Covid-19 has shaken our world. It's a pandemic that has dramatically affected all of us. We feel great sadness as we think of all those who have lost their lives due to the virus. We offer our sincere condolences if you have lost someone dear and close to you.
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If you've had the virus, you know that recovery is a continuing journey. You may have quickly recovered from the COVID symptoms but still do not feel back to your regular health. Bed rest can complicate the musculoskeletal system and leave you with decreased strength and atrophy. Due to isolation and quarantine, limited physical activity may have caused increased fatigue, weakness, and reduced balance. Hospitalization can lead to decreased endurance and reduced lung capacity.

We are here to help if you are struggling in your recovery or need extra support to return to optimal wellness.

How do we help? With you, we identify what the limiting factors are. For instance, maybe this made your arthritis pain worse, and we need to focus on that. Perhaps you just have decreased energy, so we need to focus on that. Whatever you are struggling with, we will make the focus. 

We want you to return to your prior functioning levels. We need you healthy and well. We have already lost too many precious souls. If your recovery is not progressing or you'd like to speed it up, please come see us, and together we will develop a plan to get you back to maximized wellness.

As we approach the holiday season, some of you may worry about keeping up with your physical therapy and staying healthy and well. We want you to enjoy the festivities, traditions, fun, and family. Here are some tips to help you avoid pain during the holidays:

1. Stay active - Find opportunities to move around. Take a walk or go on a hike with loved ones. Involve family members in a stretching session. Avoid spending too much time in one position, preventing soreness and risk of developing blood clots. 
2. Be careful lifting - Test the object's weight before attempting to lift heavy packages. Take smaller loads, so it's less strain on your back. Distribute shopping bags weight equally on both sides of your body. 
3. Baking - Choose a surface at the level of your forearms when your elbows are bent at a right angle. This level will decrease the risk of back, neck, and shoulder strain. Long in-kitchen sessions can aggravate injuries and increase pain. Make special foods ahead of time, breaking up long sessions in the kitchen.
4. Hydrate - Beware of all the salty, delicious treats that can lead to dehydration. Drink plenty of water and then some more! 
5. Home Exercise Program (HEP) - Continue to perform your assigned home exercises. We are all different. Your exercises sometimes may seem simple. However, they are specifically chosen for you, your stage in life, and specific conditions. 

As we look forward to the approaching season, we wish you good health and a merry holiday. 

Do you experience any of the following: 

• Tenderness of the jaw 
• Jaw pain or soreness
• Jaw pain when chewing, biting, or yawning
• Difficulty opening or closing jaw
• Click or popping noises when opening the jaw
• Pain in or around your ear

If you encounter any of these, you may be dealing with Temporomandibular disorder, also known as TMJ. Millions of Americans deal with TMJ as it is a common non-dental challenge.  

When you come to see a physical therapist, we start by evaluating and observing. We will spend time looking at the upper portion of your spine, near your neck, and figure out how well the jaw is functioning, checking for any abnormalities. We will then carefully evaluate your jaw movement and examine the muscles, disc, and joints. 

When you come to see us, our goal is to decrease the pain you are experiencing and restore your jaw's natural movement. We do this through various treatment methods. Carefully selected jaw and neck exercises, dry needling, and joint manipulation are some of the treatments that are most helpful for TMJ.
https://www.raineypainandperformance.com/tmj.html

​This time of year, even amidst the chaos, there's much to be thankful for. Taking time to express gratitude can lead to greater happiness and even improve physical health. Grateful people are known to experience fewer aches and pains. Gratitude even helps reduce toxic emotions.  It doesn't matter what the season is, taking time to be grateful is a good practice.

At Rainey Pain & Performance, we are celebrating 4 years of business.  We credit our success to our community.  We are so grateful to the people of Sierra Vista who have helped us grow. Thank you for trusting us with your health. Thank you for engaging with us. Thank you for participating in our wellness challenges and other events. Thank you for referring us to your friends and family.  Thank you for sharing feedback with us that helps us improve the patient experience.  

We look forward to more years of serving you and expressing our gratitude to all of you. We love decreasing pain, increasing performance, and expressing gratitude! 

https://www.raineypainandperformance.com/community.html

Have you heard the term "text neck"? If not, you can probably quickly come to a conclusion. It's a condition caused by repeatedly leaning forward while viewing and operating your technology device. This constant leaning forward is sometimes associated with chronic neck pain. The CDC's National Health Statistics estimate that 30% of the US population deals with neck pain each year. Our bodies are not meant for sitting for long periods or constantly hunching over a computer screen. Office workers, manual laborers, and healthcare workers are at the most risk. 

Seeing a physical therapist can help you decrease pain from "text neck" and learn how to prevent it. We can determine where the issue lies and offer the right exercises and stretches and others interventions.

Below are a few common activities that can help. If not, come in to see our physical therapists for a personalized plan for you. 

Scapular Rolls ​

• Roll shoulders up and hold for 5 seconds. 
• Roll shoulders back and hold for 5 seconds.
• Roll shoulders down and hold for 5 seconds.

