PT and Fibromyalgia

Are You Suffering From Fibromyalgia?

Each day while we are performing our daily activities, our muscles and tendons are working hard to support our bodies. When our muscles and tendons become overworked, pain, stiffness and weakness can result. Sometimes this can progress into more serious, chronic conditions such as Fibromyalgia.

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder of the musculoskeletal system that causes chronic pain in many different parts of the body. It is often accompanied by fatigue, sleep problems, memory lapses and mood issues. Doctors and researchers believe that fibromyalgia alters how the brain processes pain. They believe that pain experienced by those affected becomes amplified and feels worse than it actually is.

What Causes Fibromyalgia?

There is no known single cause for this condition. It may result from physical trauma, surgery, infection or an accumulation of micro injuries. Most of the time it is idiopathic, which means the cause is not known.  Scientists have narrowed down potential fibromyalgia risk factors which include:

Gender: in general, fibromyalgia affects more women than men.

Genetic:. The disorder tends to run in families. If you have a relative with this condition, you might be at risk of having it as well.

Infection and other disorders: Fibromyalgia can result from physical stress such as an infection. Pre-existing conditions can also put you at risk, such as osteoarthritis, lupus or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). 

How Does It Affect People?

Fibromyalgia can be easily dismissed as simple musculoskeletal pain without taking into consideration its other symptoms (sleep disturbances, mood disorders, memory issues). It is difficult to diagnose and often overlooked. Fibromyalgia can interfere with your ability to participate in daily tasks and work. As a result,  it can lead to other conditions such as depression, anxiety and even more pain.

Can Physical Therapy Help?

Patients with fibromyalgia experience pain in various parts of the body, which causes the muscles of the body to tense up and stiffen. A physical therapist can make use of physical agents, like hot or cold compresses to reduce pain and stiffness. Frequently, joint range of motion and muscular strength are also affected. A technique called manual therapy can be utilized to treat these. Your PT will also teach you flexibility and strengthening exercises. These exercises will help prevent the pain from returning.

Aside from stretching and strengthening, exercises that promote relaxation are also taught. These include diaphragmatic breathing and meditation. These are important to practice at home as they will be your best armor against the pain caused by Fibromyalgia.

What You Can Do at Home

While participating in a physical therapy program, you will usually be given a set of exercises you can safely do at home in between appointments. Here are some tips to get you started:

Warm Up Exercises- These are easy and simple actions you can do at home without supervision. Do a couple of rotations, flexion and extension movements using your big joints – the neck, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle. You should perform these for 5 to 10 minutes.

Stretch Your Big Muscles- Your big muscles are your shoulders, back, hips, thighs and calves. These muscles are responsible for maintaining good posture, and since we use them so frequently they tire easily. Don’t forget to ask your physical therapist the proper way to stretch them!

Aerobic Exercise- We all have a tight schedule, but even a brisk walk for twenty minutes, five days a week can make a big impact. There are many opportunities for exercise, you just have to find the right one for you! Committing to an aerobic activity that you like will help keep fibromyalgia away.  

If you are already in pain, don’t wait until it goes away. Chances are, it won’t. Or if it does, it will likely return. Physical therapy can help you prevent it from returning. If it does return, physical therapy can still help you by teaching you how to cope with the pain. Click here to find out more about physical therapy for Fibromyalgia

About Evolve Physical Therapy

NYC's Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics

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!

1-718-258-3300

https://EvolveNY.com

Physical Therapy and Custom Fitness Programs

PT and Different Types of Fitness Programs

Sooner or later, you will graduate from your Physical Therapy program. This means that you have reached your goals - decreased or eliminated the pain, you are able to move again, you are able to go back to work. However, more often than not, many patients stop doing their exercises when they finish the program. This will more than likely mean you have recurring pain and have to return another round of Physical Therapy sessions before too long. 

What Should You Do After Physical Therapy?

Well, you should definitely continue to exercise! Most patients stop doing even simple exercise programs when they stop coming for Physical Therapy. Continuing your exercises will ensure that you keep all the flexibility, strength, balance and skills that you gained through your sessions. Stopping it will only put you at risk of re-injury. However, diving into fitness programs without any knowledge could potentially do you more harm than good. 

In post-rehabilitation fitness programs, the main goal is to avoid re-injury and maintain or improve your current strength and flexibility. These fitness programs are facilitated by personal trainers, or you might’ve guessed it, other physical therapists! Your trainers will make sure you perform exercises at an appropriate level. For example, basketball players that have been injured and rehabilitated cannot return to their previous fitness training immediately, their healed structures might not be able to take the pressure of being used at such a high level. An injured athlete will need to gradually ease back into their original fitness training program post-rehab. 

