Best Sleeping Positions to Reduce Pain

Finding a Sleep Position to Reduce Your Back Pain

Dealing with back pain? Well, you definitely are not alone. Back pain has been named as the leading cause of disability globally. You might think most back pain results from trauma or serious medical conditions, but actually bad posture, sleeping positions and other everyday habits can contribute to lower back pain. 

How Should We Sleep and Which Sleeping Position Is the Best?

Try these top sleeping positions and find the right fit for you. Depending on your normal sleep positions, one of these variations can help to reduce pressure on your back, maintain alignment and help alleviate pain.

1- Side Sleeping with a Knee Pillow

For some people, lying on their back can create discomfort. Try rolling over onto your side. Allow the entire length of your body on your sleeping side to make contact with the mattress. Place a pillow between your knees, which reduces pressure on your back. Consider adding a small support, if there is a gap between your waist and the mattress. Make sure you alternate sides, as continually sleeping on one side can cause additional problems. 

Why does this help? The pillow between the knees is the key to this sleeping position. It promotes better spine alignment and reduces pressure on the spine that can further irritate back pain. 

2- Fetal Position- Suffering from a herniated disc? Rather than sleeping on your back, try sleeping on your side curled up like a fetus. Start by gently rolling over onto your side. Bring your knees toward your chest by tucking them upward and curling your upper body down toward your knees, as if you are going to hug your knees. Don’t forget to alternate side on occasion. 

Why does this help? Herniated discs occur when those soft cushions between your vertebrae bulge or move out of place. Putting your body into a fetal position lengthens the space in between your vertebrae. 

3- Stomach with Pillow- Sleeping on your stomach can increase back pain; however, we tend to have favorite sleeping positions that we all gravitate toward. There’s no need to force yourself into sleeping in a foreign position. Instead, place a pillow under your abdomen and pelvic area which relieves some of the pressure from your back. It is likely that in this position, you will choose not to use a pillow beneath your head. Why does this help? This position can reduce the pressure and stress on the spaces between your disc. 

4- On Back with Elevated Knees- For many people, sleeping on your back provides the most back pain relief and is the most desirable. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow places underneath your knees to keep your spine in a neutral position. It is critical to maintain the natural curve of the lower back when in this position. You can also place a rolled towel under the small of your back to add support.

Why does this help? Sleeping on your back evenly spreads weight across the widest areas of your body, resulting in less weight resting on pressure points. This position also allows for better alignment of your spine.

Are You Properly Aligned?

Regardless of the sleep position you choose, what matters most with back pain is that your spine is in proper alignment, whether you are sleeping, exercising or doing your daily routine. In addition to helping you select a sleep position, a physical therapist can use spinal manipulation and other manual therapy techniques to move your spine back into alignment. Physical therapy can also help you train to improve form and alignment during athletic and non-athletic activities to prevent injury from occurring or progressing. 

The longer you wait to correct misalignment in the back, the more the pain can progress. Seeking expert help can improve your sleep, your performance, and your quality of life.

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

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

After Pregnancy Physical Therapy

Postpartum Physical Therapy Services

Exercising during and after pregnancy is exceptionally important, and every pregnant woman should invest her time doing so when under the supervision of her physical therapist and personal trainer.  Movement is the very essence of health and is beneficial to everyone. Just as a professional athlete needs to stay on top of his game year-round, future moms have to take extra care of their health status in order to be able to endure one of the most demanding and beautiful periods of their life.

Running through the basics - what can I expect during pregnancy?

Carrying a baby causes loads of changes, and a lot occurs due to physiological hormonal fluctuations in your body. In the beginning, everything is gradual, then it speeds up dramatically. In the final trimester, you can tell every difference from week to week.

All of this means changes in all tissues, but most important for us as physical therapists, connective and muscle tissue becomes more soft and flexible, so it can adapt to extra weight and distension happening in your abdominal area. It all sounds quite normal, and it absolutely is. However, things involving pain in the back and joints tend to happen as well,  and are often also categorized as "physiological" and transitory. Pain is not something you should tolerate, especially during and after pregnancy while stress is out of the question. My team here at Evolve physical therapy in Brooklyn can assure you that there is much that can be done to make your pregnancy as painless as possible.  

