Skip to content

Safe Holiday Decorating Tips

You’ve spent the afternoon out in the yard raking leaves and wake up the next morning with sharp pain in your lower back. You pop a few ibuprofens and wait it out a couple of hours, but the pain doesn’t subside. What should you do?

 

While it’s always a safe bet to call your doctor, chances are they’ll recommend seeing a physical therapist. Physical therapists can help treat and prevent injuries, and help with your overall health and fitness.

 

How? Because physical therapists are trained to recognize bad postures and other poor habits that can increase your risk of injury, whether you’re in the yard or training for a marathon. In fact, there are a few things your PT can do that your doctor can’t:

 

  1. ASSESS YOUR INJURY RISK.

 

The same way you see your primary care doctor for an annual check-up, you should see your PT once a year for a musculoskeletal screening. These visits let you know where your weaknesses are, and where it’s most important to focus your efforts to stay injury-free for the whole year.

 

Or, if you’re planning on starting a new exercise routine or finally signing up to run that half marathon, your PT can help you prepare for what’s around the bend. Physical therapy before taking on a new challenge can help prevent the injuries that can often come with jumping knee-deep into a new hobby.

 

  1. work smarter, not harder to lose weight.

 

So many patients we work with have failed at exercise in the past. You kill yourself at the gym, only to see the scale stay the same. That’s because the general belief is that the harder you work, the more weight you lose. Not true! We can teach you how to work smarter, not harder, to lose that weight.

 

Whether it’s recommending the best form of exercise for your body type or using heart rate monitors to measure when you’re in the optimal zone for losing weight, we’ll help you get started on a routine that gets you well on your way to meeting your fitness goals. As you increase your stamina and lose weight, we’ll adjust your workouts accordingly.

 

  1. CORRECT YOUR bad posture.

 

This should come as no shock, but if you sit hunched over a desk for long periods of time during the week – your neck and back pain are likely the result of bad posture. With a simple assessment, your PT can pinpoint where your specific issues and recommend exercises and stretches to help you strengthen your core and improve your posture.

 

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? Well, one musculoskeletal screening per year can have the same effect – seeing your physical therapist for an annual check-in can save you time and money throughout the entire year.

 

Schedule your annual screening now before your deductible resets… you can use any FSA or HSA dollars before they renew. We’ll get you on track to a healthy 2018 and an injury-free New Year’s resolution season!

Schedule Now