Dubuque Physical Therapy | Sports & Orthopedic PT

Menu
APPOINTMENTS
DIRECTIONS
FREE SCREEN
PAY CREDIT/CHECK
PAY ONLINE VENMO
CAREERS
Menu
Physical-Therapy-Can-Help-You-Solve-Your-Chronic-Pain-Problems
Physical Therapy Can Help You Solve Your Chronic Pain Problems

When you wake up in the morning, do you feel achy? While aches and pains are common from time to time, waking up every morning with them can indicate a more serious problem.

If you have painful sensations in the morning for no apparent reason, don’t hesitate to contact Dubuque Physical Therapy as soon as possible for assistance. We’ll get to the root of your problem to help you find relief, so you can wake up in the mornings feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day ahead.

Common causes of chronic pain in the morning

Has your doctor diagnosed you with a more serious medical condition that impacts your joints and tissues? If so, physical therapy may be the next step. Physical therapy is a very common and effective treatment plan for pain relief.

Here are some of the most common ailments that can be relieved with the guidance of a physical therapist:

  • Osteoarthritis.
  • Gout.
  • Bursitis.
  • Tendinitis.
  • Lupus.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Injury.

Aches, pains, and stiffness can be caused by any of these disorders. In addition to pain alleviation, physical therapy treatment regimens for these diseases will focus on helping you attain a broader range of motion in your affected joints or limbs. These help you regain your typical movement by improving overall function.

Why is pain worse in the morning?

Overuse of your joint tissues throughout the day might aggravate them without you even noticing it. When you fall asleep, you are nearly immobile for several hours, which can cause tissue inflammation to thicken and irritate the affected area further. As a result, you feel stiff and achy when you wake up in the morning.

Most of the time, after you get up and walk around, this feeling will subside pretty quickly. This is due to the fact that movement causes the inflammation to become liquid-like, reducing chronic pain. Hydration is an easy way to avoid aching morning wake-up calls.

Staying hydrated allows your body’s tissues to function at their normal pace, whereas dehydration slows down your chemical processes. This will keep your tissues from becoming overly inflamed, easing irritation.

Great ways to ease your discomfort and pain

Your physical therapy treatment plan will be determined by your symptoms and/or diagnosis. In addition to your customized treatment plan, many physical therapists will recommend at-home remedies. On your path to wellness, your physical therapist will most likely give you the following advice:

  • Maintain a healthy diet. Consumption of brightly colored fruits and vegetables can help alleviate pain. These healthy foods have more antioxidants and vitamins, which fight off the inflammation that leads to pain and irritation. A better diet also helps you to get better sleep and helps your body receive more benefits from exercise – thus, adding to the endless cycle of benefits.
  • Practice proper posture. Avoiding unwanted aches and pains can be as simple as maintaining proper posture. Try to get up every half hour for some light stretches if your job needs you to sit at a desk for extended periods of time or if you stay sedentary for hours every day. Move around and keep your circulation running to relieve joint pain. Make sure your spine is straight and your shoulders are back at your desk to avoid slouching or hunching.
  • Get enough sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep creates an endless cycle of benefits, especially when it comes to physical therapy. Sufficient amounts of sleep will increase your ability to exercise effectively, which in turn will help you sleep better at night. Your sleep and exercise habits go hand-in-hand, and the results of one will always affect the other.

The benefits of physical therapy

It is in your best interest to see a physical therapist if you are experiencing chronic aches and pains. Your physical therapist will perform a physical examination to establish the source of your discomfort and develop a treatment plan based on that information. Your physical therapist will work with you to relieve your pain and enhance your function, and will be there to support you every step of the way.

Get on the fast track to pain relief today

Physical therapists are movement specialist who can help you recover from your pain condition. Our treatment strategies include focused stretches and exercises to relieve your symptoms and prevent them from coming back in the future.

If you’re suffering from aches and pains, call our office right now to see how we can help! We’ll help you reclaim your freedom to live life on your own terms.

