Preventative Measures to Decrease the Risk of Injury While Shoveling

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It’s that time of year! With the winter months finally here, it is only a matter of time until we get snowstorms. No matter the amount, snow can pile up and be quite heavy. With shoveling snow, there can be an increased risk of injury due to carrying, tossing, bending, and lifting heavier loads. It is our goal to give you a few steps in order to decrease the risk of possible injury.

The first step to avoid injury while shoveling is warming up. Prior to heading outside, it is helpful to perform light exercise. Light exercise for 5-10 minutes is useful for priming the cardiovascular system and warming up the musculature required for shoveling. Some activities you can perform can include squats, hip hinges, and upper/lower body stretches.
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Trying to Understand Chronic Pain: An Introduction to Pain Neuroscience Education

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Written by Shannon Hall, DPT

Chronic pain is defined as pain lasting more than 3 months. In the United States alone, it is estimated that of the 255 million adults, nearly 126 million of them suffer from chronic pain. That means that almost half of the population suffers from some form of chronic pain. Put into a dollar amount, roughly $560 – $630 BILLION dollars are spent on chronic pain treatment in the United States EVERY YEAR.

So why is chronic pain such a hard problem to solve?

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Preventing Back Pain Through the Holidays

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As the holidays approach, it is no secret that following a healthy routine is hard to maintain. Between delicious holiday meals, family get-togethers, and traveling, maintaining a normal activity level can be hard to do.

Studies have shown that staying moderately active can reduce your risk of developing chronic lower back pain by up to 20%. Most sources report that being moderately active includes taking part in both cardio exercise, such as running, and strength training, such as lifting weights.

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What to Know About CBD (Cannabidiol)

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Cannabidiol is a phytocannabinoid which was discovered in 1940. It is one of more than 120 compounds called cannabinoids in cannabis plants and accounts for up to 40% of the plant’s extract.  Many people use CBD oils and extracts to relieve symptoms of chronic pain as it is one of the compounds that produces medical affects without producing euphoric or “high” feelings.  Many people are more familiar with THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, which does produce a “stoned” feeling because of the receptors in the body that it affects, which Cannabidiol does not.

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Dry Needling as a Treatment for Chronic Pain

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Chronic pain is defined as any pain that persists longer than normal tissue healing time following an injury (2 weeks or longer). People commonly develop chronic pain after minor or major injuries, anything from a fender bender to a sprained ankle to major trauma involving surgery.  Typically, we find that patient’s get stuck in a ‘pain cycle’ which can be very hard to break.

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Therapeutic Cupping for Increased Blood Flow & Pain Relief

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Many of us were first introduced to therapeutic cupping during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. All eyes were on Michael Phelps, and many of us were surprised to see numerous red and purple marks all over his shoulders and back. The commentators went on to explain what these marks were a result of, and therefore cupping was brought into the forefront as a treatment to relieve pain or increase blood flow.

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Tips to Help with Sciatica Pain from Sitting

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If you are required to sit for most of your workday, you may have experienced sciatica pain. Sciatica is pain that affects the back, hip, and leg and is caused by compression of the sciatic nerve. Compression of the sciatic nerve can be caused by arthritis or spinal stenosis but can also occur as a result of sitting for extended periods of time, especially with poor posture. Taking these simple steps during your workday can help relieve this discomfort.

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3 Quick Steps for Addressing Lower Back Pain at Work

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Do you often find yourself sore, stiff, and lacking energy while at work? It may be time to address some key factors in your work environment. There is no getting around the fact that sitting for prolonged periods of time with poor posture may be a huge contributor to why you’re feeling that unrelenting pain or stiffness. With office jobs requiring sitting or being in a static position for long durations, there tend to be postural imbalances and over-use injuries that come with them. In this blog you will find 3 important steps to address your pain and improve your function.

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A Person Getting a Professional Manual Therapy

Mulligan Concept of Manual Therapy: An Overview

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The Mulligan Concept is a manual therapy technique developed by Brian Mulligan of Wellington, New Zealand. The concept is based on the mobilization with movement (MWM) technique of gliding specific joints at precise angles with a specific amount of pressure while a patient moves through a full active range of motion. When performed correctly, this technique will be pain-free and will show an immediate increase in the patient’s range of motion.

While the spinal joints are glided at parallel angles, the peripheral joints are glided at perpendicular angles. If there is pain or lack of increased motion there are 3 things the clinician needs to consider:

  1. The segment being treated
  2. The angle of the mobilization
  3. The force being applied

The clinician should also be constantly on the lookout for the PILL response (Pain free, Instant result, Long Lasting) to determine the effectiveness of the treatment, while also investigating combinations of parallel or perpendicular glides to find the correct treatment plane.

Once the correct mobilization has been identified, it’s important for the patient to reach their end range of the motion and apply overpressure at the very end. Overpressure (pushing slightly more at the end of the active range) will ensure the positive carryover of the technique while creating stretching, but not pain. The techniques are especially effective because they can be performed by the patient with a specific exercise program on their own. If a patient is performing these exercises correctly on their own at home, they should expect a 50% improvement in their motion by their second therapy visit.

To become a certified Mulligan provider (a CMP), the clinician needs to attend three separate classes and pass both a written and practical exam. If you would like more information about the Mulligan Concept or want to be treated by a CMP, feel free to give Red Canyon Physical Therapy a call and make an appointment with one of our Certified Mulligan Providers today.

Benefits of Physical Therapy

What’s the Difference Between Dry Needling and Acupuncture?

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Red Canyon is proud to offer dry needling therapy to our patients in Frederick and Hagerstown. As a result, a common question we get is, “What’s the difference between acupuncture and dry needling?” Though both techniques involve a practitioner inserting thin needles into parts of the human anatomy, there are a few different goals in mind that spell out the key differences between acupuncture and dry needling.

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