Evolve’s Commitment to YOU amid Coronavirus (COVID-19) Concerns

Covid-19 Information

As the impact of COVID-19 spreads across the globe, we understand how it is affecting our families, work and businesses. At times like these, we want to ensure you that our top priority is the safety, health and well-being of both our staff and clients.

It helps everyone to be informed, so here are some fast facts about COVID-19 according to the CDC:

• Diseases can make anyone sick regardless of their race or ethnicity

• Some people are at an increased risk of COVID-19. These people who have close contact with those diagnosed with the disease, and people who live in (or recently been) an area with an exposure.

• You can help stop the spread of COVID-19 by knowing the symptoms:

  • Fever

  • Cough

  • Shortness of Breath

There are simple things to keep yourself and others healthy and protected. Small things like hand washing, staying home when you’re sick and observing cough etiquette can help.

With this constantly in mind we have set up guidelines for the benefit of the community.

We Commit to the Following:

• We require each team member to deeply clean all tables and equipment after each use.

• To provide hand sanitizer that meets the CDC requirements for antiviral disinfectant.

• Perform periodic cleaning of all frequently touched surfaces.

• Employ professional cleaning services

• Enforcing “scrub in and scrub out” policies

To protect each other, we also ask you, our beloved clients to also follow our guidelines

We ask of you:

• Stay home if you are sick or having COVID-19 symptoms

• Wash and/or sanitize hands upon entering our clinics

  • Frequent hand washing with soap and water appears to be the best to do to avoid spreading the virus.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands

  • Although little is still known about the virus, it appears that it can enter our bodies through our eyes, nose and mouth.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, and immediately dispose of the tissue.

Lastly, we urge you to seek medical advice if you feel any of the symptoms, especially if you have a history of travel to areas affected by the virus, or have been in close contact with someone affected.

About Evolve Physical Therapy in Brooklyn-

There’s physical therapy, there’s training, and then there’s EVOLVE. We use the science of biomechanics merged with fitness to help our patients get better and stay better!

First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.

Multiple Locations!
Call- 1-718-258-3300

https://EvolveNY.com

How Can Physical Therapy Help My Sciatica?

By Nick Mazzone, PT, DPT, CSCS

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is one of the most common symptoms associated with lower back pain. It refers to the sensation of burning pain that tends to radiate from the buttock down the leg. The distance the pain travels is typically correlated to the extent of the irritation effecting the nerves. The name “sciatica” comes from the sciatic nerve, which is one of the largest nerves in the body. The spinal nerves that become irritated are typically those that eventually come together to form the sciatic nerve (from spinal level L4 to S3). Sciatica is not a permanent condition and does not typically require surgical intervention.

What causes sciatica?

 These symptoms are typically caused by excess pressure on a nerve after it exits the lumbar spine (lower spine). This pressure can come from a herniated disc, arthritis in the lumbar region, and other conditions in which the space that the spinal nerve travels becomes compressed or shrinks.

How can physical therapy help improve this condition?

 This condition is relieved by decompressing the region in which these spinal nerves travel. This can be achieved through a specific mobility and strengthening program that includes postural education and awareness training. These specific exercises will depend on the location at which the nerve is being irritated. Generally speaking, in order to decrease pressure in the lumbar region of the spine, you must be mobile in not only the lumbar spine but the thoracic region (mid back) and hips. This will help take pressure off the low back by allowing a more even distribution of movement. Think about it this way: If you are lacking proper mobility in your thoracic spine, your lumbar spine will have to make up for this lack of mobility. This can lead to increased stress and strain in this area. The same idea works for the hips.

Postural training is important in helping to decrease pain and inflammation in the low back. The pelvis and lower spine are anatomically connected (the lower spine actually sits in the pelvis), and therefore movement between the two will be interrelated. The position of the pelvis will dictate the posture in our lumbar spine during all activities (including at rest!). Depending on where the nerve irritation is occurring, this positioning of the pelvis will either increase or decrease pressure on the nerve. If the irritation is occurring at the point where the nerve exits the spinal canal (at the nerve root), extension of the lumbar spine should help alleviate the pressure by “opening” the region where the spinal nerves exit, while flexion of the lumbar spine may increase pressure due to “closing” of the region. Refer to the picture above for a visual of this phenomenon. “Lordosis” is known as lumbar spine extension, while “flat” spine refers to a flexed spine. The picture below demonstrates these movements.

