Knee Injury

Knee injuries commonly occur through activities such as sudden twists, improper landing after jumps, overuse during repetitive motions like running, or direct impact during sports-related collisions.

Straight Leg Raises: Lie on your back, lift one leg straight up, and hold for a few seconds.

Quad Sets: Sit or lie down, tighten the thigh muscles, and hold for 5-10 seconds.

Heel Slides: Gently slide your heel up towards your buttocks while lying on your back.

Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injuries often result from repetitive overhead movements, improper lifting techniques, sudden impacts in contact sports, and overexertion during weightlifting or activities that strain the rotator cuff muscles.

Pendulum Stretch: Lean over a table, allowing your arm to hang down, and gently swing it in circular motions.

External Rotation: Use a resistance band to strengthen external rotator muscles.

Wall Push-Ups: Stand facing a wall and perform modified push-ups to strengthen the shoulders.

Low Back Pain

Common causes of lower back pain include poor posture, lifting heavy objects with improper technique, sedentary lifestyles, muscle imbalances, and conditions like herniated discs or spinal stenosis, often exacerbated by factors such as obesity or aging.

Cat-Cow Stretch: Get on your hands and knees, arch your back up and down in a flowing motion.

Pelvic Tilts: Lie on your back, tighten your abdominal muscles, and tilt your pelvis upward.

Bridge Exercise: Lift your hips off the ground while lying on your back, engaging your core and glutes.

Rotator Cuff Injury

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons within the shoulder joint, crucial for stabilizing the upper arm bone in the shoulder socket and maintaining stability during arm movements in various directions. Rotator cuff injuries are frequently caused by repetitive overhead motions, such as those in baseball pitching or swimming, sudden jerking movements, and degenerative changes associated with aging. Additionally, rotator cuff tears can occur gradually or suddenly due to factors like wear-and-tear or injuries, ranging from partial to full tears in the tendon.

Internal Rotation: Use a resistance band for internal rotation exercises.

Scapular Squeezes: Sit or stand and squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Rotator Cuff Stretch: Gently stretch the rotator cuff by bringing your arm across your body.

Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains commonly result from missteps, uneven surfaces, or sudden changes in direction, particularly during activities such as running, jumping, or sports that involve rapid lateral movements, leading to overstretching or tearing of the ligaments.

Toe Taps: While seated, tap your toes on the floor repeatedly to improve ankle flexibility.

Calf Raises: Stand on a flat surface and lift your heels off the ground, engaging your calf muscles.

Alphabet Exercises: Trace the alphabet with your toes to improve ankle range of motion.

Remember to consult with your physical therapist before starting any home exercises, as they can provide personalized recommendations based on your specific injury and recovery progress. It’s essential to perform these exercises with proper form and within the prescribed limits to avoid exacerbating the injury.

Physical Therapy in Everett, Wa

Do you live in the Snohomish County area? Our Everett clinic is your full, one-stop shop for injury rehabilitation. We examine you to make a custom treatment plan that may include physical therapy, chiropractic care, massage therapy or a combination of them.

Sources:

medlineplus.gov
mayoclinic.org
openai.com

Although no two back surgeries are alike, there are things you can do to prepare before and after surgery to help ensure a successful outcome. Here are some tips to help you heal after back surgery.

Why Do You Need Back Surgery?

One common reason for back surgery is a herniated disc, also known as a “slipped disc.” Herniated discs occur when the disc’s jelly-like soft center bulges out through a tear in the disc’s outer layer, which inflames and irritates the nerves in your spine. Surgery like a microdiscectomy can remove the small fragments of disc, bone and ligament to free the nerve.

Another reason you may need back surgery is spinal stenosis, which is a condition that occurs when the spaces in your spine narrow, causing the bones to press on the nerves. Spinal stenosis can lead to pain, numbness, and weakness. Surgery can widen the spaces in your spine, relieving the pressure on the nerves.

Have realistic expectations about your healing process.

If you’re expecting to go back to doing your everyday routine right after receiving back surgery, you’ll be disappointed to learn recovery is far longer. Sometimes, a full recovery can be up to three months. During that time; your goal is to strengthen your back muscles again, which means lots of walking and building of the spine muscles.