Sources:
Running-Out-of-Relief-Options-For-Back-Pain
Running Out of Relief Options For Back Pain? Physical Therapy Can Help!

Back pain and discomfort costs the world’s economy 149 million workdays, according to the World Health Organization. This problem is extremely prevalent; in fact, 60-70 percent of individuals in developed countries suffer from it. The good news? You’re not alone if you’ve been suffering from back pain, and there is assistance available! Physical therapy is a great options for back pain relief.

If you live with chronic back pain, then you are well aware of how restricting it may be in your daily life. That’s why it’s critical to see a physical therapist as soon as the symptoms appear. The longer you wait, the more probable it is that your pain will develop into a more serious problem.

If you have been living with back pain, don’t wait any longer. Call Dubuque Physical Therapy today to schedule a consultation and get started on the best treatment plan for your needs.

Reasons your back is hurting

There are many different reasons you may be experiencing back pain, and ignoring any of them is not a good idea.

Although most people recover within 2-4 weeks, some people who, when left untreated, experience lower back for months leading to long-term pain and dysfunction.

Some of the most common issues associated with back pain include:

  • Improper posture or prolonged positions (i.e., prolonged sitting)
  • Spinal muscle and tissue damage (i.e., lifting strains or trauma from accidents)
  • Limited hip, spine, and pelvis mobility
  • Limited muscle flexibility
  • Spinal/pelvic muscle weaknesses (aka “core” weakness)
  • Poor abdominal, pelvic and back muscle coordination (i.e., compensations due to injury)

The source of acute pain comes from injury or irritation of the muscles, joints (including the intervertebral discs and facet joints), nerves or surrounding ligaments, and other soft tissue. Chronic back pain (i.e., lasting more than three months) is associated with older individuals and women. Chronic pain is also more common with overweight or obese people, sedentary lifestyles, and/or high-stress environments.

How can therapy help decrease my discomfort?

In order to help you regain mobility, function, and comfort, your physical therapist will focus on treating the source of your back pain. Your personalized treatment plan will include the most effective strategies for reducing pain, speeding up the healing process, and restoring function and movement to the damaged areas of your back.

Your first session will include a full evaluation, which will help your physical therapist determine which treatment options are appropriate for your orthopedic, neurologic, or cardiovascular issue.

Active physical therapy treatments for back pain

The goal of active physical therapy is to provide exercises that the patient can accomplish on their own. When your lower back pain has lessened to the point where your physical therapist believes you are ready for active physical therapy, he or she will create a customized exercise program for you.

Stretching, strength training, and stability training can all be used to help you regain flexibility, range of motion, and muscular strength. These exercises will aid in the rehabilitation of the sore area by providing support and guiding you through the process.

Passive physical therapy treatments for back pain

The purpose of passive physical therapy is to help pain become more manageable, and hopefully to alleviate it altogether. Lower back pain can be a debilitating condition, impeding your physical abilities. Because of this, physical therapists work hard to reduce pain as much as possible. Passive physical therapy can include any combination of these special treatments, as deemed fit by your physical therapist:

  • Manual therapy.
  • Dry needling.
  • Ultrasound.
  • Iontophoresis.
  • Hydrotherapy.
  • Electrical stimulation, such as TENS Units.
  • Ice/heat packs.
  • Massage.

Some of these methods are used to reduce pain and swelling, such as heat/ice packs and massage therapy.

Hydrotherapy is an aquatic-based treatment that involves patients performing low-intensity motions in water to relieve muscular tension and allow joints to move freely and painlessly.

While it may sound frightening, electrical stimulation is a harmless treatment that sends small pulses of electricity throughout your nervous system. This aids in pain reduction, as well as reducing muscular spasms and promoting the production of pain-relieving hormones in your body.

These techniques are more commonly used for the treatment of lower back pain than others, although any could be prescribed based on your physical therapist’s discretion.

What should I expect during treatment?

Physical therapy for back pain relief aims to relieve pain, increase function, and decrease the risk of future injury.

When you come in for your consultation, your physical therapist will perform a thorough examination that includes a physical examination as well as questions about your pain levels, lifestyle, and medical history. Following the collection of this information, your physical therapist will develop a personalised treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.

