Stand Up To Your Pain! Tips to Alleviate Your Pain and Improve Your Spine Health
Are you living with back pain? Do you notice your pain worsens when you have to stand for more than 10 minutes or when you have to walk long distances? At PacificPro Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, our physical therapists are experts at helping our patients resolve their pain and get back to doing what they love!
The severity of back pain can range from minor dull aches to sharp stabbing pains. Pain that radiates from the spine to the buttocks and down the leg(s) may be a sign of sciatica. Understanding why you are having pain and what to do about it can be tricky.
Your spine does a lot for your body — it protects your spinal cord, allows you to breathe correctly, and it is what allows your body to move. Almost every function in your body is directly connected to the health of your spine. You may even wonder how to tell if your spine is healthy.
The Importance Of Good Spine Health
Your spine is a complicated structure of bones, joints, muscles, discs, and nerves. It takes a delicate balance to make sure it is at its peak level of health and function. Back pain is often the result of a breakdown somewhere in the system and can be avoided by improving your spinal health.
To make sure your spine is at its optimum health, you must achieve the following:
• Good posture and spinal curves
• Strong trunk muscles (i.e., core,
gluteus, and spinal muscles)
• Good joint and muscle mobility
• Good balance and coordination ability
• Good nutrition and rest at night
Of course, much like anything else, maintaining great spine health is easier said than done. Fortunately, our team of physical therapists knows how to make sure you understand what to do to keep it functioning at its peak level!
Healthy Recipe – Tomato, Mozzarella, & Basil Bruschetta
Ingredients:
• 1 (32-oz) can whole
tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin
olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• Kosher salt & freshly ground
black pepper
• 2 large French baguettes,
sliced 1-inch thick (about
36 slices)
• 1 1/2lbs fresh mozzarella
cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, add drained tomatoes, 1 cup basil leaves, olive oil and 2 cloves garlic. Pulse until smooth, but somewhat chunky. Season with salt and pepper. On a baking sheet, line up baguette slices. Toast in oven for about 3 minutes. Working quickly, rub the remaining garlic on the toasted side of each slice and then lay a piece of mozzarella cheese on top. Place bread back in oven for about 45 seconds. Remove from oven and spread one tablespoon of the tomato mixture on each piece. Place bruschetta on decorative platter and garnish with basil leaves.
Exercise To Try At Home
Try this simple exercise to help strengthen your core.
Start in tabletop position on a bed or table, with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Grab the edge of the bed or table with your hands. Slowly drop your hips back toward your heels. Hold for 30 seconds.
4 Tips For Avoiding Sports Injuries
School is back in session and with a new school year comes a new season for sports! Whether your kids play for their school team or an extracurricular rec team, there is always the risk of an injury. Some are fairly minor, such as scrapes and bruises, but some can be serious enough to need medical intervention. Here is a collection of tips that can help keep your kids playing the game they love rather than watching from the sidelines:
- Emphasize the importance of warm-ups. Stretching is important to loosen muscle fibers and increase blood flow to the area. A mix of both static stretches (such as toe touches) and dynamic stretches (such as highknees) will get your athlete ready to hit the field.
- Make sure they are getting enough rest. Muscle fatigue predisposes an athlete to injury, so sleep is critical for your body to restore and rebuild muscle fibers. Make sure your child is also taking a season “off,” as overuse injuries are the most common injuries seen in young athletes.
- Make sure they are hydrating! Heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, are a real concern for anyone exercising outside, especially on hot and humid days.
- Make sure they are eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. It is important for athletes to fuel up correctly with a diet that consists of whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.