Category: Health and Wellness

How walking more often can help reduce and prevent back pain
Are you experiencing tightness or discomfort in your lower back? Try taking a walk.

Active walking helps the abdominal and back muscles to work in much the same way as they do when one completes exercises that target these particular areas. And yet, unlike such strengthening programs, walking requires no special equipment or supervision, making it a simple option for those looking for relief from stiffness, discomfort and pain in the lower back.

A regular walking regimen can help reduce and prevent pain

Walking regularly helps reduce and prevent pain in your back in many different ways, including:
- Stronger muscles — Stronger feet, legs, hips and core muscles can increase the stability of the spine, keeping the body upright and balanced.
- Healthier spine — Walking helps improve circulation throughout the body, allowing the body to better hydrate and nourish the spine’s soft tissue while flushing out toxins.
- Better flexibility and posture — Along with regular stretching, walking helps increase the body’s range of motion. The promotion of better movement can lead to injury prevention.
Benefits of walking on a regular basis

Besides helping strengthen your back muscles, walking has other benefits, including:
- Reducing your need for medication — People rely on pain medications too often for dealing with back pain. This can be a problem, as medications can cause unwanted side effects or even be addictive. Walking more regularly can help keep the pain at bay, so you don’t have to rely on medications for help.
- Reducing the chances you’ll need surgery — Prolonged back pain that is not addressed can eventually lead to conditions that may require surgery for treatment. Walking helps keep your back healthy, so there is a lower chance of needing surgery in the future.
- Stimulating your brain — Walking helps stimulate the brain into releasing serotonin and endorphins, which are chemicals that make you feel better both mentally and physically.
Visit SOL today for back pain treatment

If walking is painful or back pain makes it difficult to stand up and move, visit a physical therapist for a thorough pain assessment. At SOL, our physical therapists can determine the source of your back pain and put you on a path toward recovery.. Contact our team today for more information about back pain treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.
September 3, 2020
Why good nutrition is key to strong athletic performance
It’s important for every person to understand how nutrition affects physical performance. Your body is depending on you to supply it with the necessary raw materials to conduct its countless everyday functions.

Understanding the link between athletic performance and nutrition is even more essential when you’re an athlete. After all, athletes tend to burn more calories than the average person. For instance, Olympic cyclists can consume 8,000 calories or more on a long-distance ride. The more you demand from it, the more careful you must be about your nutritional strategies. Read on to learn more about this vital connection.

The nutrition you need for stronger athletic performance

Just as cars require fuel, oils, additives and electricity for smooth operation, your body needs a mix of several different types of nutrients. These nutrients are grouped into two primary categories: macronutrients and micronutrients. Within these two categories, there are many nutrients that are vital to improved athletic performance.

Some of these nutrients include:
- Carbohydrates — There are three nutrients that are directly involved in providing the body with energy. The body uses carbs first, since they burn most readily. This makes them an important fuel for both short-burst activities and endurance training.
- Proteins — Proteins are made up of 20 essential amino acids, and they’re also the building blocks of muscles, including the heart.
- Fats — Fats are stored as a reserve fuel supply. But they’re also vital to brain health, inflammation management, hormone production and joint lubrication.
- Vitamins and minerals — These nutrients fall into the micronutrient category. They’re vital for many reasons. Some minerals regulate each other’s actions, such as sodium and potassium or calcium and magnesium. The body also requires trace minerals such as copper, selenium and chromium. Among the vitamins, athletes flock to B-complex vitamins because of their ability to increase energy availability. You also need a mix of vitamins A, C, E, K and others to keep your body functioning.
Why nutrition should be a part of your physical therapy plan

The wrong nutritional balances can sabotage your physical function in all kinds of ways. If you’re neglecting your carbs before an endurance event, your body may start burning fat as fuel. It might also burn proteins, depriving you of muscle power. This is one reason why your physical therapist makes a point of addressing nutritional practices as part of your training or physical therapy program.

Other benefits that better nutrition can bring to your physical therapy plan include:
- Enhancing healing
- Improving physical function
- Reducing inflammation and pain
- Increasing endurance and available energy
Need help boosting your athletic performance? Armor Physical Therapy can help!

