Discovering Proper Ergonomics for Your Home Office

With all of us working from home, it can be difficult to find a comfortable workspace. However, it is important to make sure that the ergonomics in your office are functioning properly, in order to avoid developing unwanted aches and pains.

When working from home, ask yourself, “how do I maintain my posture throughout the day?” Do you catch yourself slouching frequently? Do those last couple hours of the workday leave you achy and ready to call it quits? If you are experiencing aches and pains, especially in your neck or back, poor posture is probably to blame. Fortunately, posture can be improved with some ergonomic changes.

Making the most of your work-from-home days

If you work from your home office all day, it is important to have a proper ergonomic setup. Make sure that you are at a proper height with your desk chair and computer, so you don’t have to slouch or lean forward. 

If you are at a desk for extended periods of the day, it is important to make sure your back posture is okay. Sit upright, place your feet flat on the floor, and try not to cross your legs. Make sure there is a small gap between the back of your knees and the chair. Having a chair with strong back support and padding is also recommended for making your upright position more comfortable. Additionally, make sure your chair has the proper lumbar support needed to help you sit straight while you’re working. These simple steps can help tremendously with your overall posture.

It is important to make sure that you get up every 30 minutes or so and take a small walk, at least for a minute or two. This will help in loosening up your muscles and joints, as well as initiating a stronger blood flow. Taking even a small amount of time to walk around the house or jog around the neighborhood every day after working from home can highly improve your posture and gait. 

Did you know that standing burns between .7 to .15 more calories per minute than sitting does? It may not seem like a lot, but by simply standing for long periods of time, you can easily burn more calories throughout the day.

Have you thought about investing in a standing desk?

Sedentary lifestyles, especially the ones that many of us are experiencing right now, can increase your risk of heart disease, obesity, or other serious health issues. However, using a standing desk as opposed to a traditional sitting desk has been proven to lower one’s chances of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Nevertheless, standing desks are not for everyone, especially those with joint or vascular conditions.

You may be asking, “doesn’t standing all day long have its own implications?” The short answer is – yes. Anything without moderation can have its pitfalls. Standing can boost your energy levels, concentration, and even your mood, but if you have a traditional 9-5 job, chances are that level of productivity will dissipate after a while. Many medical professionals recommend adjustable desks for your home workplace environment, so you can spend a large amount of your day standing or stretching, with the opportunity to rest when you become tired.

At the end of the day, make sure you’re comfortable

No matter how you choose to work from home, ergonomics is an important concept to keep in mind. Ergonomic laptop desks and chairs can promote proper posture and decrease the risk for back problems, while workplace design can positively impact your overall happiness, productivity, and well-being.

At the end of the day, make sure you’re comfortable – don’t let the daily stresses of working from home take a toll on your physical health! There are several steps you can take to improve your posture, strength, energy, and overall wellbeing throughout the workday. For more information on how to optimize the ergonomic setup of your home office or additional tips for beating daily aches and pains, contact TheraFit™ today.

Developing a Hunchback? You Might Have Upper Crossed Syndrome, But Physical Therapy Can Help!

Do you find that you’re always being told to sit up straight? Do you notice that you have shoulder pain after work? Are you developing a hunchback? If you’re nodding yes to these questions, chances are you have Upper Crossed Syndrome, or UCS. This is a muscle imbalance that occurs in the head and shoulders. It is often found in people who work desk jobs or sit with poor posture for most of the day.

As a result of this, they have weak cervical flexors and lower trapezius muscles (which form a straight line when looking from the side) and tight upper trapezius and pectoral muscles (forming the cross when looking from the side). Wow! That’s a lot of wires being crossed! UCS causes a person’s head to seemingly lean forward, their body to appear hunched, and their shoulders to ache often.

If you’ve been diagnosed with UCS, or notice any of the above symptoms, call TheraFit™ today to speak with a physical therapist about correcting the problem before it’s too late.

