Physical Therapy for Tendonitis
June 23, 2010
Tendonitis – an inflammation of or around a tendon – might feel like nothing more than a sore muscle. But as anyone who has suffered from common forms of tendonitis – like “tennis elbow” and “Achilles tendonitis” – will tell you, it takes plenty of physical therapy to ease the aches and pains of this injury.
While it is possible to alleviate tendonitis, experts warn sufferers to avoid engaging in the activities that first caused the injury. According to Bob Mangine, chairman of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Sports Physical Therapy Section: “Continuing to use the tendon in the same repetitive motion that triggered the problem in the first place will make it very difficult to get better.” So no matter what the cause of the injury – whether you’ve got a vigorous golf swing or simply type too much – continuously engaging in that activity will severely hinder your chances of getting better.
But there are several pain-relief treatments that anyone can use; in fact, use these at-home treatments as a supplement to your physical therapy for tendonitis, and you should be seeing results in no time:
- While you’ll want to discontinue the activity that caused the tendonitis injury, don’t rest the muscle too much; in fact, muscle atrophy can actually aggravate tendonitis pain. That’s why it’s important to seek physical therapy for tendonitis, as it will prevent your muscles from growing weak.
- Keep the tendon warm by soaking it in a warm bath before and after engaging in activity. By increasing blood flow to the affected area, you’ll decrease any pain and soreness that you might otherwise feel from your exertions.
- Forget the old wives’ tale about bandages and braces: wrapping the affected area can actually help support your injured tendons. Just don’t wrap the area too tightly, as this can constrict blood flow and weaken the tendon altogether. And don’t forget to elevate the affected area after exercise to reduce any swelling!
- Physical therapy for tendonitis will help to speed up your tendon’s recovery; however, if you’re experiencing any pain during your therapy, it’s fine to seek relief from over-the-counter medication. Aspirin and other anti-inflammatory medications can reduce swelling and relieve pain, so you can continue on with your day.
When considering treatment for any kind of tendonitis, our physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
Physical Therapy and Laser Therapy for Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow
June 17, 2010
You don’t have to be a frequent golfer or tennis player to experience the aches and pains associated with tennis and golfer’s elbow. In fact, any strenuous activity that involves the tendons on the elbow can lead to these painful syndromes.
So what exactly is tennis and golfer’s elbow? While these injuries may occur at the elbow, the tendons involved are different: tennis elbow is caused by the degeneration of the tendon that attaches the bone on the outside of the elbow, while golfer’s elbow affects the tendons on the inside of the elbow. Sufferers of tennis and golfer’s elbow often experience significant pain directly on the elbow during heavy exercise and lifting; in fact, even typing or opening a door can cause a great deal of discomfort. Both injuries are equally painful, and require physical therapy in order to treat it.
In addition to physical therapy, laser therapy has become an increasingly popular method of reducing and eliminating tennis and golfer’s elbow. Studies have shown that laser therapy can lessen elbow pain and discomfort, allowing sufferers to resume physical activity again. Laser therapy can also reduce inflammation and increase movement within the affected tendon, which gives sufferers some much-needed relief from elbow aches and pains.
For long-term benefits and solutions, experts still regard physical therapy as the best option for tennis and golfer’s elbow. Physical therapy for the affected elbow tendon will involve a range of wrist stretching and gentle motion exercises, which will keep the tendons from atrophying. In fact, muscular atrophy can actually heighten the pain and discomfort of tennis and golfer’s elbow, which is why experts recommend physical therapy over simply ceasing to use the affected area.
When undergoing laser and/or physical therapy, health experts also recommend the following tips to get the most out of your sessions:
- Ice the affected area after your physical therapy session. This reduces painful swelling and will help your tendons to heal faster.
- If you’re in pain from a session, it’s fine to take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication and aspirin. Just be sure to check with your doctor before taking any pain medication.
- Keeping the affected area in a brace will help to support and protect the tendon; however, make sure that the brace isn’t wrapped too tightly, as this can cut off blood flow to the elbow.
When considering treatment for tennis and/or golfer’s elbow, our physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
I Slipped a Disk – What Is That Exactly?
June 16, 2010
“I was digging a hole in my garden and hit a rock with the shovel. After clearing the dirt from around the rock, I bent over and reached into the hole. I couldn’t get a good grip on the rock and had to twist my body to get my arm under it. As I started to move the rock, I felt something ‘give out’ in my low back and felt immediate low back pain, but it wasn’t terrible. Like a fool, I gave it another try but this time, the pain in my back was really sharp when I twisted to reach under it. Then, it felt like a knife stabbing me when I tried to stand up. Since then, I can’t stand up straight and pain is shooting down my left leg.”
The intervertebral disk is like a shock-absorber located between each vertebra in our spine extending from the tail bone to the upper neck. When healthy, your disks truly do function as shock absorbers. There are two parts to the disk – the inner part (called the nucleus) which is the liquid-like center and the outer part (the annulus), which is tough, laminated and rubber-like whose job is to hold the nucleus in the center of the disk. The annulus has concentric rings which look similar to the rings of an oak tree trunk and the strength of these laminated rings is due to the fibers crisscrossing, creating a self-sealing, secure border for the nucleus center. In spite of this great anatomical structure, our disks degenerate and can crack or tear allowing the more liquid-like nucleus to leak out of the annulus creating the classic “slipped disk” (technically referred to as a herniated or ruptured disk). When the herniated disk presses into the nerve that goes down the leg, pain is felt along its course and can radiate all the way to the foot. There are five vertebrae and disks with a pair of nerves that go into each leg and depending which disk ruptures, pain will follow a different course down the leg, which is why we ask you if you feel the pain more in the back or in the front of the leg. When the disk tears prior to both disk herniation and leg pain, low back pain occurs because the nerve fibers that are normally only located in the outer third of the disk grow into the central portion of the disk, making it generate more pain.
