Active and Mobile

Five Easy Ways to Stay Active and Mobile this Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving is one of my favorite Holidays and it’s right around the corner. Rest and relaxation might be top of mind for you. But, it’s still important to stay active and mobile throughout the day. 

Our spine and joints don’t like to be sedentary for prolonged periods. And that’s especially true if you’ve got arthritis, back or knee pain.

You may not notice any pain while you’re sitting or relaxing, but you will pay for it the next day if you don’t find ways to keep moving.

So here are five very easy ways to help you stay active and mobile this Thanksgiving:

  1. Interrupt Your Sitting.

Our bodies were not designed to sit for prolonged periods, so getting up frequently is an easy way to not only incorporate movement throughout your day, but to help keep away back and knee stiffness. I recommend standing up at least once every 30 min.

This could be a fun assignment to give a young child. Make them accountable for watching the clock and remind you to stand up. This is quite possibly the easiest and most effective strategy to keep your knees, hips, and spine from getting painful and stiff throughout Turkey Day.

  1. Do a Turkey Trot.

Thanksgiving Turkey Trots are a popular event in most towns and it can be a really fun event for the whole family. Turkey Trots are typically 5K’s – or 3.2 miles. If you’re not able to sign up for an actual race, grab your friends and family and create your own Turkey Trot within your neighborhood.

If you can’t coordinate a time to do this in a group, take a virtual trot together and stay connected via your smartphone. Either way, whether you walk or jog, it will feel great to get your Thanksgiving Day started with lubricated joints and blood flowing. 

  1. Stretch During Commercials.

Whether it’s the Macy’s Day parade, football, or both – it’s easy to find yourself sitting for hours on a soft sofa or recliner. A very easy way to keep yourself from sitting or slouching too much and to incorporate some healthy movement into your day is to get up during commercials.

It’s the perfect opportunity to do a quick 2 min exercise or stretch.  It doesn’t have to be complicated. Choose from a quick set of squats, heel raises, planks, or back stretches. You can alternate through these during each commercial break and your body will thank you for it.

  1. Walk Your Dessert Off.

Just because you did that Turkey Trot in the morning doesn’t mean you have to be done for the day. Rather than feeling like you need to skip dessert – just plan to walk it off afterwards.

Walking is one of the best and most natural exercises you can do. And it gives you many of the same benefits of running (only slower).

Walking is very functional, and it’s good for your hips, back and knees. Since we tend to sit and bend so much during the day, walking is a very natural and active way to get some much needed lengthening and stretching into our bodies before we settle in for the evening. 

  1. Help With Cleaning Up.

Don’t be shamed into “just sit down and relax” because you’re a guest. Helping with clean-up (or set-up) is an easy and effective way to keep moving during your Thanksgiving Holiday.

Not only will your Thanksgiving host love you – but your body will too.

If you’re suffering from back problems, be careful bending and leaning over – especially if it’s repetitive – when you’re collecting or washing dishes. But otherwise, carrying heavy plates, moving chairs, and wiping down tables can burn quite a few calories and it’s good for your body.

There you have it – if you don’t want your Thanksgiving Day to be sedentary – you now have five easy ways to stay active and mobile.

I hope you have a wonderful Holiday and get to spend it with those you love most.

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Pilates expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth and writes for Seacoast Media Group. To get in touch, or request a free copy of one of her guides to back, neck, knee, or shoulder pain, email her at [email protected].

work out

Why More People are Paying out of Pocket for Healthcare…even during an economic downturn

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More People are Paying out of Pocket for Healthcare…even during a recession

If you’ve ever had an injury or dealt with chronic pain, you’ve probably followed a pretty traditional course of action to address it that might have looked like this:

  • You went to your primary care doctor and they sent you to the lab for x rays, prescribed medication, or both.
  • You may have gotten a referral to a specialist or even a surgeon.
  • You went to that appointment and were either told that you needed surgery or that you needed to modify your physical activity and avoid certain activities in order to not exacerbate the problem.

Basically, you were thrust into the assembly line that has become “modern healthcare”.

But did you know that you could bypass all of this hassle – and get faster results – by going directly to a physical therapist?

Physical therapists are trained to diagnose your problem and provide a fully customized treatment option. One that doesn’t involve prescription medications or procedures.

In almost all states (including NH) you don’t even need a prescription to see a physical therapist.

The problem is that for many people, traditional physical therapy has not produced the results they are looking for.

Physical therapy DOES work. But what often doesn’t work is the model of care.

There have been many limitations insurance companies have placed on reimbursement over the years. Most traditional physical therapy clinics (those that take insurance) have been forced to see more patients. Just so they can pay the bills and keep the lights on!

