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What makes the biggest difference to your health? What is the number one treatment of fatigue? What reduces the progression of diabetes and lowers depression? Exercise, mainly walking, makes the biggest difference to our health.
Movement is medicine. Walking is one of the best things for your body. Movement helps us feel better, function better, sleep better and reduce many diseases. You don't need to run triathlons or marathons; even short episodes of physical activity are beneficial. Movement is especially beneficial to lead us through the aging process. As we age, balance becomes jeopardized, our endurance lowers, and strength dwindles. Movement optimizes our health and increases the amount of time that we live. Older individuals who exercise consistently have better balance, more flexibility, stay mobile longer, and have fewer problems with high blood pressure and heart disease. Inactivity is a cause of decline both mentally and physically. If you need help with movement, whether it's pain that's holding you back or you need some extra motivation, give us a call at 520-49-1386. We are movement experts and are committed to helping you become a better version of yourself. Optimize your life, live longer, feel better! Surgery can save lives. If you have a brain tumor or a heart attack, surgery may be the answer. But surgery for shoulder, back, neck pain is often not the solution. Too many people are offered surgery before knowing about and being offered other high-quality conservative care options.
We suggest working with a physical therapist before opting for surgery. Seeing a physical therapist may eliminate your pain, and if you need surgery, pre-physical therapy can put you in better physical condition for recovery. Our physical therapists never cause surgeries, but they've prevented many. Physical therapists can provide pain relief. Pre-physical therapy care can reduce recovery time, shorten hospitalization, or prevent surgery altogether. We have helped multiple people avoid surgery for carpal tunnel, degenerative disk disease, lower back pain, knee osteoarthritis, and many more conditions. Surgery comes with many risks, including the possibility of infection, blood clots, and complications from anesthesia. More doctors recommend physical therapy first as they know the value of helping people stay healthy and mobile. Our bodies are amazing and designed to heal themselves, given proper treatment and nutrition. Before resorting to surgery, see us at Rainey Pain & Performance. Call 520-459-1386 for your second opinion. The term "slipped disc" has become common usage. This is one of the biggest misconceptions people have about back pain, and the image this creates of what's happening in the body leads to further pain. Discs don't slide out of position. Discs are firmly attached to the spinal column by strong ligaments. Discs herniate rather than slip which is typical as we age.
Randy A. Shelerud, M.D., who writes for the Mayo Clinic, teaches that "Disks act as cushions between the vertebrae in your spine. They're composed of an outer layer of tough cartilage that surrounds softer cartilage in the center. Over time, disks dehydrate and their cartilage stiffens. These changes can cause the outer layer of the disk to bulge out fairly evenly all the way around its circumference — so it looks a little like a hamburger that's too big for its bun." If you are experiencing disc herniation, you may think rest is the best medicine. This is false. Studies have shown that most people have some degree of herniated discs but have no pain associated with this condition. Mild exercise is usually the best approach to back pain, including herniated discs. Herniated discs can improve and resolve. Working with a physical therapist is one of the best ways to recover from pain. When you come to see our physical therapists, we begin with a thorough full-body movement assessment. We will determine if it's the herniated disc causing the pain or something else like how your hips or neck move. Too many people think that they will never be free of back pain; this is not true. Working with a physical therapist can resolve the pain you are experiencing. Give us a call today at 520-459-1386 or email us at notifyrpp@gmail.com with your questions. We look forward to helping you avoid medications, injections, and surgery and decreasing your pain. Do you ever wake up in pain? Waking up in pain can cause significant panicking, stress, and frustration. Pain is tricky because it signals that something is off. Unfortunately, we often think it's something serious and arrange to see a doctor for injections, medications, or surgery. We offer some different advice for those times when you wake up in pain.