Ordinary individuals who do not participate in sports or activities, but who put strain on their bodies, can participate in regular fitness programs facilitated by personal trainers or fitness instructors. It is important to let their instructors know that they have just finished a bout of Physical Therapy. They will likely adjust their program for you to protect your still healing body. 

Finding the Right Program

It can be overwhelming to find the right program for you. There are loads of gyms, clinics and centers available for you, but finding the right trainer and program is important. 

Here are some steps to take before deciding on a program:

1. Figure out the pre-exercise and dynamic warm up and cool down routines that are perfect for you. If it’s not painful, and it’s warming your body up (or cooling it down) in a good way, then it’s perfect. 

2. If the exercise of program hurts, then you need to find another one. Remember that even though you’re done with PT, your body is still in the process of healing. Your body mechanics are completely different pre-injury to post-injury, so listen to your body. If it’s painful, then you should stop. 

3. Find a program that you enjoy. It can be lifting weights in the gym (supervised, of course), yoga, pilates, cross fit, swimming or even dancing! Choose a program that you will love, so that it will be easier to maintain and continue!

Why do I still need a Fitness Program?

Again, even though you have graduated from a PT program, your body is still healing and there is still a risk of re-injury. We want to prevent that. We also want to maintain whatever gains you obtained during your sessions with your PT! Other reasons to work out after PT are:

1. To further rebuild muscle - Did you know that staying in bed for two straight days can already have muscle wasting effects on your body? Or that sitting in front of the TV/desk all day can actually weaken your muscles? Your muscles need to be continually challenged for it to maintain its strength, but it’s more important to challenge them post-injury or post-rehab. 

2. To restore bone strength and density - muscles put pressure and load on our bones. When a person leads a sedentary lifestyle, there can be a certain level of muscle wasting and atrophy, and therefore a decreased bone density and strength. Load your muscles, and they will load your bones. This will protect you from fractures and musculoskeletal pain. 

3. To improve mental health - Sometimes, people get depressed, angry or lonely after an injury, surgery or even physical therapy. This is because they feel the difference in their bodies and may feel that they are not the same. Enrolling in a fitness program will help with a person’s emotional or mental well-being, while also addressing their physical needs. 

4. To improve overall health and wellness - Even if Physical Therapy had your body in an improved state, your cardiovascular system may still have a hard time keeping up. If you’re a runner, you might have a hard time returning to your normal running distance and routine. Even if you’re a stay at home mother, you might still have a hard time doing chores or chasing the kids. A consistent fitness program will help everyone ease back into their normal self. 

As much as we love seeing our patients, it’s better to see them doing well and injury-free! 

Would you like assistance creating a custom fitness program? Give us a call! 1-718-258-3300

About Evolve Physical Therapy-

Advanced, One on One, Hands On Physical Therapy in Brooklyn-

Parkinson's Boxing Training - Active Release Physical Therapy - Sports Physical Therapy NYC - Manual One on One Physical Therapy Brooklyn NYC - Hand Physical Therapy - Running + Gait Training - Soft Tissue Physical Therapy- Pediatric Physical Therapy - Schroth Method - Pre-Hab Physical Therapy - TMJ Specialists- Post-surgical Physical Therapy Care - Occupational Physical Therapy Clinics - Orthopedic Physical Therapy in Brooklyn, NY

Multiple Locations!

1-718-258-3300

https://EvolveNY.com

What Does Foam Rolling Do for Me?

By Nick Mazzone, PT, DPT, CSCS

Foam Rolling has become one of the more popular health and fitness topics over the past few years or so. These tools can be found in many different shapes, sizes, and colors with varying textures and firmness to fit everybody’s apparent need. If you google this, you will find claims that foam rolling can help you improve range of motion, muscle strength and performance, and decrease pain. It is also often used as part of a warm-up and cool-down within an exercise program.

Who do I believe?

