Physical Therapists’ Tips to Avoid Pain During the Holidays

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“To most of us the holiday season is all about tradition, fun, and family, but if we’re not careful, the holidays can also be a pain in the neck—literally—”says the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). “Typical holiday activities, such as shopping ’till you drop’, lifting heavy boxes and presents, and countless hours of cooking and baking, can cause muscles to work harder than usual, many times resulting in neck, shoulder, and back pain.”

Let us help you stay safe during this busy season! Using proper body mechanics can help prevent muscle and joint discomfort this holiday season, as recommended by the American Physical Therapy Association.

1- When lifting, make sure you:

• Test an object’s weight before attempting to lift heavy packages or luggage. Try pushing it with your foot. If it seems too heavy then take smaller loads, which are less likely to strain your back and are easier on arm and shoulder muscles.
• Keep the load close to your body when lifting.
• Ask for help or use an assistive device to lift heavy objects.
• Seek help from a physical therapist if your back pain lasts more than a few days or gets worse.

2-  When you’re shopping:

• Distribute the weight of shopping bags equally on both sides of your body.
• Consider carrying a small backpack rather than a heavy purse.
• Wear comfortable shoes; carrying packages while wearing high heels on hard surfaces can contribute to foot and ankle injuries.
• Don’t carry overstuffed shopping bags for extended periods of time.
• Consider using a shopping cart or getting help to carry packages to your car.
• Avoid prime shopping times to decrease wait times that can increase or exceed standing/walking time tolerances.
• Plan your shopping trip ahead of time. Having a set list of gifts you intend to buy will help you plan for extra help, if needed, to carry purchases.

3-  When Cooking and/or baking:

• Choose a work surface that is approximately at the level of your forearms when your elbows are bent at a right angle (90 degrees) or at elbow height. Shoulders and upper back will be in better position and this will decrease the risk of upper back, neck, and shoulder strain.
• Work on a padded surface.  If you have tile, vinyl, or wood flooring, for cushioning consider purchasing an inexpensive area rug  that has grippers on the back to keep the rug from moving and you from slipping or tripping. Standing long periods on a hard surface can lead to muscle fatigue and back ache.
• Use good lifting mechanics when retrieving small kitchen appliances from lower shelves or drawers. Kneel down if necessary and keep the object close to your body.
• Be careful when bending to take items in and out of a conventional floor-model stove. If that turkey is heavy you will need help to get it out of the oven, not because you can’t lift it, it’s the position of the body while bending and carrying than can really strain your back.
• Frequently perform gentle movement exercises to keep the muscles in your neck and shoulders loose.

Physical therapists are highly-educated, licensed health care professionals who can help patients reduce pain and improve or restore mobility – in many cases without expensive surgery or the side effects of prescription medications.

For more info visit: www.cardioflextherapy.com

Knee Pain? Symptoms of Chondromalacia

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If you are feeling a dull, aching pain in the front of your knee, behind your kneecap, a pain that can get worse when you go up or down stairs. It can flare up after you have been sitting in one position for a long time. Is your knee painful and stiff when you stand up after watching a movie or after a long trip in a car or plane? You could be suffering from Chondromalacia. Chondromalacia also can make your knee joint “catch” meaning you suddenly have trouble moving it past a certain point, or “give way” (buckle unexpectedly). These symptoms tend to occur when you bend your knee repeatedly, especially when you go down stairs. In some cases, the painful knee also can appear puffy or swollen. Chondromalacia can cause a creaky sound or grinding sensation when you move your knee. Let’s talk a bit about this condition, and how physical therapy will help you.

“The joints in your body are cushioned with a type of tissue called articular cartilage. This tough, rubbery tissue covers the ends of bones inside a joint. As the joint moves, the cartilage helps to cushion the bones and allows them to glide smoothly against one another. Sometimes, the cartilage inside a joint softens and breaks down. This condition is called chondromalacia. The cartilage loses its ability to protect the ends of the bones as the joint moves. The ends of the bones can rub together, causing pain.” according to Harvard Medical School.

Chondromalacia can affect any joint, but the most common location is inside the knee. It usually begins as a small area of softened cartilage behind the kneecap (patella) that can be painful. Eventually, more of the cartilage softens, and the softened cartilage can crack or shred into a mass of fibers. In severe cases, the damaged cartilage can wear away completely, down to the undersurface of the kneecap. If this happens, the exposed kneecap’s bony surface can grind painfully against other knee bones. Also, bits of cartilage can float inside the joint, further irritating the cells that line the joint. In response, these cells produce fluid inside the joint (called a joint effusion).

At CardioFlex Therapy, our physical therapists are professionally trained to help patients that are suffering from Chondromalacia, and can be especially helpful to safely guide patients through these treatments: using knee tape, a brace or a special patellar-tracking sleeve to keep your kneecap aligned properly, starting an exercise program to strengthen the muscles around your knee. We recommend avoiding high-impact exercises, avoiding all kneeling and squatting.

For more info visit: www.cardioflextherapy.com

CardioFlex Therapy has the best PT & OT Clinic location

Why CardioFlex Therapy has the best location in Broward County? Because we are in the middle of so many towns!

CardioFlex Therapy is located in Davie, right by the intersections of Flamingo Road and Griffin Road, on Orange Drive, in the Crexent Business Center, with plenty of parking availability and disabled parking right at our door.

We also offer In-Home therapy, servicing all three counties: Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach. The cities that surround us include: Cooper City, Southwest Ranches, Weston, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Sunrise, Miramar, Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, and so many more.

The best way to talk to one of our therapists is to schedule an appointment, but please feel free to stop in to meet us and discuss how we can best help you overcome your problems or help you manage it.
We're looking forward to seeing you here, at CardioFlex Therapy.

954.693.9090
12585 Orange Dr.
Suite 203Davie, FL 33330

www.cardioflextherapy.com