Symptoms of Upper Crossed Syndrome

People struggling with this condition normally appear stooped over with rounded shoulders. According to Healthline, this is because the deformed muscles put strain on the surrounding joints, bones, muscles and tendons. Below is a list of symptoms that accompany UCS:

  • Headache
  • Neck pain
  • Weakness in the front of the neck
  • Strain in the back of the neck
  • Pain in the upper back and shoulders, as well as the lower back
  • Tightness and pain in the chest
  • Trouble with sitting to read or watch TV
  • Trouble driving for long periods
  • Pain and reduced movement in the ribs

How Can A Physical Therapist Treat Upper Crossed Syndrome?

Physical therapy is the best route to go when it comes to Upper Crossed Syndrome. Not only can a physical therapist relieve pain symptoms, but they can also eliminate underlying causes for your pain. You’d be surprised at what you don’t know about your body!

Your physical therapist can create a custom treatment plan that will address your pain levels as well as your symptoms. Typically, your physical therapy treatment plan will be divided into three parts - stretching the upper trapezius and pectoral muscles, strengthening the cervical flexors and lower trapezius muscles, and training you to make postural adjustments throughout the day to avoid future recurrence.

It seems like a lot, but don’t worry! That’s what your physical therapist is here for. Read on to learn more details about each part of this treatment method for UCS.

  • Stretching - When it comes to Upper Crossed Syndrome, the first thing to focus on is restoring shortened muscles. When one muscle is tightened or shortened, the opposite muscle relaxes. Your physical therapist will recommend a series of stretches and other therapies, like myofascial release and massage, to lengthen the upper trapezius and pectoral muscles.
  • Strengthening - Strengthening exercises in your physical therapy treatment will target the cervical flexors and lower trapezius muscles. The most basic stretch is one called the “chin tuck.” Your physical therapist will instruct you to lay on your back with your knees bent, without a pillow to support your head. Next, bring your chin as close to your neck as possible, while keeping the back of your head on the floor and your mouth closed. Keeping your head straight, hold this position for 10 seconds, 10 to 12 times. This is another exercise that you can do at home by yourself as well, so you can continue to make progress outside of your appointments!
  • Postural Correction - You can do hours upon hours of stretching and strengthening exercises but it’ll be for nothing if you don’t address your posture! This is the problem that landed you with UCS in the first place. So, to address it, practice standing with your back and the back of your head against a wall. Your feet should be about six inches or so from the wall. Your neck should be two fingers-width from the wall. This is a fast and easy way to remind yourself what it feels like to stand up straight and have proper posture. Think of it as a way to retrain your body to know when it’s slouching.

You can also get a standing desk or adjust your own desk to be raised up a bit to allow for a more neutral posture sitting position. Pay attention to your posture as you text, type on a computer, cook in the kitchen, or drive.

Contact Our Office Today!

It’s easy for people to put off correcting something like their posture, because they’ve become so used to slouching or being hunched over. Putting off treatment will only make correcting the problem a longer process in the future!

Not only will you look better from a postural perspective, you will see bigger gains in your athletic performance. For more information about UCS or to find out more about the three part routine for correcting this issue, contact our physical therapy offices in Hazel Green, AL and Fayetteville, TN today. We’re ready and waiting for your call, and we can’t wait to see the improvements you’re bound to make in our care.

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Relieve Your Arthritis Pains with Physical Therapy Treatments

Are you suffering from the aches, pains, and stiffness of arthritis? If so, you’re not alone. There are millions of people who live with arthritis, and it is no secret that it can limit your life. Fortunately, participating in regular physical therapy treatments can help manage your arthritis pain and reduce your symptoms. For more information on how our services can decrease or even eliminate your pain altogether, contact our office today!

What will I get out of a physical therapy program?

Physical therapy can improve your daily life by making it easier to live with arthritis. Just a few of the many ways this is accomplished is by:

  • Learning how to correctly use devices. A trained physical therapist can help you learn how to use orthotics, walkers, and any other assistive device correctly. This will help lessen the strain on joints when you move and ensure that you are using the devices safely.
  • Increasing your range of motion. A physical therapy program can help reduce stiffness by keeping both your muscles and ligaments loose. This will lessen your pain and improve your overall range of mobility.
  • Strengthening your muscles. When the muscles that surround and support your aching joints are stronger and more flexible, your arthritis pain will be much less severe. Physical therapy techniques can be used to increase strength, which in turn will relieve pain.