Are you looking to give your personal vehicle what it needs as you train for an event or complete a course of physical therapy? Our physical therapy specialists at Armor Physical Therapy can help you. We offer free screenings designed to pinpoint issues that are reducing your athletic performance. In addition, our team excels at building personalized therapy and training plans intended to boot your performance and reduce your risk of injuries.

Don’t have time to come to an in-person appointment? That’s OK! We also offer virtual care and at-home therapy sessions that you can do from home, and these options can save you time and help you get the care you need. Even better, you don’t have to get a doctor’s referral before you begin physical therapy with us.

Take the next step toward boosting your athletic performance. Contact us today for more information about how we can help you or to schedule your free screening.
September 2, 2020
Five nutrients you need for stronger performance
How much thought do you give to your nutrition? Many people eat whatever they like; however, not paying close attention to your nutrition can have repercussions for your physical performance.

Most people need between 1,300 and 3,000 calories per day to keep their body fueled. Athletes can require many more calories than this, and some Olympic athletes can end up consuming up to 12,000 calories a day. Our physical therapists can offer tips and services designed to help you improve your performance. They also suggest that you focus on five performance-boosting nutrients when building your nutrition plan.

These five nutrients are vital if you want stronger performance

Your car won’t run properly without gas. But it won’t run properly, or at all, if you feed it nothing other than gas. Like a car, your body needs a mix of several different types of nutrients. Five nutrients your physical therapist may suggest paying closer attention to for improved performance are:
1. Carbohydrates — Carbs are an important nutrient for maintaining good energy levels. They burn more readily than other energy-creating nutrients. This makes them a key fuel for both short-burst activities and endurance training.
1. Protein — It’s estimated that the human body contains up to 400,000 different types of proteins. These nutrients are made up of 20 amino acids, and they’re the building blocks of muscles. Getting enough protein is vital for athletes who need to build or maintain muscle mass.
1. Fats — These nutrients have gotten lots of negative press over the years. However, getting some healthy fats are important for several reasons. Fats are stored as a reserve fuel supply, but they’re also involved in tasks like:
- Brain health
- Inflammation management
- Hormone production
- Joint lubrication
1. Micronutrients — When micronutrients are discussed, the person talking about them means vitamins and minerals. B-complex vitamins are very popular among athletes because they help increase energy availability. You’ll also need vitamins and minerals such as:
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
1. Water — This nutrient may be the most important when it comes to athletic performance. Without enough water, getting enough of these other nutrients won’t be as effective. This because water does the following:
- Transports nutrients throughout the body
- Regulates internal temperature to prevent overheating
- Helps lubricate your joints
Panther Physical Therapy can help you find ways to improve athletic performance

Are you looking for help finding nutrition and other factors to boost your athletic performance? Our team at Panther Physical Therapy is here to help you. We offer free screenings that can reveal joint misalignments and other issues that can be holding back your performance. In addition, our team excels at building personalized therapy plans designed to treat injuries and improve your performance.

Not able to find time to come to an in-person therapy session? No worries! Our team offers virtual therapy and at-home care sessions that you can do at home. You can even start using our physical therapy services without first getting a doctor’s referral.

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help you or to schedule an initial appointment.
September 1, 2020
How the food you eat can contribute to your pain
Do you have long-lasting pain and stiffness that seems to never go away? This makes it difficult for you to enjoy your daily life or get your work done. Pain can occur for a number of different reasons, but usually, it has something to do with inflammation in your body.

Inflammation is your body’s way of responding to a perceived threat. While inflammation does serve its purposes when you need to heal from an injury, chronic inflammation is something you should work on decreasing. One of the best places to get started is your diet.

