Tag Archive for: Portsmouth NH

Black Friday

6 Reasons NOT to miss our Black Friday Flash Sale

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These will be our BEST deals – on our best services – for the whole year!

We wanted to give you a heads up that our Black Friday Sale is starting ELEVEN DAYS from now on Sunday – Nov 24th. This is our biggest sale of the year on our most popular services. And it’s your chance to save insane amounts of money (one of the packages gives away over $2500 of FREE services!!)

In order to get access to this amazing sale – you must sign up HERE.

On Sun Nov 24th the sale will start – and you’ll get daily emails updating you on the packages we have available, when things sell out, etc…

Now if saving BIG wasn’t enough…

Here are SIX very important reasons why you don’t want to miss out on our Black Friday specials this year…

1. Without your Health – you have nothing

When your health, independence, and mobility begin to decline – you start missing out on activities that you love. And It’s very easy to say to yourself… “I’ll just wait until the New Year” – or – “I’ll get started when I have more time” – or – “I’ve got so many other expenses right now so my health can wait”…

Nothing should EVER come between you and your health. Because if you wait (or ignore) it, you risk either losing it forever, or spending a lot of time and money to get it back. Whether it’s healing a nagging injury that regular physical therapy or cortisone shots have failed – or getting to the root cause of a back pain or sciatica problem that keeps coming back – we’ve got some amazing specials and huge savings that will make it easy for you NOT to have to wait any longer 🙂 Now is the time to address and invest in your health.

2. Use your left-over FSA money (before you lose it!)

Do you have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) through work that you forgot about or maybe haven’t used? Well I have some good news for you… you can use your Flexible Spending money toward ALL of the services we have on sale this year. Typically you lose whatever is left in your FSA at the end of the year (Dec 31st) – so don’t let it go to waste!

Put it towards your health – and save a ton of money while doing it – by taking advantage of our Black Friday specials!

3. Help with your New Year’s Resolutions!

January is our busiest month every year, and for good reason… People LOVE to make health-related New Year’s resolutions for themselves. But what if you’ve got a nagging pain or injury? The last thing you want is for it to return or get worse just when you’re in the groove. Our Black Friday Specials can help you with that!

Work with our Physical Therapy Specialists to get to the root cause of your problem and finally get a treatment plan that works (and lasts). Or try Regenerative Shockwave Therapy to help speed up the healing of a stubborn injury that regular physical therapy or cortisone shots have failed.  Whatever your health goals are for now or the New Year – get help from our experts at the best rates you’ll have access to ALL YEAR.

4. This only happens ONCE per year

This is our biggest sale of the year – PERIOD. And it only happens once. You’ll never see our prices this low.

If you’re new to our community – and the ONLY reason you haven’t started working with us yet is because of your budget – then you will be very pleased with the specials we have for you. Our regular clients already know the value we provide – and that is why they consistently choose us over the cheaper alternatives available. And it’s also why they are super excited about this sale – because they plan to stock up on their favorite services.

Sign up for our Black Friday Sale NOW and see for yourself what all the hype is about 🙂

5. Try Out Services You’ve Been Curious About

Have you been eyeing one of our specialty services, like Regenerative Shockwave Therapy? This sale is the perfect time to explore them – at an unbeatable rate. Maybe you want to see how these services could change your mobility, pain, or recovery time? Here’s your permission slip to take the leap and see what you’ve been missing out on!

6. Recession-proof your Health

It may seem counterintuitive to spend money on your health right now given the economic state. Your insurance should pay for it – right? Well here’s why you might want to reconsider that thought – and put the control of your health back into your own hands…

Medicare and other health insurance companies have already cut their reimbursements for this year – and will continue to do so in years to come. Why should you care about this? Because it means the quality of your health care at traditional, insurance-based clinics only has one way to go – and that’s DOWN.

Providers are going to get paid less to take care of you, which means the quality of your care WILL suffer (just to “keep the lights on”). By investing in your own health – and not relying on an insurance company to do it for you – you stay in control of your health journey and have a better chance of avoiding the rabbit hole of expensive and unnecessary surgeries.

So… sign up for our Black Friday Sale… and join the CJPT revolution of getting active, healthy, and mobile – WITHOUT things like pills, procedures, or surgery 🙂

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, call 603-380-7902, or CLICK HERE to get early access to the Black Friday Flash Sale!

avoid back pain when raking leaves

6 Tips to Protect your Back when Raking Leaves

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Leaves are everywhere right now in New England, which means for many, the tedious task of raking leaves 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 most popular tips to protect your back when raking leaves:

1. Warm up before you start.

Just as athletes warm up before a game, so should you before raking. Beginning any physical activity without preparing your body can lead to unwanted strains and injuries. For raking, focus on warm up activities that target your back, shoulders, and legs. Something like a quick walk around the block before you start is an excellent way to warm up. It gets blood flowing to your legs and arms, and the gentle rotational aspect of walking is great for your spine and torso. You could also include some basic stretches into your warmup such as torso twists, shoulder shrugs, and arm circles. This gets some lubrication into your joints and spine to help protect your back once you start raking.

