exercises Archives - Washington Physical Therapy

Do You Stretch Enough? Add it to Your Routine Today!

Discover the Benefits of Adding Stretching to Your Life!

Have you ever noticed just how good a nice stretch feels after a nap, when you first wake up in the morning, or after vigorous physical activity?

That good feeling just scratches the surface of the many healthy benefits you can get from regular stretching.

Healthy adults should be making a point of getting at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week.

If you already know that you need to be more active, you may be preparing a regular exercise regimen of your own. That’s a great start, but don’t forget to finish correctly.

A few minutes of gentle “cool-down” exercises such as stretches can make the difference in how well your body responds to your new routine.

Our physical therapists commonly recommend specific types of stretching exercises to complement other physical therapy modalities.

The top 3 reasons why you should be stretching

Here are three reasons why you shouldn’t skimp on a stretch:

Reason #1: Avoiding post-workout injuries

Imagine putting in the time and effort to exercise, either on your own or as part of a physical therapy program – only to strain a muscle right after the exercise session is over.

This is the sort of thing that can happen if you don’t follow through with those stretches after your workout.

As you exercise, your muscles get into the habit of pulling tightly against tendon attachments.

After you stop exercising, those tissues are still tense and tight, lending themselves to strains, sprains, and the development of chronic inflammatory pain.

Stretches coax the tissues to relax and resume their former length, restoring their suppleness and making them less prone to post-workout damage.

Reason #2: Getting rid of toxins

Are you familiar with that gnawing ache that develops in your muscles as you exercise? That reaction is caused by the presence of lactic acid.

Lactic acid is a natural byproduct of muscular exertion, along with the accumulation of another metabolic waste product called hydroxyproline.

You don’t want these toxic substances hanging around in your muscles – but that’s exactly what they’ll do until you show them the door with some post-exercise stretches.

The longer these substances pool in your tissues, the more soreness you’ll experience in the 24 to 48 hours following your workout.

You might gain a few minutes on your hectic schedule, but you’ll pay the price in terms of pain – and you might even have to delay or reduce your next workout as a result.

Reason #3: Keeping a consistent healthy heart rate

One of the great benefits of moderate exercise is its ability to elevate your heart rate for sustained periods.

This controlled stress helps to strengthen the heart muscle, boost your circulation, and deliver extra oxygen to your muscles.

Once that workout is over, however, it’s time to return to homeostasis (your body’s natural resting state).

You don’t want to walk away from your physical therapy sessions or home exercise routine with a pounding heart, abnormal blood pressure and a dizzy head.

Post-exercise stretches are called “cool-downs” for a reason. They gradually, gently bring your vital signs back down to their normal ranges, preventing too-rapid blood pooling and the lightheadedness that might cause a serious fall or other accident.

Your physical therapist will always guide you through cool-down stretches after vigorous exercise to ensure that you get maximum benefits from your workout without these unwanted post-workout side effects.

So, why else should I be stretching?

Many common aches and pains stem from tight muscles and poor movement.

The key to good health is to keep your body flexible. This helps your circulatory, respiratory, lymphatic, and musculoskeletal systems.

When your tissues are flexible, normal blood and lymphatic fluids circulate the body easier, oxygenating your tissues properly.

This helps you feel energized, relieves pain, and allows you to perform daily tasks without feeling tired.

Additionally, stretching is necessary for dedicated athletes, weekend warriors, or anyone looking to improve their physical performance. After a workout you may not feel the need to stretch if your muscles aren’t aching or sore.

However, there are several potential effects of not taking the time to stretch correctly after exercise.

You might experience stiffness if you’re not stretching adequately. Muscles and tendons that aren’t stretched properly after exercise may be more susceptible to injury.

Ready to begin a stretching routine?

If you’re getting more exercise to combat a physical issue such as chronic pain, you might even do yourself more harm than good without the proper guidance.

Neglecting post-workout stretching is a common mistake when you’re not used to exercising.

Our physical therapists can provide that guidance – so contact our physical therapy center today!

Ready to Say Goodbye to Opioids? Find Effective Relief Through PT!

Did You Know that Physical Therapy Can Help You Achieve Even Better Results than Opioids?

Another day, another trip to the pharmacy. This is the treadmill that many chronic pain sufferers find themselves walking, month after month and year after year.

Prescription pain medications can only do so much to keep your suffering at bay -- and in the case of opioids, you may find yourself purchasing larger amounts more frequently just to keep up with your ever-increasing tolerance to these powerful drugs.

If you're tired of exhausting your patience, wellness and wallet, maybe it's time you talked to your doctor about switching to physical therapy as your primary pain management strategy.

Physical therapy can help you govern your pain without drugs, giving you a chance to break away from your reliance on opioids.

How physical therapy can help you find effective and long-lasting relief

Instead of emptying your pockets on frequent drug refills that don't even address the source of your discomfort, ask your doctor whether physical therapy might help you wean yourself off of opioids or other medications. (You may need medical supervision to reduce heavy opioid use safely.)

