Don’t Ignore Your Lower Back Pain!
Are you someone who pushes through those mysterious aches and pains that crop up occasionally? Do you just assume your lower back pain will get better on its own? While this can work out, it’s not a guarantee. If you’re struggling with back pain, make an appointment with Achieve Therapy and seek the treatment you deserve.
Lower back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal ailments globally, with an estimated 80% of people experiencing it at some point. But just because it’s a common experience doesn’t mean it can’t cause complications: around 23% of the world’s population suffers from chronic back pain, pain that lingers for longer than three months.
The good news is that physical therapy can resolve most cases of back pain through techniques like manual therapy and therapeutic exercise — no surgery or dangerous pain medications are required. Even better, our therapists can often help you improve your back strength and mobility so your back functions better than before your injury.
But to get to that point, you have to take the first step and make an appointment with the physical therapists at Achieve Therapy.
Need a little extra push? Keep reading to learn why you shouldn’t ignore lower back pain.
Happy Holidays From Our Team
Three Reasons to Seek Treatment for Lower Back Pain
It could get worse
People develop lower back pain for all kinds of reasons. If you suffered a sudden injury, your pain might indeed resolve on its own. But sudden injuries aren’t the only cause of back pain.
Many people will develop back pain due to prolonged sitting, which can contribute to a weakening of the core muscles that stabilize the spine — and puts undue strain on your lower back. Your pain will never fully resolve until you work to strengthen those muscles and address those postural issues.
It could indicate a serious underlying condition.
Not all back pain results from an injury or poor posture. Certain medical conditions, such as spinal fractures, osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, can all cause back pain. If left untreated, your symptoms will get worse, and they might bring friends, such as restricted mobility or additional complications.
Our team of physical therapists can help you determine the exact cause of back pain and suggest appropriate treatment methods. If you have developed a chronic condition, we can help you manage your symptoms and work with you to delay the disease’s progression.
You deserve a pain-free life.
Back pain may be common, but it can also be debilitating. Intense, persistent pain can keep you from staying active, which only worsens your symptoms and delays healing. It’s a vicious cycle that keeps you from fully enjoying your life.
Rather than waiting for your pain to resolve, take a proactive approach with physical therapy. We’ll give you the tools to build strength, improve your posture, and get moving — so you can experience lasting back pain relief.
Our Patients Are Getting Great Results
A year ago, I was recuperating from the removal of a large Desmoid tumor from my left flank area. The surgery had left me in a lot of pain and with almost no ability to use my left arm. Along with the surgery pain, I have fibromyalgia and a torn rotator cuff. Guess one could say I was a hot…
– Violet K.
How Does Physical Therapy Help with Back Pain, Anyway?
When it comes to back pain, movement is definitely the best medicine. Research repeatedly shows that regular exercise can reduce back pain and keep it from occurring. The problem is that exercise might feel like an impossibility when you’re in pain. That’s why physical therapy is such an excellent treatment option: we make movement the center of our treatment. Once you’ve decided not to ignore your back pain, give Achieve Therapy a call. Here’s what we’ll do to help you find relief:
Find the cause. Our in-depth physical assessments will help us identify precisely why you’re experiencing back pain, allowing us to develop a customized treatment plan.
Manage pain. We offer several drug-free techniques for managing pain so you can get moving again. Manual therapy, gentle mobilization exercises, and pain-relieving modalities can get you started.
Get moving. We’ll provide a tailored exercise program that suits your needs, interests, and ability levels. We can also help you strengthen your core muscles, ensuring your spine is well supported.
Prevent future pain. We’ll also help you avoid future incidences of back pain by instructing you on proper lifting techniques or offering ergonomic suggestions for your workspace.
Today’s the Day to Stop Ignoring Your Back Pain!
Want to take action? The first step is simple: call Achieve Therapy to schedule an initial consultation. Then wave your back pain goodbye as you embark on a journey to long-term relief!
Meet Our Team
Darcey Osowski
PCC | Billing Assistant
Tom Carson
PT, DPT, FDNS
Michelle Ellis
ATC, PTA
Grand Forks Workshops
Rotator Cuff
Recipe of the Month: Classic Lasagna
Ingredients:
- 12 lasagna noodles: oven-ready or no-cook noodles
- Optional garnish: sprinkle with fresh basil or Italian parsley.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried sage (or Italian seasoning)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel (or 1 teaspoon fennel seeds)
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 40 ounces marinara sauce (5 cups), divided
- 1/4 cup broth
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese or pecorino cheese, divided
- 2 & 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions:
- Set the oven to 350F
- Make the Italian Sausage: Saute onions in olive oil over medium heat in a large pan or skillet until softened, 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir in for a minute. Add ground beef, pork, salt, pepper, oregano, sage, fennel, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir regularly, incorporating the spices into the meat for 7- 8 minutes until the meat browns.
