Does Poor Posture Really Cause Back Pain?
How many times have you heard from your elders to “Sit up straight” or “Stop slouching.” We often hear these phrases growing up and many others like them. But how much does our posture relate to the development of back pain? Growing up, I always thought it was very important and as I began my training as a physical therapist, that was reaffirmed. However, as I became more of an orthopedic expert, I realized it is not nearly as important as we were told.
What is Pre-hab?
Do you have a surgery planned soon? Is your sport physically demanding and places you at increased risk of injury? Are you worried about weakness in your joints as you age? Preventative rehabilitation may be the key for you!
Preventative rehabilitation or “pre-hab” helps condition and strengthen the body to improve recovery after surgery, speed up the recovery process and may prevent injury from occurring. Oftentimes, we group pre-hab into two main categories: Prior to surgery and injury prevention. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of both of these pre-hab programs.
Self-Care for New Parents
As a new father and experienced physical therapist, I realized being a new parent is not only a rewarding and joyous experience, but it can be very hard on the body! As Father’s Day approaches, here are some tips I would like to share on how to prevent aches and pains as a new parent.
The Not-So-Comfortable Home Office
Over the last several months the opportunities to Work from Home (WFH) have kept a large majority of the population safe and healthy. Yet, WFH may not always be as comfortable as it sounds. Many workers have needed to trade in their rolling chair and dual computer monitors for the family room couch and laptop. Small changes to someone’s work environment may be on-setting large differences in the way our bodies are used to moving. These changes may also result in new feelings of soreness and pain. It is important to be mindful of the things we can do in order to combat the challenges of WFH to minimize the potential aches and pains of home office life.
What is Sciatica and Can Physical Therapy Help?
The sciatic nerve is a large nerve comprised of smaller nerves that originate in the low lumbar and sacral regions of the spine. The sciatic nerve starts in the low back, travels through the buttock, and into the back of your leg. It has branches that travel all the way to the foot. Sciatic symptoms may include pain, numbness, tingling, cramping, burning and weakness in the muscles of the affected leg. There are many reasons why the sciatic nerve may be symptomatic including a herniated disc, narrowing of the nerve space in the spine, or tightness in hip muscles.
Is Sitting the New Smoking?
There has been a lot of media attention the past few years equating sitting to being as bad for your health as smoking. The public concern has resulted in what you might expect: office workers switching to stand-up desks, sales of exercise balls, fitness tracker purchases, and even people utilizing treadmills while they’re working on a computer. But is all this worry over sitting warranted? Let’s take a look.
How Can Physical Therapy Help My Back Pain?
At some point in our lives, most of us will experience back pain1 in some form. Back pain is complicated because there are numerous factors that can contribute to the start of it. Factors such as type of injury, age, activity level, medical history, and even socioeconomic status can have an effect on the cause and severity of your back pain. It can have an enormous impact on your personal life, family life, job performance and ability to participate in recreational activity. There can also be extreme financial implications2 that come with back pain, including time off work due to injury, doctor’s appointments, imaging such as MRIs or CT scans, and prescription medication costs.
Backpacks and Back Pain
It’s back-to-school season. Parents and kids will be shopping for school supplies and one item on many lists will be a new backpack. Before heading back to school, parents and kids should know there are recommended and not recommended ways to wear and use a backpack. Improperly fit backpacks or backpacks that are too heavy can lead to poor posture. Poor posture can be a cause of low back or neck pain.