2. Choose the Right Rake.

With any repetitive activity such as raking – good ergonomics is essential. Ergonomics refers to how safe and efficient you are in your working environment. Bad ergonomics will typically cost you unnecessary energy and labor – and can often result in an injury. When it comes to raking, choose a rake with a handle that is long enough so that you can maintain upright posture while using it, and go for one that is light in weight yet still durable. A good, ergonomic rake might require a bit more investment than you were intending, but it will be worth it in the long run because ultimately, a back injury will cost you much more. And knowing how to protect your back from injury is priceless.

3. Bend with your legs and hips  

When performing repetitive activities or lifting something heavy, one of the most vulnerable postures for your back to be in is the combined position of flexed (bent forward) and rotated. To protect your back and avoid injury, you want to use your legs and hips to bend and lift. If you’ve got the right rake, it will be easy to maintain an upright posture while raking. And then when it’s time to scoop up the leaves and deposit them, you’ll want to squat using your hips and knees, and pivot with your trunk and pelvis. Avoid lifting with a curved back and twisting from your waist or spine. Maintaining these habits on a regular basis (not just when raking) will help you protect your back from strain or injury that could otherwise be very easily avoided.

4. Take regular breaks

Continuous and repetitive raking can tire out your muscles and make them more susceptible to injury. Plus, when you get into the monotony of raking, the mindlessness of the activity makes it easy to not pay attention to things like maintaining good posture and using good body mechanics. An easy way to combat this is by taking regular breaks. I recommend at least once every 30 min. Set an alarm on your phone or watch to remind you – and when it goes off – stop what you’re doing, put the rake down, and give yourself a quick upright back stretch. This very simple and easy strategy will go a long way in protecting your back when raking leaves.

5. Engage your Core

You don’t need six-pack abs to protect your back while raking leaves, but simply being mindful of your core can be super helpful and certainly won’t hurt you. Most back injuries occur when you least expect it – and when you aren’t paying attention. When you’re raking leaves, or any other mindless, repetitive activity for that matter, make an effort to think about gently drawing in your lower abdominals while you perform the activity. It’s a subtle move, and you should be able to easily breathe and talk while doing it. If you struggle to breathe and talk normally – you’re overdoing it.  This simple act of engaging your core will help keep your spine more supported and stable while raking and it will help protect your back.

6. Keep Moving Afterwards

What you do after raking is equally as important as what you do during to help protect your back from pain and injury. One of the biggest mistakes people make after a repetitive or strenuous activity (like raking) is to slump on the couch or recliner and “rest”. This is one of the worst things you can do to your spine because it’s more pliable and vulnerable right after strenuous activity. And when you put your spine in a relaxed, flexed position while it’s vulnerable – you’re just asking for an injury. You won’t notice it while you’re resting – but you might feel a tweak or strain when you go to stand up – or even up to several hours later.

Do yourself a favor and perform some gentle stretching after raking, or go for another walk to help relax your back. And be mindful of your resting postures for a few hours after raking.

This is an easy way to protect your back during raking season.

Hopefully these tips give you a few things to think about before you go raking all those leaves in your yard – but most importantly – help you protect your back and avoid unwanted back pain this fall season.

Are you a local in Portsmouth, NH?

CLICK HERE to connect with one of our specialists who can help you manage back pain from raking leaves so you can enjoy the fall season to the fullest!

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Mechanical Pain Expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth and writes for Seacoast Media Group. To get in touch, or get her free guide for preventing back pain, CLICK HERE or call 603-380-7902.

Avoiding Movement

How Fear Can Worsen Your Injury: The Hidden Dangers of Avoiding Movement

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Fear is a natural, protective response to injury.

But sometimes it can do more harm than good if you’re not careful. Reason being… When we experience pain or injury of any kind – while the pain can range from mild to excruciating – the real “pain” comes from not knowing what you just did. 

Was it anything serious? Will it go away on its own? What should I do?

All these questions compound the unknown which tends to manifest itself as some version of fear and trepidation. And the degree at which this occurs is highly variable among individuals. On one end of the spectrum – the fear of making an injury worse can lead to behaviors that hinder recovery. But on the opposite end – the fear of not doing enough and being cavalier about “no pain no gain” could also impede your recovery.

The good news is that with the right knowledge, tools, and team of experts – you can “train your nervous system” to interpret pain appropriately and avoid the hidden dangers of not moving enough. If fear is caused by the unknown of what’s happening when you feel pain or have been injured – then a better understanding of pain (what it is, what it’s telling you, and how it behaves) and how your body naturally heals from injury is going to help lessen that. I always say: “Movement is medicine – but knowledge is power”

So… as I’ve alluded to… one of the most common misconceptions about injury recovery is the need for prolonged rest.

When we get injured, our instinct is to “protect” the affected area, which typically translates to avoiding movement altogether. While this may seem a prudent strategy, it can actually delay your body’s natural healing process. 

Let me explain…

Yes, an initial resting period makes sense in some cases, especially after an acute injury where you’ve experienced some form of trauma to your tissues. But as soon as that initial inflammatory period ends – you’ve got to start moving. This is crucial for the proper healing of tissues that have been damaged from an injury. Plus – a lot of injuries don’t occur traumatically. They happen slowly over time. This type of pain requires a totally different approach to healing.