What exactly is physical therapy?

Unfortunately, there is not yet a known cure for arthritis. Physical therapy won’t reverse your arthritic condition, but it can help slow the process and decrease symptoms. Essentially, physical therapy can help you live more comfortably with your condition.

Your physical therapist will prescribe targeted exercises and stretches that will keep joints mobile and pain-free. He or she may also help you maintain a healthy body weight as needed, in order to decrease unnecessary strain on your joints.

Physical therapy may also help you avoid taking excessive amounts of medication in order to reduce your pain. A physical therapist is trained to evaluate your condition and provide the correct exercises to meet your needs. A common physical therapy exercise for arthritis patients is aquatic therapy, as working out in water allows for a soothing and non-impact exercise.

How can diet affect my arthritis?

Did you know that a healthy diet can help decrease arthritis pains? When you are experiencing pain and inflammation, it is important to stay away from foods containing high levels of sugar, MSG, and refined carbs. Some foods that can help ease your symptoms include:

  • Ginger. Ginger may be able to help reduce inflammation and alleviate arthritis pain. It also adds incredible flavor to almost any food, including soups, fruits, veggies, and meat.
  • Soy. Soy is high in protein and low in fat, and it is also a great tasting way to fight inflammation. You can get your soy through tofu, soy milk, or roasted soybeans.
  • Broccoli. Broccoli has an ingredient called sulforaphane, which has the ability to slow down or even prevent osteoarthritis. Broccoli is great served hot or cold, in salads, or as a casserole.
  • Walnuts. Much like the nutrients you find in fish, walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation. Walnuts can be eaten alone or added to almost any sweet or salty dish.

The goals of a physical therapist:

Physical therapists are trained in multiple different methods of treatment. One of the most common treatment methods for arthritis is massage, as it is a great way to loosen up the stiff or inflamed muscles and tendons around the arthritic joint(s). Additional treatments may include ice and heat therapies, ultrasound, or laser therapy as your physical therapist deems fit. These all help in decreasing inflammation, relieving pain, and loosening up tight muscles.

One of the many goals of a physical therapist is to help you achieve the most active lifestyle possible for your condition. Just because you have arthritis doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the activities you love! Your physical therapist will design an individualized treatment plan for you, in order to keep your tendons, muscles, and joints working together in harmony.

Are you ready to relieve your arthritis pains? Contact our office today to get started on your journey toward long-lasting relief!

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Relieve Your Lower Back Pain with These 3 Simple Steps

If you have been living with lower back pain, you know how limiting it can be. While it may seem simple to relieve the pain with prescription medications, our current opioid epidemic has left people in search of less harmful solutions. Fortunately, physical therapy can be that very solution.

A study published by BMC Health Services states that physical therapy has been known to prevent habit-forming dependencies on prescription medication and reduce the overall health cost that a patient will have to pay for pain relief. Additionally, physical therapy focuses not only on the pain you are currently facing, but also on preventing your pain from returning in the future.

Your physical therapist will work closely with you provide simple pain-relief strategies that you can carry into your daily life, even after your treatment sessions are complete. 3 of these strategies include:

1. Alternating between hot and cold remedies

Alternating hot and cold compresses or packs on your lower back can help in providing significant pain relief. If you prefer one remedy over the other, it is not necessary to alternate every time, but often alternating the two extremes can help provide a fuller range of benefits.

Heat works to increase your circulation, and when your body experiences that extra blood flow, your healing properties are initiated in your bloodstream. Hot compresses and packs also ease pain by blocking the painful “signals” that run from the nerves in your lower back to your brain. However, cold packs can also come to the rescue with their ability to numb pain, halt spasms, and reduce swelling in the affected area.

During physical therapy, you’ll receive expert applications of these ice and heat therapies. Your physical therapist can also recommend the best types of hot or cold remedies for your specific condition. As a general rule, ice packs and heating pads are good all-around options, as both are effective, inexpensive, and readily available.

