Farnsworth Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Orthopedic Physical Therapy

pain

Don’t Hurt Yourself Sleeping

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The Sad Truth

When you slide into bed at the end of a long day, you might not think much about your sleep position.  But the way you choose to lay down on your bed can have a major effect on how you feel.  Can you actually injure yourself sleeping? The sad truth is, yes.

Ever noticed how you feel achy and painful after a night sleeping on a mattress you thought was great? If so, you have become a victim of a sleep injury. Even on the best mattresses in the world, a bad sleep position can cause injury. And although a great mattress can help you sleep in a better position, it cannot guarantee a pain-free morning if you aren’t sleeping in a way that is best for your body.  You’ve probably heard of something called a “crick” in your neck or back. “Cricks” sound like a mild annoyance, but they can actually be pretty serious. If you aren’t careful, you can injure yourself and create more wear and tear on your body.

Possible Pains

Shoulder Pains – Do you put your arm underneath your head as a pillow when you sleep? This could actually wear down the cartilage of your joint, and can lock your shoulder muscles in place – making them very painful when you try to straighten your arm in the morning.

 

Back Pains – Sleeping incorrectly on your back can cause you to strain those muscles. You may have already worn a you-shaped groove into the mattress, and the depression in the mattress will pull on your back muscles. In certain cases this can actually cause your spine to slip out of alignment if you don’t change your mattress or your sleeping position.

Elbow Injuries – Does your arm hang over the edge of your bed as you sleep? When you sleep on your back, do you extend your arms straight out to the side? If so, you may be placing extra strain on your elbows. You may actually cause the same kind of injury you can get by working out incorrectly, as placing all of the weights on your elbow joint can hyperextend the joint – causing potentially serious damage.

 

Neck Pains – If you sleep on your stomach, your neck has to twist at a weird angle. If you sleep on your back, a pillow that is too thick can strain the curvature of your spine and your neck muscles. If your pillow is too thin, side-sleeping can strain the muscles on the side of your neck.

Hip Pains – Those that sleep on their side may be used to it, but those trying to change their position from stomach or back-sleeping to side-sleeping may feel pains in their hips. Sleeping on your side without the right support can actually wear down your hip joints.

There’s Hope

Look at how you sleep, as well as how you feel when you wake up in the morning. If you feel aches and pains, it may be time to change your sleeping habits!  If you’ve hurt yourself sleeping, there’s hope.  Come and see us during your waking hours and we can help you heal.

 

 

Exercise- For Your Health

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Exercise is good for your body.  This is a fact that most people realize.  Getting exercise regularly can aid in weight loss and help strengthen your muscles and bones. However, there are more reasons why exercise may be something you want to take seriously. At the top of the list are the mental health benefits that happen when you work out.

Self-Esteem

Exercising helps to build your self-esteem by improving how your body moves, feels and looks. Even if you don’t lose weight from exercising, you are likely still strengthening your muscles and helping your body to move as it should. It can be empowering to run longer, lift heavier weights and stretch farther than you used to.  These physical results will make you feel better, and improve your confidence and self-esteem.

Pain

Scientific studies have shown that people who exercise and stay flexible are better able to manage their pain than those who don’t. Typically, chronic pain can lower your pain threshold. This means it takes less pain to cause you discomfort. Fortunately, exercise helps to increase your pain threshold. Increasing blood flow through your body helps your joints and muscles move more freely, and that helps decrease your pain.

Brain Power

Exercise enhances blood flow throughout your body, and that includes your brain. This increased blood flow supports the survival of new neurons in your brain and helps other neurons fire up faster. Exercise has been shown to promote neurogenesis, which allows for the creation and survival of new brain cells in the brain. This allows for better cognitive function, memory recall and more creativity.

Positive Mood

There is a strong link between exercise and the treatment of mild to moderate anxiety and depression. Exercise encourages all kinds of positive changes in your body by releasing endorphins in your brain such as dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. These are known as the “feel good” chemicals because of their strong influence on your mood.  Getting regular exercise can be a huge help in managing your mood.

(That’s his positivity face.)

Stress

When you work out, you actually give your mind a chance to slow down and stop thinking about the things that stress you out. Pair this with the better sleep that comes as a result from exercising and you will see a significant reduction in your stress levels.

Do What You Can

There are so many different ways you can get exercise, ranging from weight lifting to yoga. No matter what type, doing some is better than doing none. Do what you can and not only will you reap the benefits physically, but mentally as well.

Trigger Finger

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What is it?

Trigger finger is when your fingers or thumb get stuck in a bent position – as if squeezing a “trigger.” Trigger finger  occurs in just one or possibly more than one finger. Usually, your ring finger is the trouble finger. The condition is also known as stenosing tenosynovitis for all of you physical therapy fans out there.

Wrong kind of trigger finger.

Who does it happen to?

We see trigger finger most commonly in:

  • People who have jobs, hobbies, or tasks that require strenuous repetitive motions; frequent, strong grasping or gripping, or forceful use of the fingers and/or thumb.
    • Farmers
    • Industrial workers
    • Musicians
    • Gamers
  • People who have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or diabetes
  • People between the ages of 40 and 60.

Keyboard cat would be high risk for trigger finger, but alas, he has no fingers.

Symptoms and Causes

Tendons are bands of tissue that attach your muscles to your bones. In your hand, tendons and muscles must work together to flex and straighten your fingers and thumb. Usually, tendons slide easily through a tunnel of tissue called a sheath. The sheath keeps the tendons in place next to the bones of the finger(s) or thumb. With trigger finger or trigger thumb, your tendons become irritated and swollen and can no longer easily slide through their sheaths. A bump may also form on the tendon, which makes it even more difficult for the tendon to easily glide through its sheath.

Signs and symptoms of trigger finger or trigger thumb include:

  • Snapping or popping sensation when moving the finger(s) or thumb.
  • Soreness at the base of the finger or thumb in the palm, especially while gripping or grasping.
  • Pain and stiffness when bending the finger or thumb.
  • Swelling or tender lump in the palm of the hand.
  • Locking of the finger or thumb in the bent position (in severe cases). Your finger or thumb has to be gently straightened using your other hand.
  • Inability to fully flex the finger.

The stiffness and bent position of your finger or thumb are worse in the morning. The stiffness typically lessens as you use your fingers.

Management and Treatment

For mild cases, the first step is to rest the finger or thumb and limit or avoid the activities that are causing symptoms. Sometimes a splint may be used on the affected finger to keep the joint from moving. If symptoms continue, anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, may be prescribed or steroid injections may be considered.

If the condition does not respond to non-surgical treatments or continues to recur, then we will recommend surgery.

Written by Clint Bunker PT

All Is Swell That Ends Swell

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Swelling is a natural part of your body’s healing process after an injury. When your body needs to heal an injury, it will make it swell by sending blood, lymphatic fluid and special repair cells to the injured area. Too much swelling, on the other hand, or swelling that lingers too long, can slow your recovery by making the injured area more painful and less mobile. So, what can you do to keep yourself at a healthy level of swelling?

(This dog is swelling because he ate a bee.  Do not be like this dog.)

The first resource you have is compression. Compression is very effective. It can be achieved various ways. The most common way to compress a swollen limb is to wrap an ace bandage around it. When you wrap an injury it’s helpful to “grade” the pressure.  That means that you need to make the wrap tighter close to the injury and looser on the end closer to your heart.  Also, compression garments offer a convenient form of compression.  These can be worn all day which can help them be more effective. Most running or athletic stores sell knee-high compression socks for athletic performance that can also be used to manage swelling. These are great if your swelling is in your ankles or lower legs.

 

Another major way to work on swelling is through muscle pumping. Your veins, the vessels that bring blood BACK to the heart, rely on the pumping action of your muscles to move blood back toward your heart. Veins have valves that prevent back-flow but the real action comes when we use our muscles.Your lymphatic vessels also rely heavily on the muscle pump. Long story short, you can help your body get rid of excess swelling by contracting your muscles.  The way you do that is by using them! Exercising the muscles around the swollen area is critical to getting rid of swelling.

Elevation is another tool you can use.  Have you ever noticed that swelling improves first thing in the morning and gets worse throughout the day? When you’re sleeping at night, you’re in a gravity-neutral position, so it’s easier for your body to process the swelling. Throughout the day, gravity pulls the swelling back into your limbs. Elevation is the least effective tip on this list. This is partly because elevation really only works if your swollen limb is ABOVE YOUR HEART. Plus, elevation is usually not very active, and activity and pumping of your muscles. But if you can make sure to elevate the injury above your heart, it can be one more swelling trick up your sleeve.

(This guy has got his injury above his heart.  He gets points for that.  But maybe find a more comfortable place to lay down.)

