North Platte Physical Therapy - Casper (West)

If you have an office job and a long commute on your way to it every morning, you know firsthand how much time you spend sitting down during the day. Unfortunately for office workers, sitting for prolonged periods on a daily basis is linked to a number of different serious health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Sitting can also cause weaker muscles and back pain, which puts you at a greater risk of injuring yourself. How can you combat the “sitting disease” without giving up your career? Here are some tips from the Casper physical therapy experts at North Platte Physical Therapy:

Stand during phone calls.

If you spend a lot of your day sitting on conference calls with clients and co-workers, use this time to stand up at your desk. This is a great way to break the cycle of sitting for eight hours straight per day without impacting the amount of work you’re able to get done. Plus, standing helps you improve your posture and tone muscles that gradually become weaker during periods of excessive sitting.

Go for a lap.

Do you have any meetings scheduled with one other person? If so, ask that other person if they would like to skip the conference room and go on a walk instead. This may seem like a crazy idea, but walking can actually improve your ability to think creatively, so it could lead to major breakthroughs in the office. Learn more about how walking helps us think.

Think NEAT.

Because sitting poses such a danger to our spines and strength, it’s important to think NEAT, which stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis. Dedicate about 10 minutes per hour to your NEAT exercises, which should include stretching, bending and twisting your body around while standing by your desk. This helps you stretch out all of the muscles that remain in the contracted, tense position while you work at your desk. Standing up and moving around can also help engage muscles that are not used in the sitting position, which prevents them from weakening over time.

Drink more water.

Staying hydrated is great for your hair, skin, and overall health, but it can also help you combat the sitting disease at work. The more water you drink, the more you will have to use the restroom, which will force you to get away from your desk and walk for a few minutes. Keep a refillable water bottle at your desk and fill it up at a water fountain every time you use the restroom to motivate yourself to get up and moving throughout the day. Contact North Platte Physical Therapy to learn more about the sitting disease and the effect it can have on your body. Our staff is praised throughout the Wyoming and Nebraska areas for our commitment to our clients. We can fulfill comprehensive physical therapy services, and would be happy to customize a treatment plan that can help you go to your job everyday without developing the dreaded sitting disease.

For those experiencing muscle pain, local Casper physical therapy can definitely help you reduce or eliminate your muscular pains through dry needling. Not to be confused with acupuncture, this method goes deep within your muscle’s tissue to eliminate any knots.

1. What is dry needling? Dry needling is a great treatment for those who have experience acute or chronic pain, sports or other injuries or would just like to participate in a prevention method to prevent injuries. This therapy, also known as “trigger point dry needling” or “functional dry needling,” will have a physical therapist use a tiny monofilament needle to treat those small trigger point ailments. The trigger points are basically hard knots in a muscle. The Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Therapy says many use this method in their arms or neck. The needles are gently pushed through one’s skin directly into the knot and they explain studies have shown this decreases pain and improves function.
2. How treatment relates to Myofascial pain syndrome: Dry needling is one of the top treatments for those suffering from myofascial pain syndrome. People are affected by this after one of their muscles continuously contracts. The Mayo Clinic explains this is different from your average muscle pain because it persists and worsens over time. The pain is typically a deep ache and you can notice a knot in the muscle (which is where dry needling comes in).  
3. Does it hurt? Some people feel the needles going in and the goal is to create a twitch in the muscle that some find similar to an ache or cramp. Some people that use dry needling are sore soon after treatment in the areas they received treatment in for one or two days at most. Many that have experienced this treatment explain it can be painful and feel the effects for a few hours, but all very worth it as it relieves them of their symptoms. Ice or heat can be best to reduce soreness and bring back the quality muscle you are used to, pain-free.
4. What makes it different than acupuncture? The Colorado Springs Independent explains it well: Acupuncture is like snorkeling and dry needling is like deep sea diving. When one gets acupuncture, there is a needle settling just under the skin’s surface, they said. For dry needling, the needles go deeper and into the muscle. So for many, while it may be temporarily painful, it has been their go-to solution.
5. Preparing for your appointment: If you decide to try dry needling to help resolve your trigger points, Every Day Health has a few great tips. First, take a dose of Tylenol or ibuprofen soon before your appointment to help prevent you from clenching your muscles and overall try to keep your muscles relaxed. Next, make sure you are dressed so you can easily move clothes around for your physical therapist to handle you’re the procedure. After treatment is over, follow their instructions and last, the more treatments you do, let your physical therapist know you think you might be overdoing it.

Do you think you are ready to try dry needling to solve your muscle pain? North Platte Physical Therapy specializes in dry needling and can help you decide if it is a good solution for you to try. Learn more about our premier physical therapy Casper, WY dry needling services and fill out a contact form to get started.

With a new school year comes school sports! Participating in a sport is a great way to keep children active and involved. It pushes them in ways they didn’t know were possible and will help them find different activities they like. Whether your student is new to sports or has been playing a certain sport for years, the new school year is a great time to review safety tips. By being mindful, you can try to avoid injuries. However, if they happen, they can always work with a go-to local physical therapist in Casper, WY for a speedy recovery.
 

1. The Basics: When playing sports, it is important for athletes to stretch. This helps to make the child more flexible and less prone to injury. This should be done anytime before a workout, whether just for practice or before a game. Next, they should work side-by-side with their coaches to learn proper techniques. No matter what sport is played, there are ways to turn, jump and move that can lead to injury. It is best to learn what not to do and always play in proper form. Next, students should always wear the proper gear. Each sport is different any many sports programs will provide this gear. If they don’t, find a nearby store that sells new or quality used sportswear. This will ensure the child is safe while playing sports! Last, take breaks! In general, athletes should work in a day of rest from the sport to allow the muscles to recover. This definitely does not mean the athlete can’t be active. Just be cautious and don’t work on as extraneous activities.
2. Types of Injuries: Even if you follow all of the basic rules of sports, injuries can still happen. According to the Teen’s Health article “Dealing with Sports Injuries,” injuries can occur due to an acute trauma or by overuse. They explain acute trauma happens after a swift blow or force. Over time, overuse injuries can occur. Especially in repetitive types of activities. They advise to call a doctor if an injury is painful and worse when active, the area is swollen, range of motion is limited and if the pain gets worse. It is especially important to see a doctor if the pain worsens as time goes on. Let the student know not to try to fight through the pain as it can lead to a bigger issue down the road.
3. Physical Therapy: Post-injury, a physical therapist may be recommended by a doctor. This will allow the athlete to get back into playing shape and avoid a long-term injury! They know specific techniques to bring full range of motion in the injured area. Plus, they will help the athlete learn techniques to do on their own to help get the area back to normal.

When it comes to finding a premier physical therapist in Casper, WY, North Platte Physical Therapy can help! We provide student athletes with a variety of services from athletic training to treatments for the various top injury types and beyond. Learn more about our sports medicine services for injury prevention or post-injury support. Find an office close to you today!