Treatment plans will include both passive and active treatment methods, as mentioned above. It is likely that your physical therapist will also provide you with gentle stretches and exercises to do on your own, in order to maintain the progress you make during your sessions.

You can find true, lasting relief today

If you have been living with back pain, call Dubuque Physical Therapy as soon as possible – we’ll provide you with the relief you need so you can get back to living a healthy, happy lifestyle without pain.

Sources:
5-Ways-Stretching-Can-Provide-Pain-Relief-and-Improve-Flexibility
5 Ways Stretching Can Provide Pain Relief and Improve Flexibility

Do you stretch regularly? If you don’t, know that you’re not the only one slacking off on this vital aspect of exercise!

Stretching is an important element of physical therapy. Targeted stretches are incorporated into practically every physical therapy treatment plan. Stretching is beneficial to everyone, from athletes aiming to improve their technique to seniors seeking relief from chronic aches and pains.

Stretching not only improves flexibility, but it’s also a natural approach to relieve discomfort and make any subsequent physical therapy treatments go more smoothly.

To learn more about incorporating stretching into your life, call Dubuque Physical Therapy today for more information and a consultation!

Do you know about these benefits of stretching?

There are a lot of benefits of stretching that are not always discussed! Five of the best ones are as follows:

1. Stretching is all natural and totally free

It is obvious that if we experience back pain, we should stretch out our backs. However, sometimes stretching your legs during physical therapy can provide unexpected relief to your back, as well. Sometimes we forget how interconnected all of our body parts are!

In fact, your hamstrings, upper thighs, and hips can all play a big part in creating lower back pain relief. Likewise, improving your posture through stretching your torso can provide the kind of support you need to keep your spine from compressing, which helps you avoid shoulder and neck pain. Essentially, stretching different parts of your body can provide relief to places you may not have considered!

2. Stretching helps boost circulation

Stretching can help you relax, but it has other benefits for your heart and musculoskeletal system as well. Stretching is important for practically all aspects of your physical ability.

Tight muscles reduce the amount of oxygen available to the body, depriving it of the nutrients it requires. Stretching aids in the reversal of the process. You’ll benefit from enhanced blood flow to your joints and throughout your body if you stretch frequently.

3. Stretching naturally enhances athletic performance

This is particularly true for athletes. The more you condition your muscles, joints, and ligaments, the better your athletic performance will be.

Bodybuilders, for example, recover from reps considerably faster when they stretch as a cool-down. Golfers can extend their reach by expanding their hips and shoulder range of motion. By stretching and honing their balance, swimmers can even out their strokes. If you’re an athlete, stretching can make a big difference in your results.

4. It’s an effective way to improve range of motion.

Whether it’s turning your head to see behind you while driving, or bending your knee freely while running, range of motion is crucial for both daily life and for fitness pursuits. Range of motion consists of how well your joints can move in all directions. This influences every movement you make! If you have a constricting condition, such as arthritis or an injury, your range of motion can be hindered.

Stretching can help reduce stiffness and increase flexibility, therefore improving your range of motion.

5. Stretching helps prevent injuries

When muscles are tight or tense, the likelihood of injury increases. This occurs because that particular part of your body isn’t working at its peak performance, even though you might be. When you stretch, you’re loosening up your muscles, in addition to increasing range of motion and improving balance, which all factor into injury prevention.

All of these characteristics can save you from making the kinds of mistakes that contribute to injury, such as landing too hard on one foot, twisting your back too far, or falling due to a loss of balance.

Let’s get to stretching; give us a call today!

As you can see, there are numerous reasons why you should consider incorporating stretching into your daily routine. Whether it’s dynamic, static, pre-activity, or post-activity, one of our professional physical therapists can help you figure out the ideal stretches for your lifestyle.

In addition to the ones listed above, stretching has various other health benefits.

Are you ready to reap some of stretching’s benefits? If that’s the case, give Dubuque Physical Therapy a call today!

Sources: