hand, because honestly, you need it. Humans need to be touched. The studies on babies show that babies who are not touched don’t gain as much weight. Touch is healing, it’s love, it’s comforting and it feels awesome! Next there is the integration piece. This is when we teach you to move. All the tension which was binding your muscles is going to come back if we just do the manual work. The wires of the brain to muscles need to be reconnected. We do this through really cool Pilates and Somatics exercises. The goal is to get you to experience the joy of simple movement. The joy of breathing, the joy of walking, the joy of feeling alive in your body. When the tension is released, and you are moving correctly you feel like a kid again – FREE! You can do a quick jog instead of walking because it’s fun, or you can choose to jump up and down in place because you are excited. My kids do it all the time. When and why did we lose this ability to be joyful? Yes, it can be done! And you got absolutely nothing to lose just by learning more about it. Do you want to explore this further? Click HERE to talk on the phone. Or maybe you want to take it a step further and talk in person, click HERE to register for a Sample Session. Anyhow, life is too short to spend it grumpy and in pain. So let’s talk if you are ready to make a change. Now go out and enjoy that Colorado sunshine. We are so lucky to have 60 degree day today! Talk soon, Elena
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 Photo by sharon wright on Unsplash What’s up with neck issues lately? It seems like all of my patients are complaining of headaches and neck pain. Is it the winter thing?
So this week I decided to talk to you about headaches and neck pain since it seems to be the ongoing theme. The biggest cause of neck pain and headaches is…. Drum roll please…. STRESS!!! I’m willing to bet money that if you are having neck pain, you are likely in the middle of some challenging times in your life. Seriously, the common thread showing up with every single one of my patients who have neck pain is stress. “I’m under so much stress…” “The work has been crazy lately…” “So many things are happening, they are all good, but I’m so stressed out”. Let’s take a look at this mind body connection a little closer. You know when you get stressed out, our natural reaction is to bring the shoulders up to the ears and clench the jaw. Your body prepares for fight or flight. Your heart races, your breathing becomes shallow, your muscles tense up. The rational way out would be to acknowledge this and take a break. Say “No” to certain responsibilities, sleep in, eat good food and just take care of yourself. However, we are emotional beings and can’t stop in the middle of a roller coaster ride. The bills have to be paid, useless paperwork needs to be done, the house needs to be clean, the kids need to turn in their homework and the dog needs a walk!!! You know, the usual. So the stress stays in the system. The shoulders slouch and the head moves forward on your body. Now the tiny little muscles in the back of your neck and your lower back have to work twice as hard to keep you upright and support that 15-20lb ball of brain on your shoulders. The muscles on the back of your neck and the front of your neck have different referral patterns. That means if there is tension in those muscles, the pain can be referred to the back of the head, the eye, the side of the head or the jaw. So you pop a couple ibuprofens and keep going. So many times I hear my patients tell me that they have been self-medicating with ibuprofen for months and the headaches only get more frequent because the underlying issue of stress and forward head posture is not resolved. Hey, sometimes it can get so bad that injections and surgery are suggested. Sometimes you have to wait until it’s that bad to finally get help. Luckily, there is a way out of this. Through the combination of hands on treatment and posture re-educating exercises we are able to get you out of pain. One of my patients had headaches twice a week for couple years. Finally his girlfriend booked him a session with me. After 3 treatments headaches were gone. My other patient had such bad pain in her neck and around her shoulder blade that she scheduled surgery. After several treatments the headache was gone and she cancelled the surgery a day prior to scheduled date. So this is how we take care of this nasty problem. First the tight muscles have to be released by hand. Next we use NeuroVascular Integration Technique. This is very cool and kind of magical. We balance out your nervous system. Yup, it can be done. And all you need to do is just lay on the table. It doesn't hurt and kind of feels amazing. Since it calms down the nervous system now we can work on your posture. This is even more fun. So check this out. The muscular holding is completely reflexive. This is how we are wired. You get stressed out and the muscles tense up. So it becomes my job to teach you how to relax and become aware of your posture. I base my exercises on work done by Joseph Pilates and Thomas Hanna who were complete geniuses in teaching people how to move. Now, this is not the type of exercise like lifting weights or running. This work is super