Approximately 500,000 Americans undergo back surgery to relieve their pain every year. But the American Society of Anesthesiologists estimates that 20 – 40% of those surgeries fail – leaving folks worse off than before they were considering back surgery in the first place. And what happens when your first back surgery fails? You get a second surgery – and maybe even a third – to try and repair...
Back pain impacts approximately 31 Million Americans at any given time, and our health care system spends $50 Billion per year on low back pain treatment. It’s the single leading cause of disability keeping people out of work, and it’s the second most common reason for doctor’s visits. Back pain is a big problem in this country. But the even bigger problem, in my opinion, is how the...
Is Exercising Hurting Your Back? 5 Reasons Why. The research continues to show that the best “treatment” for back pain is exercise. But what do you do when exercising hurts your back instead of helps? This is one of the most common frustrations I hear from my clients. The doctor looks at their back and takes an X-ray. He or she only sees something like arthritis or degenerative...
For many, Holidays mean traveling to visit family and friends. Or perhaps you’re a New England resident and just want to get away from the cold for a few days. Either way, hours in the car, hours on a plane, and sleeping on mattresses you’re not used to can wreak havoc on your spine. The good news is there are some simple and easy things you can do...
Do Cortisone Shots Work on Herniated Discs? A recent conversation with someone regarding whether or not they should get a cortisone shot in their back to help a herniated disc inspired me to write this article. Why? Because in speaking with her, I realized how misinformed she was about when you should and shouldn’t get a cortisone shot, and what they are and aren’t good for. And I...
Leaves are everywhere right now in New England, which means for many, the tedious task of raking them is right around the corner. I love Fall – but I don’t love raking leaves. And raking leaves is even worse when you’re suffering from back pain. The good news is there are many things you can do to protect your back when raking leaves. Here are 6 of my...
Did you know that nearly four out of five people will suffer from a debilitating back pain episode at some point in their lives and that it can result in sciatica? “Sciatica” is a term used to describe searing pain, burning, or numbness that runs from your back and down your leg, often below your knee and into your foot. It occurs because something in your lower back...
Back surgery, often viewed as a last resort for those suffering from debilitating back pain, has become increasingly common in the last 15 years. A quick Google search reveals that an estimated 1.5 million spinal fusions are performed annually in the United States alone. When you consider that 70-80% of all back pain is considered “non-specific” and does not require surgery – that number is staggering. Additionally, it’s...
The research continues to show that the best “treatment” for back pain is exercise. But for some, a work out is what actually aggravates their back. This is a common frustration I hear from clients. They know that strengthening their core and working out is good for their back. But when they do – they suffer. Here are five ways your work out is aggravating your back: 1....
Gardening is a favorite activity for a lot of folks – and lately I have been hearing many people having knee and back pain when gardening. To add more frustration to this topic, you might not even notice the pain until hours or days afterwards, which can make it challenging to address. The good news is that there are several things you can do to protect your knees...
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Portsmouth, NH’s people-first physical therapy studio. We help active adults 40+ find the root cause of their pain and build a long-term plan to fix it, so they can get back to doing what they love most.
