Summer is here and we hope you are well. This month our topic is lower back pain. In the video we share critical information about the importance of seeing a physical therapist fast and first for back pain. We also provide three exercises to help you maintain your mobility. Click here to watch the video.

Challenge Yourself to Improve Your Health

Does the idea of 150 minutes of exercise each week or 10,000 steps each day discourage you from exercising? If so, here’s some good news: Researchers have found that health benefits can be achieved at remarkably low volumes of activity/exercise (for example, less than half of what is currently recommended).

So, here’s our challenge to you. Get active, and participate in just 15 minutes of physical activity like walking, cycling, or swimming 5-days per week. A small positive behavior change like this can significantly reduce your risk of death from disease.

Reference: https://www.onlinecjc.ca/article/S0828-282X(16)00064-7/fulltext

Eight Ways to Keep Sodium in Check

Excess dietary sodium chloride, or table salt, can raise your risk of developing hypertension/high blood pressure. The problem is that many foods are loaded with it.

Here are some thoughts on how to reduce your sodium intake:

• Look at Nutrition Facts labels and try to choose prepared foods that have less than 5% of the Daily Value of sodium per serving.
• Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned, smoked, or processed.
• Choose fresh or frozen vegetables that have no added salt.
• Rinse canned foods to remove some of the sodium.
• Add less salt—or none—when cooking.
• Use reduced-sodium bouillon, dressings, and sauces like soy sauce.
• Use fresh herbs and buy spices and blends without added salt.
• Cook at home instead of eating out, when possible. But when eating out, ask that no extra salt be added to your food.

Ways to be More Rested

With all the challenges society has been going through, a good night’s sleep can be a struggle. Getting enough sleep is critical to maintain good health. Here are some reminders on how to improve your sleep:

• Spend time outside every day, if possible, and be physically active.
• Avoid nicotine and caffeine.
• Avoid heavy or large meals within a couple hours of bedtime. Also, avoid alcoholic drinks before bed.
• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
• Use the hour before bed for quiet time. Avoid exercise, bright light, and screen time.
• Take a hot bath or use relaxation techniques before bed.
• Keep your bedroom quiet, cool, and dark.

Physical Therapy Corner - Bone-on-Bone Misconceptions

Knee arthritis is a common condition that can be very painful. Even though special tests like x-rays, may show significant age-related changes, a “bone-on-bone” x-ray does not mean that physical therapy and exercise will cause more pain or damage.

On the contrary, most will improve their strength, improve mobility, and even see a significant decrease in pain.

The take-home message: don’t let bone-on-bone keep you from seeing a physical therapist and performing therapeutic exercises.

Reference: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31192807/

Thanks for reading. Stay safe and stay healthy.