NOT FEELING YOUR BEST? PROPER NUTRITION CAN HELP!

FEEL LIKE YOURSELF ONCE AGAIN WITH NUTRITIONAL CHANGES

Have you ever noticed how good stretching feels after a nap, when you first wake up in the morning, or after vigorous physical activity?



That good feeling just scratches the surface with the many health benefits you can get from regular stretching.

That’s why our physical therapist commonly recommends specific types of exercises to complement other physical therapy modalities. Our innovative care strategies at Mayfield Physical Therapy will help you find quick relief.

WHY STRETCHING IS A BIG PART OF PT

Since stretching exercises offer so many important benefits, it’s not hard to see why we use them all the time in physical therapy.

Physical therapy can combine targeted stretches with strength-building exercises, massage therapy, ultrasound therapy, heat or cold therapy, and many other techniques to help you feel better and stay healthy.



We can also make sure you are doing the right stretches for your needs and show you how to perform them safely.

Below are five ways you can improve your health, comfort and function by simply stretching!

1. STRESS RELIEF

Emotional stress can often turn into physical stress in the form of muscle tension, sleep problems, and suppressed immune function. In other words, it can make you sick!

Stretching exercises can help to release the accumulated tension in your body while also calming your mind.



Stretches that include mindfulness work (such as yoga) can prove especially helpful for easing the stress that might otherwise impair your health.

2. CHRONIC PAIN RELIEF

Speaking of pain relief, you may be surprised and delighted to discover how just well stretching can work as a chronic pain management tool.

For instance, certain exercises can undo the painful muscle knots associated with tension headaches or chronic pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia.



It is also recommended to help control arthritis pain and stiffness. Our physical therapist can determine which kinds of stretches will best suit your needs.

3. INCREASED BLOOD FLOW

Stretching doesn’t just relax your muscles; it also helps them receive the nourishment they need.



That’s because when your muscles are tight and stiff, blood doesn’t flow through them as easily – and blood contains the oxygen and other nutrients necessary for optimal tissue health and performance.

Stretching to ease that muscle tension gives your circulation a welcome boost. The same effect also helps your tissues rid themselves of unwanted, pain-causing substances such as lactic acid.

4. INJURY PREVENTION

Athletic events, physical training, or demanding labor can leave you with a painful strain or sprain, especially if those tissues were “cold” when they were subjected to their burdens.



Gentle, careful stretching before a challenging activity can reduce your risk of acute injury. Doing it immediately after your activity will also remove any muscle tension that may have accumulated during your strenuous activity.

5. INCREASED FLEXIBILITY

Are you frustrated because you don’t seem to have the same range of motion that you once did? A variety of musculoskeletal challenges can reduce your flexibility, creating stiffness and making certain motions uncomfortable or even impossible.

Stretching can gently coax the stiffness out of tight tissues. Depending on the cause and location of your stiffness, our physical therapist may prescribe exercises such as hamstring thigh hip, chest, shoulder, upper back, or bicep/tricep stretches to loosen you up and improve your mobility.

CAN NUTRITION HELP WITH MY CONDITION?

There are a number of common conditions that directly relate to nutrition and diet.

Here are some of the conditions in which nutrition advice is likely to be part of the patient’s physical therapy regimen:

• Inflammation: American diets tend to have a lot of vegetable oils and other inflammatory foods in them. This can make the pain from inflammation even worse. In many cases, a physical therapist will prescribe a diet with more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods to help manage pain.
• Obesity: Pain related to obesity can become a vicious cycle. Being overweight causes a patient pain, so they become more sedentary. Becoming more sedentary causes them to gain more weight, which leads to more pain.
• Osteoarthritis: Obese patients are more likely to develop arthritis, especially in the knee. Once a person has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee, managing their weight becomes the most important key to managing the arthritis and pain.
• Autoimmune Disorders: The combined total of various autoimmune disorder patients (such as Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis) now outnumber cancer patients in America by a wide margin. Autoimmune disorders are frequently linked directly to deficiencies in a patient’s diet.
• Diabetes: Diabetes and pre-diabetes pave the way for more serious conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease and blindness. More than 90 percent of patients with diabetes also experience neuropathic pain. Diet and nutrition will play a key role in managing these conditions.

NEED MORE ASSISTANCE?

Our physical therapist has a detailed understanding of how nutrition (both good and bad) affects physical health, well-being, and comfort.

If you have been dealing with chronic pain and inflammation, visit our physical therapy clinic in Mayfield, OH. We can evaluate your situation and recommend the necessary changes to make you feel better!