Physiotherapy for Back Pain

The lower back and joint system are where the pain is most likely to occur while carrying a baby. This usually happens around the 5th month, followed by an increase in body weight. Some of the other contributing  factors would be:

• Sitting a lot, or sleeping in a non-physiological position

• Laxity of ligaments in pregnancy

• Increased pressure on lower extremity nerves caused by the enlargement of the uterus

• Distension of the deep abdominal wall

Of course, not all of these problems happen to every single pregnant woman. But still, the main rule I always follow in this particular case is that exercise is our best friend in ensuring a more comfortable postpartum period. In that case, I suggest we get down to working out!

Relieving postpartum back pain is one of our main goals here at Evolve. You can expect one of our therapists to lead you through an individual postpartum workout plan consisting of carefully selected exercises to cover every critical region.

Strengthening your core is something your body will be most grateful for because weakness in the abdomen automatically means weakness of the spine stabilizing system. With nothing to hold your vertebrae, lower back pain is imminent. However, that is something we can and will change.

Our next stop will be mending the abdominal separation, also known as diastasis recti abdominis. During pregnancy as your abdomen distends, and connective tissue or linea alba that connects left and right side of the rectus abdominis muscle becomes stretched and become thinner. This allows the abdominal muscles to stretch as well and make room for the baby. Sometimes this separation in your abdomen spontaneously retreats after giving birth, but there are cases that demand physical therapy treatment. This is where we jump in, offering you the opportunity to try out our postpartum rehab program at Evolve!

Manual therapy as a Healing Approach

Manual therapy consists of applying specific techniques and skills such as joint manipulation and mobilization, as well as methods by which a physical therapist evaluates and treats soft tissues and bone structures. The primary goal of manual therapy is to reduce pain, increase mobility and eliminate inflammatory changes. This will, of course, result in better blood circulation in that region as well, ensuring much quicker convalescence in your postpartum period!

Manual therapy techniques can be used as a multi-modal approach, and we should always strive to combine them with other kinesitherapy and proprioceptive techniques. Many elements of this healing method require certain expertise, and that is why you should consider consulting one of our team members here at Evolve physical therapy.

How can strength training help me in the postpartum period?

Just when you think you're out of the woods you realize that there are loads of things waiting for you on the other side, and it's not going to be easy getting them back like they used to be. Like I said in the beginning, exercising at this point may feel over overwhelming after all you've been through, but it is your one-way ticket to feeling and looking healthy and functional once again. It will benefit you greatly, and help you to do the following:

Reestablish normal breathing patterns: In the postpartum period, paradoxical breathing can occur and gentle, steady breathing exercises and kinesitherapy is just what you need to get back on track.

Strengthen your deep pelvic floor: In order to prevent unpleasant incontinence episodes, muscles of the pelvic floor should always remain on top of their function and serve as a steady foundation for your urogenital tract and pelvic organs. To ensure all of this, we offer you to join us at Evolve and follow a workout plan devised by one of our team members that will help you in cases like this.

Improve stability of your lower back: We already talked about the importance of spine stability through pregnancy and it is equally important for it to stay stable and healthy after your postnatal rehabilitation. Again you can consult one of our therapists, and enroll in our postpartum rehab program that can be designed according to your needs!

Work with the Evolve Team for Physical Therapy After Pregnancy

There is absolutely no need for you to feel additionally exhausted and in pain because of a few bumps on the road. With the right amount of attention and work, everything can become the way it used to be. So come and join us so that we make sure you fully enjoy your newest phase of life. Oh and, congratulations!

Manual Therapy- A Physical Therapy Technique

Manual Therapy for Pain Relief

What is Manual Therapy?

Manual Therapy is a very effective hands on approach that is used for the treatment of muscles, ligaments, and joints. A physical therapist can target any areas of pain or discomfort that you may have with specialized movement and exercises that are utilized to strengthen weak muscle groups and improve your mobility. People who suffer from back pain, neck and shoulder pain, headaches and orthopedic conditions can benefit from this hands-on method.

How can manual therapy be utilized to help manage chronic pain?

Get your life back with Manual Physical Therapy at Evolve!

