What do you look forward to doing this summer? Gardening? Camping? House Renovations? Landscaping? Hiking? Water sports? Walking the dog?
Whatever your summer passion, don’t let neck and back pain get in your way. Exercise can take many forms and is simply not only working out at a gym. Any of the above activities should be treated as a type of “exercise”.
Don’t let neck and back pain stop you from doing the things you love!
Often we use summer to “get things done” around the house and yard and engage in activities we haven’t done for a long time. Therefore, it is important to remember to do some self-care for your muscles and joints. Stretching is a great way to prevent injury.
Low back stretches:
Upper back and shoulder stretches:
Stretching images source: Therapy Skill Builders, Schneider, J. and Passanisi, J.
Important points to remember when stretching:
- Stretching should not cause pain
- Take each stretch to your painfree end of movement
- Hold there for 20-30 seconds and repeat 3-5 times
If you find you are being held back from enjoying summer due to nagging muscle and joint pain and injuries, it may be time to contact Sandy Westlake at Westlake Physical Therapy. Sandy has extensive experience treating many of the “common summertime ailments” such as: Back and Neck Pain, Muscle and Joint Pain and Injuries, Sports Injuries, Work Injuries, Migraines, Tennis Elbow, Plantar Fasciitis.
Often, best results are achieved when combining physiotherapy with acupuncture. Westlake Physical Therapy and Acupuncture is dedicated to professional, individualized, hands-on treatment to get you Back on Track. Owner, Sandy Westlake, your neighbourhood physiotherapist and acupuncturist, obtained her Physiotherapy Degree from the U of S, Certification in Medical Acupuncture from the U of A, completed an internship in Beijing, China under the direction of Dr. Aung, and has over 25 years of experience in Physiotherapy and Acupuncture. Sandy’s philosophy is to asses and treat each patient according to their needs.
Don’t let pain and injury stand in your way in enjoying life.