Get Healthy!

Did you know that 44% of elementary students in Guilford County are overweight or obese? 29% of middle school, 30% of high school students and 60% of adults in Guilford County are also overweight or obese. Why does this matter? Obesity increases your health risks for diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain cancers while certainly increasing health care costs. Being overweight can also cause increased stress on your joints and contribute to knee pain and arthritis and back pain.

What can you do about it? Walking 30 minutes a day at a brisk pace can significantly reduce your risk for developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, osteoporosis, reduces your resting heart rate and blood pressure and lower your overall bodyweight and your percent body fat. Walk to the store, walk to your friends house, park at the other end of the parking lot, start an exercise program with guidance from your physical therapist or other health care professional and visit Get Healthy Guilford for other facts and health tips.

Remove that straight jacket and move!

We are all too familiar with the feeling of waking up in the morning, getting out of bed feeling tight, and uncomfortable in our body.

Some of us head to the shower and let the water run over our back, neck or shoulders in hopes that things will loosen up, many of us take a pill to mask the achy painful feeling.

What exactly is going on?

More importantly: How can we prevent this feeling from slowing us down in the wee hours of the morning?

Without stretching, strengthening and daily motion our bodies can become a straight jacket of immobility. Once supple muscles and fascia become dehydrated and tight, and begin to work like a vice on our skeletal system. The result is restricted range of motion and an uncomfortable body.

Long hot showers and anti-inflammatory pain medications can only mask the symptoms of this chronic condition. The only solution, and the most effective treatment is to MOVE! Yes, you heard me. MOVE YOUR BODY and MOVE IT OFTEN.

Stretch: Go to a yoga class, buy a yoga DVD, or create a home stretching routine that you can stick with and do it daily.

Strengthen: Go for a walk, go to the gym, buy a home DVD and get busy.

Move More: Continue to do your normal daily activities and be sure to incorporate your full range of motion.

As our body starts to deteriorate and become painful we start to move less and less. We sit in a chair while gardening instead of bending down on our knees. We avoid our daily walk because our ankle is achy. We take the elevator instead of the stairs because we get winded and it is uncomfortable. These small compensations contribute to our daily discomfort in a big way. It is important to be safe and listen to your body, but continue to move, and continue to be active in your daily life.

Start with these three simple rules:

1) Stretch

2) Strengthen

3) Move more

Try incorporating these simple and effective activities you will be on your way to pain free mornings and comfortable days living in your body.

Movement is the Best Medicine.

Here is an awesome video, by a bodyworker turned anatomist, on the importance of moving and how fascia is related to pain, dysfunction and movement problems. A restriction in fascia can be felt by your therapists hands, but not seen on an MRI or X-Ray. These fascial restrictions can cause pain, movement problems and symptoms in seemingly unrelated areas. Physical Therapy combining Myofascial Release, Joint mobilizations and exercise, is the best way to address these underlying fascial restrictions and help you feel less pain.

Phsical Therapy, Pain Medications or Surgery. What would you choose?

You have power. The power of choice. The power to heal.
No Prescription Necessary
Did you know that in most states, including North Carolina, you can see a physical therapist directly, with out a referral from a physician? Did you also know that physical therapy is a great alternative to pain medications?
Eliminating Pain without Medication
Many types of pain and inflammation can be reduced with the help of a physical therapist, including low back pain, neck pain, bursitis, sciatica, arthritis, tennis elbow, and knee pain. Lower back pain affects up to 80 percent of Americans during their lifetime. Physical therapy that mobilizes the spine along with specific exercises can help alleviate the pain and can have long-lasting effects.
In one study manual physical therapy helped 92% of patients with lower back pain.
If you are at risk of heart disease, the American Heart Association encourages seeing a physical therapist for the initial treatment of pain resulting from tendinitis/bursitis, degenerative joint problems (osteoarthritis), and inflammatory joint problems (rheumatoid arthritis), rather than prescription pain medication. Physical therapists are a great alternative to medication and surgery for musculoskeletal pain. Research shows individuals who receive active physical therapy experience greater improvements in function and decreased pain intensity.
No matter what part of your body hurts, neck, back, knee, hip, shoulder, arms, hands or head, a physical therapist can help you alleviate or manage pain without costly medication or other invasive methods such as surgery.
Finding a Physical Therapist
In North Carolina, you can see your physical therapist directly, without a referral from your physician. This is called Direct Access, and allows you to seek treatment for your condition today, get better faster, spend less money, feel great and return to the activities you enjoy.
Physical Therapists are licensed by the state in which they practice and have completed extensive and specialized, post graduate level, accredited physical therapist education programs. Physical Therapists are trained in identifying red flags (signs that your condition is not appropriate for physical therapy) and know when to refer you to the appropriate health care practitioner or physician. When you visit your physical therapist, you will experience the care of a trusted health professional that uses research and proven treatments to help you regain independence and a better quality of life.
You can search for a manual physical therapist at www.apta.org or when you call the physical therapy practice of your choice, ask if they provide hands-on manual physical therapy.
For more information on how a physical therapist can help you reduce pain, avoid surgery and feel great, visit www.moveforwardpt.com
Take care,
Dr. Aaron LeBauer
www.LeBauerPT.com

Physical Therapy for Low Back Pain: A Silent Film.

 
Are you looking for a Greensboro Physical Therapist?  If so, please visit www.LeBauerPT.com to sign up for our newsletter and get instant access to 4 Free eBooks.

Your computer or workstation can cause pain.

Your workstation, desk or computer environment may be the cause, or a major contributor factor, if you experience headaches, neck pain, eye pain, shoulder pain, back pain, wrist pain, carpal tunnel syndrome or fatigue. If you maintain a sustained posture throughout the day can create patterns of myofascial and muscle tighness that hurt or contribute to pain elsewhere in your body.

Sit with your keyboard, mouse and computer monitor in front of you. You should sit with both feet on the floor, your hips slightly above your knees, your back supported, elbows at your side and hands comfortably on the keyboard. The top edge of your monitor should be the same level as your eyebrows and it should be about 18" away from you.

Do you wear bifocals? If you need to use the lower lens at your computer, it may cause you to extend your neck too far back. To reduce this, invest in a dedicated pair of glasses for when you sit at your computer.

Do you talk on the phone for work? Holding a telephone between your head and shoulder is asking for neck and shoulder pain and tightness. Invest in or ask your work for a "hands free" headset. This will give you the freedom to sit properly at your desk while maintaining good posture.

Our physical therapists at LeBauer Physical Therapy in Greensboro, NC specialize in 1-on-1 hands-on physical therapy, massage therapy and myofascial release. We can help you reduce your pain and symptoms and teach you proper biomechanics. If you live in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Hight Point, Jamestown, Kernersville, Thomasville, Ashboro or any other surrounding community please call us for a consultation or to schedule an appointment or visit our website www.LeBauerPT.com for instant access to 4 Free eBooks titled "The End of Low Back Pain", "How to Beat Arthritis", "10 Best Health Tips" and "The Secrets of Good Posture."

Back Pain, Neck Pain, Headaches and Migraines.

What do back pain, neck pain, headaches and migraines have in common? Manual Physical Therapy and Myofascial Release can positively effect and help people who have these conditions. Everyone is unique, and everyone is different, however there is typically a postural deficit present, such as a forward head or tilted pelvis, soft tissue (muscle and fascia) restriction and joint restrictions. At LeBauer Physical Therapy in Greensboro, NC we provide a thorough evaluation to identify and touch the painful areas and then look elsewhere for the cause or factors that are contributing to your condition. Our goal is to help you reduce your pain and symptoms while teaching you self treatment strategies to help you take control of your health and reduce your symptoms when they are present.

Beat Stress in 3 Easy Steps.

1. Exercise – Exercise releases endorphins, helps us sleep better, and the effects last. Take a brisk walk first thing in the morning, during your lunch hour, or after work. 20 minutes a day will do wonders for your health.
2. Take an Epsom Salt Bath- Add 1 or 2 cups of Epsom salt to your bath water for a tension relieving, muscle soothing hot bath. Add 1 cup Epsom salt to a large mixing bowl for the ultimate foot soak. Epsom salts can be bought at your local grocery or drug store. You can also add a few drops of lavender oil to enhance the experience and your relaxation.
3. Massage and Physical Therapy – The benefits of massage and hands on manual physical therapy are numerous, and a massage and myofascial reelase relieve tension, headaches, muscle aches, pain and stress. A professional massage can do wonders for stress and tension. You can also trade a neck and shoulder massage with a friend or your partner. Self massage is beneficial too. Lean against a wall with a tennis ball between your shoulder blades for a quick tension buster.

To learn more and access your Free Report visit our website www.LeBauerPT.com

LeBauer Physical Therapy Blog

Welcome to our new blog.

We have created this blog to provide you with useful information and health tips so you can learn more about how your body works and how to keep it feeling great.
Physical Therapy is much more than just hot packs, ultrasound and leg lifts. As a physical therapist I treat each person as an individual and offer a thorough examination. We do not just treat the symptoms, but work together to discover the cause of your pain or movement problem.

Myofascial Release and manual physical therapy are effective for treating many common conditions such as back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and impingement, hip pain, knee pain, arthritis, scoliosis, spondilitis, headaches, migraines, TMJ and other jaw problems, pelvic pain, carpal tunnel, sciatica, myofascial pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and a many other orthopaedic conditions and sports injuries.

At LeBauer Physical Therapy, we specialize in myofascial release, massage therapy, manual physical therapy, therapeutic yoga, and therapeutic exercise to help people reduce pain, move better and feel great. To learn more about our practice please visit our website at www.LeBauerPT.com