Additionally, insurance companies and healthcare have essentially taken over your care.

They decide who you can see, what type of treatment you will get, and how many visits you are allowed to have.

These decisions are being made by someone who’s never even spoken to you, met you, or actually looked at you.

Because of this, “physical therapy” has gotten a bad reputation and a lot of people find that it’s a waste of time, or that it consists of just a bunch of exercises.

It’s not the physical therapist’s fault, it’s the insurance company’s fault.

The good news is that you’ve got options and alternatives when it comes to taking care of your back or knee pain.

You don’t want to be prescribed medication and you don’t want to deal with procedures like injections or surgery. Or you don’t want to go to traditional physical therapy and feel like you’re wasting your time. The answer is to go outside of your insurance and pay out of pocket.

This is known as going “out of network”.

More people are doing it because they are fed up with the traditional models. Models of healthcare and physical therapy that don’t give them the results they are looking for.

But isn’t that expensive? Not at all, and it really depends on what you value.

For me, and for most of the folks that we work with, it’s far more costly to live with chronic back pain. You have to miss out on activities you love, and end up with a surgery you never even wanted.

It’s also far more costly to spend years going to weekly chiropractic and massage therapy appointments. Just so that you can function and manage your pain.

When it comes to musculoskeletal problems, you NEED a physical therapist in your corner and as part of your healthcare team.

But it can’t be the traditional kind where all you get is cookie cutter treatment plans. Physical therapists who don’t contract with insurance companies are able to spend more time with you. Allowing them to create a truly customized plan of care.

We focus on getting to know you and your body. Not what paperwork needs to be filled out for your next healthcare insurance authorization.

Our clients like this model because they get long-term success instead of short-term pain relief. Our therapists like this model. They are free to use their brains and actually do what they were trained to do.

Everyone should have their own, personal physical therapist to call and come see anytime you need. Just like you would a chiropractor, dentist, doctor, or massage therapist.

The only way to do this, is to go outside your insurance. If you are curious about whether or not this model of physical therapy is right for you just give us a call!

It’s not for everyone, but more and more people are finding that it is.

Most of the folks we meet and work with say: “I wish I had found you first”.

If this is something you are interested in – or are seeking more information on – CLICK HERE to speak to one of my specialists.

They will give you all the information you need to make the BEST decision for YOUR health. Whether that’s working with us or not!

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Pilates expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth and writes for Seacoast Media Group. To get in touch, or request a free copy of one of her guides to back, neck, knee, or shoulder pain, email her at [email protected].

knees

Spooky creaks and cracks coming from your knees?

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Does the cracking in your knees “spook” you out?

Yes – it’s Halloween – and we’re having some fun over here… But in all seriousness – when it comes to cracking in your knees (or any joint for that matter) – people get nervous.

First of all, cracking in your knees (as well as your other joints) is quite common – and most of the time there’s a reasonable explanation for it.

Crepitus is the term used to describe any grinding, creaking, cracking, grating, crunching , or popping that occurs when you move a joint like your knee. You can experience this at any age – but it’s certainly more common as you get older.

So what causes crepitus – and should it be a concern…

The most common causes of crepitus include air bubbles popping inside your joint, tendons or ligaments snapping over your joint’s bony structures, or the degeneration of your joint’s cartilage that generally occurs with arthritis. You may experience uncomfortable sensations, or even a tiny bit of pain when this happens, but in most cases, none of this should scare or concern you.

It’s all a normal part of aging and wear and tear.

But if the cracking in your joints starts to become more regular – is accompanied by joint swelling and more constant pain – or if the cracking turns to “clunking” and your knee starts to feel unstable… then you’re smart to be concerned and it’s possible something more serious could be going on.

If you suspect something like this could be happening – get your knees checked out by an expert.

But assuming you haven’t let your knees get to the “concerned stage” yet… and the most annoying thing to you right now is the cracking, grinding, or crunching…

There are things you can do to prevent it from getting worse.

The first thing I always recommend is to keep moving.

Motion is lotion.

And regular movement throughout the day helps keep your joints lubricated. It’s like applying WD-40 to a creaky door hinge – when your joints creak – move them to lubricate them.

The second important thing to consider if you want to reduce crepitus and prevent it from becoming something more serious is your biomechanics.

Biomechanics refers to how well your muscles and joints function together.

If you’ve got imbalances – it will impact the way your joints move and function – causing more creaking and cracking.

For example, let’s say your hips are on the weak side. How your knees tolerate various activities depends a lot on how strong your hips are. I’ve experienced this first hand… I love to hike. And if my hips aren’t doing their part, I feel the entire hike in my knees, especially on the way down.