In either case – resting for too long and not moving enough can lead to all sorts of problems such as muscle atrophy, joint stiffness, and reduced overall function. Plus – you’re teaching your nervous system that it’s “safer” to not move – which can cause problematic adaptations over time if you’re not careful. In other words, you need movement, and even a little bit of pain to occur for proper recovery from an injury. But you’ve got to balance this. Too much too soon could re-injury you – while not doing enough will put your body and nervous system into “protective mode” – making it harder to incorporate necessary and healthy movement later on.

So how do you balance this process? How do you know if the pain you’re feeling during movement is good or bad?

Understanding how pain behaves is key. Generally speaking, pain during movement that doesn’t last is considered “safe”. We call this hurting versus harming. It’s generally ok to hurt, but never ok to harm. As your mind and body experience this phenomena together – you’re effectively coaching your nervous system to not react to the sensation of “hurting” in such a sensitive way. The more you move, and the more your nervous system realizes the painful feeling is not resulting in harm or more injury, the more that hurt sensation fades. Your nervous system no longer interprets it as pain. This is a normal and healthy response to pain when dealing with any injury – but especially those that are chronic and didn’t come on so suddenly.

The danger you run into when you never allow hurt to happen and avoid any amount of pain altogether – is that you encourage fear to run the show. Your nervous system never “learns” what good pain is vs bad pain – and it starts to get confused. Before you know it, any kind of sensation is perceived as pain (danger) by your nervous system – which only serves to fuel the fear of movement even more. It becomes a vicious cycle that is hard to break.

If you’re confused right now I don’t blame you.

This can be a nuanced and complicated concept to understand – and it’s why I don’t recommend going at it alone. Working with a movement expert who truly understands the process of healing and how your nervous system plays into all this will help take the guesswork out of all this and build confidence in this process.

Movement really is medicine and it’s a powerful one – when you’ve got the knowledge to use it properly.

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Mechanical Pain Expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth and writes for Seacoast Media Group. To book a free discovery visit with one of our specialists CLICK HERE.

Headache sufferer

5 Signs your Headaches are coming from your Neck

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Headaches impact approximately 47% of the population and are one of the most common disorders of the nervous system. If you suffer from headaches regularly, then you already know how disruptive they can be on your work life, social life, daily activities, and just overall energy and well-being. 

But what makes headache management particularly challenging is how often they are misdiagnosed. The most common types of headache disorders are what’s known as primary headache disorders – and those include migraines, cluster headaches, and tension-type headaches. But you could also be suffering from a secondary headache disorder – which is caused by some other illness or physical issue. One of the most common forms of secondary headache is something called a “cervicogenic headache” – meaning it comes from your neck. They can be quite debilitating and are commonly confused with migraines – but there are some key signs to look for that make them different. 

Let’s look at 4 signs that might indicate your headache is coming from your neck:

1. Headaches worsen with certain neck movements

If you find that certain movements or positions of your neck exacerbate your headaches – it could be a sign that your headaches are coming from your neck. Sometimes it’s very specific movements that trigger a headache – such as tilting your head forward or backward – or turning it from side to side. But other times it’s less obvious and related to more prolonged postures. For example, I’ve had patients experience headaches from sitting at a bar for several hours and turning their head to a certain side to talk to their friend. Pay attention to whether certain neck movements or positions create discomfort in your neck that either precedes or worsens your headache. It could mean that your headache is coming from a source in your neck.

2. Your Neck is Stiff

Another telltale sign of neck-related headaches is limited mobility or range of motion of your cervical spine (neck). If you find yourself struggling to turn your head fully, or you experience pain and stiffness when attempting to do so, it could indicate an underlying issue in your neck that is causing your headache. A common saying in my office is “mobility before stability”. If the joints in your neck don’t move fully and freely, the structures around those joints (muscles and nerves) can become angry and irritated – and this could be the source of your headaches.

3. Tenderness in your neck muscles

If you routinely have sensitivity and tenderness in the muscles of your neck – it could indicate an underlying neck problem. If you notice that your headaches seem to get triggered whenever the tension or tenderness in your neck muscles worsens – then there’s a good chance your headaches are coming from your neck. The muscles of your neck can get tense and irritated for a number of reasons – most commonly because of poor posture or because they are being overused in some capacity. Since your neck muscles have direct and intricate attachments to the base of your skull – they can be a common cause of your headaches.

4. Location of your Pain

A headache that stems from the base of your skull and stays on one side of your head – often radiating into your temple or behind your eye – is a common sign that your headache is coming from your neck. If you tend to get associated shoulder or arm pain at the same time as your headache – it’s another indicator your headache could be cervicogenic. That’s because the nerves in your neck extend into these areas and are capable of radiating pain into these locations. If you suffer from chronic headaches, pay attention to where the pain is coming from or where it’s radiation. If it’s extending beyond your head – there’s a good chance your headaches are coming from your neck.

