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Good Posture

Good posture isn’t just for taking pictures with your family, there are real impacts to overall health that result from hunching shoulders. Our lives day to day shape our posture. Allowing bad posture to happen makes it more difficult to fix.  Over time, if you keep your shoulders hunched your muscles will become trained to think hunched shoulders and a bent neck are natural.

A Life That Leads to Hunch

Looking at our phones and sitting at a computer has become a major part of all of our lives. Unfortunately, both of these encourage really poor posture. Often, hunched shoulders develop unconsciously through a few different ways. It could be unsupportive chairs, frequently carrying heavy objects, or avoiding attention in uncomfortable situations. Hunched shoulders  negatively impact your appearance and body language. It also creates stress and pain in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. If left untreated poor posture can lead to chronic pain, fatigue and even difficulty breathing.

Diagnosis

Our physical therapists can judge if you have hunched shoulders and how severely. There are also simple tests you can do at home that can show if you have hunched shoulders. An easy way to check is to have a family member or friend look at your posture. One indicator is if you appear to be slouching even if you try standing up straight. Another sign is if the palms of your hands face behind you when you are standing at rest. With normal posture your thumbs face forward, and your palms face inward but hunched shoulders will force your thumbs to point inward and your palms to face back.

If you are experiencing low back, neck or shoulder pain, a physical therapist will be able to assess your posture and determine the source of your discomfort. If you are experiencing posture related symptoms, a physical therapist can develop personalized treatment plan aimed at correcting the corresponding weakness. Hunched shoulders could be a sign of more complicated weaknesses or dysfunction as well so it’s important to speak with a medical professional as soon as possible.

Treatment and Exercise

There are ways to treat and prevent hunched shoulders. A physical therapist will provide you with a unique exercise and stretch routine to address weaknesses or dysfunctions discovered during your initial evaluation. Just as the muscles and joints had learned to hold poor posture at rest, they can be strengthened and trained to hold good posture.

Stretches at Home

Handclasp

The handclasp stretch is simple and can be done every day. Standing up straight with your hands by your sides, reach your hands behind you to clasp them together.

Gently, pull your shoulders back, while being careful not to allow your neck to push forward.

Your shoulders should be pulled back until your chest opens and a deep stretch is felt. The position should be held for 30 seconds.

Shoulder Blade Squeeze

This basic exercise reminds your body what good posture feels like and helps build strength throughout the day.

Sitting up tall, you should move both of your shoulder blades together, as if trying to hold a tennis ball between them. As they flex, your shoulders should move down and away from your ears.

This position should be held for 10 seconds and repeated 10 times.

Come and See Us

There are many more stretches to be done at the physical therapy office and at home.  Come see our expert therapists who will teach you the stretches and exercises that will be most beneficial for your condition.  We will get you standing upright and in family picture shape in no time.

Everyone Needs It

An often overlooked but crucial part of recovery and healing is rest. Rest allows the body time to repair and rebuild between workouts or therapy appointments. This is true for high level, elite athletes, as well as those of us who are… not.  No matter who you are or what your goals are, rest is vital for your health and recovery.

Rest comes in many forms, both physical and psychological. These include, but are definitely not limited to, adequate sleep, nutrition, massage, cryotherapy (ice) and recovery tools such as percussion massage and compression boots. Even taking the time to relax and de-stress is a major way to let your body heal and recover.

Sleep

One of the easiest ways to elevate your healing is to get quality sleep every night.  Sleep may be one of the most important things you can do for yourself.  Sleep allows the body time to recover, repair and replenish stores that were depleted after workouts, injuries, and treatments. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night.  However, sleep is very individual, so try getting different amounts of sleep to determine what your body needs to recover and have you feeling your best. Here are some tips to getting more quality sleep:

• Try blackout curtains or a sleeping mask to darken your room.

• Avoid eating a large meal just before bedtime.

• Avoid exercising right before going to bed.

• Keep your bedroom cool and comfortable.

• Avoid using your smartphone before bedtime and while in your bed.

• Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine before bed.

• Stick to a sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day/night.

Rest During Treatment

Whether you are recovering from surgery, healing an injury, or just surviving the stresses and troubles of life, make sure you are taking the time to rest.  It’s what your body needs.  Your therapist may recommend that you rest from certain activities while you are treating the part of your body giving you trouble.  It’s important to follow these recommendations and give your body the space and time to heal.

We know it’s been a long, exhausting, and upsetting year for everyone. We are excited that many of the restrictions for the Covid-19 virus have been removed due to the fact that the vaccine is available to everyone now. We are happy to let you know that every employee at both of our locations has received the Covid-19 vaccine. Because of this, we are no longer requiring our staff to wear masks. Our safety and sanitary protocols will remain very much the same as they have been all along. As a medical office, we sanitize our rooms and equipment regularly. Additionally, we have handwashing stations and hand sanitizer available to staff and patients at any time. Our patients comfort and safety has always been our number one priority. If you would like your therapist or PT technician to wear a mask when they work directly with you, please let us know, and we will be happy to accommodate your request. Masks are always welcome for unvaccinated or high risk patients, and we encourage staff members and patients who are sick to stay home. Thank you for your cooperation through these difficult times. We look forward to seeing all of your full faces!

Snapping Hip Syndrome

This syndrome gets its name from the snapping sound made in the hips from those who suffer from it.  It also gets called Dancer’s hip, since it’s a common issue experienced by dancers and certain athletes.  It is usually caused by the tendons of the iliotibial band and gluteus maximus snapping over the greater trochanter of the femur. But unless you’ve been taking some serious anatomy classes, that likely means nothing to you. Basically, things get too tight in your hips and some parts slide over other parts making a snapping sound.

(The bend and snap move can be a cause of snapping hip syndrome)

Whose Hips are Snapping?

Snapping hip affects approximately 5% to 10% of the population. The majority of patients experiencing painless snapping. It is slightly more common in women than in men. People typically affected include those who do repetitive extreme hip motions, including ballet dancers, weight lifters, soccer players, and runners.  It can be painless sometimes, other times there can be pain involved.  Either way it’s a troubling experience.  But if you are experiencing a snapping hip, there is hope!

Treatment

Snapping Hip is something we can treat in our offices.  One major part of solving your snapping hip woes will be stretching.  Here are a couple of stretches you can do on your own.

First, the ITB stretch:

• Stand next to a wall for support
• Cross the leg closest to the wall behind your other leg
• Move your hip toward the wall – you should feel a stretch at the outside of your hip. Hold for 30 seconds.
• Repeat on the other side.

Next, the Piriformis stretch:

• Lie on your back and cross the foot of the affected hip over the opposite knee.
• Clasp your hands behind your thigh.
• Pull your thigh toward you until you feel the stretch in your hip and buttocks. Hold for 30 seconds.
• Repeat on the opposite side.

If you’ve got a hip that won’t stop snapping, come see us in one of our offices.  We can stretch you out and set up with a plan of care that will stop the snap.

Written by Travis Rohner, PT