And you know what else happens?

My knees crack a lot more on the days after I hike.

The imbalances in my body cause more stress on my knees and the result is they crack a lot more. Now, as I mentioned previously, this isn’t a big concern for me… yet. My knees don’t hurt – they are just very noisy. But in the interest in prevention – I make a conscious effort to regularly stretch my quads, and strengthen my hips and core – so that I can keep this problem at bay and not let it get worse.

My FAVORITE way to do this is with Pilates.

Specifically… on the Pilates Reformer!

When you use the Pilates Reformer – it allows you to both strengthen and lengthen at the same time – as well as focus on your coordination. These three things – when combined together – help to significantly optimize your biomechanics.

If you’ve never used the Pilates Reformer and want to give it a try – check out our Pilates program HERE.

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Pilates expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth. To get a FREE copy of her guide to knee pain – CLICK HERE

Failed Knee Surgery

Knee Surgery Gone Wrong? It’s More Common Than You Think.

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Arthroscopic knee surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed. Despite research telling us that it’s not nearly as effective as most people are led to believe.

Science tells us that people who do undergo arthroscopic knee surgery are likely to have knee arthritis that advances rapidly. This results in a total knee replacement that you could avoid.

Arthroscopic knee surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that’s commonly done to help “clean out” your knee joint. It’s done if  you’ve got degenerative arthritis, or to clip out pieces of a torn meniscus that might be irritating your knee.

Sounds pretty simple and harmless – right?

Well… it is until it isn’t.

The big problem is that arthroscopic knee surgery is not necessary for most cases of knee pain.

If there is a complication – which there are many even with “minimally invasive” procedures – you could end up being worse off than when you went in.

Plus – if you never even needed the surgery to begin with – you just put your knee through unnecessary trauma that you’ve got to now heal from. This further delays you from addressing the root cause of your knee pain.

The truth is that most people can get full relief of their knee pain as well as full restoration of knee function without any type of surgery or procedure. This is true for 70% of all knee pain cases.

An early research study from 2002 by JB Moseley and colleagues, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, revealed that placebo surgery for advanced knee arthritis was just as effective as actual arthroscopic surgery.

Since then, numerous studies have proven similar results. This means that even if you have a torn meniscus or degenerative arthritis in your knee – you can still get better naturally and with conservative treatment.

So why then – despite all this research – are surgeons still performing arthroscopic knee surgery more than ever?

In some cases it’s just what the surgeon knows, and they haven’t kept up with the research. Other times, it’s due to poor conservative management of knee pain. If you’ve gotten physical therapy and it wasn’t effective, people believe that the physical therapy “didn’t work”.

But more often than not, you just haven’t found the right physical therapist yet – someone who understands how to diagnose knee pain properly and get you the customized approach that is required to avoid surgery.

And then there’s the elephant in the room…

It’s very common for knee pain to be coming from somewhere other than your knee. Knee pain can come from your ankle, hip, or back. One study showed that 40% of the time – knee pain is caused by your back – even when you don’t have any back pain.

MRI’s add even more confusion to this. It’s entirely possible to have degenerative changes, a torn meniscus, or advanced arthritis in your knee – and still have your knee pain stemming from a source other than your knee.

Over the course of my 20 year career, I’ve seen many knee surgeries go wrong.

Most of the time, it has nothing to do with the procedure itself. It has everything to do with an incorrect diagnosis going in. Say your knee pain can be resolved conservatively. Then you put it through unnecessary trauma (surgery). There’s a good chance you’re going to have more problems afterwards. You get knee surgery when your knee problem isn’t even coming from your knee. Then you’re definitely going to have problems afterwards.

The moral of this story is to make absolutely certain that:

1) Your knee problem is really a knee problem and

2) You’ve fully exhausted all (quality) conservative therapy options before going under the knife.

Remember that 70% of all knee pain cases do not need surgery.

Science has proven this. Don’t resort to knee surgery unless you’re 100% sure you really need it. Because it can go wrong and when it does – it’s much harder to come back from then if you had avoided it to begin with.

Want help with your pain now? CLICK HERE to talk to one of my specialists for free – you can tell them all about your knee pain and we’ll let you know if we can help. 🙂

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Pilates expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth and writes for Seacoast Media Group. To request a free copy of her Knee Pain Free Report CLICK HERE  or to get in touch, email her at [email protected].

Holding Knee with Arthritis

Three Tips to Protect Your Knees From Arthritis

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Knee arthritis is one of the most common forms of osteoarthritis.