Soft Tissue Mobilization: This type of treatment was created to improve mechanical movement as well as to restore a patient's range of motion. Depending on what areas of the body have been affected during your accident or injury, your therapist will apply various amount of pressure to break down any adhesion that may have formed.

Joint Mobilization: If your joins are limiting your range of motion, your physical therapist may use this method to help improve your mobility. The motions used in joint mobilization will strengthen surrounding tissue of the affected joints and can allow you to gain a normal range of motion as well as decrease pain.

Strain and Counterstrain: This method is commonly used to target and treat muscle spasms that occur in the body. Erase pain and reduce spasms with this hands-on technique.

Muscle Energy Techniques: Treat dysfunctional joints with this type of treatment that uses muscle contractions to relax and lengthen your muscles. It can also normalize the motion of your joints.

You can learn more about Evolve’s manual therapy services here.

Can this method help you with daily muscle and joint pain?

Are you dealing with everyday pain in your muscles and joints? Manual therapy may be the right choice for you. At Evolve, we want to help you begin your journey to healing and teach you how to fight back against daily muscle and joint pain. Schedule a consultation with us today!

Could you reap the rewards of manual therapy?

If you are still unsure about the wonderful benefits of manual therapy, here are a few other conditions that this type of treatment has been proven to help.

Hip & Knee Replacement: Have you recently had a hip, knee, or even joint replacement? Manual therapy can assist you with promoting regular muscle and joint movement, and it can help you get back to your daily routine faster.

Arteritis/Osteoporosis: Do you suffer from arthritis or osteoporosis? The methods used in a manual therapy treatment plan can help you to cope with pain management.

Headaches: Do you suffer from frequent headaches? People who get tension headaches and migraines can also benefit from manual therapy services.

TMJ: If you have temporomandibular joint dysfunction, a condition that limits the movement of the jaw, you may be a great candidate for manual physical therapy. Our therapists can assist you with pain management for your TMJ.

Fibromyalgia: Chronic pain and fatigue are the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia. While there currently is no cure, a skilled physical therapist can help you to improve mobility and to reduce daily pain.

Manual Therapy Services You Can Rely on with Lou Ezrick, Evolve

These conditions along with many others can benefit from the hands-on approach used in manual therapy practices. If you or someone you know has chronic joint or muscle pain, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team today to start reducing pain and regain your mobility.

Brooklyn'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!

Multiple Locations!

1-718-258-3300

https://EvolveNY.com

Sports Physical Therapy- Common Sports Injuries

Sports Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation for Popular Sporting Injuries

As an athlete, it is important that you can get back on the field as soon as possible after an injury. Here at Evolve, my team and I specialize in many sports physical therapy and rehabilitation services. Below we’ve highlighted a few of the ways that we can assist you during your recovery.

Sports Physical Therapy Services

We offer a few different specialty services to help you recover from your sporting injuries. Below are a few examples:

Prehabilitation: I’ve seen the benefits of prehabilitation exercises for athletes. While it was previously primarily beneficial prior to having surgery, over the years it has developed into a popular functional fitness and injury prevention technique.

Manual Therapy: My team and I can use manual therapy as a hands-on method to target the weak muscles in and around your injury to reduce pain, and promote better mobility.

Deep Tissue Massage: As an athlete, you put a ton of stress on your body during training and games. My team and I can provide a deep tissue massage to reduce pain and promote healing.

Running & Gait Training: As an athlete, having proper form while running is extremely important. My team and I can help you to improve your function and enhance your performance.

Common Sports Injuries

If you are an athlete, or simply an avid sports player, chances are you may get injured. Here are a few of the most common sporting injuries that we see come through our doors here at Evolve.

Football Injuries and How to Treat Them

As a full contact sport, injuries are very common for football players. Whether you have over exerted yourself at practice or you take a hard tackle, a lot of these injuries requires physical therapy services. At Evolve, my team and I can help you develop a treatment plan to get you back into your best shape if you are suffering from any of the following injuries.

Knee Injuries: Knee injuries are very common in the football world. As a football player, having a knee injury can land you off the field for a long time. My team and I want to help you heal from your injuries faster. By utilizing our knee physical therapy services, we can help you with exercises that promote recovery, balance, and holistic healing.

