Tag Archive for: coronavirus

Noticing More Knee Pain during Quarantine?

/in , /by

Aside from back pain, the second most common complaint bringing people into our office these days is knee pain, and lately, I’ve seen a little surge.

Here’s why…

People are sitting a lot more, which leads to increased stiffness in your knees. And a lot of us are doing different kinds of activities than we did 6 weeks ago, which for some, is exposing knee problems they never knew they had.

I spoke to one gentleman last week (we’ll call him “Jack”) who had started walking every day, and running a little bit, because his gym had closed. After about 4 weeks of this, he began experiencing pain in the front of his knee. He put some ice on it, took a break from his daily walks and running, and also resumed some stretches that a former physical therapist had told him to do. This seemed to help, so he resumed his walks and running again. Three days into it… bam… his knee pain returned.

Our specialist team has opened up our schedules to answer people’s questions about what they can do at home right now to take care of any aches or pains.

So Jack took us up on that, because he wanted to know if his knee pain was something to worry about. Did he need to see a doctor? Did he need to let it rest some more? Were there specific exercises he could do?

He did NOT want to stop his walking and running routine, but he definitely didn’t want his knee to get so bad that it would keep him from returning to the gym when it opened back up. He’s 55 years old and staying active and mobile is VERY important to him. We spoke for about 20 minutes and I knew immediately that rest wasn’t going to work, and that X-rays or medication from a doctor wouldn’t do anything either. Those things would only mask the problem. They would take care of the pain in his knee – but wouldn’t correct the source of his problem.

Ironically, the truth about knee problems is that they’re often not actually knee problems!  

With most knee pain, we can trace the underlying issues to a locality directly below the knee (the ankle or foot) or directly above it (the pelvis, hips, core, and low back). If you don’t engage your core throughout your daily movement, it actually puts a huge amount of strain on your knees. As your legs swing and rotate, the torque that should be occurring through your pelvis and hips gets overloaded onto your knees. So as we age, we may start feeling a sense of wear and tear or weakness in our knees that actually comes from a lifetime of improper movement.

The mainstream medical model is focused largely on treating symptoms rather than identifying the root cause of WHY the problem is occuring in the first place.

Pain pills, injections, and even surgery are often recommended before more conservative and natural treatments! And because these quick fixes are merely addressing the symptoms, the physical problems return for the majority of affected individuals. That’s because those knee issues actually stemmed from a different part of the body, and the knee will continue to be overloaded until those biomechanical problems are addressed directly!

Yes – we were able to figure ALL of this out from a FREE phone session.

The next step for Jack was an evaluation with our knee specialist. We scheduled a virtual session over Zoom, she was able to confirm the source of the problem. Turns out the muscles in his hips weren’t firing like they should and it was causing his knees to compensate and work harder than they needed to, which resulted in pain. So we got him doing the correct stretches and specific exercises that would train his hip and pelvis to work like they are supposed to.

In no time, Jack will be back to his walking and running routine, but he will ALSO be in better shape to return to the gym. One of his frustrations before was not being able to do as many squats as he wanted – because they hurt his knees. He had no idea that the problem was actually coming from his hips! So he is pretty excited to try his squats again once his gym opens back up.

If Jack’s story sounds familiar to you, schedule a call with us.

There is no point in sitting at home worrying, or scouring Google for what you should do to fix your pain. We can figure out what’s going on with you over the phone and I’ll let you know if you need to schedule a session with us, see a doctor, or if it’s something you can take care of on your own.

Is Quarantine Turning Into a (Literal) Pain in Your Butt?

/in , , /by

We are about 5 weeks into social distancing and doing our best to flatten the curve. Although we are all coming together as a country to do our moral duty and fight the spread of Covid-19, it doesn’t come without consequences.

More screen time and more couch time are wreaking havoc on our bodies.

Most people I speak with are making a concerted effort to be as active as they can during the day. But even the best efforts are not combatting the extra bending and sitting that is happening. It’s almost impossible to avoid it. Due to social distancing and more people working from home than ever before, our primary way of “gathering,” seeing loved ones, and communicating with co-workers is now totally digital.

Whether we like it or not, we are hunched over and leaning forward more than ever — and it’s becoming a pain in the butt, quite literally.

In our last blog post I talked about the difference between “good pain” and “bad pain.” Since then, I’ve spoken to many of you over the phone about your concerns. One of the most common questions that came across this week was about pain in your butt, and not the figurative kind!

Yes, too much sitting can cause pain in your butt, but not for the reasons you might think…

One person I spoke with thought it might be due to the hard kitchen chair he was sitting on. Makes sense, right? But when he added a cushion, and then tried moving to the recliner to do his work and online social gatherings, the pain in his butt got worse.

So he did what most of us do, and went straight to Google.