Knee arthritis accounts for more than 80% of all osteoarthritis and impacts at least 19% of Americans over the age of 45.

For many, a diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis leads to chronic, debilitating knee pain that stops them from doing all of their favorite activities. Sometimes it’s simply due to the limiting belief that once you have arthritis – you’ve got “bad knees” for life.

Other times it’s because you’ve been told you have “bone on bone” in your knee and there’s nothing you can do – except to scale back on activity so that you don’t make it worse. This line of thinking is flawed and often leads people to unnecessary procedures and surgery. One of the best things you can do to protect your knees from the debilitating effects of arthritis is to keep moving.

Here are three tips to help you protect your knees from arthritis as you age – so that you can keep doing all of your favorite activities and avoid any major procedures or surgery:

1. Strengthen Your Hips and Core

Your knee joint is situated just below your hips and core. And research has shown that when you have poor control of your upper leg muscles – you get more stress through your knee joint.

The strength of your upper leg muscles is very much dependent on your hip and core strength. Your thigh bone – or femur – connects your knee and your pelvis – and your core strength controls your pelvis.

If your pelvis isn’t stable – your femur is going to have a difficult time staying in alignment – which will ultimately have an impact on your knee joint. If you’ve got arthritis in your knees, it’s critical you minimize any added stress to your knee joints.

Strengthening your core and having good hip strength is going to help prevent and minimize the symptoms of arthritis and keep you doing activities you love longer.

2. Keep Your Knees Mobile

Mobility before stability is my mantra.

And I say this for just about every joint in your body. But it’s especially true for your knees. There are joints whose primary function is stability – and there are those whose major function is mobility.

Your knee needs to be mobile.

Its major purpose is to bend all the way so you can squat and pick things up – and it needs to straighten all the way to give you stability when you need it. When either of these motions are lacking – your ligaments and surrounding muscles will suffer.

A lot of folks just “accept” that their knees are stiff – especially if you’ve been told you have arthritis in your knees. The limiting belief is that stiffness is par for the course. But the truth is that if you keep your knees mobile as you age – you can not only maintain the mobility you have but improve what is lacking.

If your knees are stiff – start moving them. The thing to understand about arthritis is that it’s a normal part of aging. Debilitating mobility is not. Even a 10% improvement in your knee mobility – which can happen even if you’ve got arthritis – will result in huge improvements in your knee function.

It can be the difference between a natural solution to knee pain vs undergoing a major surgery like knee replacement.

3. Don’t Stop Your Activities

When people find out they have arthritis – and especially if they’re in pain – they often think that slowing down or stopping activity will help protect their knees.

This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Study after study – including one from the Center for Disease Control – shows that severe joint pain among adults with arthritis is worse with inactivity. When you remain active, you keep blood flowing, your knee joints mobile, and your muscles strong. These are very important factors in managing your arthritis. Sometimes, the knee pain you feel when you’re doing certain activities has nothing to do with your arthritis. Statistics show that only 15% of patients with evidence of knee osteoarthritis on X-ray even had symptoms.

That means that the other 85% is walking, biking, and running around enjoying their most favorite activities – despite the fact their X-ray showed arthritis too. The point here is to keep doing your activities – whether you’ve got arthritis already or not – it’s one of the best ways to prevent and protect your knee joints as you age.

So – to review…

If you want to optimize your knee health as you age – which you still can even if you’ve been told you have “advanced arthritis” – prioritize your core strength, the mobility of your knees, and stay active.

Focusing on these three things can have a significant impact on how arthritis affects you – and can help you avoid major (often unnecessary) surgery in your future.

Is knee pain keeping you from doing your favorite activities? Are you considering a major procedure or surgery but not sure if you need it?

Join us on Tuesday Oct. 25th from 6-7pm for our Free Masterclass for Knee Pain Sufferers.

Sign up using this link —> Knee Pain Masterclass.

We hope to see you there!

Can’t make it live? All participants will receive a complimentary replay of the class 🙂

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Pilates expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth and writes for Seacoast Media Group. To request a free copy of her Knee Pain Free Report CLICK HERE  or to get in touch, email her at [email protected].

Man getting knee pain treatment

Four Reasons Your Knee Pain isn’t Going Away

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Approximately 25% of adults suffer from chronic knee pain and for many, they don’t have a clear reason or diagnosis as to why. They’ve been told to accept that their knee pain is due to arthritis, age, or wear and tear. So why then, are some people able to get rid of their pain with proper knee pain treatment while others continue to suffer? It starts with the correct diagnosis. And for many chronic knee pain sufferers, this is the problem.

Here are four reasons why your knee pain might not be going away:

 

1. Mobility Before Stability

I’m a firm believer in this concept.