 

Your last major weapon against swelling is ice.  Ice is especially helpful in the first 24-48 hours after an injury. The cold from ice causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of the vessels) which helps push the swelling out. Another benefit of ice is its analgesic effect. Ice can really help reduce your pain level. If you have pain and swelling, ice is going to come in handy.  Apply ice for 10-15 minutes.  Make sure to put a barrier like a cloth or pillowcase between the ice or ice pack and your skin.  Frostbite is not something that anyone wants.

(Elsa is icing and elevating, she gets it.)

 

These are some resources you can use at home.  If you have a serious injury, see a doctor, and see us for physical therapy.  We have added techniques and targeted exercises that can help you heal quickly and safely.

 

 

I’m Sorry For What I Said When I Had a Headache

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A Common Ailment

Many people every day suffer from headaches. Whether they are related to emotional, medical or physical changes in your body, headaches are never something you want to deal with. Emotional contributions include stress and anxiety. Medical issues such as changes in your blood pressure can also lead to headaches. Finally, physical issues or injuries happen and cause headaches to occur as well.

Types of Headache

Sinus headaches are common, especially during certain times of year. A swelling feeling will occur around your nose, cheekbones, and forehead as fluid begins to pool in those areas. This can also be accompanied with swelling in your face, fever, and running nose. Treatment for this often includes decongestants or antibiotics.

Another common type of headache is the dreaded migraine. Doctors are unsure as to why exactly migraine headaches occur. However, they seem to be related to changes in the brain and genes. Migraine symptoms include fatigue, sensitivity to light, and ringing in the ears. Many people also describe an aura that affects their vision.

Cluster headaches are a third type of headache that are not common but do happen. These are headaches that happen in sharp and intense clusters, commonly in one side of the eye. These will often wake people up at night and can often be accompanied with changes in color, pain in the eye, and sweating. These types of headaches are not commonly treated by physical therapy, and require intervention from a medical doctor.

Tension headaches are the most common type out there for adults. These usually effect the forehead and back of the neck or head. People often call these stress headaches. These types of headaches usually effect both sides and give a squeezing sensation to your neck and head. Many also experience tension of the muscles surrounding the neck area.

TMJ headaches area also a common type experienced by adults. These are classified by pain in the neck and jaw area as well as changes in bite or restrictions in the jaw with chewing. These can be hard to distinguish from a normal tension headache, but can often be associated with grinding of the teeth as well.

Treatment

Treatment for these types of headaches include lifestyle changes as well as physical therapy. Soft tissue interventions are used to treat these.  These techniques help encourage blood flow to the affected areas and improve mobility of your cervical spine. Corrective exercises are also used to help correct postural faults and to improve biomechanics for limited activity performance.

 

If you are currently suffering from headaches and would like us to help you diagnose the type you’re experiencing, please let us know. We would be glad to help to get those headaches better and improve your daily function.

Written by Casey Badder PT

Getting on your Sciatic Nerves

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The “What” of Sciatica

So, what is your sciatic nerve? Well, it’s the longest nerve in your body. It runs from your lower back down your legs, and ends at your feet. sciatica pains often feel like shooting pains down one side of your body. When you have mild sciatica, your symptoms can build up slowly. They may even go away from time to time on their own. However, if your sciatica symptoms show up suddenly, or if they happen after an injury, it’s important to see your doctor and your physical therapist. These symptoms will most likely be severe since they are the result of trauma around your sciatic nerve. No matter what course of treatment your doctor recommends, it is very likely that they will also recommend that physical therapy.

At-Home Techniques

There are some techniques you can do at home that will help ease some of your sciatica symptoms. First of all, alternating ice and heat can help ease the pain. Also, you can sleep with a pillow between your knees which helps with pain and stiffness in those muscles. Going for a walk or other gentle exercises can also help you to loosen up your muscles. Stretching and warming up your muscles will keep you from getting too tightened up and worsening your pain.

(It is not necessary to walk silly in order to experience the benefits.)

Treatment

If doing simple exercises in reducing your pain and restricted motion, or if your symptoms last for more than a week without getting significantly better, then you should come in for physical therapy. If your symptoms get worse, don’t hesitate to consult with your primary physician. Physical therapy can provide you with the treatment you need to alleviate your aches and pains.  We can help you get back to doing the things you need and love to do.

 

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Areas Served:

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

Postal Address

Gilbert Office
730 N. Greenfield Rd.
Gilbert, AZ 85234
Phone: (480) 633-0666

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