As a physical therapist, I’ve seen countless patients come to me with injuries and health issues that could have been prevented with proper self-care. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to neglect ourselves and put our health on the back burner in favor of work, family, and other commitments. Self-care means prioritizing physical and mental health. Knowing what is best for you and following through with those plans, whether that means eating a healthier diet or dissolving a friendship that feels toxic. It is important to surround yourself with positive influences that will encourage you to do better and be better. In this blog post, I want to spotlight the importance of self-care for our physical and mental health and the role it plays in injury prevention, rehabilitation, and overall well-being.
- Self-care Prevents Injury: Our bodies work tirelessly to support us in our everyday activities. Ignoring signs of fatigue, stress, and discomfort can lead to painful and sometimes permanent injuries. Taking the time to stretch, hydrate, and rest can prevent muscle strains, tears, and even bone fractures. Self-care helps us to strengthen our bodies and make them more resilient to the demands of daily life.
- Self-Care Helps Speed Up Rehabilitation: If you’re currently undergoing physical therapy, implementing self-care practices into your daily routine can significantly speed up the rehabilitation process. Proper nutrition, hydration, and movement can help aid recovery and reduce inflammation, allowing your body to heal faster. Self-care practices can also help to reduce stress, which has been linked to inflammation and slower healing times.
- Self-Care Improves Overall Health: Self-care isn’t just about injury prevention or rehabilitation; it’s also about overall health and wellness. Eating a balanced diet, exercising, and getting enough sleep can help to improve cardiovascular health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, and boost our immune systems. When we take care of our bodies, we’re investing in a better quality of life both now and in the future.
- Self-Care Boosts Mental Health: Physical health is just one aspect of self-care. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health. Taking time to unwind and destress is crucial to our overall well-being. Engaging in self-care practices like meditation, mindfulness, and adequate rest can help to reduce stress and anxiety, allowing us to feel more relaxed and grounded.
- Self-Care Promotes Good Habits: Practicing self-care can also help to promote good habits in other areas of our lives. When we prioritize our health and well-being, we’re more likely to make choices that support it. We may choose healthier food options, opt to go for a walk instead of watching TV, or prioritize sleep and rest over other distractions. Self-care is the foundation on which good habits are built.
So next time you’re tempted to push through the fatigue or skip the workout, remember the long-term benefits of self-care and invest in yourself. Your body (and mind) will thank you for it.
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What is a Physical Therapist Qualified to Treat?
Like most professions, physical therapy continues to evolve as a profession. It is now a 6 year doctorate program. Within that time, we learn to treat people with orthopedic conditions, neurological impairments, cardiac issues, amputations, vestibular issues and more. Physical therapists are trained to work with newborns to geriatrics and everyone in between. After graduation, we have to pass a national test to become licensed to practice. To keep our license active, we have to complete 36 hours of education every 3 years. This is where we can choose courses to better ourselves in our specific setting and learn the most modern techniques! Below is a general (but not inclusive) list of conditions we treat in outpatient physical therapy:
Why Do I feel Like I’m Spinning?
BPPV, or Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, is a common cause of vertigo, or a false sense of spinning. It is fairly common among adults, with increased incidence as you age. It usually comes on without an apparent reason, however can occur after a head trauma or after spending time in a head tipped back position (such as in a dentist chair). Usually you will first notice symptoms when turning over in bed or when sitting up from bed in the morning.
The spinning sensation occurs due to a mechanical problem in the peripheral vestibular system of the inner ear. This system has calcium crystals called otoconia that sit on a gel-like substance and are sensitive to gravity, as well as three semicircular canals filled with fluid that are oriented in three different planes. In a normal vestibular system, the fluid in the canals moves when your head moves. This displaces hair cells and sends a message to the brain to tell it that your head is moving. Sometimes the otoconia crystals become dislodged into the fluid and give your brain a false signal that your head is moving when it’s not. This results in a spinning sensation, or vertigo.
Why am I having knee pain?
Injuries can happen any time during your training process, it is important to understand the difference between a “good pain” and a “bad pain”. At Onondaga Physical Therapy we offer Free Injury Screens as well as full evaluations to help quickly diagnose your issue, and help you on the road to recovery.
Knee injuries are very common among active individuals and best treated as soon as the pain starts – waiting typically lengthens the rehab time.
- Causes: Poor stability above or below the knee, poor or old footwear, sedentary lifestyle, poor mechanics, too much training of the “same muscles” without cross-training
Low Back Pain During Pregnancy
Prevelance:
It is estimated that approximately 50% of pregnant women will experience some kind of low back pain during their pregnancy, or during the postpartum period. Of those that experience low back pain, only about 50% of them will seek advice from a healthcare professional; with only 70% of those women actually receiving treatment.
Causes:
- Mechanical: Weight gain during pregnancy, increased abdominal size, shifting of the center of mass forward; all can increase the stress on the low back. When the abdominal muscles stretch to accommodate the growing uterus, muscle fatigue typically occurs which results in an increased load on the spine. Another common finding is weakness of their gluteus medius, or the outer glute/hip muscle.
- Hormonal: Relaxin is a hormone secreted during pregnancy, and it causes your ligaments to get lax, which in turn can cause your pelvis to become unstable. This includes not only the SIJ (sacroiliac joint), but the entire low back resulting in instability of the pelvis and poor alignment of the spine.
Symptoms:
Physical Therapist Expands Knowledge for Treatment of Dizziness
On January 25th, 2017 physical therapist Julie Dmochowski, PT, DPT of Onondaga Physical Therapy attended a full-day seminar in Syracuse, NY titled: The Hands-on Guide to Vestibular Rehabilitation: Clinical Decision Making to Treat Vertigo, Dizziness, and Balance Disorders. The course consisted of over 7 hours of content and hands-on application of skills in order to most effectively evaluate and manage the dizzy patient.
How can the rotator cuff help my shoulder pain
Gym Injuries can happen any time during your training process and it is important to understand the difference between a “good pain” and a “bad pain.” At Onondaga Physical Therapy we offer Free Injury Screens for a quick diagnosis of your issue, and help you on the road to recovery.