relaxing and feels more like a yawn. We get into your muscle memory and unconscious muscular holding to teach you how to move again. The result – you feel energized, light, free and tall. You feel like your head can just center itself on your shoulders and the tension is gone. True story! In fact, I am so fired up about this exercise system that I am going to put together the “Joy of Movement Workshop.” Stay tuned. Yes, movement and life can feel terrific. You can feel happy, energized and young despite being of a certain age (J) and busy. Yes, it is possible and it is my job to show you how. I want to help you find that joy of movement again. But I’ll tell you more about it later. We don’t have to be bound by our life stresors, there is a different way. And you can keep your job and your responsibilities and feel amazing. The sooner you do something about it the better, the easier it is to take care of it. So if you or someone you know is suffering from headaches and neck pain, pass them this information and let’s get them some help. Headaches and neck issues are miserable and so preventable. You can start by downloading one of my E-books HERE or maybe you are ready to chat so press HERE. Or maybe you just need a little more time. I understand. Just remember, if you don’t take care of it, it only gets worse. Now go out there and have a terrific day! Elena  Photo by Carolina Heza on Unsplash I woke up this morning with a headache. You know the kind that starts in the back of your neck and then moves to your jaw and spreads behind your eye? You know the kind that makes you reach for an ibuprofen so that you can get through your day? UGH!!! The kids want breakfast, the dog needs to be walked and I need to get everyone dressed, packed and out the door… And I just want QUIET!
Sounds familiar? Headaches are very common. According to World Health organization 50% of population suffers from a headache disorder which is characterized by recurring headaches and includes tension headaches, migraine headaches and cluster headaches. Over the years I have worked with many patients who suffer from headaches. Interestingly most tension headaches are posture related. Most people who have a headache disorder have rounded shoulders and forward head posture. This is so common in our culture as we spend a lot of time sitting, working on the computer or staring at our phones. When the head is sitting slightly forward compared to the plane of the shoulders it is increasing the load on the muscles of the upper back and neck. The muscles on the back and front of your neck are trying as hard as they can to keep the 14-20 lb ball of brain on your shoulders. Over time they stiffen up and become rigid. The muscles then develop trigger points which in turn refer pain to the jaw, the front of the head or behind the eye. When treating patients with headaches I am able to reproduce their headache just by touching certain muscles. For the headache to get better these trigger points need to be released and the tight muscles need to be taught to relax. Although stretching and massage can help, it is not enough to get rid of headaches. The root cause of a headache disorder is the rounded shoulders and forward head posture and needs to be corrected. You need to teach your head how to stay on top of your shoulders rather than to migrate forward. The tiny little postural muscles which connect one vertebrae to the next have to be strengthened while keeping your spine in correct alignment. One of my patients had headaches for 40 years. Her headaches came on several times a week and she always had to carry ibuprofen with her. When the headache came on, she would have to lie down on her bed and turn of the lights. One day she just had enough and started looking for help. Her friend was a patient of mine and this is how we got to know each other. I saw her twice a week for few weeks and the frequency of headaches dropped. Then she came in once a week for a couple of weeks and headaches have stopped. Not only did she get rid of headaches her lower back pain decreased and she feels stronger than before starting her treatment. If you or someone you know is suffering from headaches, I shared some of my favorite tips with you in a free download: “7 Ways To Lessen The Severity Of Your Headache Without Taking Medication.” So back to my own morning headache… I overcame my desire for ibuprofen and did this quick technique which completely eliminated my headache. You can watch it here. https://youtu.be/n3m4pUQS5N4. Do you want to explore this further or want to talk about your particular situation? Click here. Here is to you headache free summer! This month we will be doing education series on headaches and how to prevent them. Stay tuned and follow us on Facebook Best Wishes Elena  Photo by Holly Mandarich on Unsplash The weather is finally getting better and I have been doing more hiking with my new puppy Josie. As I was hiking I was thinking about some recent complaints from my patients about their knees hurting on the way down. For those of you with knee pain, have you ever wondered why does the knee hurt more on the way down than the way up? Well, I’m going to tell you some of the common reasons why this may be happening to you.