5. Massage and Chiropractic Manipulations Help.

If you find temporary relief from your headaches any time you get a massage or see a chiropractor, it’s almost certain your headaches are cervicogenic. While it’s great you’ve found pain relief – the problem with relying on these modalities is that they are completely “passive” – meaning – you don’t have an active role in the process of relieving your headaches. Passive modalities work great when paired with specialized, corrective exercises you can do on your own that are designed to prolong the effects of these treatments. But when passive treatments are used in isolation – the headache relief tends to be short-lived. The take home point here is that if you find treatments like massage and chiropractic treatment help – your headaches are almost certainly coming from your neck.

If you suffer from debilitating headaches and haven’t yet gotten your neck thoroughly checked out as a source – you should. Because when your headaches originate from a source in your neck, it’s entirely possible to learn how to treat it and manage it naturally and on your own. But you’ll need to work with a specialist who understands cervicogenic headaches as well as the associated mechanical joint components influencing them.

Are you local to Portsmouth, NH? CLICK HERE to speak with one of my specialists for free.

Man getting knee pain treatment

Four Surprising Contributors to Lingering Knee Pain

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Approximately 25% of adults suffer from lingering, chronic knee pain without any clear reason why.  For some, aging and arthritis is to blame, and it’s something to just “live” with. For others, they’re told it’s due to “wear and tear”. Yet despite one or more surgeries to “clean out the knee” – the pain lingers and persists. 

So why then, do some folks age, get arthritis, and put tons of wear and tear on their knees without any issue – where others suffer from chronic knee pain? The answers may surprise you. 

Let’s look at four lesser-known (and often overlooked) contributors that cause knee pain to linger and not go away.

1. “Hyper” mobility is lacking

I remember early on in my career (22 years ago) when “hyper” mobility was considered a bad thing. But since then, both research and experience have proven me wrong. If you’ve followed me for a while – then you know one of my favorite sayings is “mobility before stability”. That’s because a joint that moves fully and freely feels and functions better – and allows the muscles around that joint to work at their best. Too often, people mistakenly look at muscular strength first as the solution to solving pain, when they should be looking a bit deeper.  Regarding knees, you need a bit of what we call “hyper-extension”. But most practitioners tend to focus only on how well a knee is bending. For knees – just getting to straight isn’t good enough. You need a certain amount of “more than straight” – otherwise known as hyperextension. I see this problem most in knees that have had surgery.  If their full knee extension (hyperextension) 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 it won’t go away no matter how much you try and strengthen it. Moral of this story – make sure you have full knee extension – which includes a bit of hyperextension – and that it matches your other knee. This could be a reason your knee pain isn’t going away.

2. It’s really a back problem

Did you know that 40% of the time, an extremity problem (aka: knee, shoulder, etc) comes from the spine – even when you don’t have any neck or back pain? It’s more common than you think for knee pain to be caused from your lower back, and when this gets missed, it’s a huge reason for lingering knee pain that never seems to get resolved. With a true knee problem, your symptoms tend to be pretty specific and localized to just your knee joint. But if your pain tends to move around your knee, or travels up and down your leg, there’s a good chance your knee pain is coming from your back. If you’ve been treating your knee for months (or years) – and it’s not going away –  consider that your knee problem is actually a back problem. This could be especially true if you’ve had cortisone injections and/or various procedures done to your knee with little or no effect.

3. Poor core strength

When it comes to core strength, most people associate it with something that’s important for resolving and preventing back pain. But good core strength is vital to good knee health as well. Your abdominals, low back muscles, hips, and glutes all make up what we call your “powerhouse” – otherwise known as your core. Your powerhouse – specifically your hips and glutes – have a huge influence on how well your lower extremities function. If your core is weak, your legs will need to work harder and eventually overcompensate. And knee joints often take the brunt of all this. The truth is, although your knees require a certain amount of stability to function well – they aren’t designed to be a stabilizing joint. That’s what your hips and ankles are for. If your core is weak (particularly hips and glutes), and your knees start trying to help out as an extra stabilizer, this could be the reason why they keep hurting. If you haven’t yet gotten your core strength properly assessed – do it – this could be the culprit.

4. Weak ankles

As I alluded to above – if your ankles aren’t strong enough to stabilize your foot and lower leg, your knees will kick in to help. If this pattern is allowed to continue – your knees will start to hurt – and will keep hurting until the pattern is discovered and fixed. Another interesting phenomenon that can occur in any joint (not just your ankles) is that when a joint lacks strength or stability – it will stiffen up to compensate. So in terms of your ankles – if they lack range of motion on top of being weak – your knees will really pay the price. This is particularly evident during activities such as running, hiking, pickleball, or tennis. You need really good mobility and stability of your ankles for these activities – or your knees will suffer in response. If you’ve got lingering knee pain and haven’t yet taken a look at your ankles – I recommend doing so – they could be the overlooked issue. 

Knee pain can be tricky to figure out – especially if it’s chronic. The key to successfully getting rid of knee pain starts with correctly identifying the cause. And from my experience – arthritis, age, and wear and tear serve as “excuses” when a practitioner doesn’t know where to look. If you’re suffering from chronic knee pain and haven’t yet explored any of the four lesser-known contributors I mentioned in this article – talk to a specialist who knows how to look at the big picture instead of just your knee – because the true cause could be elsewhere.