First, just because you feel pain doesn't mean that you damaged anything and that the solution is injection, medications, or surgery. Sometimes, pain tells you that you need to move differently or that your body is under too much stress. When you are stressed and panicking, your heart rate increases, you breathe faster and shallower, and your body releases cortisol which can intensify the pain signal. You may be tempted to stay in bed and limit your movement, but this is one of the worst things you can do. Movement is medicine, even if it's gentle or a short walk to release endorphins. You may be thinking that your pain is caused by the way and position you sleep. We have found that sleep position doesn't necessarily correlate with the pain. Usually, we find that something you did during the day irritates your body and finally catches up to you, so when you wake up, you feel it. When you come to see one of our physical therapists, we will ask you many questions to see if we can find the cause of the problem. We do not just treat symptoms. Often where you hurt is not where the pain is coming from. Where you feel the pain is usually compensating for another boy part that is not doing its job. Let us identify where the pain is indeed coming from. Avoid injections, medications, and surgery. Give us a call today at 520-459-1386 to find the root cause of your pain so you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle a new day. There are seasons in your life when a 15-minute walk is the most you can commit to for an exercise routine, and that is enough.
Walking increases your cardiovascular fitness by increasing your heart rate. Fifteen minutes of activity will lower your risk of death, decrease your chance of stroke, and reduce the risk of heart attacks. Walking is essential for bone strengthening. If you've recently had surgery, walking should be part of your recovery plan as it will increase your functionality and allow blood flow to reach the areas of your body that need to heal. If you experience chronic conditions like Arthritis, regular walks can improve joint pain and stiffness, reduce inflammation and reduce bone density loss. If walking is difficult and you are missing out on its benefits, let us help you. When you come to see one of our physical therapists, we will assess your gait. You could be experiencing a gait dysfunction which is a change in your normal walking pattern. Gait dysfunctions are the most common cause of falls in older adults. Gait is your pattern of walking, and it involves balance and coordination of muscles. We are experts at identifying root causes of gait dysfunction. We will design a treatment plan together with you that will improve your quality of life. Gait training helps strengthen your muscles and joints, improve your balance and posture, build endurance, develop muscle memory, lower the risk of falls and increase mobility. Give us a call at 520-459-1386 to improve your gait so you can reap all the rewards of 15 minutes of walking. Have you been told that you're bone on bone and surgery is the only option? Bone on bone is a reference to the increased severity of osteoarthritis in a joint. Bone on bone suggests that the amount of cartilage on the bones in the joint is reduced, and inflammation is present.
There's the perception that bone on bone means that the entire joint is smashed on top of itself, and there is nothing left of the tissue. This is a misconception, and rarely is it actually bone on bone. Yes, even if it feels extremely painful. As we age, it's normal for there to be less space in our joints. But when we hear "bone on bone", we fear the worst. Rest assured; there is hope and other options besides surgery. Even some people who are told they have "bone on bone", have very little pain. The APTA (American Physical Therapy Association) shared that current research showed that 60% to 70% of those who first worked with a physical therapist did not have surgery in a group of patients deemed surgical candidates for knee replacement. One year later, those results were unchanged. For many, surgery is avoidable. Pain and imaging don't always line up. X-rays ignore all the soft tissue, all your muscles and can mislead where the pain is coming from. The pain may not always come from arthritis or "bone on bone." Sometimes the pain comes from the joint above or below even if a doctor has told you it's arthritis in that joint. When you see one of our physical therapists, we consider all areas of the body. The pain in your knee may be coming from your back or ankle. If you've been told you have "bone on bone", give us a try before scheduling surgery. We've never caused a surgery, but we've prevented a lot. We start with a 30-45 minute thorough evaluation. We don't just look at the area of concern; we look above and below. We will take the time to listen to your health journey, and TOGETHER we will plan the best treatment option. After each visit, we assess your progress and modify as needed. We also offer post-care opportunities to keep you moving and mobile. We want to see you playing with your grandkids and getting back to the walking or hiking you enjoy. Let us help you improve your mobility and strength and avoid surgery. If you are interested, give us a call today at 520-459-1386 or email us at notifyrpp@gmail.com to ask any questions. Don't do physical therapy! That may sound strange coming from physical therapists, but we encourage you to come see a physical therapist, not come to physical therapy. What's the difference? Not all physical therapy is the same. Physical therapists can treat in a variety of ways and using a variety of treatment methods.
