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  • A Forward Flexed World

    Many of us spend a significant portion of our day in a position that causes our spines to be bent forward. This can occur while driving, working on computers, or even texting on our phones. Unfortunately, this position not only stretches our lower back muscles, but also gradually tightens other muscle groups like our hip flexors and hamstrings. This can have specific implications for our spinal health, potentially leading to conditions such as lumbar disc herniations and radiculopathies (pain shooting down the leg). These problems arise when pressure is applied to the nerves in our spine and the peripheral nerves that extend down our legs. These nerves are crucial for proper muscle functioning and skin sensation, and excessive pressure can disrupt these pathways. Fortunately, there are steps we can take to alleviate these issue. Simply sitting up with good posture and avoiding a slouched position can be a good starting point. Additionally, exercises like back extensions can help reverse the negative impact of slouching when it is appropriate for an individual after being evaluated by a physical therapist. In my experience, I have also witnessed the benefits of implementing stretching for the hip flexors, glute muscles, and hamstrings. These stretches can further alleviate some of the symptoms caused by prolonged seated positions. However, the key with any of these exercises is to be consistent and disciplined. An individual will not reap the benefits of these exercises by just performing them once a week, but by performing them several times a day.

  • Benefits Of Direct Access Physical Therapy

    To offer high-quality care, Kyle obtained direct access certification in the state of Pennsylvania. This allows a physical therapist to provide treatment to a patient immediately without the requirement of a physician referral. It also enables an individual to attend physical therapy first without completing potentially expensive diagnostic studies. This will further save a patient time and money by not having to schedule extra and unnecessary appointments with their physician. A physical therapist will always perform an evaluation to determine if a patient is appropriate for their care or if they should be referred to another healthcare provider. Pain can now be alleviated more quickly with increased access and a shorter wait time for conservative treatment. This decreases the need to take over-the-counter and prescription medications that may have unpleasant side effects. It can also reduce the need to seek more expensive forms of treatment that may not even provide long-term relief. Patient satisfaction and overall outcomes are typically higher after completing direct access physical therapy. This is due to the fact that a patient has the freedom of choice to personally decide their plan of care. Recovery can also be achieved more quickly, which reduces the chance of canceling important plans and missing time from work. A patient can improve their mobility so that they can get back to living their life by achieving full independence. This is empowering and one of the many reasons to try physical therapy first.

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