Foods that make inflammation worse

Certain foods contain properties that encourage the development of inflammation. Usually, these foods are sugary, fried or processed. You should try to reduce or eliminate these foods from your diet to help prevent inflammation and pain:
- Sugar
- Artificial sweeteners with aspartame
- Saturated fats and trans fats
- Caffeine
- Nightshade vegetables, such as potatoes
- White bread
- Red meat
Foods that fight inflammation

It follows that as some foods make inflammation worse, there are others that help fight inflammation. Include more of these foods in your diet to help reduce and prevent inflammation:
- Lean protein, such as fish or poultry
- Unsaturated fats, such as olive oil
- Fresh greens, fruits and colorful vegetables
- Greek yogurt
- Turmeric
VIsit Rehab Access for chronic pain treatment

Are you tired of living with chronic pain that affects your daily life? Fighting inflammation by changing your diet is a great place to get started, but you might need more help than that. At Rehab Access, our physical therapists can examine your condition and provide a personalized treatment routine to help you reach your recovery goals.

The treatments we use vary depending on your unique needs but usually include:
- Gentle stretches and exercises
- Soft tissue mobilization
- Joint mobilization
- Posture guidance and more
Are you ready to stop living in pain and take action to treat and prevent it? Our team is ready to help. Contact our team today for more information about chronic pain treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.
September 1, 2020
Five foods to avoid when trying to reduce chronic pain
What you put in your mouth can make your aches and pains worse. Like they say, “You are what you eat.” There are many foods that can cause inflammation and actually result in increased chronic pain.

In order to avoid this, there are certain foods that you should steer clear of. A physical therapist can suggest foods to avoid when you have chronic pain, and they can also reveal dietary tips and therapy methods that can help reduce your chronic pain.

Avoid these five foods if you’re trying to reduce chronic pain

Did you know that certain foods can make it harder to reach your goal of reducing chronic pain? Five foods that can increase your pain and inflammation include:
1. Processed sugars — While it may be difficult to resist sodas, chocolate bars, pastries and desserts, it’s smart to just say no. The reason is that processed sugars release inflammatory messengers known as cytokines. To be on the safe side, avoid any ingredients that end in “ose.” That includes sucrose and fructose.
1. Saturated fats — This type of fat can also trigger inflammation. Cheese and pizza are a mainstay of the American diet. Chronic pain sufferers should definitely decrease their intakes of these foods since they’re high in saturated fats. Other culprits include full-fat dairy products, pasta, red meat and grain-based desserts.
1. Trans fats — Harvard University researchers sent out the alarm on trans fats in the 1990s. Trans fat triggers systemic inflammation. You’ll find plenty of trans fats in fast foods, snack foods, cookies, donuts and frozen breakfast products. Be sure to read the ingredient labels and avoid those listed with partially hydrogenated oils.
1. Processed carbohydrates — Skip the white flour products that have refined carbohydrates. That includes white rice and white potatoes. Processed carbs increase fats and fuel the production of advanced glycation, which causes inflammation.
1. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) — You may think MSG is only found in soy sauce and Asian food. But it can also be found in deli meats, fast foods, salad dressings and prepared soups. MSG is known as a chemical that triggers pathways for chronic inflammation.
Foods that can help reduce chronic pain and inflammation

There are also foods that can help you meet your goal of reducing inflammation and chronic pain. Some of these helpful foods include:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Water
- Greek yogurt
- Fatty fish like salmon
- Nuts and seeds
- Spices like ginger and turmeric
Find ways to reduce chronic pain at Whatcom Physical Therapy

Changing up your diet is just one way to reduce chronic inflammation and pain. Our team at Whatcom Physical Therapy can help you find additional treatment options for your inflammation and pain. We offer free screenings to pinpoint the root cause of your pain and inflammation. Then, our physical therapists can build you a personalized therapy plan intended to reduce your pain and inflammation.

Can’t make it into one of our therapy clinics? That doesn’t mean you can’t get the physical therapy you need. Our team offers virtual therapy sessions that you can do from home, and these sessions take place with one of our therapy specialists over a secure video feed. Even better, you can start getting our help with your chronic pain without first getting a doctor’s referral.

Contact our team today for more information about our chronic pain treatment options or to schedule an initial appointment.
September 1, 2020
Three simple ways to add more exercise to your day-to-day life
Are you one of the many American adults who live with chronic pain and stiffness in their muscles and joints? There are many conditions that can cause chronic pain and stiffness, but oftentimes, this is nothing more than the result of lack of physical activity.

