Health blog Category: back pain
Carrying a Heavy Purse or Tote Bag?
Back 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 because they believe “it will go away on its own”, however more and more people have sedentary desk jobs or are performing activities without addressing core muscle strength.
Read full blogHave you ever fallen asleep in an awkward position?
By: Cierra Washington, ATC
Raise 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 most people complain of a “crick” in their neck, they’re referring to either pain or stiffness, most likely in the form of a cramp or spasm.
Ever think discomfort will go away on its own?
By: Devin Wurman, DPT
Back 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 because they believe “it will go away on its own,” however, more and more people have sedentary desk jobs or are performing activities without addressing core muscle strength.
What’s the point of a disc?
By Kieran Loving, ATC
Between 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 back. They absorb each and every step, jump or load that you place through your spine.
Why is there achiness radiating down my lower body?
By Kieran Loving, ATC
A common cause of lower back pain is SI Joint Dysfunction. What in the world is an SI joint? Why is it important? When I worked in a high school, many young athletes would complain about lower back pain or symptoms that radiate down there legs. We often think that back pain is only something you find on older populations. So why would young, healthy athletes be dealing with this?
Handle a Back Strain
What is a back strain?
Low 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 cause of back pain is due to muscle strain. Muscle strains can occur to any muscle throughout the body.
Discs and Donuts: Why the Spine Needs Discs
By Kieran Loving, ATC
Why are there discs in our spines? What are they and why do we need them? To start, let’s talk about what these discs are. You may have heard the analogy that the discs in your back are like a jelly doughnut. The disc should be filled with fluid kind of like the strawberry jelly in one of these treats. The outer lining of the disc is made of up rings and then in the center, there is a jelly-like fluid.
Don’t ‘Back Talk’ a Back Problem
Let’s go over some statistics regarding back problems. According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), roughly two-thirds of Americans suffer from lower back pain, but only 63 percent actually take the steps to relieve their pain. Of those two-thirds, 69 percent said that their lower back pain affected their daily lives in many ways such as exercise (38%), sleep (37% ), work (24%), and even family time (7%). Those four activities alone make up pretty much the entire day for a lot of us.
Read full blogAddressing Back Problems Starts With Assessing the Core
Why are we focusing on your core if you’re here for a back problem? This is a question we often hear in physical therapy and with good reason. Wouldn’t you wonder why you were being instructed to strengthen a part of your body that isn’t necessarily where you’re feeling pain or discomfort? When it comes to patients who are here for back pain, part of their treatment plan involves strengthening their core. But why? Let’s talk spinal anatomy, muscular imbalances and posture.
Read full blogHandle Back Discomfort Right Away
Back 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 we treat lots of patients for and they may be young athletes, active parents or older adults. At Loudoun Sports Therapy Center, our goal to help you treat your back problems through targeted strengthening and specific exercises so you can get you back to living life on your own terms.
Read full blog