He thought that maybe he had “piriformis syndrome” and started doing the recommended stretches. The pain in his butt started to subside a little, but then spread to the back of his thigh. He thought the pain in his thigh might be due to the stretches and that it was a good thing. But after about a week of this, he woke up one morning unable to move his back! That is when he called me.

I explained that the pain in his butt was NOT due to piriformis syndrome like “Dr. Google” told him. It was actually coming from his lower back. All the extra sitting was putting pressure on his disc, which was putting pressure on his nerve, and the result was pain in his butt. Without realizing the true cause of his problem, he accidentally started doing stretches that made his problem worse. It’s very common to have a back problem and not experience any back pain. Back problems can manifest in your butt, thigh, or lower leg, and very often get confused with tight muscles that just need to be stretched. If you do the wrong stretches, you will make your problems worse and you WILL end up with back pain – often severe and seemingly out of nowhere.

Luckily, we were able to hop on a Zoom session and give him the correct stretches to do. Within a few weeks, he no longer had pain in his butt, and he knew what to do to keep it from coming back.

If quarantining is giving you a (literal) pain in your butt right now, don’t rely on Google to figure out your pain — talk to us!

We’ve been opening up extra slots on our schedules just to talk to people and help them figure out anything new or strange that might be going on.

All you have to do is fill out this quick form to request a call with one of our specialists.

How to Tell Good Pain from Bad Pain

/in , , , /by

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been inundated with people asking for help.  And we’re so thankful for everyone who is reaching out! 

Since being quarantined at home and off their routines, people are noticing more knee pain and back pain (these are the two biggies) because they are either sitting more — or because they are DOING more.

The folks who have been sitting more have been complaining about more back pain and stiffness, tightness in their hip flexors and knees, and more tension in their necks.

However, the people who have been doing more are noticing increased or NEW aches and pains in their knees, muscles, and joints – and are wondering if this is “normal” or if it’s something to be concerned about.

For some, the aches and pains are quite harmless – and it’s easy enough to stretch out on your own at home. If you’ve been more active lately because you’ve been bored or suddenly have more time, these could be symptoms of “good” pain. It’s not unusual to have more soreness in your muscles and joints with increased activity or exercise.

But for others – these symptoms could be a sign of an underlying problem that was already there – and just now surfacing. And if that’s the case – simple home stretches that you look up online are not going to be enough – and could actually make you worse.

So how do you know?

One way is to look at how your pain behaves. Does it get worse? Or does it get worse, but not until later? Does your pain move around? Or does it come and go? Does it get better and STAY better the more you stretch? Or does the stretch only provide temporary relief — like a bandaid — and your pain just keeps coming back?

Understanding how your pain behaves is how you know whether or not you’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing.

And how your pain behaves is not as simple as “getting better” or “getting worse.” 

There is so much grey area when it comes to pain, and it’s where people get really confused.

For example, pain might seem like it’s going away, but then it comes back again. Does that mean you’re better? Or is the problem still there? Sometimes pain will move, and you think it’s a sign of improvement. We see this all the time with back problems. Pain starts in your back and is really painful, but then it moves to your butt, hip, or thigh and is more achy and not as sharp. You think you’re getting better — but most of the time this means your back problem is actually getting worse!

The truth is, you’ve got a 50% chance of getting it right and a 50% chance of getting it wrong. And if you fall on the side of getting it wrong, it can lead to a lot more problems down the line that you won’t be able to fix on your own from home.

The BEST way to figure out if your pain is normal — or if it’s something more — is to talk to an expert.

That’s what we’ve been doing ALL month here. As specialized physical therapists, we have been getting on the phone — or hopping on Zoom — to help you figure out what’s going on in your back, knees, or somewhere else.

It’s totally free to talk to us! We’ll let you know if what you’re experiencing is normal… and if what you’re doing is safe or not.

If you want to get on our schedule — and talk to one of us for free — just fill out this form.

You can talk to us in-person if you’re comfortable leaving your home, or virtually if you’re nervous about leaving. Both methods are equally as effective!

Whatever you do, don’t try to figure out your pain on your own — and don’t just throw pills, ice, or heat at it. This could lead to more problems down the line. Plus, if you let it get bad enough, you may be forced to go to Urgent Care or the ER — two places you DON’T want to be right now.

Instead, get on top of your pain and learn how to treat it properly so that you can be healthy and pain-free for the rest of quarantine! 

 

5 Ways to Save your Back While Stuck at Home

/in , /by

Staying at home during the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t have to mean staying stationary. If you already have occasional or chronic back pain, it’s so important to take extra care of your spine during this time! Even people who rarely experience back pain may see new flare-ups due to increased time spent sitting at home.