Lack of physical activity leads to your muscles becoming tighter and weaker. Not only does this cause pain and stiffness in the muscles themselves, but it also increases strain on your joints. This causes pain and stiffness to increase in the joints as well.

Adding more physical activity to your daily life is a great way to improve the condition of your muscles and joints. Not everyone has the time to exercise every day, but you should be able to find the time for these three simple activities.

Three ways to add more exercises to your daily life
1. Take the long way — Whenever you go to the store, do you try to find the closest parking spot to the entryway? It’s time to stop doing that. Park farther from the entryway to add more walking to your trip. Plus, parking farther away saves you the stress of looking for the perfect spot and competing with other drivers over it.
2. Get away from the desk — Many people have jobs that require them to sit at a desk in front of a computer for hours. Prolonged periods of sitting like this are rough on your back and neck. Be sure to get up every hour at least once for 10 to 15 minutes to stretch and move around. It’s a good idea to set a reminder for this until you build it into a habit.
3. Take the stairs — A lot of people prefer to take the elevator or escalator to move from one story to another, but it’s time to start using the stairs. Taking the stairs adds quick exercise to your daily routine.
Of course, we understand that it’s not always a realistic option to take the stairs. For example, if you work 20 stories up in a building, you probably don’t want to use the stairs multiple times per day. However, you could take the elevator part of the way and use the stairs for the rest of the journey that you’re comfortable with.

Visit Continuum Wellness for help treating and preventing chronic pain

Simple exercises every day can go a long way in helping with chronic pain, but you may need more than this for treatment. At Continuum Wellness, our physical therapists can examine your condition and develop a personalized treatment routine to help you reach your recovery goals. Contact our team today for more information about chronic pain and stiffness or to schedule an initial appointment.
September 1, 2020
Three sneaky ways to get in more cardio for cardio haters
Your kids’ after-school activities. Long hours at work. These are just some of the reasons why many people don’t want to spend hours doing cardio every week.

Sometimes, it’s not only a time issue but also a matter of simply hating cardio in the first place. If you’re a “cardio hater,” your physical therapist can help you find a way to fit more cardio into your weekly routine. In turn, this can increase your chances of success with physical therapy and with your health journey. Here are three sneaky ways to incorporate more cardio into your life, even if you’re a cardio hater:
1. Do bite-sized pieces
Incorporating cardio into your day doesn’t mean you need to do one long cardio session. One of the main reasons that people dread cardio is that doing half an hour or more may seem overwhelming. However, you can approach it more like physical therapy. You know how the physical therapy exercises that you do are sometimes short and sweet? Take the same approach to cardio, even when you’re not with your physical therapist.

Shoot for half an hour of cardio a day, but chop it up into three 10-minute pieces. For example, a 10-minute brisk walk or jog before work could start your day. Add a brisk 10-minute walk during your lunch break and another after dinner, and you’re set for the day. You probably won’t feel like you were doing a lot of hard work, either. Remember that high intensity matters when you’re doing these shorter sessions, so go hard for the whole session to get the best results.
1. Expand your horizons
Expanding your exercise horizons is a great way to get in cardio in a sneaky way. Your physical therapist can give you some great ideas for cardio, including options like:
- Swimming
- Biking
- Hiking
- Mountain climbing
- Dancing
What all the activities listed above have in common is that they’re fun. One of them may be something you already love to do in your spare time. These activities also get your heart rate up and allow you to get the cardio you need. But they’re not repetitive or boring. Talk to your physical therapist about a cardio schedule. It’s ideal if you can do a fun form of cardio five days a week. It can also be a supplement to your physical therapy but should not replace it.
1. Engage your interest
Another way to get in more cardio is to engage your interest. Staying engaged with cardio can be challenging even for people who enjoy it. Fortunately, there are now apps for that. There are a number of apps that are designed to track your progress in a variety of cardio exercises. From tracking your number of steps each day to monitoring your heart rate and beyond, having an app can help you stay interested and accountable.