2. Working those hamstrings

While it is not something that back pain sufferers always consider, your hamstring muscles can play a key role in whether or not your lower back joints become over-stressed. When the backs of your upper thighs are too tight, your lower back has to work overtime, in order to compensate. Stretching your hamstrings helps to lengthen those muscles, which can help to soothe your lower back — especially when it’s in spasm.

A physical therapy session can help you identify specific stretches for your hamstring muscles, and will help in explaining how the two muscles affect one another. In the meantime, try bending over and reaching for your toes twice a day. Don’t strain as you reach down, and try not to lock your knees. If you feel any pain at the outset, discontinue the exercise, and talk to your physical therapist about alternative hamstring lengthening exercises.

3. Balancing your activity with rest

Bed rest is a common initial prescription for lower back pain in some cases. It is especially true if your pain comes from an injury or re-injury. In fact, resting while applying ice packs is a time-honored way of reducing swelling in the first day or two. However, for chronic lower back pain, moving around is a much better medicine than lying around. Physical activity releases your natural endorphins, which have both mood-lifting and pain-killing properties.

Of course, it is important not to overdo your workouts before consulting with your physical therapist. Keep it simple by taking a light walk or getting some household chores done, in order to limber up your back and release those helpful endorphins. If a brace helps in relieving your pain, wear it to support your lower back as you move.

Physical therapy is an important exercise option. It delivers both the benefit of exercise and the watchful eye of a professional to make sure you are using proper technique and remaining sage. Your physical therapist can warn you about moves that risk re-injury and will work with you on both flexibility and strengthening moves. These exercises are meant to build up the muscles that support your spine, in order to ease pain on your lower back. They also help provide greater range-of-motion as you work through that back stiffness.

Find relief today:

If you are in need of extra assistance for managing our lower back pain, don’t hesitate to contact our office today. One of our dedicated physical therapists will be happy to meet with you to discuss treatment and simple lifestyle changes that can help decrease the severity and frequency of your lower back pain episodes. Call TheraFit™ Physical Therapy today to get started on your path toward lower back pain relief!

5 Ways to Relieve Back and Neck Pain

There are common causes of both back pain and neck pain. Changes in the spine’s anatomy often cause back pain. There may be lumbar disc herniation, lumbar degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis or sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Disc herniation occurs when the gel-like interior of the disc leaks outward and irritates the nerve roots. It typically causes a stabbing pain in the back of the legs and back pain. Wear and tear on the spinal discs can lead to lumbar degenerative disc disease. It causes low-level back pain. Osteoarthritis is a wear and tear of the facet joints in the spine. Friction can cause a pinched nerve from osteoarthritis. And when the sacroiliac joint has too much or too little motion, it can cause lower back pain.

Muscle strain is a common cause of neck pain. It can be due to sleeping in awkward positions, whiplash or poor posture. Other common causes of neck pain include cervical osteoarthritis, cervical degenerative disc disease and cervical herniated disc. Back pain and neck pain can range from moderate to severe. If you’re experiencing back pain or neck pain, call TheraFit™ today to see how physical therapy can help you live a pain-free life. Get pain relief with help from our skilled physical therapists.

How Physical Therapy Can Deliver Pain Relief for Back Pain and Neck Pain

Physical therapy is a common treatment for pain relief in the cervical area and lumbar area. The goals and benefits of physical therapy for neck pain and back pain include:

  1. Improving neck and back range of motion- By engaging in flexibility exercises in the neck and back area, you'll be able to move easier.
  2. Reducing pain and stiffness in the back and neck area- Passive treatments by a physical therapist will accelerate healing and lessen pain.
  3. Developing strengthening of the neck and back- With specific physical exercises, you'll be building up the muscles in the neck and back areas.
  4. Developing strategies to prevent neck pain and back pain from recurring- Learn proper body mechanics to avoid future injury.
  5. Improving the quality of life- With physical therapy, you'll be able to return to your regular routine must faster.

