Have you been ignoring or putting off dealing with muscle and joint pain? Do you have pain with certain movements or exercises, wake up stiff, trouble getting around or up and down stairs? Beyond the annoyance of having the physical pain or limited mobility, you’ve probably wasted time thinking about the problem and trying to “fix” it yourself. You may have bought medications, braces, pillows, or other expensive products. “I thought it might just go away on its own.” “I didn’t have time.” “It went away at times and I thought it was gone, but them would come back periodically.” “I don’t like seeing doctors.” Whatever the reason, it’s now snowballed into a problem that has slowly started to change the way that you live. You might be avoiding things that aggravate it or be subtly changing the way that you walk. Stop making all of these accommodations and resolve to see someone who can really help you take charge. See a physical therapist.
A physical therapist can help you if you have any of these problems:
- Pain with movement
- Back or neck pain
- Difficulty or pain reaching overhead or lifting
- Hard time going up and down stairs
- Problems with your balance or falling down
- Sciatica
- Pain or numbness in your arm
- Foot pain and plantar fasciitis
- Weakness limiting you from doing household chores or your job
- Pain in the front of your knee with running or cycling
- Chronic ankle sprain
- Walking with a limp
You can also go to the APTA’s website to search conditions treated by physical therapists. Take the time this year to take care of yourself. Find a physical therapist to help you put yourself back together again. You’ll feel better, find relief quicker, and have peace of mind knowing you’re finally dealing with your nagging pains and problems. Thanks to aturkus on Flickr for the picture of humpty.
MoniqueSerpasPT
My name is Monique Serpas, PT, DPT, OCS. I am a physical therapist and board-certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist practicing at the Southeast Louisiana Healthcare System in New Orleans, LA. I realize how difficult it can be to overcome an injury or manage a chronic condition and am focused on helping my clients achieve wellness through a physically active lifestyle. I treat orthopaedic, balance, and vestibular disorders and practice using a combination of hands-on manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and education. This enables my patients to assist in their own recovery and injury prevention. I also have developed fall prevention and golf-related rehab programs in the past. I hold a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Concordia University Wisconsin (2008) and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Louisiana State University (2004). I am a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), Louisiana Physical Therapy Association (LPTA), and the Orthopaedic and Neurology sections of the APTA.
If you want to connect beyond the blog, m...@geaux2pt.com or click on the following social network icons:
December 29, 2010
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