Are you local to Portsmouth, NH?

CLICK HERE to speak with one of my specialists for free.

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].

Back Surgery

Before Back Surgery – Try specialized physical therapy first

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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 the failure. Once you go down that rabbit hole – your chances of success after back surgery drop significantly – down to a mere 5-15% success rate.

Knowing this, why do so many doctors and medical specialists continue to recommend back surgery without first exhausting all possible non-invasive solutions?

Well, when back surgery works, it can be a highly effective form of pain relief. So it’s attractive. But it’s important to note that within 3-5 years, according to research, many patients find themselves feeling worse than before surgery, and reverting back to relying on daily pain medication. People assume back surgery is going to be a pain-removing procedure, when in actuality it’s only a pain-reducing procedure. This was concluded by a 2003 study in the European Spine Journal that investigated the long-term success of posterolateral spinal fusion. They found only 20% of the subjects continued to be pain free after 5 years, and warned against patients relying on surgery as a long-term fix.

Given the list of potential complications from back surgery – including infection, blood clots, nerve damage, adverse reactions to anesthesia, and incomplete pain relief – it’s imperative you consider all other non-invasive treatment options first. It may take longer for you to experience pain-relief, but the results will be longer-lasting and you can avoid putting yourself at risk for irreversible complications.

Examples of non-invasive treatment options include chiropractic treatment, acupuncture, massage, shockwave therapy, therapeutic exercise, and of course, physical therapy. But the biggest objection I hear from folks against trying some of these non-invasive solutions – often for a second or third round – is that they’ve “tried it all” and it didn’t work. But more often than not, after diving in further, I find that patients have “cherry-picked” their treatment choices over the years without any real strategy – or they’re trying way too many things and all at once.

Not only does this get exhausting, but it’s ineffective. 

Passive modalities (acupuncture, massage, chiropractic treatment, etc) are great at reducing pain but you need to match them up with specialized and corrective movement strategies to make the effects last. Traditional physical therapy, Pilates, and personal trainers can all help you to feel better as well, but if the exercises aren’t specialized enough, they won’t have any effect or could even make you feel worse. Without a strategic plan, and putting all of these things together and in the right order, you’ll have  a hard time getting rid of your back pain naturally. 

Over my 22 years of working with patients suffering from back pain and sciatica, I say all of this from experience. For the first 10 years of my career I was what I call a “generalist”. I worked in traditional physical therapy settings where I followed doctor’s orders, relied on insurance to dictate what I could and couldn’t do, and I used many of the passive modalities already mentioned above along with (what I thought at the time) were the best core training and back stabilizing exercises.

It wasn’t until I went on to learn specialist techniques and truly understand how back pain actually manifested, that I was finally able to help people not only get rid of back pain – but keep it gone for good and avoid surgery. It is entirely possible to treat back pain on your own and get rid of it naturally – and then maintain and prevent it with the right types of exercise – but you really need to work with a specialist who can guide you through this process.

So what’s the difference between a physical therapy specialist who treats back pain versus a generalist?

They’ll do their own examination and come up with their own diagnosis, they won’t rely on just passive modalities to help you, and you’ll have an extremely precise and customized exercise prescription instead of a bunch of general exercises (that you could honestly learn from YouTube). If you’re suffering from a back problem and want to avoid procedures and surgery at all costs – it’s really important that you don’t just stop with general physical therapy or chiropractic treatment and assume you’ve exhausted all of your options.  Look for someone who specializes in back pain in the way I’ve just described, and has a proven track record for coming up with strategic treatment plans that last. 

Eighty percent of all back problems are mechanical in nature and come on slowly over time from repeatedly moving poorly or from your lifestyle (even when your back pain seems to have come on suddenly and out of nowhere). Because of this, all of the passive modalities, including back surgery, and general exercises in the world will not correct these problems – and your back pain and associated symptoms will continue to return until you have a full understanding of what’s going on and can correct them. When you find a specialist who can do this for you – it’s life changing. Before you consider back surgery, consider working with a specialized physical therapist, especially if you’re already tried regular physical therapy and it failed. They do exist – and if you need help finding one – please reach out. I’m happy to help you locate one in your area.

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].

5 Expert Tips to Treat Back Pain Naturally and on your Own

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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 traditional medical system treats and manages those suffering from back pain.

Despite what you may have been told, getting rid of back pain on your own is entirely possible and preventing it can be even easier.

But it starts with understanding what the true cause of back pain is for most people. Eighty percent of back pain is “mechanical” in origin, which means it’s not due to any serious pathology like cancer, infection, or fracture. Mechanical back pain is the result of abnormal or unusual forces occurring in the structures of your spine – like your ligaments, muscles, discs, and vertebrae. These abnormal forces can accumulate slowly over your lifetime or happen quickly in a single event – such as picking something up the wrong way. The good news is that if abnormal forces can cause your back pain, then reversing those forces can get rid of your back pain. Surgery and other medical procedures won’t do that. They only impact the structure or irritant that is aggravated, like when you remove a piece of your bulging disc. The goal for true back pain recovery is to eliminate what is causing those structures to be aggravated in the first place – and the best way to do that is with healthy movement you can do on your own!

