Do you sometimes feel sluggish, tired, achy, sore or have low energy? It could be that you are suffering from some basic physical problems. If you sit still for long hours in your car, at your job or at home watching TV, you could be hurting your body over time. Without frequent movement, your muscles waste away, joints become stiff and normal chemical processes in your body change. In fact, your circulation and lymphatic systems slow down causing a backup of toxic wastes, such as cholesterol, that are normally produced and excreted by your body.

Lack of movement and poor posture are the frequent causes of chronic low back pain, headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain and pain in the hips / knees or legs. Slumped posture actually changes the shape of your spine, closes the joints of your shoulders, tightens the tissues around the hips and produces a host of other problems.

The fundamental rule of the human body
Your body was designed to move and without it, body systems start to fail. However, movement can at times be limited if you find yourself having pain, stiffness or general lack of activity. This restriction of movement can lead to other long-term health problems and chronic pain. The key to being healthy is placing a big emphasis on exercising and movement. In order to keep moving, your body needs to be flexible, strong, have good balance and good nutrition.

Physical Therapy focuses on helping your body achieve optimum performance for your body’s critical areas. With years of medical training in analyzing and treating movement, physical therapists are the uniquely qualified specialists that help people move better. With good movement, pain reduces quickly with a return of energy and a better mood.

Easy steps to increase movement, decrease pain and increase your energy:

• Decide to get up and get moving
• Get up from your chair every 20 minutes, and walk around, even if just for a few seconds
• Walk or exercise at least 30 minutes everyday
• Drink plenty of water
• Stretch your legs, hips, spine and neck daily for 10 minutes
• Don’t push into painful movements, rather work within the available range of motion
• Make sure you are sitting properly at your desk or computer
• Take frequent breaks to deeply inhale / exhale
• Stretch your arms overhead frequently throughout the day
• Do strengthening exercises at least 2-3 times a week

If you find yourself in pain, aching, injured or unable to move like you want to, simply give us a call. Our expert physical therapists provide a comprehensive evaluation to find the root cause of your problem, then put together a complete plan that works to get you moving, pain-free again. Call us today at our clinic at (406) 388 4902 to learn more!

Health is a relative term and is different for everyone. It means that your body is operating at an efficient range in all the different body systems from circulation, breathing, digestion and more. It doesn’t mean you have to look like a supermodel. Anything you can do to help your body achieve more of an ideal state is a step towards a healthier you.

Strength and flexibility

There are approximately 642 skeletal muscles in the body. This means that your strength and flexibility play an important role in your health. Your muscles not only help you move, but they support your circulatory and breathing systems. A stronger and more flexible you, means a healthier you. Relieving joint or muscle pain and guiding you on proper exercise is part of our specialized physical therapy treatments. Call our physical therapists to learn more.

Aches, pains and injuries

All of these contribute to an unhealthier you. Pain increases bad chemicals in the body and increases stress. This affects your endocrine system, which regulates the hormones in your body and controls almost everything. Most muscle and joint pains can easily be treated by our specialized physical therapists. Our physical therapy experts have the right knowledge and the time to listen, evaluate and guide you towards a pain-free, healthier lifestyle.

7 Steps to a healthier you:

1. TAKE CARE OF ACHES AND PAINS.
Don’t let long-term aches and pains linger. Seek out professional physical therapy help to avoid turning a small problem into a major one.

2. LIMIT YOUR SITTING.
Get up every 30 minutes and walk around at work and home. This reduces the pressure on your spine, increases blood and lymphatic fluid flow around the body, helping you feel more energized throughout the day.

3. GET OUT AND MOVE.
Exercise regularly. At least walk every day. Many studies show the benefits of simply walking. Risks for heart disease, stroke and diabetes can be reduce greatly, simply by walking daily.

4. NUTRITION AND PORTION CONTROL.
Keep your intake of food nutritious and at a comfortable level. Chew your food more thoroughly and you won’t feel like you have to eat so much.

5. DRINK MORE WATER.
Water keeps your body systems functioning at an optimum level. It also helps you feel less hungry throughout the day. An idea is to keep a glass or drink container at your desk or counter where you frequent throughout the day and keep filling it up.

6. BREATHE!
Work on your breathing to increase oxygen intake and get your lymphatic system moving. Many people have breathing pattern disorders from chronic stress over time. Lie on your bed or the floor with your hand on your upper abdomen, breathe deep, working on gently rising your abdomen towards the ceiling. This works your diaphragm muscle, which is the major muscle in breathing.

7. GET ENOUGH SLEEP.
Sleep at least 7-8 hours a day. It is best to get into a routine so you go to bed and wake up on a regular cycle. This helps your endocrine system, which controls hormones.

There is a lot that you can do to feel healthier. Start with the simple suggestions above and make it easy for yourself to accomplish them. If you have aches and pains or just want to feel healthier, give us a call today and learn more about how we can help you live a pain free, healthy life!