Get Back to What You Love with Bay State Physical Therapy!
The past year put a cramp in all our exercise goals. Work from home, closed gyms, and social distancing greatly reduced the amount of daily activity for us all. Finally, many of us are looking to return to local 5Ks, rec leagues, and group exercise classes! However, sometimes all it takes is bending over to remind us how limiting back pain can be.
The human body is capable of an extraordinary range of physical actions. Unfortunately, this amazing structure is prone to problems from time to time. Slight problems can turn into big ones that can result in restricted range of motion, making even the smallest of actions too painful to contemplate.
Overcome back pain with these PT approved tips.
- Get up and move! The key to moving more is to start moving. It really doesn’t have to be more complicated than that! Make a plan, set goals, and recruit a friend, family member, or neighbor to join you on your quest to more movement. Biking, hiking, walking in your neighborhood, kayaking, swimming…the list goes on and on. All of them are great options!
- Strengthen your muscles…all of them! A well-balanced body is a healthy body. If you want to strengthen your back, don’t forget about your abdominals, legs, and arms. When you lift items, it’s not just your back doing the work, so why would you only focus on one muscle group. You know, the saying ‘the more, the merrier’ applies to your muscle groups too.
- Be aware of your posture– Poor posture is a major contributor of back and neck pain. Retraining your muscles and mind to be aware of posture will take time. Standing with your ears over your shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over ankles, and ankles positioned hip width apart is a lot to think about. All change starts with awareness!
- See your physical therapist– Physical therapists are uniquely trained to recognize dysfunction, identify its origins, and provide you with services to reduce pain and return to function. Don’t wait until you can’t rise from a chair or complete your job duties due to back pain.
- Practice what your PT preaches! Despite what you may believe, your physical therapist does not want to see you year after year for the same back pain. If you buy-in to the care plan during your visits, and continue your home exercise program after your discharge, you actually possess the tools to continue your wellness beyond discharge from physical therapy.
With the Help Of Bay State Physical Therapy, You Can Succeed!
Your physical therapist puts a lot of time and consideration into your home exercise program and you should too. Keep up your exercises after you meet your rehab goals, and you might not have to see them for the same problem again! Besides, you’ve got a lot of body parts, so this gives you plenty of opportunity to come back and see them!
Put your physical therapist on speed dial and give them a call at the first signs of an issue. If you do experience a bump in the road, returning to their care at the first sign of pain can help reduce the length of your care and enable you to restart your exercise routine sooner. Don’t settle for being a spectator- get back to what you love with help from Bay State Physical Therapy!
Submit the form below or call your nearest Bay State Physical Therapy office to schedule an evaluation!
Resources:
