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Exercise, Your Body Will Thank You

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A Changing World

There is a lot of change happening in the world right now. The global outbreak of COVID-19 is at the forefront of all our minds. We are all trying to decide how to keep ourselves and our family as safe as possible. There are many regulations that have recently been put in place including the mandate to wear masks in public. We have seen that this horrible disease often attacks our most vulnerable populations, most notably the elderly. It has also been noted, there are other risk factors which can exacerbate these cases, which have everything to do with a person’s individual health. Obesity and diabetes have been noted as two major risk factors. Although there is nothing we can do to stay 100% safe short of complete isolation, exercise can have excellent benefits on our immune system. As a physical therapist, I have always thought of exercise as a “Fountain of Youth”. It also can be a huge boost for our immune system.

(Actual images of the immune system at work.)

Risks and Benefits

We have known for a long time the benefits of regular exercise on cardiovascular health. In fact, we call running biking, and sustained activities by the name, “cardio.” A quick internet search will show many great benefits for moderate aerobic activity. Even with something as a simple as a walk you can boost your immune system. With each brisk walk or any other workout with moderate intensity, your natural antibodies are increased as well as anti-inflammatory factors which can help your body fight all germs and other invading bacteria.

You don’t have to go on an hour-long run in order to feel these benefits. In fact, exercising too hard for too long can actually increase stress hormones and reduce any benefit for your system. Research says that moderate exercise under 60 minutes is the best. What is moderate activity? Basically, anything that gets you breathing hard, but where you’re still able to talk to a friend (obviously from 6 feet away.)

Where to Start?

What can you do if you want this immune system increase if you are not already active? Do you have to worry about injury? The answer to that second question is unquestionably yes. Any sudden increase in your activity level can seriously increase your risk for soft tissue injury. And soft tissue injuries can make you get to know people like me way better than you want.

The best advice is just to start moving a little more than you already are. Go for a walk. Go for a short bike ride, wake up early and play a short round of golf. Have fun with it and get creative. There are several different workout routines of all different intensities which are readily available online or on YouTube. Several different individuals and companies are offering workouts on such web services like Zoom or even social media outlets like Facebook and Instagram. There are countless ways to learn to safely be a little more active.

You Are What You Eat

Lastly, don’t forget the importance of developing good nutritional habits as well. It is well documented that a key to good health is a healthy diet. Get plenty of vegetables and lean proteins. If you are like me, vegetables are difficult to eat. One thing that helped me was purchasing an air fryer. I have found many different recipes to air fry vegetables in order to make them more palatable.  So remember, exercise and a healthy diet are great ways to give your immune system a much needed boost. Your body will thank you.

Written by Rod Walker PT

Head, Shoulders, Geeze My Phone!

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Is your phone killing your back and neck?

Are you reading this on your phone right now? If so, you might be doing the “smartphone slouch”. You’re tilting your head forward and downward to hunch over your phone.  You may not know this, but the human head weighs somewhere around 10 to 12 pounds.  But when you tilt your head forward it can cause strain on your back, neck and shoulders that is equal to you having a much heavier head.  How much heavier? Well at 15 degrees of forward tilt it equates to your head weighing 27 pounds. At 30 degrees forward, the strain on your neck equals a 40 pound head.  A 60 degree tilt is the same as if you had a 60 pound head!  That is some serious strain!

No one wants a head that big.

 

As you tilt your head, you also move your shoulders forward into a rounded position, which is another aspect of poor posture. All this excess strain creates extra wear and tear on the structures of your neck, upper spine and back.  The average person is on a computer or smart device between 2-4 hours every day.  That’s a lot of potential pain and strain.

What Can I do?

So how do you get your work done and use your phone and save your back and neck?  First, if you have to do extended work, don’t do it on your phone.  It’s much better if you do long tasks on a desktop computer.  If you have to do it on a laptop, make sure you’re positioned where you can have good posture.  Then, when you do have to use your phone, don’t hunch over it.  Instead, lift your phone up higher rather than tilting your head and rounding your shoulders forward.

 

Being aware of your posture is a great first step to relieving the pain of living life in the age of the smart phone.  But it’s almost inevitable that you’re going to have some pain and strain from time to time.  Here are a couple of things you can do to bring some much-needed relief to your upper back and neck.

First is the scap squeeze. It gets its name from your scapula, also known as your shoulder blades.  The goal is to squeeze your shoulder blades together.  Sit or stand up tall with your arms at your sides.  Keep your shoulders relaxed and down, not shrugged. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for 6 seconds, then relax.