I want you to think of the knee as a very simple joint which is stuck between two complicated ones, specifically your hip and your ankle. The mechanics of the knee are quite simple, it bends and it extends. It also rotates very so slightly during those movements. This rotation if not properly controlled can cause pain in the knee joint. Let me explain. The ankle and the hip have a lot of mobility and can move in a lot of different directions. Whenever there is something wacky going on in the hip or the ankle joint, your knee will suffer. Whenever I work with patients who have achy knees, I look at the root cause of what brought it on. A lot of times knee pain is due to weakness of the hip, in particular, the weakness of the gluteus medius (the top muscle of your buttock). This muscle controls the angle of your femur (the leg bone). So whenever there is weakness of the gluteus medius the femur will go slightly in and cause more stress on the inside of the knee. This stress will manifest itself as pain on the inside or the outside of your knee. Another common offender is the quadriceps muscle group located on the front of your thigh. When this group of muscles shortens (when you are straightening your knee) it is called concentric contraction. When this group of muscles lengthens (when you are bending the knee) it is called eccentric contraction. Now think of walking downhill and making a step down. The muscle on the front of your thigh has to lengthen in order to lower the weight of your body down. This movement has to be done with what we call eccentric control. A lot of time, when the eccentric control of the quadriceps is weak, the angle of patella (the little tiny bone on the front of your knee) will be pulled to the side at a wrong angle and cause you knee pain. Now let’s look at your ankle. It is pretty common for ankles to be stiff, especially when you never stretch and have a sit down job, run, hike, bike, or wear heels. Sounds familiar? Most of my patients with knee problems have tight calves. Tight calves will make your ankle stiff. When you are walking downhill, there needs to be a certain mobility of the ankle. If the ankle is stiff, the knee will compensate by bending at a wrong angle and cause pain. If you want to get really nerdy, as I always do, I always look at the pelvis. All too often, pelvis is misaligned which may make one leg longer than the other. Guess what? We have an instinct to have our eyes on the horizon. So to compensate for the difference in the legs, you are going to increase the angle of the femur, thus causing yourself knee pain. The bottom line is this. Knee pain is a result of some kind of dysfunction that is happening in the hip, ankle, pelvis and the surrounding muscles. Recently I treated a lady who came to me because her knee was hurting during hiking. “I’ve been hiking for years, I don’t know what’s wrong. It must be my age.” – she said. After an exam we determined that there were several factors causing her knee pain. It turned out that 10 years ago she had a bad ankle sprain. She never got physical therapy for it, or knew what to do about it. After several sessions of manual work on her ankle and hip and teaching her how to move correctly with Pilates exercises, she is now back to hiking and wants to climb a fourteener this summer. Knee pain is very easily treated but you always should look at other factors that may be causing it. We take care of a lot of knee injuries at Healing in Motion Physical Therapy. I put together a simple guide for my patients to give the some information on what they can do about their knee pain. You can download it HERE. If you want to talk to us about your particular situation and discuss this further, simply fill out the form HERE or call us at (303)669-0941. Best wishes and happy hiking. Elena  Photo by Will Truettner on Unsplash “My back always gets worse when I drive.” – I hear this daily. Why is that?