You will likely need to take some time off from work to recover. Depending on which type of back surgery you receive will determine how long it takes. For example, if the back surgery is a fusion and laminectomy, the total recovery time could be up to a year.

Your doctor may also have you referred to a physical therapist to put you on a physical therapy regimen.

Most people feel better after a few weeks and can return to normal activities from a few weeks to a few months. However, it is essential to remember that everybody heals differently. Some people may take longer to recover than others, and recovery times will vary depending on the type of surgery.

Be patient and give your body the time it needs to heal properly.

You may also need to modify your activities and how you do things to avoid putting too much strain on your back. For example, you must take it easy after back surgery and not push yourself too hard. Instead, focus on gentle activities that will help you regain strength and flexibility. Post-back surgery exercises include walking, swimming, or doing yoga.

Your doctor may also want you to try the following:

• Riding on a stationary bike with a straight spine between 20 to 30 minutes
• ball exercises
• squats

If you start to feel pain, stop what you’re doing and rest.

Follow your doctor’s orders and attend all follow-up appointments.

Your doctor will likely give you specific instructions on caring for your incision and what activities you should avoid in the first few weeks. You must follow these instructions. Additionally, you will need to take it easy for a few weeks and allow your body to heal, avoiding strenuous activity, lifting heavy objects, and bending over.

You will likely have a follow-up appointment a few weeks after your surgery. At this appointment, your doctor will check on your healing and give you any additional instructions. You must attend this appointment so your doctor can ensure that you are healing correctly.

Conclusion

Recovering from back surgery can be a long and challenging process. However, you can do certain things to help ensure a successful recovery:

1. Following your surgeon’s instructions and attending all follow-up appointments is essential.
2. Keep your back as mobile as possible, and do some gentle exercises to strengthen your back muscles.
3. Be patient and give yourself time to heal. Back surgery is a big deal.

Physical Therapy After Back Surgery in Everett, Wa

We offer physical therapy for back injury rehabilitation here in Everett. Please reach out to us if you have any questions about our therapy. We accept most insurance. Call 425-347-8614 for more information or to setup your appointment.

One of the uncommon ways to seek physical therapy (and perhaps one of the smartest), is preventatively. According to the Cleveland Clinic, using physical therapy before an injury can help mobility, balance and strength. Carpal tunnel may be caused by texting, a knee ache could have to do with the hips, and neck pain could be from typing. Being proactive about even small pains your body is having can help you move better, and figure out how to address it next time, said the article.

Another ailment physical therapy can help with is TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction). If you’ve heard of your TMJ (temporomandibular joint, aka, the bone that connects your jaw to your skull), you’ve probably had pain from it. You can tell if you have pain chewing, pain in your ear, face, jaw, or neck, headaches, or popping sounds when you open or close your mouth, says Healthline. It isn’t commonly known, but physical therapy can help with this. After identifying the problem, find a physical therapist that specializes in musculoskeletal problems with a craniofacial focus, says the American Physical Therapy Association. They will take a look at your posture, improving jaw movement, and may refer you to a dentist that can further help you. There are even special pain treatments like electrical stimulation and ultrasound to reduce severe cases of pain, says the article.

It may be commonly known by now, but it probably isn’t a party conversation; physical therapy for your pelvic floor. If you’re having issues with the urinary or reproductive parts of your body, there is a physical therapy for that, says WebMD. As a small anatomy refresher, the pelvic floor keeps the bladder in place in the front and the vagina and rectum in the back for a woman, and the bladder, bowels, urethra, and rectum in place for a man. It’s safe to say the pelvic floor is extraordinarily important. A physical therapist can take you through a specialized program of exercises to help relieve pain and restore muscle function. Some of the techniques include electrical stimulation, Kegels, trigger point therapy, and biofeedback, says the article.

There’s lots of ways physical therapy can help your overall health, prevent further injury, and keep you moving with ease. It may not be as dramatic as recovering from a sports injury as the team’s star player, but it really can make a big difference in your day to day life. There’s also nothing wrong with a little montage while you are at the physical therapist’s office, too.