Many clients are hesitant to try a different physical therapist because of previous unsuccessful experiences and lump all physical therapy ineffective. We want to challenge that. At Rainey Pain & Performance, we believe in a patient-provider alliance where TOGETHER we plan the best treatment option, one you feel comfortable with. But first, we get to the root of the problem. We want to discover and diagnose what is causing your pain. We don't just treat symptoms; we treat conditions. You may be feeling hip pain, but maybe your hip is not the problem. It could be your back either referring to your hip or causing your hip to work harder. So we focus on the back, and over time the hip pain releases. Our approach is to look at the whole body. Each new patient appointment starts with a 30-45 minute evaluation. We will take the time to listen and hear your health journey—each visit after we assess your progress and modify as needed. We offer post-care opportunities; modalities are available for your use; we offer classes; and we have in-house personal trainers. Come see one of our physical therapists. We promise it will be a different experience! We love questions; feel free to email us if you are curious and would like more information notifyrpp@gmail.com November is National Diabetes Month. It's a time for communities to team up and bring attention to the disease. This year the focus is on pre-diabetes and prevention.
According to the CDC, more than 1 in 3 U.S. adults have pre-diabetes, and most people don't know they have it. Diabetes can affect anyone at any age. There are small healthy lifestyle changes that can prevent diabetes, one of them being to move more. Seeing a physical therapist is an effective way to increase movement and lower high blood sugar levels. At Rainey Pain & Performance, we are movement experts. We can help you improve your quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement. We will help you overcome barriers and teach you how to safely add physical activity into your life in practical and enjoyable ways. We'll evaluate your strength, flexibility, endurance, balance, and skin sensation (especially in the feet). With these results, we'll design a personalized program meeting your needs. Our end goal is improved mobility and decreased pain. Expected results include:
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. It's an annual campaign to raise awareness of the disease. The goal is to support those affected by prostate cancer and encourage health-promoting behaviors. All men are at risk for prostate cancer. According to the CDC, "Out of every 100 American men, about 13 will get prostate cancer during their lifetime."
Fortunately, with early detection, most men can expect to be cured. There are a number of treatment options, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Physical therapy for prostate cancer should also be part of the treatment plan since there are side effects from the surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Radiation can irritate the bladder, leading to urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control. It's a common but very embarrassing problem. The severity can range from occasionally leakage (when you cough or sneeze) to having an urge to urinate that's so sudden you can't make it to the bathroom in time. You may also experience pelvic pain or sexual dysfunction as a result of prostate treatment. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, "Nearly all men will experience erectile dysfunction for a few months after their surgery, with 40% to 50% returning to pre-treatment function after a year." Seeing a physical therapist can help if you are experiencing any of these side effects. We can help strengthen weak pelvic floor muscles, tackle incontinence issues, decrease sexual dysfunction, increase energy, and re-condition after treatment. The American Urological Association guidelines for Incontinence After Prostate recommend pelvic floor muscle exercises or pelvic floor muscle training in the immediate post-operative period. Physical activity and exercises are critical factors in prostate health for both fighting the disease and preventing recurrence. Those who lead an active lifestyle have better survival rates than those who do not. At Rainey Pain & Performance, we are here to assist you with improving your quality of life before and after prostate cancer treatment. Over one hundred million Americas currently live with chronic pain, and all people experience pain during their lifetimes. Unfortunately, pain is not well understood, creating more frustration for so many people.
September is Pain Awareness Month. The International Association for the Study of Pain works hard to raise public awareness around pain, pain management, and pain professionals' great work during the month and beyond. They are a great resource, and if you want more information about them, please check out their website. https://www.iasp-pain.org/advocacy/pain-awareness-month/ We recognize that pain brings with it fear and anxiety. These emotions often only exacerbate pain. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience." Pain affects our bodies, our minds, and our social life. Conversely, our bodies, our minds, and our social life affect our pain. Pain is not simple. If it were, then it wouldn't be an epidemic in America. At Rainey Pain & Performance, we work with many people who are suffering from chronic pain. Our Physical Therapists and Functional Pain Managers take a holistic approach with each person suffering from ongoing chronic pain. We teach the science of pain, self-management strategies, and identify activities that are safe and not safe to do. When attending physical therapy for chronic pain, your first session will be an evaluation. You will be asked questions about your pain, how it affects your life, what makes it better or worse and what previous treatments you have received, and the outcome of those treatments. Our Therapists or Functional Pain Managers may perform various tests and measures to understand anything contributing to your pain. Exercise has been proven to be effective for chronic pain. Also, pain education can result in increased hope and motivation to improve. Managing your pain can be challenging. Let us help you start your healing! Give us a call at 520-459-1386 to set up an appointment to get your pain under control. |
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