How many of us feel like our legs are made of lead at the end of a long day? Be it after a tough workout, mowing the lawn or lugging bags of groceries from the car into the kitchen, we have all felt our limbs ache from fatigue. While fatigue and soreness are commonly associated with physical activity, there is a huge difference between a body that is recovering from exercise and fatigue versus ongoing pain and stiffness. Going from feeling tired to feeling “disabled” can be a shock that is confusing and frightening. It can cause us to lose our independence and even question whether we will need surgery in order to live a normal life.
The good news is that this is not common. The human body is capable of incredible amounts of adaptability, and that with the right analysis, training, stretching, and manipulative therapy the body can actually recover from traumatic injuries without needing to go under the knife.
Body awareness is a very important part of the rehabilitation process. Your body may send out warning signals days, weeks or even months after an injury. Be aware of your body and if you are experiencing any of the following five symptoms seek further treatment. Your body will begin to regain mobility and function with appropriate treatment.
Sign 1: Persistent pain that doesn’t improve with rest
Normally, a good night’s sleep or a relaxing weekend on the couch is enough to cure a minor muscle strain. Rest gives your tissues time to repair themselves. But when your body is dealing with a deeper, more complex injury, rest alone will not fix the problem.
If you wake up just as sore as when you went to bed, it is time to seek professional advice. Persistent pain often means there is an underlying mechanical issue, such as severe muscle imbalances or joint dysfunction. Experts in Waterloo Physiotherapy can perform a thorough assessment to identify the root cause of this stubborn pain. Instead of just waiting and hoping for the best, a physical therapist will actively guide your body toward recovery using specialized manual techniques and therapeutic exercises.
Sign 2: Shooting pain or numbness radiating down the legs
I don’t think I can stress just how bad it is to get a sharp electric shock to the back of your leg – it’s called sciatica. Apparently it’s caused when the sciatic nerve in your lower back is compressed and inflamed. It’s a right treat too, as it seems to be always accompanied by numbness and pins and needles in your feet and toes.
Ignoring nerve pain will only lead to greater discomfort. The nerves need adequate space for joint motion. Working with a movement specialist that has advanced training will help to liberate the tissue surrounding the compressed nerves. A movement program of stretching, nerve glides and core strengthening will allow for adequate space around the spine allowing the pressure to release and the pain to cease.
Sign 3: Stiffness that limits your daily range of motion
Can you touch your toes without pain or do you wince every time you have to bend to tie your shoes? Do you have to look over your shoulder to switch lanes on the highway? If you answer no to any of these questions, your body is telling you that you have some joint restriction (limited motion) in your body and your soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc.) are doing their job to prevent injury to your joints. We call this stiffness. Your body is trying to protect the injury.
In the first few days after an injury, our bodies require some stiffness in the muscles and joints to facilitate the repair of damaged tissues. However, too much stiffness for too long can lead to stiffening of the muscles, shortening of the length of the joints and further stiffness and a higher risk of injury. Time is required to allow for restoration of flexibility after an injury. With a little time and a little force using stretching techniques we can lengthen the muscles and improve the mobility of the joints. A functional Waterloo Physiotherapy program will incorporate methods to help you regain the motion in your joints to return to your activities. Your Physiotherapist can utilize joint mobilizations and other techniques to help to improve your range of motion to facilitate normal movement.
Sign 4: Recurring episodes of pain triggered by minor movements
Most back spasms result from some injury. Sometimes this is easy to see. For example, if you are lifting a heavy bag of groceries and suddenly feel a stretch of your ligaments that is greater than the ligaments can stretch, you may feel an electric shock type of pain and a spasm of your back muscles. This is known as a stretch injury to the ligaments. The spasm is the body’s way of trying to protect the damaged ligaments from further stretching. The spasm can also occur without any trauma or obvious cause. You may be getting into your car and you must twist to the left to fasten your seatbelt. You may be tying your shoes and you must bend to the left to reach the laces. You may be reaching for your coffee mug on a counter to the left of your kitchen sink. You may be in a perfect state of health with no pain or stiffness at all. And then it strikes. There is no pain for a couple of seconds and then a “seizure” of your back muscles develops.
The reasons for the initial complaints of back pain vary but are generally secondary to some degree of instability. Back pain following relatively mild everyday activity is most commonly a sign of the spine not being adequately supported by the core and stabilising muscles. These issues can be addressed through exercise rehabilitation to improve support to the spine. We are talking here of simple rehabilitation not weightlifting, distance running or athletic/exercise type activity. We are simply looking to enable the individual to switch on the correct stabilising muscles at the appropriate time to provide the appropriate degree of support to the joints prior to movement.
Sign 5: Dependence on over-the-counter pain medication for daily function
Taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen as needed is generally fine. We as a whole don’t really need to take medication very often, just when we get a headache or feel sore from over-explaining ourselves. However, when the average person needs to take medication on a daily basis in order to get out of bed, or in order to be able to sit at a desk for work, or in order to be able to play with their kids, then an issue exists.
If you need to take medication in order to be active then you are masking a problem that is not being addressed. Medications block pain messages to the brain, so the pain is no longer felt, but the underlying damage in the back has not been fixed. Medications can cause side effects such as ulcers and liver damage when taken over a long period of time. Physical therapy can identify the source of your problem and assist in the repair of the damage in the body allowing you to possibly reduce and/or eliminate the need for pain medication.
Why proactive care matters: The role of a Chiropractor in Kitchener for long-term health
Good health and injury prevention is an ongoing process. The earlier a problem is detected the easier it is to treat and the quicker the individual will return to normal activities. Proactive care can help to reduce the incidence of future health problems. At Waterloo Chiropractic Clinic, Dr. Fenton, a Chiropractor, offers a wide variety of health services.
Injuries are less of an issue if they are dealt with early. Serious about rehabilitation of an injury without surgery? A multimodal approach is probably the most effective. Often this will include a combination of therapies.
Adjustments and assessments by a Kitchene Chiropractor will put your body in the right position to get the care it needs. Follow ups with a physical therapist can then help strengthen the muscles to hold the adjustment and facilitate full body recovery. A multidisciplinary approach will ensure a long term solution to achieve optimal health and wellness.
Taking the first step toward a pain-free life with a professional assessment
You do not have to live with chronic pain and it is possible that surgery may not be needed. Your body has the capability to heal and it can heal in a more successful and safer manner if assisted and guided.
The only way to really know what your body needs is with a professional assessment. Our Waterloo Physiotherapy practitioners at LiveWell Health and Physiotherapy can take the time to really hear what is going on for you, complete a full movement assessment and provide you with a treatment plan to help you reach your goals. Taking this first step can be the hardest part but the rewards for you and your body will be well worth it. A healthier, stronger, more pain free life is only a call to the clinic away.
Written by sagar.linclogy@gmail.com
