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McKenzie Exercises for the Neck

September 12, 2017 by admin

By KEITH STRANGE

Overview
The McKenzie rehabilitation method is a physical therapy methodology that teaches patients exercises to help manage pain that originates in the spine, according to Wellness.com. It is also effective at treating chronic neck pain that is caused by long-term force in one direction by helping to restore range of motion in your neck. You should always check with your doctor before starting any rehabilitative exercise program.

Lying Neck Stretch
This exercise is performed while lying on your stomach and can be effective at helping alleviate neck pain caused by stiffness. Lie down on your stomach with both arms relaxed at your sides and your head turned to one side. Relax and allow your body weight to stretch your neck in the direction your head is turned. Steps Physiotherapy recommends you hold this position for five to 10 minutes and perform this exercise several times throughout the day.

Chin Tuck
The McKenzie chin tuck, or head retraction, can be performed either from a sitting or standing position and can help lengthen the upper spine, according to Dr. Shane Mangrum. It is performed by keeping your eyes focused on something in front of your and pulling your head back toward your shoulders, while keeping your head as stationary as possible. On the website, BackExerciseDoctor.com, Mangrum suggests you perform the chin tuck multiple times daily to help alleviate neck pain.

Neck Mobility Exercises
These exercises can be performed from either a standing or sitting position, and include range of motion activities for your neck. Stand or sit with your mouth closed and your eyes facing forward. Begin by moving your neck to one side with your eyes still facing forward and hold this movement as prescribed by your doctor. Repeat on the other side. Follow these exercises by turning your head slowly to one side, then the other, using slow and controlled motions. Repeat these exercises as directed by your physician.

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How to Get Rid Of That Pain in Your Neck? Answer: Physical Therapy

March 10, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Your neck, also called the cervical spine, begins at the base of the skull and contains seven small vertebrae. Incredibly, the cervical spine supports the full weight of the head, which is on average about 12 pounds. While the cervical spine can move your head in nearly every direction, this flexibility makes the neck very susceptible to pain and injury.

The neck’s susceptibility to injury is due in part to biomechanics. Activities and events that affect cervical biomechanics include extended sitting, repetitive movement, accidents, falls and blows to the body or head, normal aging, and every day wear and tear. Neck pain can be very bothersome, and it can have a variety of causes. Here are some of the most typical causes of neck pain: Injury and Accidents; Growing Older (degenerative disorders such as osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease directly affect the spine); and Daily Life (poor posture, obesity, and weak abdominal muscles often disrupt spinal balance, causing the neck to bend forward to compensate…stress and emotional tension can cause muscles to tighten and contract, resulting in pain and stiffness…postural stress can contribute to chronic neck pain with symptoms extending into the upper back and the arms).

Degenerative Disc Disease can cause reduction in the elasticity and height of intervertebral discs. Over time, a disc may bulge or herniate, causing tingling, numbness, and pain that runs into the arm.

Head and neck posturing with a habitual ‘poking chin’ (cervical protrusion) can result in adaptive shortening of the occipital muscles. It also causes the cervical spine to change alignment resulting in increased stress of the facet joints and posterior discs and other posterior elements. Janda described a cervical ‘Upper Crossed Syndrome’ to show the effect of a ‘poking chin’ posture on the muscles. With this syndrome, the deep neck flexors are weak, as are the rhomboids, serratus anterior, and often the lower trapezius. Opposite these weak muscles are tight pectoralis major and minor, along with upper trapezius and levator scapulae.

A Licensed Physical Therapist after evaluating the neck region and the body globally would use his/her fine-tuned skills to perform any of these varied treatments: Therapeutic Exercises (focusing on strengthening deep neck and pariscapular muscles) and McKenzie repeated movement exercises; Manual Therapy (to include soft tissue massage, joint mobilization/manipulation, and manual traction); Postural /Biomechanics Retrainng; and Modalities (such as mechanical traction, electrical stimulation, and cold laser).