Here are 5 tips to help you minimize abnormal forces on your spine so you can avoid procedures and surgery!

 

1. Stop sitting so much

Compressive forces on your spine increase by 40% when you sit – and it goes up even more if you’re slouched! Over time, these compressive forces will start to aggravate the ligaments and discs in your spine. Because it happens slowly, you may not notice right away, so one of the best things you can do is interrupt your sitting at least every 30 min. This minimizes the accumulation of abnormal forces on your spine throughout the day.

2. Walk more

Our spines were designed to be upright and moving. Walking is one of the best and easiest ways to promote this. When you walk regularly, it helps to promote good mobility and blood flow, which can act like lubricant for the structures in your spine. Walking also helps to keep your hips from getting tight. Tight hips can cause abnormal forces to occur at your pelvis, which in turn, will create abnormal forces on your spine.

3. Vary your posture

You might be wondering why I didn’t say “maintain good posture”. To be honest, perfect posture all the time is kind of a myth when it comes to back pain. The truth is your spine is quite resilient and should be able to tolerate lots of different postures – even bad posture for a short period of time – without pain. The problem is when we assume the same posture all the time. Imagine if you never straightened your knee, eventually it would get stiff and be difficult to move in that direction. The same thing happens in our spines. One of the best things you can do is choose activities (like Yoga or Pilates) that work your spine through lots of different postures and range of motion. This helps keep your spine happy and healthy and it minimizes abnormal forces from the same repeated postures or activities day after day.

4. Strengthen your core

The stronger you are, the more resilient your body is going to be – period. When it comes to back health, having a good strong core is going to minimize stress on ligaments and even discs. When the muscles around your spine are strong, it’s going to be easier for you to lift and carry things, which is one of the most common ways people injure their backs. If your abdominals, glutes, and hips aren’t doing their job, your spine ends up taking more of the stress – and this can lead to both pain and injury. Pilates is my favorite way to strengthen your core because the exercises are designed to target your abdominals.

5. Educate yourself

There is a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to both diagnosing and treating back pain. You should never let an MRI or X-ray alone dictate what your treatment should be. Remember, the structures in your back don’t get spontaneously irritated. Irritation typically occurs due to abnormal forces on your spine. If you only address the irritated structure – like with an injection, procedure, or surgery – you’re not actually fixing the problem. The best way to address abnormal forces in your spine is with movement – movement that is designed to even out the forces in your spine and relieve pressure from those structures that have become aggravated.

If you’re currently suffering from back pain and want to avoid having to resort to medication, procedures or surgery – then give these tips a try. But if you’ve tried these tips and you continue to struggle – then consider consulting with a mechanical back pain expert who can help you get rid of back pain naturally – and with corrective movement and lifestyle strategies.

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].

Three Red Flags Your Hamstring Strain is Probably Something Else

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A hamstring strain is a common injury I see in active patients aged 40 and above. But sadly – it’s also one of the most common mis-diagnoses I see as well. 

First, what does a true hamstring strain or injury look like?

A true hamstring strain typically presents with a sudden, sharp pain in the back of your thigh. Usually during activities such as sprinting, jumping, or sudden changes in direction. The injury often occurs due to overstretching or overloading the muscles beyond their capacity. Thus, leading to microscopic tears within the muscle fibers. Symptoms typically include tenderness, swelling, and bruising in the affected area, along with difficulty walking or bending the knee. To recover from a hamstring strain, you first need to heal the injured muscle/tissue. Then properly strengthen it so it can handle all the activities you want to do. This involves some combination of rest and therapeutic movement at first, followed by carefully prescribed strengthening and loading of the damaged tissue so that it heals back strong and resilient. When a hamstring injury is accurately diagnosed, and properly rehabbed, you can return to all the activities you love and it shouldn’t bother you again.

If you’ve recently suffered an injury to your hamstring – and it doesn’t sound like what I’ve just described – then you’ll want to keep reading – because there’s a good chance it was mis-diagnosed and your treatment is all wrong.

Here are 3 red flags that indicate your hamstring strain is probably something else – and usually a back problem instead:

1. You have chronic hamstring pain

A true hamstring strain is simply an injury to your soft tissue (muscle) and it should heal with time. Now, sometimes you don’t rehab it properly, and it can result in chronic problems, but it shouldn’t be chronic pain. There’s a difference – let me explain. A poorly rehabbed hamstring is likely to cause problems elsewhere in your body (namely your hip and knee), but the hamstring itself won’t remain chronically painful. You might trigger a poorly rehabbed hamstring when you do activities that bother it, but at rest, it will be for the most part “healed”. If you experience chronic achiness, especially at rest or when you’ve been sitting for a long time, this is likely something else. Signs like this often point to an undiagnosed back problem. This is especially true if when you first hurt your hamstring it seemed to have come out of nowhere – for example – you just woke up with it one day or it came on gradually. True hamstring injuries are painful where you hurt it, and go away with time and certainly with proper rehab. A chronic pain in your hamstring that lingers for months or years, especially when you’re at rest, is probably something else.

