By: Cierra Washington, ATCRaise your hand if you’ve ever fallen asleep in an awkward position and had the unexpected pleasure of waking up to a “crick in your neck”. For years, I’ve used the phrase “crick in my neck,” and yet I never really knew what it referred to other than general neck discomfort. When…
“Why are we focusing on my core if my lower back is what’s hurting?” This is a question that is often heard in the physical therapy world. To answer this question, let’s talk spinal anatomy, muscular imbalances and posture. When patients come in with lower back pain, one of the very first muscle groups assessed…
It’s true! You can get a full body workout with one exercise. It may sound like a myth, but there is one legendary strengthening and stabilization move that will simultaneously work your arms, shoulders, chest, upper and lower back, abdominals, gluteals and quadriceps: the plank! Physical and Mental Challenge Holding a plank is certainly a…
By Cierra Washington, ATCHere’s a riddle for you: What holds your body upright, is made up of a series of irregularly shaped bones, appears to be in a straight line but is also curved when you look at it from the side?The answer: YOUR SPINE!Your spine consists of 33 bones: seven cervical, 12 thoracic, five lumbar, five sacral…
By Kieran Loving, ATCCore is defined as the central or most important part of something. When it comes to the CORE of the human body what comes to mind? Most people think a rocking six pack of abs means a strong core! This is a huge misconception. The core of your body actually means the…
What causes stiffness in the neck and how can we prevent this common condition?One of the biggest contributors to neck pain and stiffness is our poor posture. A lot of us sit at a desk for work or school for several hours throughout the day. You are probably often not aware of your posture. You…
By: Devin Wurman, DPTBack pain is one of the most common complaints that patients have when they are coming to physical therapy. It is not only affecting middle-aged adults, but becoming more prevalent in the younger adult population. Most patients that come in report dealing with the pain for at least a month or more…
By Xavier Thompson, ATCBack discomfort can be debilitating no matter what your walk of life. People living with back pain are often plagued by the inability to sleep, stiffness or difficulty with activities that they love. These may include running or hiking, gardening, walking the dog or playing with their grandchildren. Back pain is something…
By Rachel Herrmann, DPTWhat is a back strain?Lower back pain is one of the most common issues seen in an outpatient physical therapy clinic and the vast majority of people will experience some form of back pain at least once throughout their life. There are many different causes of low back pain, but one common…
By Kieran Loving, ATCBetween each vertebral body is a cushion called an intervertebral disc. Each disc absorbs the stress and shock the body incurs during movement and prevents the vertebrae from grinding against one another. The intervertebral discs are the largest structures in the body without a blood supply. So they are the ‘sneakers’ for your…