So now for the important question, “…what can I do for it?” When you visit our office, we will ask you about how you injured your back. Often, the cause of a herniated disk can be the accumulation of multiple events over time. It certainly can happen after one major event, like our example of lifting a rock out of a hole, but that is usually the “straw that breaks the camel’s back” and not the sole cause. Many researchers have reported it is rare for a healthy disk to herniate. Rather, disk degeneration with tears already present sets up the situation where a bend plus a twist, “…finishes the job.” The orthopedic and neurological examination will usually clearly identify the level of herniation. Chiropractic treatment often includes traction types of techniques, some form of spinal manipulation or mobilization, extension exercises, physical therapy modalities like electric stimulation, low level laser, or ultrasound, and ice therapy. Core / trunk strengthening and posture management are also commonly applied and, proper bending/lifting/pulling/pushing techniques are taught. We realize that you have a choice in where you choose for your healthcare services. If you, a friend or family member requires care for low back pain, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future
This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.
<small>Dr. Chludzinski has been treating neuropathic conditions for the past 5 years. He is the founder of Hudson Center for Spinal Care located in Bayonne and Scotch Plains, New Jersey. In preparation for his career, Dr. Chludzinski attended St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, NJ, graduating in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Science. He continued his studies at Life University School of Chiropractic in Marietta, Georgia, graduating in the class of 2002 as a Doctor of Chiropractic. Dr. Chludzinski services all of Union and Hudson counties, including Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Harrison, Kearny, Newark, Elizabeth, Westfield, Clark, Fanwood, Plainfield, Watchung, Mountainside, Berkeley Heights and South Plainfield.</small>
Best Positions to Sleep In To Support Posture and Spinal Alignment
June 10, 2010
You know that maintaining good posture and regularly exercising your back muscles can work wonders for those who experience a significant amount of back pain. But if you’re still waking up every morning with lingering back and shoulder pain, it may not be enough. In fact, according to experts, even the best mattress in the world won’t help your morning aches and pains unless you sleep in a position primed for pain prevention.
So when it comes to how you sleep at night, which position comes out on top as the ultimate way to prevent and even alleviate back, neck and shoulder pains?
Side sleepers have the right idea: according to numerous studies, the best way to sleep is in the fetal position, with your knees bent.
So why is this position the best for your back? Experts claim that how we lie when we sleep – on our backs, stomachs or sides – has a significant effect on the amount of strain our muscles, joints and nerves experience. For those who sleep on their backs, the spine is forced into an unnatural straight position; since our spines curve in three different locations – our lower back, mid-back and near our neck – it’s not surprising that back sleepers often report feeling more pain at these three focal areas.
If you have difficulty sleeping on your side, here are a few tips that can help you prevent those troublesome morning pains:
- Sleeping on your side is good – but tucking a small pillow in between your knees can give your spine even more support while you sleep, as it takes a great deal of stress off of your back.
- Can’t fall asleep unless you’re on your back? Then take a small pillow and prop it under your knees. This reduces the pressure on your lower back, where your sciatic nerve is located. Lower back pain tends to be severe when this nerve is stressed, so propping your knees can help you wake up feeling relaxed and in less pain.
- Another useful tip for back sleepers: place another small pillow under your neck (think travel-sized) to relieve additional pressure from the spine. However, make sure that your chin isn’t pressed too far forward.
- For those who prefer to sleep on their stomachs, it’s time to learn a new position: sleeping facedown exaggerates the arch of your back, causing a significant amount of strain on both the nerves and muscles. Re-teach yourself how to sleep by taping a soft stress ball to the front of your pajamas – your body will quickly learn that sleeping facedown is a very uncomfortable experience!
When considering treatment for back pain, our physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
Hudson County Physical Therapy for Headaches
June 3, 2010
According to CNN Medical Correspondent Judy Fortin, Doctors estimate 80 percent of the population will suffer from a tension headache at some point. They can last from 30 minutes to a week.
Because headaches come from a variety of sources including stress, tension, trauma or even sleep problems, treatments that include relaxation for the muscles and body are going to help.
Physical therapists use a variety of techniques to help headache sufferers including exercise, posture education, massage, stretching, heat, ultrasound, ice, and other measures to reduce the muscular tightness sometimes associated with headaches. A massage therapist can also help to reduce muscle tightness and pain as well as helping to bring about a generally relaxed state.
For migraine sufferers, there is often tension in the neck associated with the migraine. Relaxing neck tension can help reduce the pain and discomfort brought on by the migraine. Physical therapists and trained massage therapists can use a variety of techniques including adjustments, massage, posture correction and movement correction to improve proper function in your joints and muscles.
Because of the connection between nerve endings in the jaw and neck, pain in those areas can actually be experienced in the head as a migraine. In such cases, physical therapy can help to reduce tension in the neck and jaw and to restore proper alignment and function. In addition, massage can help relieve neck tension and jaw tension that often leads to migraines.
When considering treatment for headaches, whether it’s a tension-type or migraine, our physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In- Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-8889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 Value).
This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.
Article by Dr. Eric Chludzinski, DC. Dr. Chludzinski is the founder of Hudson Center for Spinal Care located in Bayonne and Scotch Plains, New Jersey. In preparation for his career, Dr. Chludzinski attended St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, NJ graduating in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Science. He continued his studies at Life University School of Chiropractic in Marietta, GA graduating in the class of 2002 as a Doctor of Chiropractic. Dr. Chludzinski, DC services all of Union County and Hudson County in New Jersey.
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