Our joints function better when they have full and free mobility. With knees in particular, everyone tends to focus on how well a knee is bending, but a lot of people miss when a knee isn’t fully straightening. Most knees have a certain amount of what we call hyperextension.

For example, your knee might look and feel straight, but if it’s naturally capable of “over-straightening”, and you don’t restore that completely, your knee will have problems.

I see it all the time, especially in folks who’ve had previous knee surgeries. If their full knee motion wasn’t restored properly during rehab, or perhaps they didn’t have any rehab at all (common practice now after most arthroscopic knee surgeries), knee pain will persist, and won’t go away no matter how much you strengthen it.

This isn’t something that can be seen on an Xray or MRI. Only a trained expert who knows how to look for this will be able to detect it, teach you how to restore it, and finally help you get rid of your chronic knee pain.

2. It’s Really a Back Problem

When the source of your pain is truly coming from your knee, it tends to be pretty specific and very localized to the knee joint itself. But if your pain tends to move around your knee, or perhaps travel up and down your leg, there’s a good chance your knee pain is coming from your back.

A recent study found that 40% of all extremity pain (including knees) comes from a source in your spine – even when you don’t have any back pain.

How does this happen? Typically it’s due to an irritated nerve that sends pain primarily to your knee and nowhere else. If you’ve been treating your knee for months and it’s either not going away or perhaps getting worse, consider that your knee problem is not a knee problem. Get your spine checked by a proper movement/mechanical therapist who can screen for this and figure it out.

3. Poor Core Strength

Your abdominals, low back muscles, hips, and glutes all make up what we call your “powerhouse” or core.

We all know that a strong core is important to help prevent back pain. But, it’s equally important for healthy knees. If your core is weak, or doesn’t activate properly, it will have an impact on how fluid your joints will move during activities.

If you aren’t stabilizing yourself well with a strong core, your knees might try to help out by adding stability. Knees aren’t really meant to do this – they are meant to be mobile. But when your body lacks stability, your joints stiffen up in response, which can cause knee pain over time or aggravate arthritis that’s already there.

If your knees chronically ache – especially during activities – this could be why. You can treat your knees all you want, but if you don’t also address the deficits in your core, your knees will continue to hurt.

4. Stiff Ankles

When your ankles are stiff it will have an impact on your knees.

Do one or both of your ankles lack mobility during certain activities? Especially running, hiking, and squatting?  Your knees may strain themselves trying to help out and compensate.

Over time, this pattern will lead to knee pain. Do you notice a lot of stiffness in the front of your ankles? Or pain/fatigue in the front of your lower legs after repetitive walking or running? This could be a sign that the real problem is coming from stiffness in your ankles.

Stop working on your knees and start mobilizing your ankles instead. Your knees should start to feel better in no time. Knee pain can be tricky to figure out – especially if it’s chronic. Arthritis, age, and wear and tear aren’t common reasons for chronic knee pain. But they are definitely reasons that mislead people into thinking they’ve just got “bad knees”.

At least 70% of the time, knee pain can be resolved naturally and with movement – but you must make sure you’ve got the correct diagnosis nailed down first.

Want some help getting rid of YOUR knee pain?

Talk to one of my specialists for free by CLICKING HERE.

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Pilates expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth and writes for Seacoast Media Group. To request a copy of her Knee Pain Free Report CLICK HERE  or to get in touch, email her at [email protected].

Knee Pain Causes

Top 3 Causes of Knee Pain and What To Do.

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Knee pain is the second most common complaint when it comes to musculoskeletal problems. Right behind back pain. It impacts one-third of all Americans at any given time. I speak to a lot of folks in their 50’s and 60’s who love to ski, run, hike and bike. Their biggest fear is that ongoing knee pain could bring an eventual end to their active lifestyles. The good news is that eighty percent of all knee problems can be resolved without procedures or surgery. But, it starts with accurately identifying knee pain causes.

Here are three common Knee Pain Causes and what you can do to resolve it.

1. Patellofemoral Knee syndrome

Also known as “runner’s knee”, Patellofemoral Knee Syndrome (PFS) is characterized by pain in the front of your knee. Usually just below or behind your knee cap.

With PFS, the source of the pain typically comes from unwanted pressure around your knee cap. That eventually results in inflammation and pain. It’s very tempting to just get a cortisone shot or take pain pills to quickly reduce the inflammation and relieve your pain. But unless you’re certain where the inflammation is coming from, you’re really only addressing the symptoms of your knee problem.

In other words, what causes the pressure in your knee cap to begin with?