2. Numbness and Tingling in your butt or leg

This symptom is almost always a red flag that the problem is stemming for your lower back or sacrum (tail bone area of your spine). This is because the nerves responsible for sensation in both your butt and leg originate from your spine. Your hamstring, on the other hand, is a muscle. Anatomically speaking – it can’t directly refer numbness to anywhere in your leg. With a true hamstring strain, you’ll experience localized pain, tenderness, and even swelling – but not numbness. So if you’ve suddenly started experiencing pain in the area of your hamstring, and are also having numbness and tingling in your leg, then your hamstring strain is probably due to something else – most likely a problem in your spine.

3. You feel pain below your knee

Your hamstring is the big group of muscles in the back of your thigh (you have three of them). They are responsible for flexing your knee and extending your hip. They originate from a bone at the bottom of your pelvis, deep inside your butt, and attach into various areas behind your knee. Because of where your hamstring is located, it’s impossible to feel true hamstring pain below your knee. This is a big red flag to me that the problem is likely coming from your spine. Now, it’s possible that your lower leg has begun to compensate for a poorly rehabbed hamstring strain and it’s hurting due to that. However, if you feel pain radiating from the back of your thigh, past your knee, and into your lower leg – it’s likely a back problem. Fun fact: 38% of all lower leg pain comes from a source within your spine even if you don’t have any back pain at all. So it’s very possible that pain in the back of your thigh and lower leg could be originating from your lower back.

Keep an eye out for these three red flags next time you feel pain or strain in your hamstring.

Remember that in most cases, you’ll know when you’ve strained your hamstring. With a true hamstring strain, the pain occurs at the time of injury and it’s fairly obvious. But if your hamstring pain comes out of nowhere, becomes chronic, starts feeling numb and tingly, or you’re experiencing pain below your knee – then you must consider that it could be something else – and that it’s likely a back problem. Talk to a physical therapy specialist who understands how to diagnose this properly. If you don’t get the root cause right, you won’t get the treatment right, and it will only delay the time it takes to get back to doing all the activities you love.

Are you local to Portsmouth, NH?

Consider speaking to one of my specialists by booking a free discovery visit HERE. They’ll ask you what’s been going on and see if we would be a good fit to help you 🙂

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, email her at [email protected].

Is Exercising Hurting Your Back? 5 Reasons Why.

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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 disc disease. Surgery doesn’t make sense – so the advice is to go exercise – and specifically to strengthen their core. But when it doesn’t work they are at a loss.

So why would exercise hurt your back – when the research overwhelmingly shows that it’s supposed to help?  

Here are 5 reasons why your exercise routine might be causing your back pain instead of helping it:


1. It’s the wrong type of exercise

While the research isn’t wrong about exercising and back pain – it doesn’t always reveal the specifics on the type of exercise that’s being done. For example, walking is considered one of the best activities for back pain sufferers, and for the majority it will help significantly. But I also have clients who get worse just walking to their mailbox at the end of the driveway. What the research is really saying is that movement – not necessarily “exercise” – is what’s really good for back pain – even acute back pain. But you need to make sure it’s the right type of movement for your specific type of back pain. If you get the type of exercise or movement wrong – you’ll feel worse – and it’s one reason why exercise will sometimes hurt your back instead of help.

2. Stability training is introduced too soon

Stability training is an important part of back pain recovery – but I often see it introduced too soon. Mobility is something you always want to look at first. If you don’t have full mobility in your spine, there is a reason. You want to make sure you explore that fully and get the spine moving the way it should be before you begin stabilizing or strengthening it. Every now and then I stabilize first, but it’s rare. More often than not I see that people with long standing back pain are suffering from a mobility problem that was missed. When your spine doesn’t move well, you risk developing compensatory movement patterns that cause structures in and around your spine to get irritated. You want to figure that out first before jumping ahead to stability training of your core and spine.

3. Your aren’t activating your core

Knowing how to properly activate your core is different from having good core strength. You can have the strongest abs in the world – but if you don’t use them when they count – your 6-pack abs are useless.  Knowing how to properly activate your core is essential when you exercise, but especially when you have back pain. If you don’t activate your core properly when you’re lifting weights, or performing complicated movements that require good coordination, you’re setting yourself up for injury.

The ability to activate your core properly is developed through motor control training. It’s where we teach your mind how to recognize and activate specific muscles, during specific activities, so that it eventually becomes habitual. Pilates (when done properly and with a well-trained instructor) is a type of exercise that can accomplish this quite well. If you’re constantly having back pain every time you exercise or try to strengthen your core, it could be that you lack the ability to activate it when it counts.

4. You aren’t breathing properly

Not breathing properly, or not breathing at all, can significantly impact the effectiveness of your exercise routine. This directly impedes your ability to perform an exercise properly. As mentioned previously, knowing how to activate your core is crucial when you exercise. In order to activate your core properly, you must be able to breathe properly. Your deep core is made up of four parts: your deep abdominals, your deep back muscles, your pelvic floor, and your diaphragm. Your diaphragm is what controls your breathing.

