Low Back Pain in Young Adults
Low back pain is one of the most common ailments treated in outpatient physical therapy clinics today. Back pain can be debilitating and negatively affect quality of life to a large degree, and as a younger individual, it is something that is not often thought of as a potential injury. Yet, low back pain is fairly common in the younger population; up to 10-25% of the population in their late teens to early 40s report back pain. In this age group, low back is commonly described in the research as “non-specific back pain,” meaning back pain does not have a known cause or correlation to MRI or X-Ray imaging. Most acute, non-specific back pain usually resolves on its own within 6 weeks and with appropriate rest, good nutrition, light activity and a positive outlook, you can help manage the severity of your pain.
The Best Exercises for Your Low Back Pain
A common misconception is to rest when experiencing low back pain, but in certain instances that couldn’t be further from the truth. Taking the route of exercise that is both comfortable and sustainable can help to reduce back pain and improve overall fitness and mobility.
It is important to know that although it may be painful now, it can get better with time and with some dedicated work. Outlined below are a few exercises that you can apply to help ease some of your symptoms. Some of these exercises will be movement-based, and some will be designed to provide strength or stability to the regions around the low back. Understand that not all of these exercises will be the right fit for you, based on your current fitness level or comfortability with the exercises, but you will likely be able to find something that works, and eventually you might be able to advance your choices.
Preventing Back and Neck Pain When E-Learning
With the start of the school year approaching, many students are returning to e-learning formats. Students are commonly not used to sitting in front of a computer all day for school learning. Within the in-person environment, students aren’t always in front of a computer screen and generally move in the classroom or when they switch classrooms. With e-learning at home, students may be more sedentary. Neck and back pain complaints are often seen after periods of prolonged sitting, especially with poor posture. Parents and students can use these tips to help in preventing back and neck pain as students return to e-learning this year.
Does Poor Posture Really Cause Back Pain?
How many times have you heard from your elders to “Sit up straight” or “Stop slouching.” We often hear these phrases growing up and many others like them. But how much does our posture relate to the development of back pain? Growing up, I always thought it was very important and as I began my training as a physical therapist, that was reaffirmed. However, as I became more of an orthopedic expert, I realized it is not nearly as important as we were told.
What is Pre-hab?
Do you have a surgery planned soon? Is your sport physically demanding and places you at increased risk of injury? Are you worried about weakness in your joints as you age? Preventative rehabilitation may be the key for you!
Preventative rehabilitation or “pre-hab” helps condition and strengthen the body to improve recovery after surgery, speed up the recovery process and may prevent injury from occurring. Oftentimes, we group pre-hab into two main categories: Prior to surgery and injury prevention. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of both of these pre-hab programs.
Self-Care for New Parents
As a new father and experienced physical therapist, I realized being a new parent is not only a rewarding and joyous experience, but it can be very hard on the body! As Father’s Day approaches, here are some tips I would like to share on how to prevent aches and pains as a new parent.
The Not-So-Comfortable Home Office
Over the last several months the opportunities to Work from Home (WFH) have kept a large majority of the population safe and healthy. Yet, WFH may not always be as comfortable as it sounds. Many workers have needed to trade in their rolling chair and dual computer monitors for the family room couch and laptop. Small changes to someone’s work environment may be on-setting large differences in the way our bodies are used to moving. These changes may also result in new feelings of soreness and pain. It is important to be mindful of the things we can do in order to combat the challenges of WFH to minimize the potential aches and pains of home office life.
What is Sciatica and Can Physical Therapy Help?
The sciatic nerve is a large nerve comprised of smaller nerves that originate in the low lumbar and sacral regions of the spine. The sciatic nerve starts in the low back, travels through the buttock, and into the back of your leg. It has branches that travel all the way to the foot. Sciatic symptoms may include pain, numbness, tingling, cramping, burning and weakness in the muscles of the affected leg. There are many reasons why the sciatic nerve may be symptomatic including a herniated disc, narrowing of the nerve space in the spine, or tightness in hip muscles.