It doesn’t just happen spontaneously. If you truly want to put an end to PFS, you’ll need to find the root cause of your problem.

Typically, PFS is the result of an imbalance somewhere in your body. Over time, it has resulted in poor form and movement habits that ultimately cause more pressure at your knee.

If your hips, quads, and hamstrings aren’t balanced and working together harmoniously, you could end up with problems in your knee.

Once you figure out the culprit behind the pressure and inflammation at your knee cap, you’ll be able to resolve and manage PFS naturally and for the long-term.

2. Iliotibial band syndrome

The causes of iliotibial band syndrome are very similar to that of PFS. Except that your pain and symptoms will be experienced on the side of your knee instead of the front.

Your iliotibial band (ITB) is a large, thick band of tissue that runs along the side of your thigh to the bottom of your knee. Your ITB is formed from a muscle in your hip called the tensor fascia latae (TFL). When your TFL gets overworked, your ITB suffers, and will result in what often feels like stabbing pain at the side of your knee.

The most common treatment I see for this is foam rolling and massage. While these are great modalities to relieve your symptoms, they don’t address the root problem.

You must figure out why your TFL is being stressed and overworked if you really want to get rid of your pain. Typically, it’s due to weak glute muscles, the deep ones designed to stabilize your pelvis.

Your TFL is neighbor to your glutes. So, when they decide to be lazy, your TFL loves to help out, and eventually overdoes it. When you can get these two groups of muscles working properly together, you’ll put an end to ITB syndrome.

3. Osteoarthritis

Many people find out they have osteoarthritis in their knees and think there’s nothing that can be done. They either have to “live with it” or get a total knee replacement.

First, arthritis is normal and it happens to everyone as they age. What is not normal is for you to think you’re helpless or have to avoid your favorite activities because of it.

Arthritis occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down over time. While there isn’t anything you can do to reverse this process, there is plenty you can do to minimize the symptoms you get because of this condition.

It all comes down to balanced joints and movement. The more mobility you have, and the more stability you have around your knees, the less symptomatic your arthritis will be.

Some key areas to focus on when you’ve got arthritis in your knees is good core and hip strength, and good flexibility in your hips and ankles.

If anything is off in these areas, your knees will  compensate, which could result in compression at your knee joint. This will aggravate your arthritic symptoms.

“Motion is lotion” isn’t just a saying.

It very well could be the difference between you suffering from debilitating knee symptoms versus living an active lifestyle despite your osteoarthritis.

If you’re suffering from knee pain, remember that there is a very good chance you fall into the eighty percent of people who can successfully get rid of it completely on their own.

There is no need to rely on pain pills, or believe that procedures and surgery are your only options. As you can see, three of the most common causes of knee pain are due to movement problems.

Therefore – movement should be your solution – not something you avoid.

Are you Local to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and experiencing knee or any other type of pain?

CLICK HERE to book a discovery visit with one of my specialists. Someone from my team will reach out to you. They’ll find out what’s been going on, and see if we’re a good fit for you to get you back to doing the activities that you love.

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Pilates expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth and writes for Seacoast Media Group. To request a free copy of her Knee Pain Free Report CLICK HERE  or to get in touch, email her at [email protected].

3 Signs Balance Problems are all “In Your Head”

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As we get older – balance problems tend to creep up on us.

Everything from poor vision to weak muscles to stiff joints can have an impact on how steady we are on our feet.

Activities like Yoga and Tai Chi are great for improving balance because they help you to focus and become more aware of how your body is moving. Having a strong core and leg muscles are also key.

But what if you’ve been working on all of these areas and your balance problems still haven’t improved?

There’s one other huge contributor to balance and it’s called your vestibular system. It’s one of our three major balance systems and it’s located in your inner ear – literally in your head.

Your vestibular system is responsible for sensing movement and changes in your head position and when it’s not working properly, it will definitely impact your balance.

How do you know if your vestibular system is dysfunctional?

One of the most tell-tale signs is dizziness, commonly known as “vertigo”, and it’s more common than most people think. Approximately 35% (that’s 69 million) of adults over the age of 40 have experienced some form of vestibular dysfunction.

This number gets even higher as we age and recurrence becomes more common with 80% of people over the age of 65. It doesn’t matter how strong you are, or how many times you practice standing on one leg – if your unsteadiness is from vertigo – you remain at a high risk of falling until you get this sorted out.

Vertigo is no fun and it can be extremely debilitating.

While medication can be used to reduce the sensation of dizziness, it tends to only mask the symptoms.

When the medication is stopped many people are faced with the same symptoms they started with.