Let’s say you hold your breath when you exercise. When this happens it means your diaphragm isn’t expanding or contracting in the way it needs to for your deep core to be fully functional. Additionally, when your diaphragm doesn’t work like it should, it adds unnecessary strain and work to your back muscles. This is one reason why you might not be able to activate your core properly – and why exercise might be hurting your back.

5. You’re using improper form

The last and most common reason why exercising might be hurting your back is because you aren’t doing it right. There’s a lot of people out there who think posture and form don’t really matter. But they do. If you’re lifting weights – especially when frequently and repetitively – you want your spine to be in good alignment. It might not hurt the first time you lift with improper form, but it will hurt when you get to your 100th rep.

Same goes for body weight exercises. Just because you aren’t adding load to your spine doesn’t mean you can’t aggravate it by doing something with poor form over and over. That’s really where people get in trouble. If you’re going to exercise – and you want to exercise daily – do it with proper form and posture or it’s going to catch up to you and cause you unnecessary back pain.

If exercising is currently hurting your back – it could be due to one of these five reasons. Get expert help to figure out which one it might be – because at the end of the day – exercise really is good for your back. You just might need some expert guidance from a back pain specialist who “gets” this stuff to get there.

Are you local to Portsmouth, NH?

Consider speaking to one of my specialists. We will ask you all about what’s been going on and see if we would be a good fit to help you. Book your free Discovery Visit 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 free copy of her guide to back pain CLICK HERE or to get in touch, email her at [email protected].

4 Spine-saving tips for less pain during Holiday Travel

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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 to help prevent this. Here are 5 of my top tips to save your spine during holiday travel:

Tip #1: Interrupt your sitting

The biggest strain on your body while traveling is undoubtedly the prolonged periods of sitting. Our bodies are made to move continuously throughout the day. Too much sitting puts extra load and compression on your spine, and can trigger an underlying problem you weren’t even aware of. On road trips or long plane rides, getting out of your seat is critical for keeping your neck and back healthy. In a car, plan extra time in your trip to pull over at rest stops and walk around. On a plane, choose an aisle seat so it’s easy to get up and stretch. I recommend interrupting your sitting every 30 min for good neck and back health whenever you’re able. Keeping up with that frequency while traveling can be difficult, but something is better than nothing.

Tip #2: Use a lumbar pillow

While sitting, a proper lumbar pillow is not only essential for good lower back alignment, but also for proper neck alignment. We have natural curves in our spine that are designed to absorb shock and disperse load. Ever heard of the dreaded “forward head”? That’s the posture your neck assumes when it needs to compensate for lower back slouching. When your spinal curves are not maintained, such as when sitting or slouching for prolonged periods, you get abnormal and unwanted forces throughout your spine, resulting in pain and stiffness that can occur in both your neck and lower back. When purchasing or making your own lumbar pillow – you want to make sure the roll is thick enough to maintain the natural curve (lordosis) in your lower back without much effort while you sit. The built-in lumbar supports that you can adjust in your car are typically not adequate enough – so don’t rely on those. Have a small pillow or roll handy to compensate.

Tip #3: Maintain a neutral spine while you sleep

When traveling and facing various mattresses that might not align with your typical sleeping setup, there are ways to compensate to prevent neck and back pain. Start by packing a portable travel pillow that offers adequate support for your neck’s natural curve. If the mattress is too firm, consider using extra blankets or folded clothes strategically placed under specific body parts, like your hips or shoulders, to create a more cushioned surface. If the mattress is too soft, try placing a firm object, like a folded towel or a small pillow, beneath your lower back for added support. Sleeping on mattresses you’re not accustomed to while traveling can be challenging – and you’re never quite sure what you’ll be getting into. The name of the game is to position yourself in a way so that you’re sleeping in a neutral position – where your head, neck, and spine all align.. It might take a bit of trial and error, but adapting your sleeping setup while traveling can significantly reduce discomfort and ensure less pain and strain in your neck and back.

Tip #4: Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated during holiday travel plays a crucial role in preventing neck and back pain due to its impact on overall bodily function. Adequate hydration supports the elasticity of spinal discs, which act as cushions between vertebrae, preventing them from becoming stiff and compressed. Dehydration can exacerbate muscle tension and reduce flexibility, increasing the likelihood of discomfort and stiffness in the neck and back. By drinking enough water, you help maintain proper circulation, delivering essential nutrients to muscles and tissues, promoting their relaxation, and reducing the risk of cramping or spasms that often contribute to neck and back pain during long journeys. Plus – hydration supports your body’s ability to recover and repair – so when you’ve got those travel-related strains on your spine that are ultimately inevitable no matter how careful you are – you’ll simply feel better faster.

Traveling any time of year, especially during the Holidays, comes with its own set of challenges and problems. There is no need to add unwanted neck and back pain to that list. Implementing even just one of these spine-saving tips next time you travel can make a real difference in alleviating neck and back pain – and allow you to focus on your destination instead.

Are you local to Portsmouth, NH and looking for help?

Request a free discovery visit by clicking here. We will ask you all about what’s been going on and see if we would be the best fit to help you 🙂

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]