 Click here to find out more information about physical therapy for sciatica or call 1-718-258-3300

Check out this video that demonstrates a simple mobility exercise for the sciatic nerve to help alleviate your symptoms of sciatica:

Nick Mazzone received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Stony Brook University. He has a strong background in strength and conditioning and aims to bridge the gap between strength training and physical therapy. Nick believes that a lifestyle centered around physical fitness and mental well-being are vital to one’s successes and happiness. For this reason, he educates his patients on pain science and helps empower them and motivate them to reach their goals every day. You can find him at Evolve Physical Therapy in Mill Basin, Brooklyn, NY. To view some of his other content, visit drnickmazzonedpt.wordpress.com.

Resources:

 Main photo of sciatica pain in leg retrieved from https://www.magnilife.com/blog/5-effective-ways-for-dealing-with-sciatica-pain/

Photo of irritated nerve retrieved from http://arizonapaintreatmentcenters.com/from-dr-craig-peterson-mva-sciatica

Photo of lumbar flexion and extension retrieved from https://b-reddy.org/making-pull-ups-and-burpees-more-shoulder-and-lower-back-friendly/

Photo of pelvis position and lumbar spine retrieved from https://body-motion.co.uk/injuries/postural-pain/improve-your-sitting-posture/

How Can Physical Therapy Help My Arthritis?

By Nick Mazzone, PT, DPT, CSCS

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a major cause of chronic pain and disability in our society today. People with arthritis typically report deep, aching pain in the joints affected as well as stiffness and inability to get up and get right out of bed in the morning. The most common treatments for this painful condition include cortisone injections aimed at decreasing inflammation, over-the-counter NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and knee replacement surgery once the condition significantly worsens.

What is going on in my joints that causes this pain?

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that leads to wearing away of the outer layers of cartilage and bone as you can see in the image above. This causes an inflammatory process to be induced by the body which leads to swelling, increased sensitivity to touch and pressure, and pain. On an X-ray, you will see decreased space between the bones and potentially bone spurs, which the body lays down in response to excess pressure in the area. This inflammatory condition typically leads to inactivity, which then leads to decreased range of motion along with muscle weakness.

What will physical therapy accomplish?

The hallmarks of arthritis include joint stiffness, swelling, muscular weakness, and pain. In physical therapy, your therapist will prescribe specific exercises that will help improve range of motion, and therefore, stiffness, as well as exercises for strengthening the surrounding muscle groups. These exercises will also act to help decrease the central nervous system’s hypersensitivity to pressure and touch, which will allow you to perform your daily tasks with much greater ease. Your therapist will also work on improving your patterns of movement in order to ensure that you are decreasing the pressure on your arthritic joints and using the most efficient pattern available to your body. There are also modalities and other methods used that will help to decrease the amount of swelling in the joint, which then leads to decreased pain.

Great. Stronger muscles, improved range of motion. How exactly is this helping my condition?

Good question. I would like to start by saying that there is currently no way to reverse the arthritic condition. That being said, I would like you to consider this example. Think about a stiff and swollen knee joint. When a person bends their knee, the stiffness in the muscles and fibers of the joint force the bones to glide along a smaller surface area. This will eventually lead to more breakdown of the cartilage and outer layers of bone, which means progression of the osteoarthritis. Now imagine we have a knee joint that has been sufficiently stretched and has less swelling. These bones glide in a smoother manner across a larger surface area (due to less range of motion restrictions). Now that the force can be spread evenly across the bony surfaces, there is a much less chance of increasing breakdown of the cartilage and bone.

Strengthening the muscles helps to ensure that while walking or performing other functional daily tasks, the joint is kept in a position that ensures proper alignment and efficiency of muscle function. This formula along with a prescribed home exercise program will prevent progression of the condition and assist in avoiding knee replacement surgery.

Check out this brief video which shows how to utilize a “hip-first pattern” to help offset pressure on the knee joint when bending down and squatting.

For more information or any questions, give us a call at 718-258-3300 or contact us today!

or click here to find out more about physical therapy for arthritis

Nick Mazzone received his doctorate in Physical Therapy from Stony Brook University. He has a strong background in strength and conditioning and aims to bridge the gap between strength training and physical therapy. Nick believes that a lifestyle centered around physical fitness and mental well-being are vital to one’s successes and happiness. For this reason, he educates his patients on pain science and helps empower them and motivate them to reach their goals every day. You can find him at Evolve Physical Therapy in Mill Basin, Brooklyn.