The answer is - sitting is the worst thing for you. When we sit in the car, your spine curves into a “C” shape. In fact sitting produces more load on your vertebrae and discs than standing. When you have back pain sitting only makes it worse. There is a muscle deep in your hip, called the piriformis. I call it the pain in the butt muscle. When my patients tell me that they have pain right in the middle of the cheek, it usually means that that the piriformis is not happy. Well, you see the sciatic nerve runs underneath that pain in the butt muscle, which can cause symptoms down the leg. In the effort to avoid pain, I see my patients shift to the left or to the right. This causes further compression on the spine and brings more pain. If that wasn’t bad enough, the position of your leg on the gas increases tension on your sciatic nerve. Nerves are supposed to glide between the tissues. Sometimes, the nerve gets trapped between tight muscles which will also give you that tingling sensation. Whenever you feel burning, numbness or tingling, think of it as your nerve is talking to you and signaling that something is off. Irritated sciatic nerve will scream at you every time you wind it up with your foot on the gas or the clutch. Luckily, there are certain adjustments you can do to your car seat to make your back feel better. The best thing is to move the back of the seat so it is vertical. If your height and car allows for it, try to raise your car seat so the hips are higher than the knees. You can also try to roll up something small like a hand towel and put it right behind your pelvis. This will take some of the pressure off your lower back. Unfortunately it is not always possible. Secondly, become aware if you are not sitting evenly on both cheeks. Are you shifted to one side? In that case grab something small (gloves, hat, scarf, t-shirt…) and wedge it under the hip towards which you are leaning. This will keep your pelvis leveled and lower one sided stress on your discs and facet joints. These tips combined with some manual therapy enabled my father in law to drive across country during his back flare up. If you have tried these adjustments and are still having pain, you may have something serious on your hand. My advice to you is to treat it as soon as possible. If it doesn’t go away with these simple positioning tips, you may be irritating your discs and your sciatic nerve. It will take less time, money and effort when you treat it right away. We continue to offer you a FREE SAMPLE SESSION so we can find out what’s wrong and prevent it from getting worse. There is NO financial commitment required from you. You don’t need doctor referral or an authorization from your insurance company. And it is only 20 minutes. At the end of the session you will know what is causing your pain and have specific recommendations on how you can improve your symptoms. About 95% of spinal dysfunction can be successfully taken care of with physical therapy. But the sooner we get to you, the easier it is to treat. Unfortunately people keep hoping that their pain will go away. They come up with excuses that they don’t have time, money or don’t want to look for a therapist. In the meantime the pain gets worse and they slowly give up more and more in order to avoid pain. Don’t give up what you love. Don’t give up a 4 hour drive to the mountains. Get your back treated. After all, pain is just a signal from your body that something is wrong. Avoidance of pain doesn’t make it better it just causes you to give up more of your life. Your health, your mobility and independence are your most precious attributes. They are worth to be made a priority. A lot of time we are so caught up in work, family and taking care of others that there is nothing left for ourselves. Are you really taking good care of them or just surviving? Are you really helping them or are resentful because you haven’t taken care of yourself? Change it, make this step towards better health. Your family and friends will thank you because you will be happier, brighter and be able to take better care of them. When you are ready to take a step forward simply reply to this e-mail or call us at (303)669-0941. If you can’t find time for an appointment call us and we will arrange a phone consultation. I look forward to speaking with you soon. To you vibrant health! Elena  Photo by Austin Pacheco on Unsplash Today, while teaching a Pilates, I stumbled upon an interesting concept. What does it mean to take up space and time?