The most common form of dizziness among older adults is from BPPV (Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) and is only benign to those that haven’t experienced the debilitating impact it has on your daily functions. BPPV happens when a clump of crystals move within the inner ear-control center for balance, causing a severe spinning sensation when moving your head. It’s treated by moving the crystals in a specific pattern to get them back in proper alignment.

This condition becomes more common over New England winters when we do not get as much sunlight or vitamin D– which can make you more susceptible to changes in the inner ear crystals.

Vestibular hypofunction can also be a reason for dizziness or unsteadiness, and it typically happens after something like a whiplash injury or sudden attack that leaves you feeling scared and unsteady. Vestibular problems can be challenging to accurately diagnose.

Here are three signs that indicate your balance problems might be due to a vestibular dysfunction:

1. Things Spin When You Bend Over

Ever been in the middle of gardening, or getting in and out of bed, and things start spinning for no good reason?

People often mistake this for dehydration or low blood pressure. These are certainly possibilities, but it could also be from a dysfunctional vestibular system. Because this system is located deep within your inner ear, it’s most affected by large head movements. Movements such as bending over. If the system in your ear doesn’t keep up with how fast your body is moving – things start spinning.

While it’s common for this to happen from time to time, if it’s happening a lot, or gets so severe that you can’t stand up, then it’s worth getting looked at.

2. It’s Hard to Walk Around in the Dark

As we get older, vision is one of the first things to become impaired.

Vision is another major player in how well you balance. It becomes critically important that your other two systems – vestibular and proprioception – are in good shape.

If you have strong legs and typically don’t have a problem with balance during the day you may notice that at night or in dim lighting your balance always seems to be off. This could be a sign that your vestibular system is dysfunctional.

3. Crowds Make You Unsteady

Many of us dislike crowds.

Is the reason you avoid them is because you’re afraid of falling or you find that crowds make you dizzy? This could mean that your vestibular system is off.

Public, busy settings can overstimulate our nervous system, making it more difficult for your brain to coordinate with your inner ear.

Do you find that every time you’re in a busy grocery store you have difficulty remaining steady while looking around? But you’re always fine in your quiet home? It could be a sign that your vestibular system needs to be checked.

Do you notice any of these signs? Are you finding yourself off balance and more dizzy than usual? You could have a vestibular problem.

The good news is that vestibular dysfunction can be helped without medication. It’s done by training the brain to accommodate for these changes in your inner ear.

Are balance problems like Vertigo getting in the way of your everyday life?

It just so happens that we have a Vestibular Specialist on our team!

CLICK HERE to request a FREE Discovery Call with one of my specialists.

Someone from my client success team will call you right away. They’ll see if you are a good fit for what we do and figure out a plan to get you back to doing the activities that you love. So you can be pain free and reduce your stress levels the right way to be your best and most healthy self 🙂

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Pilates expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth and writes for Seacoast Media Group. To get in touch, or request a free copy of one of her guides to back, neck, knee, or shoulder pain, email her at [email protected].

Vertigo

Stress Hurts! It’s Scientifically Proven, and it’s Time For a Solution

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Stress hurts. We all experience pain on a regular basis. In the last week, you’ve probably either had a headache, felt some uncomfortable muscle tension, pushed through stiffness and fatigue. Or maybe you had an upset stomach on at least one occasion. Maybe all of those symptoms are a regular part of your life. You’ve just come to accept that your body simply hurts.

But does it have to be that way?

Headaches, chest and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, and disrupted sleep are all physical symptoms of the psychosocial malady that has taken the world by storm- stress.

Our interactions with stress and what triggers it differ based on our personal experiences, but we are all familiar with it. And it is just as taxing on the body as it is on the mind.

According to the Mayo Clinic, stress that is not properly managed can contribute to health problems. Some being high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. But if that’s not concerning enough, it’s practically guaranteed to cause the daily physical discomforts that you’ve probably been dismissing for years. It could easily be the root cause of your tense, perpetually sore back, stiff neck, chronic headaches, or nausea.

If you don’t sleep well at night because you’re under significant stress, you’re probably experiencing fatigue. This in turn leads to headaches, dizziness, and a weakened immune system. Leaving you more vulnerable to the innumerable viruses that are tearing through workplaces and schools this time of year.

All in all, your body isn’t too happy.

At this point, it’s easy to dismiss movement as a solution. If your body hurts, the last thing you want to do is exercise!

But… if stress is a mental, emotional, and physical condition, then wouldn’t the ultimate treatment be something that targets all three areas?

Movement, whether it be walking, Pilates, yoga, mountain biking, or anything in between, is scientifically proven to lower stress at the psychological level in addition to building strength and improving overall health at the physical level.

