Treat Yourself, My Physio Says!?
Zoomify Your Neck and Back Pain Away
COVID Warriors, it seems there’s light near the end of the tunnel!
At the start of the week, Level 3 was implemented - exercise times have been extended; businesses are starting to operate fully; some schools have returned; bottle stores are now open…
I’m sure some parents are grateful for those last two.
However, the fight against COVID is far from over. We’ve all adapted to the virus wreaking havoc on our daily routines and we’ll continually adapt. Work life for some has meant relocating the office to the study at home. Certain Health Care Professionals have too adapted by working remotely. Online consultations are now sometimes preferred by our patients.
BUT what about Physiotherapy? Doesn’t it require you to be hands-on with your patient?
Yes, it does and it’s an aspect that can’t be neglected. However, one of our goals is to empower our patients. Patients are active participants in their rehabilitation process. Patients have the ability to self-manage their own injuries. Physiotherapists assume the role of facilitator in this process.
That 2-day nagging neck pain you haven’t shaken or your lower back stiffness can be treated in the comfort of your own home. There are extremely beneficial techniques for self-managing your neck and back pain. Your Physio will merely guide you in the right direction.
Self-Treatment Techniques
BeActivated Method: An extremely effective self-treatment tool is the BeActivated method created by Douglas Heel. Through identifying compensation patterns throughout the body, we are able to use activations to rectify these patterns. Activating fascial lines that run from head to toe will prevent use of compensatory patterns allowing for optimal pain free movement.
Stress Management: Pain is a subjective and multi-factorial concept; it does not solely happen at a structural level. As such external or internal stressors can worsen your pain. Calm your mind to calm your body. Elements of BeActivated can lower stress levels; decrease muscular tension and enhance an optimal breathing pattern - all of which contribute towards alleviating pain (For more info visit Anja’s blog COVID19: Flight or Fight?)
Total Motion Release (TMR): Tom Dalonzo-Baker created a programme called TMR. The aim is to identify yummy/pain-free movements and yucky/painful movements. Through identifying yucky movements, we use yummy ones to lessen the pain felt during those yucky movements. Sounds like some hocus pocus, but evidence proves otherwise.
Exercise: Most Physios will tell you movement is medicine. This is truer than true. When a doctor prescribes a course of antibiotics, you finish it. What about when your Physio prescribes you exercise?
Joint Mobilisation Techniques: Physios can safely show their patients Mulligan's self-mobilisation techniques. The goal is to achieve pain free motion or gain more range of movement in a joint.
How Do I Know What Works for Me?
Before you’re given any of these self-treatments, we first need to evaluate the history of your pain. This is something which can be done online. A thorough interview is conducted after which we formulate an idea of the underlying factor or factors causing your pain. Self-treatments will be appropriately prescribed based on your individual needs and under the discretion of your Physio here at Christiaan Moolman Physiotherapy Inc. Furthermore, self-treatments can prove to be more sustainable in the long run and dare I say, stop you from coming to the Physio every time you have neck or back pain.
Of course, self-treatment techniques are just that. A Physiotherapist’s toolbox is full of treatment techniques to further assist you with your pain. Nevertheless, self-treatments show we don’t entirely depend on our Physios all the time.
Take Home Message
Now is a better time than ever for our patients to no longer be passive recipients, but rather active participants in their rehab process. The power now lies in your hands!
Book your online consultation at Christiaan Moolman Physiotherapy Inc. now!Or visit our website at Christiaan Moolman Physiotherapy Inc.