When we are in pain we tend to shrivel up. We curl into a ball, protecting our heart, lungs and vital organs. Over time it becomes a habit and then we forget what it felt like to occupy space. Our skin, muscles, connective tissues and joints tighten up. Deep belly breaths that we are born with are changed to shallow upper chest breathing. How in the world are you supposed to take a deep breath when you are curled into a ball trying to be as small as possible? How are you supposed to be creative when you can’t even breathe? If that wasn’t bad enough, we also forget what it is like to take our time. It is a by-product of our technology driven lifestyle. You can do more. Keep going, faster, faster, faster. As you are being pulled in ten different directions, you continue to curl into a ball. With our shoulders up by our ears, knees and hips bent, trying to look up, but the weight of the head keeps pulling us down. Your body is simply telling you. “I don’t like it”. Like a kid who lies down on a floor in a protest while you are trying to put them to bed. Hey, I observe it in myself as well. Trying to be a mother, a wife, a business owner, a healer, a daughter…. And we are talking about adopting a puppy? What? We are meeting her in a couple of days. Now that the puppy is becoming more real I feel the tightness in my chest. Puppy? Seriously? How in the world am I going to take care of it? I don’t know anything about puppies. Fortunately today I was teaching a Pilates class. You know, every time I teach I learn something new. And today it was the concept of space and time. We worked a lot with deep breathing and allowing our bodies to take up space. The result was stunning. Not only did the posture of my students change, they felt lighter and more energized. We worked with taking our time during exercises focusing on intentional movement from the supported base provided by deep breath. As most brilliant things in life it was that simple. Before you face life’s challenges, find your breath. Breathe deep into the space between your shoulderblades. Breathe deep so you can feel the length in your lower back. Breathe! Take up space. Spread your arms and legs, spread your fingers and toes. Why do we clench all the time? Open your jaw, stick your tongue out, stretch your arms and BREATHE! Wow, it feels amazing. Now stand up, close your eyes and feel the transformational energy in your body. Feel the lightness and ease. Do you know that people who are in pain don’t know how to take a deep breath? It’s a fundamental skill, it’s a reflex we are born with. Why do we forget how to do it? Why do we settle for the least amount of space, the least amount of time and least amount of freedom? Yet, the most amount of stuff, clutter and technology? Every day I teach my patients that pain is just a signal from the body that something is wrong. Think of the last time you hit your funny bone? Jolt of pine, ouch! You hold your breath. Now think of childbirth. What is everyone telling the woman as she is bringing a new life into this world? BREATHE! It’s that simple, breathe through your pain, it makes it feel less intense. It gives you control, it moves the blood and lymph, it relaxes the muscles and tells your brain that all is good in the world. Take up space, take up time. Why don’t we do it? We only have this one chance in this lifetime. There is no need to shrivel up, no need to lower yourself so that you can fit into some mold that is obviously wrong for you. Stand up, stretch out and breathe! Your body will thank you! Your loved ones will thank you because you will be more like yourself. Everyone around you will see your radiant smile and thank you for being YOU! Do you want to explore this concept further? Join us for Pilates classes (noon on Fridays starting in April) or sign up for FREE SAMPLE SESSION where we can talk more about your WHY and learn your HOW. Remember to slow down, breathe and you WILL have a great day! Elena  Photo by Israel Gil on Unsplash “You know, for the longest time I thought that these problems with my back are just a normal. The older I get, the more I feel it. I had no idea I could do something about it.” I hear this statement daily from my patients. All too often traditional health care fails in treatment of neck and back pain. Time and time again many physicians are writing off stiffness and ache to aging and telling patients to rest and take medicine.
Unfortunately, most people don’t know that what may first appear as stiffness and discomfort can quickly progress to something more serious. Back stiffness if left untreated will progress to mild discomfort, then to pain, then to numbness and tingling, further to burning and possibly result in muscle weakness. At first, rest and medication will mask the symptoms. Later, you may need something stronger like an injection and then if left untreated you may require surgery. What most conventional doctors fail to tell you is that there is a different route you can take. Start taking control over your symptoms by educating yourself. Internet is full of good and bad advice, so how do you know what is wrong and what is right? Make sure you are getting your information from a credible source. Here at Healing In Motion Physical