You can even try one of the gaming apps that reward you for walking, biking or running. Check out apps that keep track of your mileage and engage you with an exciting virtual world, such as:
Excel Sports & Physical Therapy can help you find ways to get in more cardio

Need to incorporate more cardio into your daily life? Our team at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy can help you meet this goal even if you don’t like cardio. We offer free screenings that can pinpoint issues that are making cardio more challenging for you. Our team can then build you an individualized therapy plan intended to help address these issues. We can also offer some suggestions on ways to make cardio more fun and engaging.

Contact our team today for more information about the therapy services we offer or to schedule an initial appointment.
August 15, 2020
Shoulder feeling stiff and achy? Physical therapy can help!
Everyone wakes up feeling some pain in their joints or muscles from time to time. But waking up with shoulder stiffness and pain regularly could be a sign of a more serious issue.

Unfortunately, shoulder pain is all too common. In fact, medical studies report that up to 70% of people will experience shoulder pain in their lifetime. Achy or stiff shoulders can be linked to a minor problem that’s easily remedied. In other cases, your doctor may have diagnosed a condition or ailment that will benefit from physical therapy.

Why is my shoulder stiff and achy when I wake up in the morning?

Joint tissues often become irritated throughout the day. By the evening, when your mind is tired, you might not even notice it. Staying immobile while you sleep slows your circulation, which makes it harder for your body to remove inflammatory chemicals. The result is that when you wake up in the morning, your joints are stiff and achy.

Additionally, stiff and achy shoulders can be made worse by your sleeping position. Side-sleepers in particular are likely to wake up with increased shoulder stiffness and pain. This is because they sleep on their shoulders in ways that put a lot of strain on these joints.

Medical conditions that can cause stiff and achy shoulders

If your doctor has diagnosed you with a medical condition that makes your shoulders feel stiff and painful, physical therapy can probably help. Here are some of the most common shoulder issues that can be treated with the guidance of a physical therapist:
All these conditions can cause pain and stiffness in your shoulders. A physical therapist can work with you to improve the range of motion in your affected shoulder. Additionally, they can help you find ways to reduce your shoulder pain so you can enjoy a better quality of life.

Find help for stiff and achy shoulders at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy

Tired of living with stiff and achy shoulders? Our team at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy can help you find a therapy plan to reduce your shoulder symptoms. We’ll start with a free screening designed to reveal the source of your stiffness and pain. Then, our team will build you a personalized therapy plan intended to decrease your symptoms.

Can’t get into one of our physical therapy clinics? Don’t worry! We offer therapy services that allow you to get help right from your home, including virtual care and at-home therapy sessions.

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help with your shoulder issue or to schedule your free screening.
August 12, 2020
Top four simple ways to stay active

Work commitments. Kids’ school events. After-school sports and activities. There are many reasons American adults have a tough time staying active.

Medical researchers report that approximately 80% of Americans don’t get enough exercise. But changing this doesn’t have to mean suddenly spending hours at the gym or jogging. Getting enough exercise can be as simple as using these top four simple ways to stay active:

1. Get in both steps and food at lunchtime

One simple way to stay active is to get more steps. An easy way to do so is to do some walking at lunchtime. Skip the cafeteria in favor of a healthy eatery down the street if you’re working. Or, walk outside for 20 minutes before you return to your brown-bag lunch.

If you’re retired or working from home, walk to the corner grocer’s to gather the ingredients for lunch. Living out in the country or the suburbs? Pretend that your daily walk is the “fee” you have to pay in order to get into your kitchen and make that sandwich.

2. Stand up at work

Another simple way to stay active is to get a standing desk for your workspace. It’s amazing how much healthier simply standing in place is, compared to sitting. For one thing, you burn more calories.

You’ll also hunch less, meaning that neck pain and back pain can be reduced; in fact, one study reports that using a standing desk for about one hour a day reduced neck and back pain by 54%. Standing also boosts fitness in significant ways by keeping blood sugar steadier after a meal, and by encouraging more movement overall.

3. Keep your exercise equipment nearby

Storing exercise equipment closer to places where you spend a lot of time is also a simple way to stay active. Stash a yoga mat or 5-pound weights under your bed. Hang resistance bands on a hook in the kitchen. Keep a stress ball next to your easy chair in the living room. That way, you’ll be far more likely to do a few reps while watching TV or waiting for the pasta to boil!

