Suffering From Knee Pain? Here Are Some Ways That A Physical Therapist Can Help

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Knee pain is something that can affect many areas of your life. You may have trouble sleeping, for example. If you have a job in which you're on your feet much of the day, you may experience chronic discomfort — similarly, if your job requires you to be seated throughout the day, your knees may ache and your legs may feel restless. Help can come in the form of a visit to your local physical therapist. This healthcare professional can help your pain in a number of different ways, which can have a monumental impact on your quality of life. Here are some ways that this therapist can assist you.

Hands-On Healing

Your physical therapist will work to relieve your pain through a variety of methods of care. He or she may use massage-like techniques to loosen the muscles in your legs; when these muscles are tight, they could potentially cause your knees to be sore. The therapist may also use electrical stimulation pads to work around your knees; these small pads, which are stuck directly to your skin, send an electronic pulse through your body that can provide relief from pain.

Stretching Homework

You can also count on your physical therapist giving you a stretching regimen that you can rely on between therapy sessions. Taking an active role in your own health in this manner is integral to experiencing relief from your pain, and many physical therapists will assign "homework" for you to work on. For knee pain, you'll be asked to perform a number of different stretches that can alleviate your discomfort. You'll learn the proper mechanics for safely executing each stretch, as well as other valuable details such as how long to hold each stretch for and where you should feel the stretch in your body.

Lifestyle Suggestions

Your physical therapist may be able to identify some ways that your lifestyle is compounding your knee pain, so he or she will talk to you about some techniques that you can use to make improvements. For example, if you're overweight, the extra mass that you're carrying around is putting pressure on your knees. In this case, your therapist may recommend that you commit to losing some weight, and may refer you to a nutritionist who will be able to help. The physical therapist may also look at how you walk and stand and may make some suggestions about how to change your gait and posture to alleviate knee pain.

To learn more about physical therapy, contact a physical therapist at a location like Rehab Solutions Physical Therapy.

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26 April 2017

Relief from Tension Headaches

Ever since childhood, I’ve been a driven person. Even as a young kid, I always strived to make good grades. With my schoolwork, I was never satisfied unless I made a perfect score. As an adult, I still tend to be a perfectionist. For instance, I won’t leave my home until every hair is in place on my head. In my career, I work diligently to please my many clients. Unfortunately, my perfectionist nature often causes me to become tense. Whenever I’m stressed about something, the muscles in my neck and shoulders become extremely tight. Sometimes, this issue leads to tension headaches. Thankfully, I know where to go when I begin experiencing muscle tightness. I visit my trusted chiropractor. On this blog, you will discover the methods a chiropractor uses to relieve tension headaches.