Therapy we specialize in ending back pain and helping you return to the lifestyle you desire. We loaded up our website with downloads and blogs to help you make a good decision on what to do next. Don’t settle for the idea that “it’s just aging.” What may seem like an easy excuse you can give yourself to stop going to the gym, giving up golf, not picking up your grandkids, etc. will lead you to a darker place of pain, weakness and loss of mobility and independence. You see, as we age, we adopt certain posture and movement patterns. You can picture your parents and grandparents. Forward shoulders, forward head, knees bent, leaning on a cane or a walker. They always complained about their neck and back hurting. The great news is that you don’t need to end up like your beloved family members. You can change your future and thrive into your 70s, 80s and possibly 90s. I work with people of all ages and what I noticed, is that the people in their 80s and 90s who are vibrant, healthy and happy are the ones who are active and refuse to sit still. They are busy in the community, babysit grand kids and take care of their sick friends. You may have noticed how stress, sit down job, sitting in traffic causes you to stiffen up in the hips and shoulders. When the hips are tight and you try to stand up, your tight hip flexors are creating a pull on your back. Also, when the shoulders are tight and your midback is stiff, you will increase the pulling forces on the lower back and neck. Now you feel stiffness and compression. If immobility has caused your symptoms, it makes perfect sense to counteract it with movement. But why does your doctor tell you to rest and take pills? Unfortunately some doctors don’t believe in physical therapy. And they have a good reason. Back pain is very complicated and can be coming from a variety of different factors. It is difficult to treat and most PTs are limited by 30 minute appointments and are burnt out by seeing 20 - 30 patients a day. They mean well, I’ve been there myself, but it is simply impossible to give quality care on something complex when you are mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. At Healing in Motion Physical Therapy we believe in quality of our care. We offer 1 hour appointments and don’t see more than 6 patients a day because we want to feel rested and creative so that we can deliver a good outcome for you. Back pain is the symptom of your lifestyle. Your habits and behaviors need to be changed in order to treat the root cause. Otherwise, anything you do just covers it up. For you to be completely free of back pain, you have to stand differently, sit differently, be more active, drink water and adopt an active lifestyle. It is that simple, yet it is very difficult. This change takes skill, time and patience. Manual therapy and core exercises are not enough. The great news is that this can be done and we change people’s lives everyday here at Healing in Motion Physical Therapy. We refuse to settle for the excuse that “this is just your age”. We continue to invite you to take advantage of our Free Sample Session. Do you know how easy it is to be pain free? Better yet, do you know that you don’t need a referral from your doctor or a pre-authorization from your insurance? A lot of times people wait and procrastinate because they don’t know what to do. Start here, start with a Sample Session and find out what you can do to age gracefully, be more active and healthy. There is no financial commitment required from you. The session is absolutely FREE to you. If nothing else, use it to find out what’s wrong and what your options are. Don’t wait any longer. One thing I can promise you is that nothing is going to change unless you take that first step. Here is to your vibrant health, Elena  Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash Today I want to tell you a story of one of my patients, Jennifer, an account executive. I chose her story because I think a lot of you are going to find it interesting since some of you may have similar symptoms.
Jennifer is in her late fifties. She has been at her job for close to 20 years. She sits most of the day at work but tries to make an effort of doing something active couple times a week. You see, she has been suffering from back pain for years, but recently she noticed that her leg started giving out on her. For months now she has been feeling like her leg was falling asleep every time she sat down. In fact, she had to constantly shift back and forth in her seat to get comfortable. She kept ignoring it and attributed her aches and pains to getting older. That’s what everyone tells you anyway, right? She mentioned her symptoms to her doctor and he told her to take Advil and get some rest. Well, the nagging back pain was not going away and progressively got worse. She started feeling burning sensation down her right leg. She became really concerned when she almost tumbled down the steps because her right leg gave out. Luckily her friend was a patient of mine and asked me if there was anything that I could do for her. Absolutely I can, was my answer. Jennifer came in for a Free Sample Session and told me her story. She was relieved to find out that I hear a similar story several times a