4. Don’t hesitate to attend physical therapy

You might not have considered it, but physical therapy is a simple way to get and stay active. The most obvious way physical therapy helps is by addressing the aches and pains that keep you from pursuing your active lifestyle.

In addition, many physical therapy sessions are a workout in themselves, helping you meet your weekly cardio and/or endurance goals. Your physical therapist is also a great resource for giving you tips on tweaking your daily habits. He or she can go over what a normal day looks like for you and offer advice on how to make it a more active one. If chronic pain is an issue, your physical therapist can show you specific moves that can decrease pain.

Find help with issues that are keeping you from being active at Armor Physical Therapy

Want more simple ways you can stay active? Our Armor Physical Therapy team is here to help you. We offer free screenings that can reveal issues that are keeping you from moving around. Our physical therapists can also build personalized therapy plans designed to address your specific issues and boost your activity levels.

Having trouble getting into one of our therapy clinics? No problem! Our team offers at-home therapy and virtual care sessions, and these options are intended to help you get helpful therapy from home. You can even start using our therapy services without a doctor’s referral.

Contact us today for more information about the therapy services we offer or to schedule your initial appointment.

August 8, 2020
Can physical therapy treat sciatica?
Burning pain shooting from your lower back. Aching back or legs after sitting for a while. Numbness or tingling in one leg. People who have these symptoms are likely dealing with a condition called sciatica.

Sciatica occurs when one of the sciatic nerves in the lower back is pinched. It’s also one of the leading causes of lower back pain. Medical studies report that up to 40% of people could experience sciatica and its symptoms in their lifetime. If you’re someone who’s suffering from sciatica, you may be wondering, “Can physical therapy treat sciatica?” Fortunately, the answer to your question is, “Yes, it can.”

How can physical therapy treat sciatica?

The main goal of physical therapy to treat sciatica is simple. It’s to help you find the most beneficial and least time-consuming therapy for you. This goal is why your therapist will create a personalized therapy plan for you rather than trying to force you into some cookie-cutter plan.

There are multiple therapy techniques that can benefit sciatica patients. Some of these techniques include:
- Manual therapy — This is a category of therapy. It includes multiple techniques where therapists use their hands to provide relief. This is why manual therapy is often called hands-on therapy. Hands-on therapy can be very helpful for sciatica patients. One study reveals that more than 60% of the sciatica patients who used a therapy plan that included manual therapy had significant symptoms improvement.
- Therapeutic exercises — There are many therapeutic exercises your therapist can use to treat sciatica. Your plan might include stretches, low-impact aerobic exercises and strength training. A medical study shows that combining therapeutic exercises with other therapy methods can be very effective for sciatica. The study reveals that exercises combined with other techniques were 2.5 times more likely to reduce sciatica pain by 14 points or more.
Dealing with sciatica? Continuum Wellness offers physical therapy that can help

The physical therapy we offer at Continuum Wellness can help treat your sciatica. It can also help you realize a number of benefits. For instance, our team may be able to reduce the sciatica pain you experience, improve your muscle and joint function, and help you prevent sciatica in the future with a personalized physical therapy plan.

We offer free screenings to help you get started with your sciatica therapy. Additionally, you can treat your sciatica from home thanks to the virtual care and at-home therapy services we offer. You can even begin physical therapy without the need for a doctor’s referral.

Are you ready to find out more about how physical therapy can treat sciatica? Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an appointment.
August 6, 2020
How would you feel without arthritis pain?
Joints that move more smoothly as you walk. Decreased joint pain when you wake up in the morning and when doing daily activities. These are just a few of the possible benefits that arthritis pain treatment from a physical therapist can offer.

Arthritis is a common issue for Americans; it’s estimated that about 63 million Americans will be diagnosed with some form of arthritis in 2020. Chances are, using physical therapy to treat arthritis isn’t a new suggestion for you. Physical therapy has been a respected treatment option for decades, and it’s known for helping joint pain and stiffness.

