SHOULD I DO STRENGTH TRAINING IF I HAVE CHRONIC BACK PAIN?

November 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Is it a good idea to do strength training when you have lower back pain? Certain exercises may be beneficial to optimize movement and range of motion. Come see us at San Diego Sports Physical Therapy if you experience any of this pain.

Bruce Kelly

“I believe that there are always ways to train around injury short of being bedridden. And low back pain is no exception having had it myself off and on for over 40 years. The key is in finding what movements and exercises don’t aggravate it or cause pain. There is no one cause of back pain nor is there one solution. It could be due to muscular imbalances, motor control issues, structural issues or some combination of these.

“We train and have trained clients with a variety of injuries and orthopedic issues from joint replacements to low back pain to shin splints to broken feet. This is where the knowledge, experience and empathy of a good trainer can pay dividends.”

Sue Teoli
FT New Canaan

“One of the best things you can do to reduce back pain is to do strength training. Building up the muscles of your back will help to prevent further injury. Most back pain comes from a muscle strain or ligament strain. Having a strong core can stabilize and brace the spine to reduce injury. Exercises such as straight leg raises, wall squats, and bridges are a few examples of strength training while stabilizing the core.”

Stacy Adams
FT Central Georgetown

“Many of our clients come in with chronic back pain. This is probably one of the most common complaints. After analyzing the client, the problem often originates from a weak core, tight hamstrings and other postural imbalances. Once we begin working on correcting these imbalances, the majority of our clients’ back pain is significantly reduced or goes away. If you’re dealing with back pain or any other injury, it is important to engage in safe and effective exercise. This is the perfect opportunity to invest in your health and hire a professional trainer to assist you with your individual needs!”

Billy Pratt
FT Avon

“Everyone should do some form of strength training whether or not they have chronic back pain. The extent to which strength training can help ease or eliminate back pain depends on the causes of that pain. Low back painc aused by weak lumbar vertebrae and tight hamstrings may largely be helped by a progressive strength training program, while such a program may not be as effective at decreasing pain if there is a severely ruptured disc that requires surgery to correct.

“Strength training always carries at least some benefit — and more often, a lot of benefit — to those who suffer from chronic back pain. But like anything else it really depends on what is causing the pain and how the program is designed and administered. Making sure your plan is tailored to your specific needs is always the most important factor in how effective a strength training regimen can be, with or without the presence of chronic back pain.”

Billy Beyer
FT Basking Ridge

“Here in Basking Ridge we strongly advise strengthening the core to alleviate further back pain and problems. We also advise working on flexibility of the hip flexors and hamstrings. Anyone with chronic lower back pain should always start off slow and gradually graduate to more complex exercises. Keep it simple and safe!”

– See more at: http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/our-solution/fitness-tips/should-i-do-strength-training-if-i-have-chronic-back-pain/#sthash.bsct90EF.dpuf

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PHYSICAL THERAPY EXERCISES FOR LEGS

October 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Matthew Schirm shares a few physical therapy exercises to benefit your legs. IF you have any pain, come see us at San Diego Sports Physical Therapy in San Diego. We will help you regain your strength and improve your health!

A leg injury can limit your activity level.

Physical therapy is an essential component of a rehabilitation program for any leg injury. This entails a logical progression of low-intensity to high-intensity exercises designed to restore any lost flexibility, strength and power so you can return to normal activities as quickly as possible. Consult a physical therapist to develop a program that suits your personal goals and needs. Want to improve your health? Learn more about LIVESTRONG.COM’s nutrition and fitness program!

STRETCHING EXERCISES
Stretching your calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteal muscles will help restore your ankle-, knee- and hip-joint ranges of motion, respectively, depending on the location of your injury. Lengthen the involved muscles until you feel gentle tension, then hold for 10 to 30 seconds, gradually deepening the stretch with each exhalation as you breathe deeply. You can also repeatedly lengthen and shorten your leg muscles in a slow and controlled fashion to stretch them dynamically.

ISOMETRIC EXERCISES
Isometric exercises are appropriate if you’ve injured an ankle, knee or hip joint and consequently moving the joint through a normal range of motion is painful. Performing isometric heel raises, for example, targets the calf muscles. This exercise involves standing on your tiptoes for 10 to 30 seconds at a time. Furthermore, isometric hamstrings and quadriceps contractions may help you recover from a knee injury, and isometric hip abduction, adduction, extension and flexion exercises may help rehabilitate a hip injury.