day. I know exactly what it was and have a proven track record of patients who got their lives and independence back. Let me explain what happened to her and may be some of you too. Spine is like a pearl necklace, every vertebrae is supposed to move independently of each other. In between the vertebrae are discs. Spinal nerves branch out from the spinal cord which is protected by the vertebrae. Think of discs as jelly donuts and absorbs shock when you are walking. If the spinal column is not in perfect alignment, that jelly can squeeze out and push on the nerve. This is what is called DISK HERNIATION and sometime can come with the nasty burning, numbness and tingling down your leg. When the pressure on the nerve has been placed for a long time it may cause weakness in your leg. That’s why Jennifer felt like her leg was about to give out. Disc problems can be very nasty, but not the end of the world. I want you to know that this doesn’t mean that you need surgery. In fact most disc herniations CAN be treated with PHYSICAL THERAPY. Jennifer became a patient of mine and you will be relieved to find out that she is completely symptom free and has returned to all her favorite activities and even started skiing again. It took us several sessions to get her out of pain. However, Jennifer wanted to feel 100% and treat to root cause which was her posture and core weakness. She has completed a course of Pilates and manual therapy and is feeling better than ever. And you know the best part? She has found the long term solution and will not have to suffer from back pain or leg weakness ever again. And I have seen it time and time again. This is what I want for all of you. That’s why we offer a FREE SAMPLE SESSION so you can learn what is wrong and what you are up against. More importantly, find out about your options.  Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash Plantar fasciitis… to people outside of the medical world, the name itself gives very little away. But, while its title might be a mouthful, its symptoms are certainly a lot more familiar: stabbing pains, and burning, aching, and dull discomfort throughout the bottom of the foot are but some of it’s well known trademarks. Many people suffer from plantar fasciitis on a daily basis, yet its causes and treatment might surprise you. If you’re one of the millions of people worldwide who struggle to overcome this affliction, keep reading – we’re here to tell you everything there is to know!
First thing’s first: what is it? Well, it’s a condition characterized by inflammation in the plantar fascia, a ligament which connects your heel to the front of the foot. The plantar fascia is incredibly important in supporting the arch of your foot, and is thus equally vital in ensuring a strong, supported, even gait. Its position is such that it spreads across the foot in a tangled web, of sorts, and it’s inflammation can therefore cause pain and discomfort in an array of ways. So, why do we experience this inflammation? Having an inflamed plantar fascia, that is, suffering from plantar fasciitis, can be the result of various endeavors in our lives. Some of the following might hit a little closer to home than others – take a look:
Now that you’re aware of why you might be suffering from plantar fasciitis, it’s time to get to grips with what can be done about it. Firstly, leaving it to disappear on its own is a mistake: it won’t. In fact, it’s most likely to get a lot worse if left untreated. The decision to get treatment has to be made: once you do that, you’re well on your way to health. And while it may seem as though this affliction is best overcome with the use of painkillers and surgery… that just isn’t true. In fact, plantar fasciitis is actually most effectively treated by a physical therapist. In fact, physical therapy is so effective in treating plantar fasciitis that, in most cases, patients are not only relieved of pain, but find that they are more active, more mobile, and more confident than ever before. Why, you might ask? Well, it’s because physical therapy finds the root cause of the problem, treats it accordingly, and gives you the tools to maintain your pain free life. But that’s really only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what physical therapy can do to help you with plantar fasciitis – take a look below:
At the end of the day, plantar fasciitis can steal your joy and rob you of mobility, family time, and cherished activities. There is hope, though, and by visiting a qualified, dedicated, hands-on physical therapist, you can finally get back to the pain-free life you deserve. Don’t wait for the pain to get any worse – make the decision to get help, right now.  Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash Scar tissue can be an ongoing hindrance for many of us. From an obstacle when it comes to movement, to a constant stretching feeling, dealing with scar tissue is oftentimes a daily, frustrating struggle. Luckily, you don’t have to fight that battle alone, and the happy truth is that you can overcome your nemesis. In this post, we’re the exposing truth behind scar tissue, and revealing how you can say goodbye to the nagging, pulling, stiff sensations left in the wake of physical injury.
