It is proven exercise prevents back-pain recurrence. This article is taken from the BottomLine Personal on November 1, 2016:

Supervised exercise reduced the chance of a repeat episode of back pain by 45% over a one year period. Shoe orthotics and back belts we almost useless. And the type of exercise did not matter – some programs focused on back muscles, while others combined aerobics with strength and balance training. Patients generally did two to three supervised exercise sessions per week. But the protective effects wore off after a year – probably because many people stopped exercising when they were no longer being closely supervised. Troubling: About 75% of people who have an episode of debilitating lower-back pain will have another within one year.

Statistical analysis of more than 6,000 studies involving back-pain prevention led by researchers at The George Institute for Global Health. The University of Sydney, Australia, published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

ProActive Physical Therapy can offer you rehabilitation for back pain and then give you the opportunity to enjoy the Beyond Rehabilitation program offered by Activ8 Athleticism in Carlsbad. For those of you with back pain, please consider this and call us for an appointment.

Industrial rehabilitation is rehabilitation aimed at helping an injured workers return to work safely and effectively and to help with prevention and reduction of work-related injuries. A functional capacity evaluation (FCE) is a major tool in industrial rehabilitation. A FCE is an objective, functional evaluation of a series of tests administered to help determine current functional and physical status of an employee. We must remember that industrial does not automatically mean that it is labor intensive; it includes jobs that are repetitive or that may involve awkward positions or motions.

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Ergonomics have really progressed over the years from different sitting postures to sit-stand stations. Ergonomics (per OSHA) is the study of work and is based on the principle that the job should be adapted to fit the person, rather than forcing the person to fit the job. Ergonomics includes restructuring or changing workplace conditions to make the job easier and reducing/stressors that cause cumulative trauma disorders and repetitive motion injuries. In the typical upright sitting posture desk set up, the employee’s torso and neck are approximately vertical and in-line with each other, their thighs are approximately horizontal, and the lower legs are vertical. In the typical standing posture, the employee’s legs, torso, neck, and head are approximately in-line and vertical.

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Although golf is a low-impact sport, it’s associated with a significant amount of injuries. Most golf-related injuries are a result of poor mechanics or overuse. The most commonly injured area is the lower back, followed by the trailing elbow, lead wrist and shoulder. If you are a right-handed golfer it would be your right elbow or left wrist or shoulder. The lumbar spine is particularly susceptible to injury, due to the forces up to 8 times one’s body weight created during each golf swing.

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Every year there are approximately 5.3 million orthopedic surgeries performed. In most cases the main purpose of the surgery is to repair your damaged body. However, this doesn’t guarantee full success in your ability to return to normal activities. Prior to and after surgery, joint motion and muscle strength are lost quickly. Proper rehabilitation is required to restore normal joint movement and functional mobility and return your strength for activity.

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The age-old question: Heat or ice? While ice is ideal for certain injuries, heat also can provide symptom relief for a variety types of health conditions. In this article, I will focus on thermotherapy, or superficial heat modalities, which affect underlying tissue to a depth of 1-2 centimeters. These can include heat/hot packs, fluidotherapy, and paraffin baths.

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We are proud to announce that for the fourth year in a row, Proactive Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine will be participating in collecting toys for Energy 103.7’s AJ’s Kids Crane benefiting Rady’s Children’s Hospital.  Because of the generosity of our patients and staff, last year Proactive Physical Therapy donated over five storage bins full of toys, making our decision to participate again easy.

If you would like to donate a toy, please be sure to stop by any one of our clinics.  Because the toys will be going to a sterile environment, unfortunately we cannot accept any stuffed animals or used toys.”

Which is better, heat or ice? Patients ask me that all the time. And my answer is: it depends. Both are good, but good for different things. In this article, I will focus on cryotherapy or “cold”/ice therapy. This can include ice packs, whirlpools, cooling sprays, or the ever popular frozen peas.

First of all, what does ice do to your body? In general, The metabolic activity of the tissue decreases, and nerve conduction becomes slower. It can reduce muscle spasms and guarding (when your muscles are tense from having pain). Basically, everything becomes slower with ice. How can that help someone with an injury?

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While best known for its imaging, ultrasound has many applications in medicine. It can diagnose or treat, depending on its parameters (frequency, duty cycle, intensity). In therapy, ultrasound is commonly used to treat soft tissue injuries. It can facilitate the healing process, speed recovery, and decrease pain if utilized correctly.

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Does it hurt to pinch or grab items, even light ones? Is opening a jar your worst nightmare? Do you have pain and/or inflammation at the base of your thumb and nowhere else? You may have osteoarthritis (OA) in the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint of your thumb. This joint is where your thumb and wrist meet. Most people associate OA with hips or knees, but it can also happen at the base of the thumb.

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