An experienced physical therapist can examine the reasons for your pain and then devise a targeted, personalized pain management plan. Here are just a few of the ways physical therapy can replace all those bottles of pills:

Chronic nerve pain can be controlled with a technique called transcutaneous electrical muscle stimulation (TENS), which uses electrical impulses to intercept pain messages. Cold laser therapy can ease neuropathy symptoms and promote nerve healing.
Chronic muscle spasms respond well to cold laser therapy, massage therapy, and heat/cold therapy.
Chronic headache/migraine pain can be reduced through a combination of massage, cervical spinal adjustment, and lifestyle or dietary changes to help you avoid known headache or migraine triggers.
Severe neck or back pain can be managed through a combination of strength training, stretching exercises, and chiropractic adjustment.
If you suffer from crippling arthritis pain, physical therapy exercises and massage therapy can help you control joint pain and stiffness.

The many perils of opioids

There's no disputing the fact that pain medication is a profitable industry. In addition to the enormous sums spent by consumers on over-the-counter pain relievers, the worldwide market for opioid drugs has been estimated at $25.4 billion -- and it's expected to keep growing.

Opioids prevent pain signals from reaching the brain, enabling them to combat even the most severe pain. Unfortunately, the price of frequent opioid use far exceeds the money you pay for these drugs. The more you use opioids, the more likely your body is to develop a tolerance against them.

As a result, you need to keep taking more frequent and/or more potent doses to achieve the same degree of pain relief. This is a fast, potentially deadly path to addiction.

Don't assume that you're getting a good deal from non-addictive pain relievers, by the way. Milder drugs such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and acetaminophen may not get you "hooked," but their painkilling effects are short-lived, forcing you to keep dosing yourself every few hours.

These medicines can also cause health problems with frequent or heavy use, with risks ranging from stomach bleeding to liver failure.

Find pain relief with physical therapy today

Physical therapy can help you get a handle on your pain so that you don't need opioids anymore. Of course, you should only discontinue high doses of opioids under professional medical supervision (to prevent a potentially dangerous withdrawal).

In the meantime, however, our physical therapist can work with you on treating the biomechanical problems that caused your pain in the first place.

Here are just a few of the physical therapy modalities that can help you conquer your pain:

Exercises can increase your pain-free range of motion, strengthen the muscles that support your body, and increase blood flow to reduce inflammation.
Massage therapy can control painful muscle spasms, help the tissues expel inflammatory substances, and direct more blood and oxygen to an injury.
Laser therapy can ease pain caused by injuries, arthritis, muscular strain, tendinitis, or neuropathy.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses electrical energy to block pain signals to nerves.

Say goodbye to opioids, once and for all!

If you're going to invest time, effort and money into feeling better, do it in a way that actually helps your body for safer long-term solutions.

If your doctor agrees that physical therapy can help you ditch the drugs, contact our physical therapist to schedule an initial appointment and work out a pain management program!

Sources:

Don’t Let Pain Control Your Life – Find Relief with Physical Therapy

Did You Know Physical Therapy Could Help You Finally Find Relief for Your Chronic Pain?

As you may have already learned the hard way, chronic pain can hurt more than just your body. Conditions that limit your mobility and prevent you from pursuing your favorite activities can make you feel a gut-wrenching loss of control over your own life.

The sheer endless onslaught of pain can also promote serious mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. If you're not living the life you want, you can change that life by changing your approach to your chronic pain problem.

That's where physical therapy can come to your rescue.

Passive and active therapies to help relieve your chronic pain

Once our physical therapist has isolated the underlying cause of your chronic joint pain, we can prescribe techniques to help you start feeling - and moving - more like your old self.

Physical therapy for joint pain may start with passive exercises, in which we move the afflicted joint for you to increase its pain-free range of motion.

Exercises that reduce the amount of weight on the joints can also be extremely helpful. For instance, we may recommend swimming or water walking as a means of exercising the hips and knees without also forcing them to bear your full weight.

Other types of exercises can also help you overcome your joint pain while improving joint function. Strengthening exercises help by reinforcing the muscles and connective tissues that serve the joint. Corrective exercises and neuromuscular re-education can help you maintain a straighter, more symmetrical posture.

Last but not least, physical therapy offers a variety of helpful modalities beyond exercise. We may treat your joint pain with heat, ice, and manual therapies such as massage, just to name a few.

Take control with physical therapy

Simply taking action and trying a new weapon on your chronic pain can make you feel better by giving you back your feeling of control.

You'll feel even better once your physical therapy program starts to tame your pain and restore your mobility. A caring physical therapist provides you with all kinds of tools, beginning with a better understanding of your pain's causes and effects. You'll receive valuable education on how you can use physical therapy for a lifetime of drug-free pain management.

Then there's the physical therapy itself. Strength training, flexibility exercises, massage, laser therapy, TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), dry needling, heat or ice treatments, and acupuncture can all work together to reduce your pain and inflammation.

