Back Pain, Neck Pain, Headaches . . . How are you Breathing?

In patients that have back, neck pain, or headaches, I often find that they are breathing in a way that provokes their pain.
 

Many times they have forgotten how to exhale. This then elevates the front of the rib cage and "squishes" the low back.



This can also push the head forward into a forward head posture.



Do you think this might affect you? Read this blog post that I wrote a few months ago for another blog. It will take you through some experiments that can help you learn how to breathe better!

Get the Most out of Your Physical Therapy

Try filling out this worksheet to help obtain the fastest recovery possible for your injury!

In order to get better, I need to:

1. Attend and Actively Participate in Physical Therapy ____ x/week for ____ weeks. In this time frame _____ % of people with my injury get better. (Some take longer, some take less time).

2. Do my home exercises ____ x/day. These will take me about ____ minutes/day.

3. I need to avoid activities that will make my injury worst. Those activities are:
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

I need to avoid these things for ____ weeks.

4. There are some activities I need to modify, but could still do with my injuries. Here are the modifications I need to make:
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

5. I should use (ice/heat) on my injury _____ minutes at a time, _____ x/day. (Ask your PT if Ice or Heat is the right choice).

6. I need to get enough rest to allow recovery. For most people, this is 7-8 hours/night. Here is what I will modify in my schedule to make rest a prioritiy:
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________

Have questions? Bring this worksheet to Physical Therapy with you and ask your rehab team to help you fill it out! We wish you well soon! Do you have other items you think would be valuable in this worksheet? Please share them with us!

What is Physical Therapy?

Do you wonder what a Physical Therapist is? Who do Physical Therapists work with? This blog post is designed to help!

Question: What kind of education do Physical Therapists have?

Answer: This article, supported by the American Physical Therapy Association, will provide a great understanding of this topic.  All of OSR Physical Therapy's Physical Therapists have a graduate degree of either a Master's or a Clinical Doctorate. Most are members of the American Physical Therapy Association.




Question: Do I have to be an athlete to work with a Physical Therapist?

Answer: No. Physical Therapists work with all kinds of people that generally want to improve motion and function. This article provides an overview of the broad range of areas that Physical Therapy may be able to help. OSR Physical Therapy specializes in working with active people, athletes, and dancer, or people with a strong desire to be active.


Question: I see that the article talks about areas such as balance training and diabetes. Do you work with these populations?

Answer: Yes. Our MOG, More than an Ordinary gym, is designed to focus on areas such as this.


Question: Can I get more information?

Answer: Here is a link to some basic information on a few conditions that Physical Therapists treat. If you would like specific information about our clinic, please go to www.osrpt.com 

Happy reading! Share your thoughts and questions with us by making a post! (Posts are moderated, so please be patient if you do not see your post right away).

Questions about Physical Therapy?

Here are the top 3 questions (and answers) I have fielded regarding Physical Therapy this past year. I hope that these Q/A will help you. Please feel free to post your own questions as well!

Question: Do I need a doctor's referral to see a Physical Therapist?

Answer: Minnesota (and many others) is a direct access state. This means that you can see a Physical Therapist in a period of up to 90 consecutive days without a doctor's referral. In some cases your insurance company may require a referral if you intend to have the insurance company pay for your care. You can call your insurance to check. In my experiences, very few insurance plans in my area are requiring doctor referrals.


Question: My doctor referred me to a specific facility for my Physical Therapy, but I wish to go somewhere else. The order says "facility X" only at the top. Do I have to go to "facility X"?

Answer: It is up to you where you go for your care. In the state of MN, you can take your referral to any facility that you would like to receive care at.

Question: Will I get the same care at all Physical Therapy facilities?

Answer: No. While Physical Therapists must satisfy requirements to complete a basic well-rounded education and pass the state licensing exam, most Physical Therapists in large communities will become much more specialized in one area than another. Some facilities work primarily with active people or athletes, others work with balance disorders, others work with strokes. The list can go on and on. It would be in your best interest to ask the facility what kind of patient their Physical Therapists normally work with.

Have a question? Leave us a post! We'd love to hear from you! (This is a moderated forum, so your question will go to our email account).