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How to Avoid Overtraining Injuries

January 27, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Overtraining is a common concern, and something that we should all be aware of (both physical therapists and clients). Learn more about overtraining injuries, how to prevent them, and get the right guidance for training from this article published on MoveForwardPT.com, an informational site created by the American Physical Therapy Association. For more questions please call at 619-756-7500.

Overtraining is a concern for all people pursuing fitness – from recreational or elite athletes to people who exercise to lose weight and stay in shape. Overtraining injuries are musculoskeletal injuries that occur due to more activity or exercise than your body is used to, and may happen to anyone who increases intensity or changes type of activity. Overtraining syndrome includes overtraining injuries, but also encompasses general fatigue and other symptoms.

Signs and Symptoms

If you experience any of the following after working hard to meet advanced fitness goals, overtraining may be a cause.

Physiological: increased resting heart rate, increased blood pressure
Physical: decreased appetite, upset stomach, insatiable thirst, sleep disturbances, increased frequency of sickness and infections, general feeling of increased difficulty and fatigue throughout the day, abnormal muscle soreness, pain occurs that is different than typical muscle soreness
Behavioral: personality changes, decreased motivation, altered concentration, lowered self-esteem, decreased ability to cope with stress
Performance: Increased heart rate during activity, decreased strength or endurance, impaired movement and coordination, multiple technical errors.

Avoiding Overtraining Injuries

No matter the activity (running, swimming, weight lifting, etc), when working to improve your fitness you need to push yourself in order to see results. But pushing yourself too hard can result in injuries that are detrimental to your fitness goals. Here are some tips to avoid overtraining injuries:

Don’t increase exercise difficulty level too quickly. Exercise needs to be progressed steadily at a gradual pace. Following a structured plan that increases your activity incrementally and safely can help you stay healthy and pain free. For example:

For running, increasing difficulty may include increasing speed, running up or downhill, increasing duration, and use of intervals, where you alternate intensity over time.
For resistance training, increasing difficulty may include increased weight, repetitions, sets, and decreasing the amount of time to perform the same amount of exercise.

Pay attention to your body.Your body is smart. If it feels like you are developing signs of overtraining, then take a break, lessen your activity, or rest.

Ease into it. Particularly if you are new to fitness or altering your exercise activities, take it slow. Don’t expect to make up for several months of inactivity with a few weeks of exercise. Aim for long-term consistency, not overnight success. People who try to do too much too soon often end up injured or frustrated and give up on their fitness goals altogether.

Avoiding Overtraining Syndrome

Overtraining syndrome occurs when an active individual or athlete increases activity faster than the body can adapt or is unable to recover from a sustained high level of activity. Your body then lets you know that you’ve done too much too fast through a variety of physical responses.

There are several signs and symptoms that may indicate overtraining syndrome but are also symptoms of other problems

Every active individual is unique. Your pain may be due to overtraining, but it also may be due to other health issues. For example, heart rate changes, general fatigue, and other systemic symptoms may be due to a more concerning condition. Physical therapists are educated to evaluate and treat a variety of conditions. If you have any of the above signs a physical therapist can help to determine the seriousness of the signs and what your next course of action for your health.

Here are some tips to avoid overtraining syndrome:

Take a break. If you have a scheduled rest day in your plan, use it, you’ve earned it! Your bones, joints, and muscles need rest days to stay healthy.

Get rest. Recent studies are supporting the important role of sleep in the health of active people and athletes. This is when our bodies’ build and repair and our immune system recovers.

Eat well. Proper nutrition is essential to the health of your body. Do not severely restrict calories when exercising. Make sure to eat proper nutrients, including plenty of lean meats, fruits and vegetables.

How will a physical therapist help me meet my fitness goals?

Physical therapists are movement experts, and work with people of all ages and levels of activity. During a visit, a physical therapist can:

Check your flexibility, strength, and endurance of muscles to support your desired level of activity.
Ensure that symptoms are due to overuse or overtraining and not something more serious.
Identify training errors to ensure a safe fitness plan, no matter your previous level of activity.
Correct biomechanical problems in form with your chosen activity to avoid overuse of a susceptible body part.
Provide appropriate training plan to minimize risk of injury and help you safely meet your fitness goals.

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