- Meat Sauce: Add 3 cups of the marinara sauce and the broth to the browned meat. (Reserve two cups of plain marinara for the bottom and very top of the lasagna.) Cover, simmer five minutes and remove from heat. You’ll have 4 ½-5 cups of meat sauce.
- Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Add 1 & 1/2 cups of grated mozzarella and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan (we aren’t adding all of the cheese here-saving part of the cheese for the top) and stir until combined. Save the remaining cheese for the top of the lasagna.
- Assemble Lasagna: Spread one cup of the reserved marinara on the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Place 3 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly on the noodles, then spread 1 ½ cups of the meat sauce. Repeat this layering sequence 2 more times, pressing down lightly with each layer.
- For the top layer, place the last of the lasagna noodles, spread the remaining reserved marinara over the noodles, sprinkle with parmesan, and lastly, sprinkle with the mozzarella.
- Bake: Cover with parchment paper and aluminum foil, so the foil doesn’t touch the lasagna. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes or until bubbling. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes until golden. Optional: Broil for 3-5 minutes until cheese gets bubbly and brown, keep a close eye!
- Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
January Staff Anniversaries
Tahra Johnson | January 24th | 1 year
Thank you for your years of service.
January Staff Birthdays
Greg Paintner | January 12th
Wishing you a wonderful birthday.
Sitting is the New Smoking: 3 Tips For Staying Active
Think about your typical day. How much of it is spent sitting? If you’re like most people, the answer is–a lot. We sit at our desks for work. We sit in a car to run errands. We sit on the couch to watch TV at night.
All this sitting is having a big impact on our health. In addition to contributing to back pain, prolonged sitting raises our risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.
Fortunately, you don’t have to train like an Olympic athlete to counteract the negative effects of sitting–all it takes is a few simple tweaks to your day!
- Tip 1: Take frequent breaks. If you have a desk job, set a timer to remind you to get up every 30 – 60 minutes to move around. Take a few minutes to grab some water, walk around the office, or stretch.
- Tip 2: Stretch while you watch TV. If you love to relax in front of the TV, incorporate some stretches as you watch your favorite shows.
- Tip 3: Pick up a new hobby. Movement-based leisure activities are a great way to incorporate movement into your day–and you aren’t limited to sports, either. Gardening, dance classes, and walking groups are all excellent options.
Want to learn more about the risks of sitting–and how to avoid them? Schedule an appointment with Achieve Therapy today!
We Are Hiring for PTA and PT positions!
Interested in Joining Our Achieve Therapy & Fitness Team?
The team at Achieve Therapy, LLC takes joy in helping people in our communities Move Better, Feel Better & Play Better. If you are passionate about delivering quality care and making a real difference in people’s lives, we want you at Achieve Therapy! To fulfill our mission of helping people achieve “Performance for Life,” Achieve employs team members that are innovative, independent thinkers who have a willingness to learn and are coachable.
Online Fitness Classes: November 1st – March 31st!
For our members heading south for the winter, we’re thrilled to offer limited live stream, online classes so you can stay active and connected, no matter where you are!
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays
8:00 a.m. CST – Move & Groove
9:00 a.m. CST – Yogalates
10:00 a.m. CST – Stability & Balance
Tuesdays & Thursdays
Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. CST – Beginner Yoga
Thursday: 8:30 a.m. CST – Gentle Flow
FREE for Active Members
$37/month for Silver Sneakers Members
$175 Bundle Deal (Nov. – March)
Our fitness staff will be available for any questions!
Your Journey Your Choice
Did you know we can see you for PT with or without a doctor or other healthcare provider’s referral? One of our physical therapists will evaluate you, and customize a treatment plan to reduce your pain and get you moving better. Refer yourself or someone you care about! Get started today!
Sources:
- https://www.feastingathome.com/lasagna-recipe/#tasty-recipes-79895-jump-target
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7186678/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32669487/
- https://www.physio-pedia.com/Low_Back_Pain
- https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/light-activity-may-lower-harmful-effects-sitting