Shoulder Injuries: Another popular injury among football players is shoulder injuries. These can include labrum and joint injuries. Our team can address any muscle tears and we can help you to restore shoulder function and mobility through our physical therapy services for shoulder injuries.

Overuse Injuries: Back pain is a frequent complaint from football players. If you are experiencing back pain this may be a sign of overuse from intense training. The kind of pain caused by overuse can be targeted by icing or with stretching and physical therapy exercises.

Basketball Injuries and Treatment Methods

While basketball isn’t a full contact sport, it is skill likely that at some point you may have an injury. The Evolve team and I can help you recover from the following injuries through our sports physical therapy services.

Ankle Injuries: Injured ankles are very popular among basketball players. It is essential to play this sport that you fully recover from any ankle injury. A few of the frequent ankle injuries that we see are dislocations, fractures, sprains, tendonitis, or post-surgical recovery. With years of experience in the field, my team and I can help you recover from ankle injuries by using specialized sports ankle physical therapy methods.

Knee Injuries: Some of the most common knee injuries that we’ve seen from basketball players are ACL tears and MCL tears, fractures, and tendonitis. In more severe cases your injury may require surgery before you can start physical therapy. Our goal is to help you through a customized exercise and physical therapy treatment plan specific to your injuries. We want to see you regain the strength and mobility that you may have lost due to your sports injury.

Shoulder Injuries: Rotator cuff tears are one of the most common shoulder injuries. As a frequently used part of the body for basketball and activities related to daily living, you will want to recover from this injury as soon as possible. Let us help you start to find healing today.

Hand & Wrist Injuries: Injuries of the hand and wrist are also common with basketball players. If you’ve injured your hand or wrist you will be out of luck with basketball until the injury heals. Don’t spend unnecessary time on the sidelines. While the duration of every treatment plan is different, both hand physical therapy and wrist physical therapy has been proven to increase recovery times.

Common Injuries and Their Treatment Plans for Baseball Players

Baseball is a sport that sees its fair share of injuries as well. If you are a professional player or are a frequent player in pickup games, you may find that the stress put on your body can eventually result in injury. Below are some of the most common baseball injuries that my team and I can help you with our specialized physical therapy for baseball players here at Evolve.

Rotator Cuff Injuries: The overall goal for physical therapy with a rotator cuff injury is to improve the function of each muscle that surrounds your shoulder. By building and strengthening these muscles you will find that you can increase mobility.

Tennis Elbow: Tennis elbow happens when the muscles around your elbow have been overused. It can cause pain and inflammation. By using sports physical therapy exercises you can start to reduce any pain and inflammation that has occurred.

ACL Injuries: If your ACL has been damaged due to an injury our team can help. A physical therapy treatment plan for a torn ACL may include, gait training, strengthening exercise, range of motion exercises, balance exercises and more.

Wrist & Hand Injuries: As a baseball player, full wrist and hand function is imperative. Here at Evolve, we can help you with strengthening and range of motion exercises to start helping you heal from wrist and hand injuries.

Treating Soccer Injuries with Physical Therapy

Soccer is another sport that includes likely chances of injury due to the speed and nature of the sport. If you have been injured during a game or have noticed pain after a grueling practice, we are here to help. Below are some examples of the frequently seen injuries of those who participate in this sport.

Ankle & Hamstring Strains: My team and I can help you with pain management for ankle and hamstring strains by teaching you exercises that can help you regain your normal range of motion. Our team can help you get back in the game faster and in your best shape yet.

Overuse Injuries: An overuse injury is also a common one for soccer players. By utilizing prehab exercises, you can help to prevent these kinds of injuries from occurring.

Soft Tissue Injuries: A soft tissue injury can occur when an excessive force is put on your soft tissues. To recover from a soft tissue injury, we can assist you with manual therapy, range of motion exercises, and more to help you fully recover and get back to the game you love.

Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation Services with Evolve

Do you have a sports injury that is keeping you from being able to return to the sport you love? Here at Evolve, my team and I want to see you make a full recovery. Reach out to us today to learn more about our physical therapy and rehabilitation services for sporting injuries. You can schedule your first consultation free of charge. We look forward to hearing from you!