First, we need to understand what scar tissue really is. Technically, it’s unorganized collagen that eventually becomes healthy scar tissue. What that means is, scar tissue is really the disorganized product of your body trying to heal itself after an injury. In other words, there’s absolutely nothing abnormal about scar tissue – it’s a perfectly normal physical reaction, albeit uncomfortable and oftentimes painful, alongside. That having been said, scar tissue can have various causes. It’s not quite as straight-forward as you may have thought. We know the most common ones: surgery, scrapes, and cuts. But what about the lesser known causes? Scar tissue is not only the byproduct of the surgeon’s knife, such as after knee replacements or C-sections. It can also be the result of sprains, muscle tears, and various other muscular injuries endured during daily life. It may be that nagging pain in your elbow since you swung a bit too hard on the 18th hole, or it may be the tightness you feel in your calf after you tried to break a personal hiking record. Either way, you may not even realize you have scar tissue, as it isn’t physically apparent. As you can tell, then, scar tissue isn’t necessarily an external manifestation of physical injury: it can be hidden inside the body, connected to the muscles, and as an accompaniment to what may be considered fleeting injury. Yet despite its cause, you feel its effects. And so, the big question is, what can be done? If you’re currently struggling with a stubborn ankle injury, or stiff, tender tissue in/around an area you had surgery on, then you know how aggravating and frustrating your daily battle against the irritation and pain can be. Quite possibly, you’ve tried every available cure out there: from tissue oil, to hot and cold packs, and even painkillers! And quite possibly, also, you’ve found very little relief and your health seems to be in jeopardy as a result. We understand how debilitating it can be, and we know that it may seem as though the hindrance will never stop. Happily, though, that isn’t true! In fact, there is a sure-fire way of alleviating the irritation related to scar tissue… and the answer is: physical therapy. Physical therapy is the most effective way to treat the discomfort and pain associated with scar tissue. Why? Because it’s hands-on, targeted, and holistic. If you’ve never considered physical therapy as a way to treat your scar tissue problem, now is a great time to re-think the possibility. Here are a just a few of the ways physical therapy, administered by a professional, hands-on physical therapist, can help you overcome your struggle with scar tissue: Massaging Hands-on, targeted, massage is an amazing way of alleviating the pain and discomfort associated with scar tissue. Far from being a general massage, the techniques practiced by a skilled, professional, hands-on physical therapist are able to address the very essence of the problem, thereby releasing the tension and stiffness within the scar and muscles surrounding it. Physical therapy massage techniques offer a permanent solution to your nagging scar tissue troubles. Myofascial Release A little known aspect of scar tissue is its close relation to the fascia tissues, that is, a band of collagen tissues just below the skin. When this band is disrupted and altered, such as after surgery or other injuries, the tissues struggle to realign properly, thereby causing tightness and stiffness. With myofascial release, these tissues are manipulated, stretched, and made more elastic, thereby giving you more movement in that area. When done by a professional, hands-on physical therapist, this is a crucial step in overcoming the pain and stiffness associated with scar tissue. It’s an absolutely pivotal step on your road to health. Microcurrent Point Stimulation In addition to the techniques mentioned above, a professional physical therapist may also administer microcurrent point stimulation, a technical name for acupuncture combined with low electrical pulses. These pulses actually have the ability to release tension, relax muscles, and calm the nervous system, all of which aid greatly in the alleviation of stiffness and immobility in scar tissue. And not only that, but microcurrent point stimulation releases endorphins, too! Alongside the other treatments you’ll receive from your physical therapist, this therapeutic technique is a fantastic accompaniment. Stretches While physical therapy provides life-changing hands-on techniques, you will also receive, and be guided through, stretches tailor-made for your specific issue. These stretches can be done at home, thereby ensuring that your journey to health is given a jump start and is, ultimately, maintained. Remember, a physical therapist releases the muscular tension as well as the irregular pulling of the collagen tissues. As such, it’s imperative that the scarred area is stretched and given attention, as this maintains its malleability – that is the true key to overcoming the discomfort associated with scar tissue. Remember, scar tissue doesn’t have to be permanent. And you certainly do not have to struggle against the discomfort associated with it for even a day longer. A physical therapist can help you get back to the active, mobile, pain-free life you long for and deserve. We understand that the struggle you face is more than just a scar – it’s a daily battle against discomfort and pain. And that is why we sincerely want to help. Call us today to speak to find out how you can overcome the pain and stiffness related to scar tissue, right now. We’re very excited to hear from you! |
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