STRENGTHENING EXERCISES
Perform traditional strengthening exercises when it’s no longer painful to move your injured joint through a normal range of motion. Use your body weight or a resistance band to provide low-impact resistance at first, then increase the intensity by using a barbell, dumbbells or a weight machine for each exercise. Examples of appropriate exercises include heel raises that work your calves, leg curls and leg extensions that isolate the hamstrings and quadriceps, respectively, hip abduction, adduction, extension and flexion exercises on a weight machine and deadlifts, leg presses, lunges, squats and stepups, which work your hip and knee joints simultaneously.

PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES
Perform plyometric exercises at the end of your rehabilitation program, after your injury has healed and you’re ready to resume normal activities again. These power-building exercises are particularly effective for athletes that jump, run and sprint frequently while training and competing. Examples of effective plyometric exercises for your legs include box jumps, depth jumps, lateral hops and long jumps. Do these exercises two to three times per week, progressively increasing the intensity with each training session.

REFERENCES
“Essentials of Athletic Injury Management”; William Prentice and Daniel Arnheim; 2008 “NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training”; Roger Earle and Thomas Baechle; 2004 Sports Fitness Advisor: Isometric Exercises and Static Strength Training

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/477394-physical-therapy-exercises-for-legs/#ixzz2ikT7NnAa

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KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS PHYSICAL THERAPY

September 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Our knees get a lot of wear and tear, so here are some exercises and information about osteoarthritis in the knee by Ashley Misitzis PT, DPT. If you have any questions, come to San Diego Sports Physical Therapy today for help!

Knee osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of disability among adults.

Osteoarthritis, known as OA, is characterized by degeneration of cartilage and bone, which cases pain, stiffness, decreased motion and weakness that can lead to difficulty with daily activities. There is no cure for OA, but effective treatment involves managing symptoms and addressing functional limitations. Physical Therapists are licensed health care professionals who are experts in the way the human body moves. Physical therapy uses researched treatment techniques to improve mobility, reduce pain, restore function and prevent disability. Want to improve your health? Learn more about LIVESTRONG.COM’s nutrition and fitness program!

RANGE OF MOTION
According to the CDC, Approximately 80 percent of patients with OA have some degree of movement limitation. Normal knee range of motion is zero to 135 degrees, though there is some variation from person to person.

Your knee must get all the way straight for typical walking mechanics, and must bend normally to allow for sitting and going down stairs. A Physical Therapist will improve your range of motion through direct measures, such as bending and straightening your knee, and will give you home exercises to focus on movement. Indirectly, helping to decrease pain and restore normal joint mechanics also improve your range of motion.

STRENGTHENING
When your joint is damaged, your body needs as much support as it can get from muscle strength. The first step is making sure the muscles directly surrounding the affected knee joint are strong. If you only have arthritis in one knee, then it is also important to strengthen the muscles in the other leg to help support the injured side and to prevent excess force on the healthy knee.

Your hip and ankle strength is also important to provide support to the knee with OA. During your physical therapy evaluation, your physical therapist will determine what muscles need strengthening. The earlier you seek treatment, the less likely you will have muscle strength changes, which improves the outcome.
STRETCHING
Many muscles in the leg cross over the knee joint, so ensuring they are flexible is an important part of the physical therapy process. When pain causes a decrease in your range of motion, it is normal for your body to change how it moves in order to compensate for weak muscles or lessen the pain. This compensation can cause tightness in muscles surrounding the knee including the calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps.

Other muscles may also need stretching depending on what the physical therapist finds during her evaluation.
MANUAL THERAPY
Manual therapy is a physical therapy treatment that involves skilled, specific hands-on techniques that mobilize the joint. These can be used to decrease pain, increase range of motion, lessen soft tissue swelling and improve tissue extensibility. In recent studies, the addition of manual therapy to an exercise-based physical therapy program resulted in dramatically improved function and less pain.
MODALITIES
According to the Arthritis Foundation, both heat and cold treatments are effective for pain management. Heat is best before an activity or in the morning to increase blood flow and decrease stiffness. Use cold treatment after exercise or at the end of each day to lessen swelling and pain. Use each modality for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.

REFERENCES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Osteoarthritis Arthritis Today: Osteoarthritis: Using Heat and Cold for Pain Relief Move Forward PT: Facts Annals of Internal Medicine: Article by Deyle, G. American Academy of Family Physicians: Physical Therapy and Exercise for Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Article reviewed by Helen Holzer Last updated on: Aug 16, 2013

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/178813-knee-osteoarthritis-physical-therapy/#ixzz2e88YONSq

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