You may have resisted because the idea of putting yourself through painful exercises is not an appealing one. Yet physical therapists can make those moves much less grueling than you might think. More importantly, the right personalized therapy plan can leave you with feelings of relief and an increased willingness to move around. There are several types of physical therapy that are particularly useful for treating arthritis pain.
- Soft tissue mobilization
Soft tissue mobilization can help ease the aches of sore muscles and throbbing joints. And there are even more benefits that this type of manual therapy can offer arthritis sufferers. This therapy technique can also increase blood circulation where you need it most. In turn, your arthritis pain and joint stiffness can be decreased.
- Learning new ways to sit, stand and move
Arthritis pain treatment from a physical therapist can help you improve your posture while at rest or moving. To deal with arthritis pain, for example, your physical therapist can help you find new ways to accomplish your daily tasks without pain. These specialists also identify body positions, along with non-ergonomic work setups, that contribute to pain. There are ingenious workarounds for many of the moves that cause aching joints that you might never have guessed — whether it’s going up the stairs, emptying the dishwasher or holding your grandchildren.
- Making all the right moves
What you may think of as “traditional” physical therapy can also do a world of good when used to treat arthritis pain. Gentle exercises, which you can also do at home, help you limber up your stiffened joints and muscles. Additionally, they can help strengthen surrounding muscles for better support. The exercises your therapist shows you can also help increase the range of motion of your joints. All are designed to help arthritic patients move more freely and with less pain.

Find effective arthritis pain treatment at Advent Physical Therapy

You can find these and many other treatment options for arthritis pain at Advent Physical Therapy. Our team can start you off with a free screening. This screening is designed to help us learn as much as possible about how arthritis is affecting your body specifically. Using this information, we can then build you a personalized arthritis therapy plan intended to reduce pain and improve your ability to move.

Can’t leave home to come to one of our West Michigan clinics? No problem! Our team offers virtual care and at-home therapy. These options allow you to get the therapy you need without leaving your home. Even better, you can begin using any of our therapy services without having to get a doctor’s referral first.

Ready to feel relief from your arthritis pain? Contact our team today for more information about how we can help treat arthritis or to schedule an initial appointment.
August 6, 2020
Three ways to stay active to help prevent chronic pain
One of the main reasons people suffer from chronic pain in their muscles and joints is because they live a sedentary lifestyle. In other words, they don’t move or exercise enough. We know exercising doesn’t sound the most fun for many people, but there are many activities you can do every day to help stay active and prevent pain.

Here are three activities you should incorporate into your daily life:

1. Take the harder road

Most of us tend to take the most efficient path of travel when walking from point A to point B. For example, if you work on the third or fourth floor of your office building, you probably take the elevator, right? Instead, you should take the stairs to add more movement and exercise to your life. You can also park further away in the parking lot to add more walking, or if you live close enough, ride a bike to work.

2. Add movement around lunchtime

When it’s time for lunch, you should either walk to your favorite lunch spot or, if you pack your own lunch, take time to go for a walk outside before or after eating. This is not only good for you physically, but it can be a nice mental break when you’ve been working hard all morning.

3. Use a standing desk

Sitting for long periods of time leads to weak and stiff muscles, and it increases pressure on your joints. It’s important to move around throughout your day to help reduce and prevent muscle and joint pain, but another method you can try is to use a standing desk.

Standing burns more calories and also helps you avoid hunching over, which contributes to neck and shoulder pain. It also helps reduce strain on your lower back and hips.

There are plenty of options out there for hybrid standing/sitting desk setups, so you can alternate and not have to commit to either standing or sitting all day.

Treat long-lasting or sudden pain with physical therapy

As active as you might be, you may still suffer from a condition or injury that causes long-lasting or sudden pain. In these circumstances, you need help from a health care professional like a physical therapist.

At Whatcom, our physical therapists specialize in treatments that help reduce and prevent pain. We can examine your condition and recommend a personalized course of treatment designed specifically to address your needs using methods like:
- Therapeutic exercise
- Stretching
- Joint mobilization
- Soft tissue mobilization
- Posture guidance and more
Are you ready to find a treatment for your pain that helps you get back to the active lifestyle you love? You can begin physical therapy without the need for a doctor’s referral. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
August 4, 2020