Everett Physical Therapy

Those in the Snohomish County can look to Everett Spine & Rehab for professional, physical therapy. Whether you are looking for preventative care or post-injury rehab, we’re here to help!

Psoas syndrome is a condition characterized by the irritation or inflammation of the psoas muscle, a deep muscle located in the lower back and connecting to the hips. It can lead to lower back pain, hip discomfort, and limited mobility. This syndrome often results from prolonged sitting, poor posture, or overuse of the muscle, and is typically managed through rest, stretching, and physical therapy.

Psoas Syndrome Symptoms

Psoas syndrome symptoms can include:

• Chronic lower back pain
• Pain when sitting or getting up
• Restricted hip socket
• Lower back tension
• Difficulty standing in an upright position
• Pelvic pain

You might feel muscle tightness that can make moving difficult and painful. Aside from the pain, a tight psoas can result in poor posture, scoliosis, restricted breathing, lower spine stress fracture, and difficulty standing upright. Muscle “tightness” may feel like you have trouble moving normally or you might feel pain as well. Certain factors can result in tight psoas, including sitting and being sedentary for long periods. If you have to sit while working for hours you should get up from time to time so you can stretch and move around.

How is Psoas Syndrome Treated With Physical Therapy?

Your physical therapist will be able to assign exercises like stretching and lower-impact dynamic exercises. In the meantime, you should try not to sit for lengthy periods of time and always have back support; it’s recommended that you move around at least once an hour. If you are a runner or power walker, you should alternate workouts so you don’t strain your muscle. The main takeaway is to destress and relax by getting a massage, enjoying a hot soak, and support your back when needed.

Physical therapy exercises are designed to strengthen and stretch the psoas muscle and allow your body to heal. It’s important that you get the help of a professional who can guide you through these exercises, otherwise, you may hurt yourself and increase your injury. Your physical therapist may include ultrasound, manipulative treatment, and possibly even muscle injections.

Get the Pain Relief You Need in Everett, Wa

People with psoas syndrome can benefit from gentle exercises and stretching to provide pain relief, strengthen their hip muscles, and increase mobility. Your physical therapist can give you several exercises to incorporate into your daily routine. If you think you have psoas issues, contact a physical therapist to get some muscle relief techniques. For those in Everett, please reach out to us today: 425-347-8614.

Sources:

openai.com

It is crucial for a casualty victim to be evaluated for physical therapy as soon as possible after a car accident because severe symptoms of body trauma can bring additional pain and mobility issues as time progresses.

Symptoms of possible injury to be aware of are:

• Neck, arm, upper back stiffness
• Numbing in arms, neck, hands, and upper back
• Nausea, headache, and dizziness
• Hip, lower back, and knee pain
• Foot, ankle, toe pain or numbness
• Any ache or pain not previously felt before the accident

Multiple variations of these symptoms can contribute to an automobile accident victim’s pain or mobility problems. A casualty victim receiving the appropriate care can limit future suffering.

It is important for the injured person to receive a one-on-one and head-to-toe analysis with a specialist to evaluate and prepare a custom treatment program. Each individual involved with any accident is unique and requires an exclusive path to healing.

Different Methods of Physical Therapy

Physical therapists or chiropractors may incorporate different methods into a program to treat a car accident injury.

Manual therapy may be used by a therapist to adjust and mobilize joints. This type of therapy will decrease scar tissue, reduce inflammation, and allow the tissue surrounding the joints to heal as quickly as possible.

A therapist often uses specialized equipment to implement heat, cold, and electrotherapy to the affected area. This also reduces inflammation and allows more movement and less pressure to the affected area.

Other physical therapy treatments may include acupuncture, ultrasound, aquatic therapy, and intramuscular stimulation. The purpose of these techniques is to help relieve muscle tightness and spasms to decrease recovery time.

The therapist may discuss and coach custom exercises to allow patient control and daily therapy. Exercising can reduce a patient’s joint pain, build muscle strength, and maintain flexibility of the spine.