The two forms of physical therapy are passive treatments and active treatments. Passive treatments for neck pain include electrotherapy, ice packs, ultrasound, massage therapy and heat therapy. These treatments help reduce pain, inflammation and stiffness. Active physical therapy treatments include exercises and stretches. By engaging in active exercises with a physical therapist, strength and flexibility are improved in the neck, and the muscles become less painful. In addition, stress on the cervical spine is reduced.

Like physical therapy treatments for neck pain, back pain physical therapy treatments include both passive and active methods for the patient. “Current medical literature suggests moderate to strong evidence supporting the benefits of physical therapy’s role in reducing neck pain and back pain and improving range of motion.”

How Back Pain and Neck Pain Are Diagnosed

If you’re experiencing neck or back pain, a doctor will perform a physical exam and may even order X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI provides pictures of blood vessels, ligaments, tendons and soft tissues. It can provide the root cause of your back pain or neck pain. It’s quite common for a doctor to recommend physical therapy to treat neck and back pain

Back and neck pain can lead to a loss of productivity. It’s a common cause for disability. It can also lead to nerve damage, depression and even weight gain. If you’re suffering from back pain or neck pain, it’s time to take action. Get pain relief with the help of a physical therapist. A physical therapist will develop a personalized treatment plan just for you.

Why suffer when physical therapy can give you pain relief? Call our Fayetteville or Hazel Green offices today to see how physical therapy can help you live a pain-free life.

Suffering with Back Pain? Check Your Posture!

In one longitudinal study, back pain accounted for more than 3 percent of all emergency room visits between 2004 and 2008. It is also estimated that more than 25 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, many with a disability that prevents them from doing normal daily tasks like working and caring for themselves or others. From muscle aches to limited mobility, those suffering from back pain will tell you that they will do anything to make it stop. Fortunately, physical therapy may be the answer. Call our Fayetteville or Hazel Green offices today to speak to our physical therapists and find out if physical therapy can help you eliminate your back pain for good.

What Is Causing My Back Pain?

One of the most common causes of back pain is your posture. Chances are, you just sat up a little straighter after you read that, right? When we talk about posture we often think about how we sit or stand. While sitting or standing still is certainly an important part of it, your posture affects how you walk, run, jump, lift, work, and perform nearly every daily activity in your life. What's even more confusing, your posture while you sit at work may be impeccable, but your posture when you stand up out of your chair, get out of bed, or even sleep is different. Which leads us to the next question...

What Causes Poor Posture?

Many people think poor posture is caused by laziness. We get so wrapped up in thinking about other things that we stop paying attention to how we position our bodies. In reality, poor posture is more of a physical problem than a mental one. Sure, we need to be reminded to check our posture periodically throughout the day, but physical weakness is often associated with holding our bodies in ways that cause back pain.

We know what you're thinking. "But I work out! I'm not physically weak!"

Even if you exercise regularly, poor posture is caused by weakness of the stabilizing muscles in your core, not weakness in your arms and legs. Muscles in your abdomen, buttocks, back, shoulders, and pelvic floor all contribute to your posture. If even one of these is weak, your core is weakened and your posture suffers.

How Physical Therapy Helps

You may not immediately think about working with a physical therapist to achieve better posture. You should, though. A physical therapist is a movement expert, one that can identify weak areas and help you strengthen them. They can also help you increase flexibility, mobility, stability, and balance as well as help you relieve your back pain without pain medication.

Initially, your physical therapist will identify areas of weakness that are causing your back pain through functional testing and diagnostic imaging. They will then create a customized physical therapy plan targeted at improving your posture in all of your daily activities and strengthening weak core muscles. In the end, physical therapy will help relieve your back pain, improve your posture and help you be stronger in all aspects of your life.

If you are experiencing back pain, your posture may be to blame. Fortunately, our physical therapist is ready to help you move toward a pain-free future. Find out for yourself why physical therapy is one of the most effective ways to address your back pain and start on the road to recovery. Contact TheraFit™ Physical Therapy today for a consultation. And sit up straight already!