But what if your stress-induced pain feels like a barrier to activity?

The good news is that services like the specialized Physical Therapy we provide for people in our office can help.

It’s an accessible and effective opportunity for anyone to get the one-on-one help they need to start moving, practice intentionality and mindfulness, and feel healthier and stronger in all aspects of life.

Is pain getting in the way of your everyday life?

We’re here to help.

CLICK HERE to request a FREE Discovery Call with one of my specialists.

Someone from my client success team will call you right away and see if you are a good fit for what we do and figure out a plan to get you back to doing the activities that you love – pain free – so that you can reduce your stress levels the right way and be your best and most healthy self 🙂

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Pilates expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth and writes for Seacoast Media Group. To get in touch, or request a free copy of one of her guides to back, neck, knee, or shoulder pain, email her at [email protected].

Herniated Disc

Three Ways to Keep your Back from “Going Out”

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Four out of five people will experience a debilitating back pain episode at one point during their lives. For many this will be from a pulled back muscle.

Typically, we put more effort into caring for our backs during those times than when we’re feeling good. But it’s critical that we take good care of our backs all the time, not just when we’re in pain.

The real secret to keeping your back healthy is in your daily habits.

Pulled a Back muscle? Here are three ways to take care of your back on a daily basis. So that you can keep it from “going out”:

 

1. Avoid sitting for prolonged periods.

When we sit for too long, the burden of our weight is placed abnormally on our spine and can cause damage over time. Before long, those small loads add up to real pain. It makes sense when you consider that our bodies were designed to stand, sit, crawl, run, kneel, bend and move through the world in many different ways. It was never designed to sit in one position for prolonged periods, day after day. Sit too long, too often, and it can lead to bulging discs and weak, brittle muscles that are prone to tearing and other damage.

The solution?

Limit your sitting to half-hour periods. Have a few minutes of standing in between, and you’ll reduce the uni-directional forces on your spine. If you sit for a long time at work or at home, stand up and walk around a little bit every thirty minutes. I give this advice to every single client I have who comes to me with back problems. It’s one of the easiest ways for the average person to prevent a debilitating back problem over the long term.

2. The curves in your spine matter

We have natural curves in our spine that help us handle stress and loads. Whether sitting or standing, it’s important to maintain these curves. When standing, our spinal curves occur more naturally and are usually easier to maintain. But when we sit, the protective curves in our spine are harder to maintain and often disappear, and you’re often completely unaware it’s happening.

While strong back and abdominal muscles are an important component to maintaining a healthy back, they do very little when it comes to sitting and maintaining those curves, which is a common misconception in the medical and fitness community.

Fortunately, the solution is simpler than you think. Using a lumbar roll every time you sit goes a long way in helping you maintain the natural curves in your spine – and with minimal effort or thought. The good news is you can craft one quite easily on your own using a small towel roll or pillow. Simply place it between the small of your back and the chair and it will help you to maintain the natural lordosis (or curve) of your lower back. Give it a try. You’ll be amazed at how effective this one simple tip is for helping to control and prevent back pain.

(Did you know we have Lumbar Rolls right here in our Portsmouth office? Email [email protected] if you’re local and want to get one)

3. Extend instead of bend.

Did you know that the average person bends or flexes forward between three and five thousand times per day?

That’s a lot of bending over time and eventually something will give – and it tends to be your lower back. Our spines crave balance, but unfortunately, our modern-day lives are designed to have us bending forward more than we should. Sitting in front of a computer, putting shoes and socks on, driving, house and yard work, even brushing our teeth are all daily activities that involve bending forward in some way.

To combat this, we need to make a concerted effort to extend instead of bend. A really simple exercise you can do every day is to stand and extend your spine. Place your hands on your lower back for support and then arch back as far as you can go. Repeat this 10 times, at least once per day. If you’ve never arched your back like this before, it may feel stiff or even hurt a little at first. But with a gradual increase in frequency, it will feel less stiff and more natural over the course of a few days. If it doesn’t, or becomes troublesome for you, then it’s important to speak with a specialist.

Getting rid of a back problem really isn’t as complicated as you think – and it could be as easy as starting with simple tips like these.

These tips are considered basic “back hygiene” that everyone should consider incorporating into their daily routine. But if you’ve had several back pain episodes year after year, or every few months, these tips may only take you so far and it’s important to enlist the help of an expert.

CLICK HERE to request a FREE Discovery Call with one of my specialists.

Someone from my client success team will call you right away and see if you are a good fit for what we do.

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Pilates expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth and writes for Seacoast Media Group. To request a free copy of her guide to back pain CLICK HERE or to get in touch, email her at [email protected].