A therapist may also develop specialized or customized braces or slings appropriate to support the patient’s affected area. Sometimes the added support relieves the pressure and allows faster healing of the patient’s affected joint.

Automobile accident victims need to be worry-free about lasting symptoms and their future health. Some insurance companies are limited in their coverage of an auto accident injury, so an accurate accounting of needs following an accident is imperative.

Getting at the root cause of a patient’s injury as quickly as possible is where a physical therapist’s expertise will be invaluable. Not only will a patient’s healing process of strengthening or stabilizing the affected area begin, but the therapist will be able to assist in efficiently managing any future pain or dysfunction resulting from the accident.

Please contact Everett Spine & Rehab for your car accident rehabilitation: 425-347-8614.

While many folks today are telecommuting if they can due to the global health crisis, some people still have job sites or a cubical to commute to for work. Companies are supposed to adhere to safety protocols and training but at the end of the day, things still can happen. And during this trying time some companies are able to help workers where they are after an injury, and come to them.

When you get injured at work no matter how minor it is, it could cause serious problems later on.  From slipping on a wet floor and hurting your legs and feet to having something falls off a shelf onto your head in a stock room, your cubicle cabinet or even at a job site. There are also incidences where workers could be let into a building too early after chemicals are sprayed—you could inhale toxic substances which are extremely hazardous to your health.

Some types of common workplace injuries caused by:

• Slipping
• Tripping
• Falling
• Caught in machinery
• Car accidents
• Explosions
• Fires
• Struck by an object
• Repetitive motion injuries or over exertion from tasks
• Toxic air related injuries (older buildings can have mold issues, lead paint—also spraying chemicals in or around the building)
• Blood born pathogens (occupational hazards mostly, like in healthcare settings, usually)

Report it, always and get to an emergency clinic or local doctor ASAP.

No matter what injury or incident that occurs that can be a health hazard, you should always report it as soon as possible to your supervisor or someone on duty.  And of course, it’s even better if you have a witness. Even if you feel okay after the injury happens, you should still go to an emergency clinic, emergency room at the nearest hospital or your own doctor when it happens.  You need to get an evaluation to see if you need treatment or other assistance from a specialist doctor or a physical therapist.

You may need physical therapy to improve your injury

This way, you’ll have covered all your bases if something should happen later to your health.  Sometimes day, weeks, even months later an injury could get worse or you become sick in some other way.  While many injuries may seem minor, however, they could later on need surgery or some kind of rehab with physical therapy intervention—and many times this kind of program should start fairly soon after the injury.

Do you really need physical therapy (PT) and what is looked at?

While not every injury needs physical therapy, you may need it depending on your injury sustained—a doctor or specialist may recommend you seeing someone for assistance to get better.  When you have a muskoskeletal injury a variety of items are looked at:

• Bones
• Ligaments
• Joints
• Nerves
• Muscles
• Vascular system

Typically, any injury or accident that affected your body—like your head, neck, lower back, legs, shoulders, arms, hands, knees, and feet, could potentially benefit from a PT program. There are PT specialists who work with issues such as office place safety and ergonomics as well, if your injury warrants this kind of assistance.

You may still need to see an orthopedic doctor or surgeon to better understand your injury.  While CT scans, X-rays, MRIs are effective at diagnosis, they are more hazardous to health.  Ultrasounds are being used more and are less invasive imagery for the patient and can many times be more effective; it does need to be done by an ultrasound technician with more muskoskeletal experience.

Also, if needed, based on your injury your PT group may offer speech therapy or other specific kinds of needs—but this may be out of the general PT scope and may lead you to need other kinds of therapy specialists.  Most of the time, the typical PT therapy involved some sort of issue with your legs, arms, and sometimes head, neck and shoulder injuries.

PT is designed to help you:

• Regain motion and movement in a limb, back, neck and more
• Regain and re-train strength and abilities in injured body part or organ
• Regain the ability to walk, run etc. — like you did before and use assistance (crutches / cane / walker / wheelchair)
• Hopefully avoid surgery (not all the time)

Everything depends on the injury sustained and how severe it is and if you would benefit from assistance at a PT clinic. Even if you don’t believe you need the help, for work and medical documentation it is best to listen to your doctor or specialist because sometimes even the smallest of injuries could require surgery.

