Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Pain After Treatment

A physical therapist is always reaching for a balance between doing too much and too little during a treatment. Sometimes, patients may experience an increase in discomfort or pain after a physical therapy treatment. In the video below, I advise to:

1. Call the physical therapist.
2. Use ice packs on the treated area immediately after a treatment. Warning: Do not put ice directly on the skin.

The next question is, "What if I have pain by my next appointment?" Again, I advise to call the physical therapist involved to see if they still want you to come to the appointment. But at Aptitude Physical Therapy, I always tells our patients to come, because there are things we can do that will actually lessen their current pain. Most patients leave with their pain levels under control and glad that they came.


Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Vacuuming Tip

Have you ever had a sore back after vacuuming the house? If so, I have a tip for what I do to protect my back while vacuuming.

As I demonstrated in the video below, most people vacuum by pushing with one arm and rotating your back. What most of us don't realize is that the combination of bending and twisting can really hurt your back!

What I like to do is think of my vacuum as a lawn mower. Keep the center of the handle against your abdomen or belly in the middle, and use your legs to do the work as you push your vacuum around the house.


Friday, July 1, 2016

Posture while Texting

Do you have neck pain after texting or playing on your phone for long periods of time? Your posture may be to blame. If you find yourself slouching or resting your chin on your chest, you can be putting a lot of unnecessary stress on your neck and shoulders. According to an article on the Cleveland Clinic website, you can put about 60 pounds of force on your neck by resting your chin on your chest. "Research shows that for every inch you drop your head forward, you double the load on those muscles."

To correct your posture and reduce stress on your neck, elevate your chest, bring your arms comfortably along your sides, and slightly tuck your chin.

See our new video for a demonstration.