A long-term physical therapy pain management plan can even include techniques to "rewire" your brain. We can show you how to alter your relationship with your pain, enabling you to pursue your exercises and other treatments with more energy and enthusiasm.

As your pain recedes, your mood stabilizes and your sleep quality improves. Best of all, you will feel like you're calling the shots for your life once again.

Did you know chronic pain could have these limitations on your life?

Chronic pain is a lingering source of distress by definition. Pain that goes on for months or years at a time can wreck your life, especially if you know that irreversible damage lies at the root of the pain.

As a result, you may experience any or all of the following torments:

Depression and anxiety. There is a clear, well-established link between chronic pain and equally debilitating mood disorders. One study found that 77 percent of chronic pain sufferers also suffer from depression. Major, long-term depression can have its own negative effects on your health, from sleeplessness and fatigue to difficulty concentrating. The unpredictable or frightening aspects of chronic pain, from its impact on your medical bills to concerns over a serious illness, can also cause intense anxiety or aggravate a pre existing anxiety disorder.
Learned helplessness. Chronic pain can lead to a psychological response known as learned helplessness, especially when your chosen pain-fighting techniques aren't getting results. Eventually you stop even trying to combat the waves of pain and the limitations that they impose on you.
Lifestyle limitations. Your life was a lot more fun, varied and involving before chronic pain came along. Now that you can no longer play your favorite sport, pursue a beloved hobby, play with your kids or work at your job, you feel understandably bored and frustrated.

Physical therapy over surgery for chronic pain

According to Harvard Health Publishing,

“Trying physical therapy before opting for surgery may be the better choice. You may be able to spare yourself the expense, pain, and recovery time of surgery, says physical therapist Karen Weber, clinical supervisor at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Outpatient Centers in Braintree and Quincy, Mass.

There is growing evidence supporting that idea. In the past few years, studies have indicated that physical therapy is just as effective as surgery for relieving pain and restoring function for people with arthritis in their knees or backs.”

Schedule a consultation with your physical therapist

Don't let chronic pain tell you what to do or how to feel. Reclaim command over your life, starting today.

Contact our physical therapist to learn more about our pain-busting methods. You'll be taking the first step toward a happier existence!

Sources:

6 Ways Physical Therapy Can Help You Improve Your Physical Health

Physical therapy improves the physical health of people who have injuries, illnesses and medical conditions. An individualized physical therapy program is a conservative approach to managing these types of problems. It improves overall health and well-being.

Six Ways Physical Therapy Improves Health

Reduces or Eliminates Pain

Manual therapy treatments like soft tissue mobilization, ultrasound, electric stimulation and targeted exercises help relieve pain and restore joint and muscle function. These types of methods also help prevent pain from coming back.

Lessens the Need for Surgery

When physical therapy works to heal and reduce pain, the need for surgery is greatly decreased. “For some conditions, including meniscal tears and knee osteoarthritis, treatment by a PT has been found to be as effective as surgery.”

Improves Balance and Prevents Falls

With physical therapy, a physical therapist will screen your risk for falling. Exercises will be given to improve your balance in real-life situations. Assistive devices will be given to ensure safe walking. And if you have a problem with your vestibular system, a physical therapist will perform specific methods to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of vertigo and dizziness.

Improves Mobility

With both passive and active treatments, physical therapy improves mobility. Muscles are strengthened and flexibility is greatly improved. This way you can engage in activities and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Manages Age-Related Problems

With aging, the chances of developing osteoporosis or arthritis are increased. A physical therapist is a trained expert at helping patients recover and manage age-related health problems like osteoporosis and arthritis.

Manages Lung and Heart Disease

Physical therapy is a component of cardiac rehabilitation. To address pulmonary issues, a physical therapist will help improve your health and quality of life through breathing, strengthening and conditioning exercises. Physical therapy also helps clear fluid from the lungs.

Case Study of the Impact of Physical Therapy for Osteoporosis

Clinical studies support the benefits of physical therapy for health conditions like osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is one of the ten most common illnesses. "Patients were recruited from the osteoporosis outpatient clinics of Klinikum Südstadt hospital and the University hospital of Rostock to engage in physical therapy for osteoporosis. Over a period of 3 months, 44 patients with osteoporosis completed a twice-weekly 30-minute intensive exercise program. The conclusion was that physical therapy reduced pain and improved function, with the sling exercise patients benefiting most. The combination of functional improvement and pain mitigation resulted in improved health."This study is just one of the many proving the health benefits of physical therapy.

With physical therapy, you get an individualized treatment plan to address your challenges, needs and goals. A physical therapist will help you manage pain, improve chronic conditions, recover from an injury and prevent future chronic diseases. A physical therapist will also collaborate with other health professionals to ensure that you get the best of care. Patients are encouraged to be active participants in their treatment plan. All around, physical therapy is designed to improve your health and help you engage in your regular activities.

Source:

Quick Links

Request Appointment

Are You Ready To Live Pain-Free?

Request An Appointment