For many, work stations at home are not ergonomically ideal or perhaps even nonexistent. On top of that, social-distancing and closed fitness facilities are likely to reduce our overall level of activity and mobility throughout the day. Combined, prolonged, poor posture and reduced mobility are the main ingredients for increasing back and neck pain. But have no fear! There are still many ways to prevent your back pain from kicking up, even while stuck at home!

1. Stand Up & Take a Load Off

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 with a few minutes of standing in between, and you’ll reduce the uni-directional forces on your spine. In other words, if you sit for a long time at work or at home, stand up and walk around a little bit every thirty minutes. Aside from participating in regular strengthening exercise, like Pilates, this is the easiest way for the average person to prevent back injury (and heal your back faster if you already have an injury).

2. Watch for Curves

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.  When we sit, the protective curves in our spine are harder to maintain and often disappear.  And while a healthy core and strong back muscles are important to back health, they won’t protect your back if you sit for long periods, or when the curve in your lumbar area disappears while you’re sitting.

Fortunately, the solution is as simple as rolling up a towel and placing it between your chair or car seat and the small of your back (just above the belt line). Using a purpose-designed lumbar roll is my favorite choice, and what I use for low-back support. You can use a lumbar roll in your office chair, car, and on the plane if you’re flying! If you want to learn where you can get on of your own contact us about them here. Or see in more detail how to use them in our free e-book!

3. Extend instead of Bend

The human spine (and entire body) craves balance, which means both extension and flexion.  But we spend the majority of our time in flexion, bending over to put shoes and socks on, brushing our teeth, driving, sitting at work and then driving home. At home we bend forward to cook, sit some more as we eat and then curl up on our couch or an easy chair. As long as we’re not gymnasts or circus performers, it’s safe to say we could all use a little more extension in our day.  A really good exercise is to stand and 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.  This is also a great activity to do when you are interrupting your sitting during the day.  If you’ve never arched you 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, stop and consult with a qualified physical therapist who specializes in back pain.

4. Stay Hydrated

We all know that drinking water is important, but don’t forget WHY! Water lubricates the joints, keeps the body’s soft tissues and fascia hydrated, and boosts exercise performance (yes, including at-home Pilates!). Water also improves skin health and elasticity — keeping you looking (and feeling) young! Water is also essential for digestion, flushing the body of waste and reducing unnecessary snacking. Water makes up 90% of our blood – which helps regulate the body temperature, deliver oxygen to all the cells in our body, and improve concentration and reasoning. Now more than ever, to stay healthy and mobile – make sure you are getting at least 7-8 cups of high quality H2O per day!

5. Build Stability

Mobility and then stability! Stability comes from a strong core. It can seem challenging to maintain strength with little equipment at home, but there are, in fact, plenty of ways to activate your muscles without any equipment at all! A basic strengthening flow daily can help keep our muscles active, blood flowing and reduce likelihood of pain. The flow you see below targets some of our most commonly weak muscle groups in a simple-to-do floor routine.

 

If you like these tips and want to learn even more ways to prevent debilitating back episodes, you can sign up for access to our FREE COVID-19 back pain survival guide right here!  And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Pilates programs if you’re looking for a way to exercise in your home that will target — and resolve — back pain. We have virtual small group classes at least once every day, Monday through Friday. We’re here for you through this quarantine and beyond!

work from home, coronavirus, back pain, quarantine

Back Pain Doesn’t Go Away for the Coronavirus!

/in , , /by

The coronavirus (COVID-19) is forcing everyone to adapt to new routines — but many of us are still experiencing the same old chronic pain. In fact, your back pain may start acting up again now due to stress, decreased exercise, and more time spent at home on your computer. The important thing is that you don’t ignore it! Listen to your body and KEEP MOVING!  

Prior to seeing us, many of our clients who suffer from back pain were told that the best way to recover was to ice and lie down. They were advised to rest, relax, and limit their movement until the pain goes away. The problem with this model for treatment is that it goes against everything we know about the basic principles of joint and tissue healing.

Our modern health research suggests that early movement is actually the BEST way to head off chronic back pain!

Of course, if you’ve suffered a trauma like a car accident or a major fall, you should absolutely go get checked out by a medical professional and follow their advice based on your injuries. But if you are dealing with a chronically aching back or general soreness, stiffness, and pain, it turns out that movement is actually the best course of action!

But not ALL types of movement and exercise are safe or beneficial when you’ve hurt your back…

That’s where physical therapy comes in! A physical therapist is able to identify specific movements that actually work through and relieve that pain, based on your individual condition. We call these initial exercises “first aid movements” – and they are especially helpful because you can use them any time you might tweak your back in the future! If you’re experiencing acute back pain, of course it doesn’t make sense to continue with all of your activities as usual if they are just exacerbating your symptoms. But there is a middle ground between overdoing it and completely stopping the movement that your body craves. 

But how are we supposed to see a physical therapist, you ask, when everything is shutting down to contain this coronavirus?