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An increase in Back Pain complaints is common this time of year and lately I’ve had several people asking this question. And it’s a great question! For many it can be hard to decide whether they should just give it little more time to “WAIT & SEE” if their Back Pain will go away or if it’s time to TAKE ACTION.  I get why this can be a tough decision to make, because most of the time our aches and pains will go away if we give our bodies some time to work through the healing process.
When that doesn’t happen, and the pain doesn’t go away as expected it can be confusing and difficult to decide what to do next. Here are a couple of simple questions you can ask yourself to help you figure out what to do.
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I’ve heard more stories than I can count about how people have injured their backs. Some stories are terrifying, others can be quite funny, and I’ve heard everything in between. Would it surprise you if I told you most Back Pain isn’t caused by an “injury”?  Most Back Pain is far stealthier! It sneaks up on you for no reason and most people are left without a good story tell to explain their Back Pain.
While I can’t promise you a good story, there are several things that could be causing your Back Pain. With Fall officially here and Winter just around the corner, I’m already starting to hear more complaints of new or worsening Back Pain. In fact, this happens almost every Fall and Winter. As the days get shorter and colder lower backs seem to “unexpectedly” get stiff and achy.  What was once just an occasional dull ache that was easily ignored suddenly gets more annoying, more painful and more limiting every day.
Today I want to continue my discussion from last week about a “popular trend” that is very concerning. It’s not necessarily a new problem, but it is something that for whatever reason I’ve been acutely aware of over the past few weeks or months. So, what is this “popular trend”?  I am hearing from more and more people who are suffering in pain or poor health who have fallen victim to one or more FALSE BELIEFS about their health. FALSE BELIEFS that are holding them back from enjoying the healthy, active and vibrant lifestyle they want and deserve.
As a Physical Therapist and Health Coach conversations about health are a big part of my everyday life…and I absolutely love it! I love sharing my knowledge and experiences and helping others on their health journey. So, today I want to talk about something that has been coming up a lot lately that has me concerned. It’s this idea that persistent aches, pains or poor health is somehow accepted as “just a normal part of aging”.  I hear from so many people who are NOT living the life they envisioned for themselves because of one or more health problems. And sadly, the most common health problems affecting people’s lives today are conditions that can prevented, significantly improved and in many cases even reversed with proper treatment and advice.
This week as we celebrate the Fourth of July and our freedom, first I want to express my gratitude for the courageous men and women dedicated to preserving it and pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you for your service!  As I was thinking about freedom and independence, I thought of the many parallels related to our health.
Good health gives us many freedoms, including the independence to enjoy the things we love or want to do in life. A very common complaint I hear from my patients who have been dealing with persistent aches, pains and injuries is that they have “GAINED WEIGHT”. It takes a lot of them by complete SURPRISE!  Before they know it, the scale has crept up by 5, 10, 15 pounds or more!
How did this happen? Camping and summertime BBQ’s! Fresh garden salsa and guacamole!
I have a lot of people who ask me why their knees pop, click or crack and whether it’s something they should be worried about it. In fact, it’s one of the most frequent questions I’m asked when someone is worried about Knee Pain. I’m sure many of you at some point have had a knee ‘pop’ or make a ‘cracking’ sound when squatting or kneeling. It’s likely you may have heard you knees ‘clicking’ or ‘creaking’ when bending your legs or changing positions.  The good news…most of the time it’s just noise. These noises are common as we grow older and are generally nothing to worry about.
But to make sure it’s not the beginning of a bigger problem, it’s always a good idea to have your knees checked. If muscles around the knee become tight or weak it can cause popping or clicking that can lead to tendonitis or more serious injury if the underlying problem isn’t corrected. I love being outdoors this time of year – gardening, camping, walking by the river or just relaxing out on the deck! But I don’t particularly enjoy the biting insects that seem to think I’m a tasty snack. I’ve started getting mosquito bites working in the yard over the past couple days, which means it’s time to get out the bug spray.  A few years ago I fell in love with a couple different Essential Oil Bug Repellents. In fact, I found they actually work better than the bug sprays made with toxic chemicals – like DEET, which I try to avoid!
Below are my two favorite Essential Oil Bug Repellent recipes that are super easy to make: |
"Helping active adults FINALLY get rid of their aches, pains and injuries, so they can keep moving, stay active and improve their health naturally - without pain medication, injections or surgery."Oregon City, OR
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