Is PT all you will need for a workplace injury?

You may need surgery. Many times therapy is the only intervention you may need for your injury, if fairly minor. If you do need surgery, you will be a PT routine after the surgery. Essentially, you need help to fully re-learn how to use your limb or other issues that has been corrected by the surgery. There are some kinds of back injuries over time that develop, that PT is better than having surgery like, lower back issues from lower spinal stenosis.

Remember, always to report the injury you sustained at the workplace or job site immediately, if possible.  Always get medical help, so you can be properly evaluated and keep all medical records.

Remember–Everett Spine & Rehab also offers expert physical therapy services.

There are many types of back surgeries and many levels of physical therapy. These services can range from reading care information in an educational leaflet to personally guided in-depth exercises. The level of support differs for each patient and type of surgery.

One of the most common back surgeries is lumbar spinal fusion. After lumbar spinal fusion for strength, range of motion, cardiovascular endurance, and patient education, physical therapy is necessary. Although anxiety due to pain may be high, early physical activity after surgery is encouraged. Research shows therapy focusing on the patient’s core and spinal muscles is vital for complete recovery from lumbar spinal fusion. In this case, treatment involves learning transfer techniques and neutral spine control exercises.

The necessity of physical therapy after back surgery has proven to aid healing and prevent failed surgeries. In addition, the process of helping increase flexibility by stretching the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support the spinal column also aids in limiting the formation of internal scar tissue, preventing stiffness.

While planned movements and education are basic to physical therapy, they can also involve other components. For example, after lumbar surgery, one successful approach involving physical therapy is a cognitive-behavioral-based self-management approach. This adult lumbar spine surgery postoperative rehabilitation is called Changing Behavior through Physical Therapy (CBPT). This program successfully improved patient pain, disability, physical and mental health, and physical performance.

Traditionally, back surgery has been performed under general anesthesia. The patient is made to be unconscious and often awakes after surgery to a sense of disorientation, nausea, and vomiting. Surprisingly, a new approach called “awake spine surgery” has shown increased healing time with fewer adverse reactions. As the name implies, patients are not unconscious during surgery but are partially awake with regional anesthesia during the procedure. This approach is new and, so far, has shown promising results, particularly for patients who cannot tolerate general anesthesia. Some can even have a conversation during their procedure. In addition, this minimally invasive surgical approach provides faster healing time and easier participation in physical therapy.

Healing properly from back surgery is vital to assure proper functioning in the future. Although the most basic type of postoperative physical therapy is walking, your physical therapist will provide you with care for your own rehabilitative needs.

Come visit us for physical therapy for your back injury at Everett Spine and Rehab, in Washington state.

Ability to Get Back to Normal

A study published in Medicine (Baltimore) showed that a 4-week inpatient interdisciplinary program of physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, and strength/endurance training helped car accident victims in many areas of life in the months that followed. The patients were able to increase their working hours from 0 at the onset of the injury to 21 hours a week after 6 months and 30 hours a week after 60 months. These patients were also less likely to “catastrophize” and ranked themselves lower on the pain scale.

Addressing “Invisible” Injuries

Of the injury-causing collisions that happened in the US during the last year data was available, 31.4% were rear-ending crashes. These types of crashes are notorious for causing whiplash, which is an injury to the soft tissue of the neck typically caused by a sudden overextension. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, whiplash symptoms can occur immediately after the trauma, or they can set in many days later. For this reason, many car accident victims have “invisible” injuries. They might look healthy and well to the people around them and even to themselves for a few days. Physical therapy can help address the underlying issues that might not be obvious to the onlooker. Range of motion exercises through a therapy program can help address stiffness and prevent chronic headaches and neck pain.

Preventing Chronic/Long-Term Pain

Physical therapy can prevent long term pain later on. A study out of Japan showed that a physical therapy program given to Whiplash Affective Disorder patients with indefinite pain reduced their symptoms by 80 percent. On average, they initially reported 13.1 symptoms, which decreased to only two at discharge.

