Shoulder Pain & All that you need to know
Shoulder Pain: Closing the GAP
Bicep tendonitis, rotator cuff tendonosis, labrum, AC joint, brachioplexus pain and everything in between are some of the most common diagnosis for shoulder pain. Shoulder pain can be an extremely nagging issue that impacts dumbbell work, overhead presses, pull ups, bench presses and all your other mechanical lifts. It could also impact your sport - tennis, pickle ball, basketball, football, golf, etc. Often these exercises and sports can negatively impact your shoulder meaning it could potentially do more harm than good to continue to ‘push through’ the pain. At this point of the rehab, rest is a viable option or even other pain relieving modalities and treatments.
What happens if you have done all that and the pain continues to linger and fester?
What happens when you’ve rested and the pain has gone down but when you go back to lifting, exercising, or returning to the sport you love, the pain reappears?
How then do you begin to navigate your pain?
What then do you consider when you begin your health and fitness, sport journey again?
Rest and symptom relieving modalities are a great option under specific circumstances - when you need to alleviate the pain and decrease the symptoms that are so debilitating, pain relief is what is needed most. When the body has gone through the pain relieving and tissue healing phase, it is time to begin to the process of reintroducing your body to certain ‘stressors’ in a pain free, systematic, and individualized way.
There is a GAP that exists between the time pain has started to go down to the level of physical activity you engaged in - the GAP must be closed and resting and pain relieving modalities unfortunately does NOT close that gap.
Introduction of ‘stressors’ into your system by adding load in ways that are specific to you are a great way to begin loading your shoulder and increasing fitness tolerance - it is not only a great way, but is efficient and effective in getting you back to fitness/sport and closing that frustration gap!
LOAD the shoulder - make it individualized, specific, pain-free!
The BEST Rehab looks like Fitness
The fastest, most efficient way to get you back to the thing you absolutely love to do especially if you are in pain is to move towards the very thing you want to do again - i.e. weight lifting, running, swinging a golf club, playing basketball, going for a swim, playing pickle ball. The goal of physical therapy should be to move you towards that goal in a expedited and efficient way. Your time, your energy, your efforts are extremely valuable and critical in your rehab process and in fact, a poor plan of care/plan of action in your rehab process could slow down and even inhibit your recovery process. A poor plan can slow down your progress and limit the speed in which you get back to your goal. A poor plan of care can also limit your full healing and recovery - not all plans are perfect - that means that an imperfect plan can result in an imperfect result - an imperfect result can result in continued pain with performance and also pain and limitations in your return to your goals.
With that said, if you want to get back to a physical activity, your physical therapy and physical therapist have to move you towards that goal. Often the largest limiting factor in that process is actually ‘weights’ - physical therapy often does not get you strong enough nor tolerant enough to your goal thus decreasing your ability to return to your goal. Physical therapy brings you so far and often there’s a gap between your functional goal and your body. That gap needs to close - it’ll help with efficiency, effectiveness, complete recovery, and a safe and productive return to the physical activity you enjoy most.
Thus your rehab especially as you get closer to your goal, should look a bit like fitness - maybe consider weights, resistance bands to strengthen, cardio machines that will push you, NOT simply laying on a table with modalities or a massage (although that does sound nice!)
Your time, energy, efforts, and resources are way too valuable and important - don’t waste them in your rehab and push the limits of your return!
Lifting weights is NOT Rehab
‘Physical Therapy & Rehab SHOULD NOT be lifting weights’
Have you heard this before about your physical rehab process?
Has your physical therapist/medical provider told you NOT to lift weights?
Are you now scared, afraid, and unsure how to even go back to lifting weights, working out, running, etc. because you’ve been told this?
Does being active again seem so far away in fact that you can’t imagine you being able to do it again?
Here’s the stark reality. The answer to the questions above is not cut and dry - so as a result, you can’t expect a clear cut answer to that comment/question.
Here’s what is clear:
The recommendation and the rehab process should move you closer towards lifting weights, running, your health and fitness goals. Physical therapy should be difficult and challenging - we believe, that is the most appropriate way, the fastest and most complete way to get rid of your pain and get you back to the work you love to do.
Again your physical therapy process should entail:
DOING DIFFICULT, CHALLENGING MOVEMENTS THAT YOU DO EXTREMELY WELL - QUALITATIVELY.
