Choose Painless Everyday Living with Physiotherapy
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Knee, elbow, hip, foot, back and neck pain can completely take over your life.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. We put together a few points on how you can recognize each of these injuries at home.
To learn more, book an assessment with one of our Physiotherapists. We’d love to help you get back to your everyday activities, comfortably and safely with an in-clinic or virtual treatment plan.
1. How Physiotherapy can treat Foot Pain
There are few things more frustrating than pain on the bottom of your foot when trying to walk. Although there can be many causes, one of the most common is a change in walking frequency, surface or footwear.
There is always an increase in prevalence when flip flop season (or travel season) is upon us. Often this pain is the worst for the first 15-20 steps in the morning as the irritated tissue on the bottom of the foot is forcefully stretched by the weight of your body in each step. The pain is then worse when walking on harder surfaces, for longer periods or with insufficient footwear based on your own foot anatomy.
Quickly recognizing the symptoms of this condition, commonly referred to as plantar fasciitis, is key in addressing the issue before it escalates. Changing a few habits, adding in some stretching and pain-relieving strategies can get you back on track and back to the activities you love sooner rather than later.
2. Knee Osteoarthritis and Physiotherapy
Knee Osteoarthritis can make everyday activities like going up and down the stairs feel nearly insurmountable. The discomfort can range from a dull ache when resting to sharper pain with more challenging activities. Both types of pain felt in knees with osteoarthritis can often be well-managed with the exercise, education, activity modification and sometimes bracing.
Each person will require an individualized approach to maximize success in self-management.
3. Reduce Hip/Knee Osteoarthritis Pain at Night
Osteoarthritis can cause your knees or hips to ache at night. The discomfort can make it hard to get to sleep or can disrupt your sleep throughout the night. Even those of us that are “restless sleepers” move less overnight than we do throughout the day.
Aching at night due to osteoarthritis is associated with inflammation in the joints that worsens during a period of inactivity. Engaging in specific and regular physical activity can be helpful in reducing the inflammation in joints with osteoarthritis which can make getting a good night’s sleep easier.
4. Reduce Back Pain when walking with Physiotherapy
Approximately 80% of the population experiences back pain at least once in their lifetime. For some, this will be an acute, discreet episode that eventually resolves and leaves no residual restrictions. For others, a nagging chronic back pain can linger that can take the joy out of activities like a walk in the park.
Back pain while walking is very common and often occurs as the length or speed of the walk changes. These factors can be addressed with an individualized stretching and strengthening program designed to allow your body to function at its optimum.
5. Treat Elbow Pain with Physiotherapy
Elbow pain can be a surprisingly debilitating condition. Often due to sudden, repeated use of the arm (ie: a heavy day in the garden/yard or returning to a summer sport like tennis/golf after the winter off), elbow pain often occurs the day after the offending activity. It can make gripping the lightest of objects, like your coffee cup, difficult.
Pain with small repetitive movements like cooking, gardening and even brushing your teeth are common complaints. Several stretching and strengthening exercises, in addition to supportive bracing can be helpful in getting you back on track after an onset of these symptoms.
6. Neck Pain Caused By Our New Normal
Our lifestyle in 2020 puts a lot of strain on our neck, shoulders and upper back. Our bodies were built for running around the forest, hunting and gathering. They were not built for sitting at a computer for 8 hours a day! The good news is that our bodies are resilient and robust. They are adapting quickly to the changes in our work environment that are hugely different today than they were even 30 years ago.
However, despite our ability to “be” in these positions (computer, TV, driving etc.), they often lead to discomfort in the neck and shoulders.
Developing a good understanding of how to position yourself is the first step. Improving your body’s resilience by using simple, but appropriate, stretching and strengthening exercises can go a long way to maximizing your comfort.
Want to learn more?
Book an assessment with one of our Physiotherapists to find out how we can create a custom treatment plan for you!