Well, unfortunately there are very few studies on foam rolling and its effects on our muscles and connective tissues. The following bullet points can be used as a summary of the current body of research on this topic:

Positive Effects of Using a Foam Roller

·      Increased blood flow

·      Increased tissue temperature

·      Better short-term improvements in range of motion versus static or dynamic stretching

·      Decreased sensation of pain

What Foam Rolling Will NOT do for You

·      Increase strength or power output

·      Give lasting improvements in range of motion when used as a stand-alone treatment

·      Lead to complete resolution of pain/symptoms when used as a stand-alone treatment

Let’s Discuss these findings…

As you can see, there are some benefits to using a foam roller, however I feel it is important that we clear up some of the common misconceptions on the topic…

Many people who use a foam roller use it in isolation as a method of improving their mobility. I understand why people want this to be true; foam rolling is much easier and less strenuous than stretching. Unfortunately, you will not receive lasting effects from foam rolling alone. While foam rolling will only provide temporary improvements in range of motion, we can take advantage of this temporary improvement by proceeding to perform static or dynamic stretching. With consistency, this can help to improve range of motion on a more permanent basis (although more studies are needed on this topic).

There is also no evidence that foam rolling increases strength or explosiveness during your workout, however one may argue that by utilizing a foam roller you are increasing blood flow to the area, and therefore, helping to facilitate contraction of specific muscles during exercise.

Foam Rolling may also help decrease pain by working to desensitize the area through repetitive stimulation and can help promote tissue healing by improving local blood flow.

How do you suggest I use the foam roller in my daily life?

·      In conjunction with a stretching program for improving range of motion

·      As part of a warmup routine, especially for activities that have high mobility requirements

·      As an alternative to pain killers for temporary pain relief

·      As a method of soothing sore, painful muscles after a physically demanding workout

Check out this video for a brief introduction on how to use a foam roller:

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

Resources:

Su, H., Chang, N., Wu, W., Guo, L., & Chu, I. (2017). Acute Effects of Foam Rolling, Static Stretching, and Dynamic Stretching During Warm-ups on Muscular Flexibility and Strength in Young Adults. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation,26(6), 469-477. doi:10.1123/jsr.2016-0102

Cartoon depicting man foam rolling retrieved from https://www.gq.com/story/foam-roller-tips

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.

How Do I Warmup Prior to Lifting Weights?

By Nick Mazzone, PT, DPT, CSCS

The warmup phase is easily one of the most forgotten components of an exercise program these days. Would you intentionally leave it out if I told you that it could lead to increased performance and results during your workout?

Traditionally, people have used static stretching (long holds in a position that lengthens a muscle) before workouts to help decrease their risk of injury, however there is no evidence that this is the case. Static stretching before exercise has actually been shown to decrease maximal force production, jump height, and sprint speed while increasing reaction time and impairing balance (Perrier et. al).

Rather than static, long holds in the lengthened position of a muscle, dynamic movement involves actively moving through a joint’s range of motion without holding at the end point. A study by Perrier et. al found that dynamic movement including skipping, shuffling, and calisthenics of increasing intensity that were chosen based on the movements that would be performed during training led to improved athletic performance versus static stretching and no stretching at all.

Dynamic movements that mimic the exercises you will be performing help to prepare the central nervous system for physical activity. By activating specific muscles prior to exercising, we are facilitating proper muscle activation patterns and therefore, “priming” the nervous system.

Suggestions for a proper warmup routine

·      15-20 minutes of dynamic movement

·      Must make an effort to mimic the activities that will be performed in the exercise  program

·      Must include enough intensity to elevate heart rate

·      Should not approach more than 30% of your maximal effort to prevent muscle fatigue

Example of warmup routine prior to squatting or deadlifting

·      Bridging with a resistance band 3 sets of 15-20 reps

·      Marching with a resistance band 3 sets of 15-20 reps

·      Body weight squatting with a resistance band 3 sets of 15-20 reps

·      Lateral Band Stepping with resistance band 3 sets of 10 steps in each direction

Example of warmup routine prior to overhead pressing or bench pressing

·      Banded shoulder external rotation with retraction 3 sets of 12-15 reps

·      Wall Angels 3 sets of 10-15 reps

·      Overhead Arm Raise at Wall 3 sets of 10-15 reps

·      Banded Wall Climbs 3 sets of 8-12 reps

For a preview of upper and lower body warmup routines, check out these videos:

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

Click here for more information about sports physical therapy and how a personalized physical therapy program may just be your best bet…

Resources

Perrier, E. T., Pavol, M. J., & Hoffman, M. A. (2011). The Acute Effects of a Warm-Up Including Static or Dynamic Stretching on Countermovement Jump Height, Reaction Time, and Flexibility. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,25(7), 1925-1931. doi:10.1519/jsc.0b013e3181e73959

Warmup picture retrieved from https://www.hosmerchiropractic.com/blog/7-ultimate-dynamic-stretching-exercises/

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.