 

Second, a lat pull down can help correct your posture and strengthen the muscles that will keep you from straining.  On a lat pulldown machine you’ll want to grab the bar with your hands shoulder width apart and be sure to pull the bar down to your chest and not behind your head.  You can see here and example of proper technique.  The goal isn’t to do this exercise with the most weight possible, but to get good steady repetitions in that will engage the muscles that help your posture.

 

Staying mindful of your posture, along with these simple stretches and exercises will help you beat the smartphone slouch.

Written by Tom Farnsworth PT

 

 

 

 

 

Posture in the Age of Working From Home

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Working From Home

Prior to COVID-19, working from home seemed like a luxury. Laying back on the couch in your pajamas while watching Netflix and doing some work on your laptop. However, now many Americans are realizing that it’s not all it cracked up to be. The kids are at home, we are physically unable to get outside of the home, and many of us have been experiencing some new neck and back pain. What is causing this influx of back and neck pain? Poor posture!

At-Home Posture Setup

The key to your successful work station includes a well-planned set up. If your work station is set up properly, you will not only be more effective and efficient in your work, but also decrease your risk for pain and injury. When you start to change this discipline, it complicates things. So, what exactly does a good work station for set up involve?

 

The key to any proper posture will start with the pelvis. Most sofas or recliners will tilt the pelvis and put the body at a mechanically and biomechanical disadvantage. Whether sitting in a desk chair, bed, recliner or sofa, a simple fix can be to put a folded towel toward the back of the seat to allow the pelvis to stay engaged and to prevent a posterior, or backwards, tilt. The next thing to consider is the position of the scapula, or shoulder blades.

 

Ideally, your shoulder blades should be pulled back and down to engage your proper postural muscles and to prevent you from slumping over a computer or phone. The final thing to consider is the position of the neck. It is essential to line the head properly over the shoulders and to avoid the head creeping forward in front of the shoulders. Prolonged time with a forward head posture will put serious stress on the neck muscles and can even cause headaches.

 

Despite the comfort of being in your own home, it is essential to keep good posture when working for prolonged periods of time. These three simple corrections can help you maintain a proper posture, whether sitting on a sofa or a desk chair.

Post written by: Casey Badder, PT

Carpal Karaoke: Not as Fun as the Original

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What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway in your hand that is surrounded by bones and ligaments. In this area is something called your median nerve.  When it gets too compressed, you can experience numbness, tingling and weakness in your hand and arm. This can happen when you overuse your hands and wrists.  A big cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is too much typing on keyboards.  But there are many possible causes.  A wrist fracture can be a cause.  Arthritis can deform small bones in your wrist and be a cause.  And some people just have a small carpal tunnel because they were born that way, and that can put them at extra risk of developing this syndrome.

What is it like to have it?

Well, it’s not much fun.  The nerve involved provides sensation to the palm side of your thumb and fingers, except your little finger. It also sends nerve signals to move the muscles around the base of your thumb, which is what allows you to use your thumb for all the things a thumb is useful for.  So, when you have carpal tunnel syndrome, you may experience numbness, tingling, and pain.  You may also have weakness in you hand wrist and arm.  These symptoms can range from mild to very extreme and debilitating.

 

What Can I Do?

If you are having symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, there is help for you.  First of all, remember how we mentioned that repetitive motions like typing can be a problem? If you find that your symptoms are worse after doing an activity, then stop doing it.  However, not all of us simply stop typing for the rest of our lives.  (I mean, I have to finish typing this up right now) Luckily, you can help yourself out a lot if you simply take breaks.  Taking a break for few minutes from whatever activity is making things worse can be huge benefit.  So, if your symptoms are flaring up, give it rest for a few minutes, or as long as you can.

There is also a simple stretch that you can do at home on your own that can help.  Here’s what you do:

 

  1. Extend your arm in front of you with your palm up.
  2. Bend your wrist, pointing your hand toward the floor.
  3. With your other hand, gently bend your wrist farther until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in your forearm.
  4. Hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 4 times.

Last but not least, ice can help a great deal.  This is a problem with things getting too inflamed. Ice is a great solution for this inflammation.  Ice down your wrist, hand and arm area for 10 minutes at a time, no more than once per hour.  For more info on icing, check out our post about it here.

(Queen Elsa never gets carpal tunnel syndrome)

Come See Us

Of course, if you have persistent symptoms do no hesitate to come in to the office and get treated. For more severe cases we have a lot we can do to heal and strengthen your hands and arms and get you feeling better as quickly as possible.

Post written by : Tom Farnsworth, PT

Much Ado About Foot Pain

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Ouch!