Lessening the Need for Certain Surgeries

The need for certain surgeries to address lower back pain can be eliminated with physical therapy. While spinal stenosis is not usually caused by trauma, something like a car accident can make underlying cases come to light. A study conducted by Harvard followed a group of patients who underwent physical therapy for their low back pain and a group who underwent surgery. Two years after the beginning of therapy or surgery, both groups had made equal progress in pain and physical function.

Reducing Need for Pain Medication

Physical therapy can help minimize necessary dosages of pain medication. In a study conducted on pain management in trauma, researchers found that a routine of physical therapy could reduce a patient’s need for opioids. Since most injured car accident victims have to take medication of some kind, physical therapy could play a huge role in preventing reliance/addiction to these medications.

If you are looking for non-invasive treatment for your car accident injury, please contact us. We are located in Everett, near Lynnwood, Marysville and Mill Creek.

Sources:

Ahmadi, A., Bazargan-Hejazi, S., Heidari Zadie, Z., Euasobhon, P., Ketumarn, P., Karbasfrushan, A., Amini-Saman, J., & Mohammadi, R. (2016). Pain management in trauma: A review study. Journal of injury & violence research, 8(2), 89–98. https://doi.org/10.5249/jivr.v8i2.707

Haiduk, P., Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Gysi-Klaus, F., Aeschlimann, A., Michel, B. A., & Angst, F. (2017). Interdisciplinary rehabilitation after whiplash injury: An observational prospective 5 years outcome study. Medicine, 96(9), e6113. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000006113

Matsui, T., Iwata, M., Endo, Y. et al. Effect of intensive inpatient physical therapy on whole-body indefinite symptoms in patients with whiplash-associated disorders. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 20, 251 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-019-2621-1

Howard, L., M.D. (2020, June 17). Physical therapy as good as surgery and less risky for one type of lower back pain. Retrieved December 04, 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/physical-therapy-as-good-as-surgery-and-less-risky-for-one-type-of-lower-back-pain-201504097863

National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration. (2018). National Statistics. Retrieved December 04, 2020, from https://cdan.nhtsa.gov/tsftables/National%20Statistics.pdf

Whiplash Information Page. (2019, March 27). Retrieved December 04, 2020, from https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/all-disorders/whiplash-information-page

If the pain is mild, simple neck stretches can be done at home. Tilting your head forward and backward slowly beginning with your chin tucked in toward your neck before you start is one basic stretch. Similarly, tilting your head side to side and holding for 10 seconds can offer a gentle pull. Combining these movements with a slow head roll, it is important to keep your back straight. Always begin with your chin tucked in toward your chest as this aligns your neck properly before stretching. Finally, rolling your shoulders in a circle forward and then backward can help to loosen tight muscles and relieve stress. It is important to move slowly and smoothly when doing these types of exercises.  It is also important to stop at the first twinge of pain so the injury is not further aggravated.

If the pain is more severe, taking an over-the-counter medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or applying ice packs and then cold packs can help relieve pain. Keeping good posture during the day while standing or sitting, and then sleeping with firm pillows are other ways to support neck health at home. Most of all it is important to reduce your activity level and take it easy.

Neck pain due to injury or a herniated disc can be helped by laying on an ergonomic cervical support pillow or towel roll positioned under the curve of the neck. Laying on your back with your arms by your sides for 10 minutes, the pressure of the towel against the vertebrae in your neck can help relieve muscle spasms and tightness by slowly stretching them into a normal position.

If your neck pain is chronic and home remedies do not work, then a physical therapist can help. Aligning your vertebra, giving you neck strengthening exercises, and teaching you about correct posture, a physical therapist has the training to reach the problem at its core and allow the body to heal. Physical therapists support your healing and aid you through your pain with the use of electrical stimulation, traction, and other measures. If your neck pain has become too severe and home remedies are not helping, it is time to contact a physical therapist.

Reach out to Everett Spine & Rehab if you believe your neck pain is chronic–we can perform an evaluation to see what is the best course of treatment for you. Our office is in Everett, next to Marysville, Lynnwood, Millcreek and Mukilteo.