Doing this helps decrease the pain quickly, appropriately, and completely to support you and your body to get back to the fitness and movement you absolutely love. Don’t let pain get in the way of your return to health!
Sciatica & what it’s saying to you
It impacts your sleep, your daily habits, you can’t cough cause of pain, or even bend down to tie you shoes. Lifting weights, running and keeping up with your fitness and health goals are so far off - you can’t imagine that you will one day go back to lifting weights or even exercising because of the pain. Sciatica is a debilitating thing and can cause pain in more ways than one
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which is the longest nerve in the human body. This nerve runs from the lower back, through the buttocks, and down the back of each leg. Sciatica isn't a medical condition itself but rather a symptom of an underlying problem, such as a herniated disc, bone spur, or spinal stenosis, that compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve.
Common symptoms of sciatica include:
Pain: It often starts in the lower back or buttock and can radiate down the back of the thigh and leg. The pain might range from mild to severe, and it could be sharp, burning, or shooting.
Numbness or Tingling: Some individuals may experience numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected leg or foot.
Worsening with Certain Movements: Activities such as sitting for prolonged periods, coughing, sneezing, or straining can exacerbate the pain.
One-Sided Affliction: Sciatica typically affects only one side of the body.
Potential Muscular Weakness: In severe cases, individuals might experience difficulty moving the affected leg or foot and could have diminished reflexes in that leg.
Let’s get even more nerdy as we believe this is important information as you battle Sciatica.
In the context of Sciatica, particularly related to spinal issues and nerve-related pain, "peripheralization" and "centralization" are concepts often used in the assessment and management of symptoms, especially in cases of back or neck pain with associated radicular symptoms (symptoms that radiate along the nerve pathway).
Peripheralization: This term refers to the movement or shifting of symptoms away from the center or origin of the issue. In the context of spinal problems like disc herniation or nerve impingement, peripheralization means that symptoms, such as pain or tingling, tend to move outward or extend further down the extremities. For instance, in a person with low back pain that radiates down the leg (sciatica), if the pain extends or worsens further down the leg, it is considered to be peripheralizing.
Centralization: In contrast, centralization involves the opposite pattern. It refers to the movement of symptoms from the periphery (such as the arms or legs) back toward the center or origin of the problem, typically the spine. For example, if a person with radiating leg pain (sciatica) experiences a reduction or disappearance of leg pain and a return of symptoms more centrally in the low back, it's considered as centralization.
In short, Centralization = ‘Getting better’ ‘Feeling Better’. Peripheralization = ‘I don’t feel as good’
This is a critical piece to assess whether or not you are progressing in your rehab process. This will also help identify whether you can proceed with your fitness and functional goals and desires vs. having to pivot away from them. Get your Sciatica right today!
97% of people experience this at one point in their lives…
Pain is inevitable especially LOW BACK PAIN, at least that’s what the statistics are saying. Here are some important stats for you to consider when it comes to Low Back Pain:
Here are some statistics related to low back pain:
Prevalence:
According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide.
It's estimated that around 80% of people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives.
Impact:
Low back pain can significantly impact a person's quality of life, leading to limitations in daily activities, reduced productivity at work, and emotional distress.
It is one of the most common reasons for missed workdays and visits to healthcare providers.
Risk Factors:
Risk factors for developing low back pain include age, lack of physical activity, poor posture, obesity, smoking, and certain occupations that involve heavy lifting or repetitive movements.
Economic Burden:
Low back pain poses a substantial economic burden on healthcare systems and individuals. It leads to high healthcare costs, including medical treatments, rehabilitation, and lost productivity.
Treatment:
Treatment for low back pain varies and may include physical therapy, medications, lifestyle modifications, exercise, and in severe cases, surgery.
However, the effectiveness of treatments can vary based on the cause and severity of the pain.
Chronicity:
While many cases of low back pain resolve within a few weeks with proper treatment and self-care, some individuals experience chronic low back pain that lasts for months or even years.
In light of these stats, low back pain continues to be solved via SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS vs. looking at the LONG TERM EFFECTS & IMPACT.
Do you want low back pain again and again?
Do you want to get to the source of low back pain?
REST, ICE, PAIN MEDS are NOT your solution
Long term solutions are unconventional and cannot be treated via conventional treatment approaches. Low Back Pain is a LOCAL issue that requires a GLOBAL, full body approach to treatment.