Pain in your feet is no joke.  Especially for those of us who find ourselves on our feet for long hours every day (aka just about everyone). If you find yourself feeling more than the usual aches and pains, it can quickly become a problem.  If you have severe issues, if your walking or ability to stand is being seriously impeded, physical therapy at our office can help.  However, there are some things you can do at home that can make a big impact and get you back on your feet without the pain.

 

A Hot Soak

First, your best friend when it comes to pain relief in your feet can be your bath tub.  A hot soak for your feet and legs in the tub is great for increasing blood flow.  Increasing blood flow helps your body repair the damage that causes pain.  It also helps loosen and relax your muscles.  Ten to fifteen minutes soaking in a hot bath is all you need to maximize the pain relief.

Do not underestimate the benefits of a relaxing hot soak.  (Cat not recommended.)

Exercise

Second, you can help correct the pain you are feeling in your feet by strengthening the muscles in your feet.  Working out the muscles in your feet is not exactly something you see people focusing on at the gym every day.  But some simple exercise can help you see big benefits.  You’ll just need a couple of things from around your house.  Find yourself a handful of marbles, if they are different sizes then all the better.  Next, find a plastic cup.  Sit down on the edge of a chair or your couch and place the marbles on the floor next to the cup.  Using only the toes on your feet, pick up the marbles one by one and drop them into the cup.  It may seem simple, and a little silly, but doing this exercise a few times per day will help build muscles in your feet that you otherwise don’t work directly.  Stronger muscles help your foot to function the way that it needs to in order to be pain free.

Chill Out

We’ve covered heating up, exercise, and last comes cooling down.  What you’ll need for this last at-home technique is a water bottle.  Stick the water bottle in the freezer and let it freeze solid. Now what you have is firm, cold roller for your feet.  Place the frozen water bottle on the floor, and place one foot on top of it.  Apply downward pressure and roll the bottle along the entire bottom of your foot.  Doing this stretches and massages the bottom of your feet, breaking down scar tissue.  The cold helps reduce inflammation, another important aid in pain relief. You want to chill your feet, but don’t do over do it.

 

With these three tips you can make a big difference and be happy on your feet again.

Home is Where the Recovery Is

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Part of your physical therapy treatment will be what we refer to as manual therapy, which is when your soft tissues are massaged and stretched directly.  By hand, or with the aid of rollers or specialized tools, your licensed therapist will perform these treatments as a part of your visit. Along with office treatments, there are also some manual techniques you can do at home.  These simple techniques can provide pain relief and speed up your recovery.  Patients who see the most successful results from their physical therapy are those who diligently follow their home exercise program.  Having said that, here are three techniques you can do at home all on your own to get relief.

This first technique focuses on the glutes and makes use of none other than a tennis ball.  Patients with tight glute muscles, sciatica, or piriformis syndrome can benefit greatly from this exercise.  First, get a tennis ball and place it on the floor.  Remember when you used to do a crab walk when you were in fourth grade?  You’ll need to hoist yourself into this “crab” position with the ball beneath you.  Lower yourself down on to the ball to apply medium pressure as you allow the ball to roll over the entire glute area on one side.  This may look a little silly, but it can provide some serious relief!

For the second technique you’ll need a foam roller.  If you don’t happen to have one of these already laying around the house, they are available to buy online or can be found at retailers like Target.  Using a foam roller like this will help to alleviate hip pain and loosen up the IT band.  Placing the foam roller on the floor, sit down on the roller and extend one hand behind you. Your other hand will rest on your thigh. Position the outside of your hip on the roller. Extend your legs out, placing one foot slightly in front of you, planted on the floor. Begin rolling your body back and forth over the foam roller.

The last exercise utilizes something that is likely in your kitchen, a rolling pin.  This technique can actually help relieve pain from plantar fasciitis and loosen the calf muscles.  While sitting on the floor with both legs in front of you, bend the knee of one leg and plant that foot down on the floor creating a space for your rolling pin.  Use the rolling pin to apply pressure rolling up and down your calf muscle.  This technique feels great and can actually provide a lot of relief for pain in your foot! Additionally, the rolling pin can also be used on the arch of your foot to relieve pain associated with plantar fasciitis. To do this, simply place the rolling pin on the floor, put your foot on the pin and roll it back and forth.

Post written by: Tom Farnsworth, PT

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Areas Served:

Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Apache Junction, Tempe, Globe, Gold Canyon

Postal Address

Gilbert Office
2550 E. Guadalupe Rd. Suite 111
Gilbert, AZ 85234
Phone: (480) 633-0666

Mesa Office
342 N Val Vista Dr. Suite 106
Mesa, AZ 85213
Phone: (480) 325-3310