​Upper Trapezius Stretch

• Look down towards one shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. 

Chin Tucks

• Pull your chin gently straight back. Don't tilt your head up or down. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax. ​

Chronic pain is one of the most common reasons veterans seek health care. Far too quickly, opioids are prescribed, only leading to temporary relief and eventually more severe side effects.
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Thankfully the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is learning better treatment methods, including physical therapy, as a safer and more effective way to approach and manage chronic pain.

How can seeing a physical therapist or functional pain manager help with chronic pain? We identify the recovery limiting factor. It may be a biomechanical problem, it may be a problem with your exercise routine, it may be a misunderstanding of what is safe or not for you, or it could be something else. We pinpoint the source of the pain and provide you with an accurate diagnosis. Through various treatment methods, including manual therapies, personalized exercises and stretches, dry needling, education, and pain neuroscience, we restore balance, coordination, flexibility, and strength, improving your movement and function and alleviating pain.
 
Chronic pain can saturate all aspects of your life. We strongly discourage opioids as a solution. There are better, more effective treatments available, and our unparalleled physical therapy and functional pain management may be your answer. On your first visit, we'll discuss the plan of care, expected outcomes, and how long it will take to achieve these outcomes. Come see us so we can help you decrease your pain while improving your movement. 

Do you know what a critical factor in the success of any treatment plan is? It is the relationship between the patient and the medical provider. We encourage you to SEE a physical therapist or work WITH a physical therapist, not just do or get physical therapy, because we believe in the power of partnership. 
In our clinic, here are 3 things we strive to do to be a good partner.

1. Words - Words are powerful. They can provide encouragement, trust, and motivation, or they can tear down and bring discouragement. We aim to be honest but optimistic and reassuring.
2. Education - All of our therapists are Doctors of Physical Therapy (DPT). That means we completed extra schooling, plus clinical rotations and residency or fellowship training (rare among physical therapists). We specialize in orthopaedics. This advanced education and additional experience help us provide better care.
3. Evidence-Based - We are an evidence-based clinic. We use the integration of research and open and thoughtful decision making. You can expect questions throughout your appointment as we want to understand the effects of treatment and the outcome of conditions. The evidence-based method provides the newest and latest information. Practicing this way prompts us to make adjustments to our treatment methods, providing you with more beneficial results. 

Join us in a partnership. Come see and work with a physical therapist.

​Tensions are high, and turmoil is surrounding us. The American Psychological Association recently reported that stress levels are significantly higher compared to previous years. While some stress is good, chronic stress can be detrimental to our bodies. Stress can lead to fatigue, inflammation, headaches, muscle tightness, neck, back, and shoulder pain.

Many wait to turn to physical therapy as a follow-up after a surgery, accident, or injury, but did you know that you can turn to physical therapy for stress now?

Working with a physical therapist can help you manage your stress and its symptoms. We reduce tension in the neck and back through powerful interventions and educate you on how to perform these at home. Let us use our very own virtual reality relaxation program and heart rate variability training to provide that feeling of much-needed rest. Breathing can significantly decrease overall stress. Allow us the opportunity to teach you breathing techniques and tips you can use daily for the rest of your life!

If you have a hard time coping with stress and its impact on your body, schedule an appointment, and we will help you on your journey to well-being.

The 2020 World Series is upon us between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Dodgers. It's been a unique season for the professional athletes with shortened spring training, fewer games, and playing in empty stadiums. COVID has hit every layer of life, and baseball is no exception. 
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According to the MLB, the 2020 season, a shortened season, saw a significant jump in injuries, 22% more than 2019. The shortened spring training likely played a role in the increase of numbers.

It's essential to keep active whether you are a professional athlete or enjoy a backyard pick-up game. Remaining active at all ages helps us better maintain our health. As we age, activity should not stop; however, the amount and kind of exercise needed may change. 

We love helping all ages put together a plan to stay active. We offer performance and fitness training and work together to reach your goal. We are experts in how the human body moves and will help alleviate your pain, prevent injuries, and keep you active and mobile. 
 
The worst news for an athlete is hearing they cannot play the game due to injury or limitation. Let us help you keep playing in your game!

October is full of health awareness, including National Physical Therapy Month. We focus on celebrating our profession's accomplishments and raising awareness about our work and its benefits.

Physical therapists were first known as reconstruction aides. World War l marked the start of the profession, where there was a demand for rehabilitation. We are thankful to the military for introducing the country to our work. The military remains very pro physical therapy, and we witness that support in our community, working with many active and retired service members.

Physical therapy has continued to grow and has benefited millions of people. Being physically active is one of the most important things you can do for your health. When you experience pain, limited mobility, and other ailments, getting the exercise you need can be difficult.

The benefits of seeing a physical therapist include maximized movement, avoiding opioids, avoiding surgery, managing pain, injury prevention, and improved balance.

The practice of physical therapy continues to develop, and we love being a part of an evolving and growing profession. We look forward to celebrating many more National Physical Therapy months with you. ​