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What You Can Do to Improve Your Back and Joint Health

Multifuse Team • Dec 16, 2021

Taking care of your back and joints is incredibly important since they allow you to get through each day and accomplish things from sitting to running, or doing any other daily activity. However, most people aren’t really familiar with how to best make sure that their back and joint health is in check. So if you aren’t sure how to care for your back and joints, here are a few things that can get you started on a path towards better health.

See a Physical Therapist

If you suspect something is wrong but you can’t quite figure out what is going on, going to an expert is your best bet. They can help you to identify any problems and guide you towards better joint and back health. Take time to learn about physical therapists in your area and read their reviews so you can figure out whether you are making the right choice for your body. Once your physical therapist has identified the issue, they will help you to figure out the best course of action moving forward. 

Maintain a Healthy Weight

The weight you carry with your back and joints can profoundly impact your ability to do day to day activities or accomplish your physical goals. If you are able to maintain a healthy weight , it will be easier for your back and joints to do their jobs. Taking part in regular exercise and eating a balanced diet can help you to maintain a healthy wait and to generally feel better. Talking to a doctor can be a great first step to help you to learn more about your body and come up with a plan to implement a healthier lifestyle from day to day. With that kind of focus, you can start to improve your body and get to a healthier weight.

Get Exercise

When your joints or back feel bad it can be difficult to make yourself get out and exercise, but it can actually help you a lot. Through exercise you can strengthen your back and joints which will give them the ability to do a better job in general. One key to making sure you get enough exercise is to find exercise options that you actually like. If the exercise you do makes you happy, it will be easier for you to stick to your routine. Try to mix things up so you get a balanced workout that feels good.

Comfortable Furniture

The furniture you sit in will also profoundly impact your ability to care for your body in a meaningful way. You want comfortable furniture that supports your back and joints and moves you towards healthier posture. You want to make sure that your furniture lasts, so you should choose appropriate pieces for where they will be located. For example, You should consider the wear your furniture will sustain when picking pieces for outside. If you choose the right pieces for the right areas, you will have the support your back and joints need for years to come.

Wear the Right Shoes

It is important that you use the right equipment to ensure your body has what it needs. In many cases, wearing the right pair of shoes will help you to give support to your back and joints as you go about your daily tasks. Different people have different needs in their footwear , so it is important to make sure that you choose the right shoes for your actual needs. The more you learn about your feet, the easier it will be to choose shoes that offer sufficient support. If you must wear unsupportive shoes from time to time, try to limit that amount and give your feet rest after wearing a bad pair of shoes.

Manage Your Stress

Back and joint pain can both be exacerbated by stress you feel, so it is important that you take care of your mental health as well as your physical health. Whether you work a stressful job, have stress at home, or simply run into anxiety from time to time, it can help significantly for you to manage your stress in healthy ways. Therapy can be a good starting point that gives you tools to manage your stress more effectively. You can also practice mindfulness or even seek out medication that can help you to balance your stress and protect your back and joint health.

Activate the Right Muscles

When you are lifting heavy things or doing other work, you need to be careful to use the right form. Using the wrong muscles for the wrong job can have a profoundly negative impact on the way your back and joints feel. One common mistake people make is lifting heavy things using the muscles of their back. This is a bad idea that can make your back muscles feel very bad . Using your leg muscles instead will have a much more positive impact and allow you to move heavier things more safely. Before doing any task, think about the muscles you should use and how to offer the best possible support.

Take Supplements

If you aren’t getting the nutrition you need, it can be impossible to take care of your back and joints. If you find that your diet can’t get you all the nutrition you need, it may be time to add some supplements. Different supplements will help different elements of your body , so choosing the right supplements can help you to provide nutritional support to help your body feel better and work more effectively. Everyone has different needs for their bodies, so it can help to talk to your doctor before starting a new supplement.

Your body helps you get through each day, but if you aren’t able to take care of your body in return, you might not see the benefits you need. Take time to listen to your body so you can ensure that it stays safe. The more you do to protect your body, the more it will help you to accomplish everything you want to do without increasing your back or joint pain.

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A Physical Therapy Holiday Survival Guide

08 Dec, 2022
Keeping up with physical therapy during the holidays is tough. There are so many other things to do - cooking, parties, shopping, travel, and visiting with family and friends. But if you're in physical therapy over the holidays, there's a reason. You're having pain, or not moving as well as you want to. These issues place limitations on your life, which are going to affect your ability to do things - like cooking, partying, shopping, traveling, or enjoying time with friends and family. So even though keeping up with your PT this time of year is tough, it's important. That's why we're going to give you our best tips to help you through the holidays. Plan Some of what makes the holidays challenging is the crazy schedule. To survive this, you're going to have to plan ahead. We're not just talking about appointments on your calendar, either (although those are important). Here are some things to think about planning ahead: Your PT appointments Your schedule is busy during the holidays. So is your PT's. Plan and schedule your appointments in advance. You'll get the times and days that work best for you, and you'll already have your PT appointments in your calendar to plan other things around. Your exercise Hopefully you have a regular time to exercise. With the holiday mania about to shake up your routine, that time may no longer work. Think about when you're going to exercise ahead of time and you'll stay consistent. Your diet Healthy eating often gets derailed during the holidays. Putting low quality fuel into your body won't help you feel better. Think about planning what you're going to eat ahead of time. We're not saying to skip every holiday treat offered to you, but maybe think about which ones you really need to have, and which ones you can skip in advance. It makes saying "no thanks" to that third slice of fruitcake easier. Modify We're realistic. We understand that life isn't the same during the holidays as it is during the rest of the year. That's part of what makes this time of year special! With that in mind, our next set of tips focuses on making modifications to help you get through the holidays successfully. Your PT Plan When you planned your PT appointments out well in advance, you might have run into some challenges. Talk to your therapist about how you might be able to modify your plan of care through the holidays to make it all work. Maybe you're going to PT three times a week and you can only come twice a week for a week or two. Plan this sort of thing in advance with your PT and you can work together to come up with the best plan. Your exercise Exercise is so important, it made our list twice. Now that you know when you'll exercise, you might have to modify your routine to make it fit. Again, we recommend talking with your PT to see what you can do. Maybe your home exercise program can be modified so you can do everything in the kitchen during downtime when you're cooking up your holiday feast. Maybe you can reduce the number of exercises to focus on maintaining the gains you've made until things settle down. Your schedule In your planning in advance (see how important it is?) you might have found that your normal routine wasn't going to work. If your PT appointments or exercise time is usually right after work and you've now got commitments during that time, maybe you can move them to the morning before work. If you've been exercising outside, the shortened days may move you into the gym. Be flexible and consider temporarily modifying your schedule and your routine to make it work better during the holiday season. You can always go back to your previous routine after. The holidays are a special time of year. Keeping up with your health and your physical therapy can be challenging during this time. But you don't have to fall behind. With some planning and flexibility, you can stay healthy, survive the holidays and head into next year with good momentum!

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