Prime Therapy and Pain Center

Does Virtual Physical Therapy Work? Absolutely!
There are many benefits and we have listed a few below.

Personalized Health Care From a Licensed Professional:

Our telehealth service provides you with one-to-one personalized physical therapy treatment sessions guided by our licensed Pain and Injury Experts experienced in caring for people with your condition.
Our telehealth service reinforces our commitment to improving patient outcomes and limiting unnecessary medical treatments.

In-Home Options Make PT More Accessible:

Home-based treatment ensures that you can continue your physical therapy program without interruption. Your virtual sessions take place in the comfort of your home via a web-enabled device like your desktop or laptop computer, tablet or mobile phone.
We are making telehealth physical therapy as easy and accessible as possible.

Convenient Therapy Sessions and Easy Setup:

With the responsibilities of life, sometimes it’s hard to fit in all your recommended physical therapy visits. Rather than reducing your physical therapy sessions and lengthening your recovery time, consider supplementing in-clinic sessions with virtual, in-home therapy.

Doing some simple stretches, making ergonomic adjustments to your work environment can significantly reduce the daily discomfort most desk workers deal with. And the benefits go beyond just physical...

Whether it’s an occasional twinge or an ongoing ache, back pain can keep you from focusing and performing at your best. Sitting chained to your desk for hours at a time can lead to lower back pain, the most common work-related back problem. Slumping back in your desk chair or slouching forward means your spine is out of alignment. That puts a strain on the ligaments and muscles in your back.

Neck and Shoulder Pain is another issue that commonly comes up with desk jobs. You never realize just how much you move your neck and shoulders until they’re injured and then you feel every single shift and twist. These aches and pains may come from placing your keyboard or computer monitor too far away on your desk, causing you to jut your neck and shoulders forward, throwing them out of alignment with the spine and straining the muscles and soft tissue.

Be proactive and prevent postural issues before you start developing aches and pains. If you need help making sure your home workstation or desk is set up to be ergonomic, contact our team for a free virtual consultation where we can show you how to set up your desk over live video!

It's important to avoid injuries so you can keep moving closer to your fitness goals. We become more vulnerable to injuries as we get older, in part because we are less agile than we used to be, and we have also lost some of our former bone and muscle mass.

Before learning any new exercise you need to first learning the correct form. To learn the right form, work with a trainer at home, or consult our pain and injury experts to help you tailor a workout to your health conditions and physical capabilities.

You will want to start slow with a new exercise program. The greatest risk of injury comes with changing an exercise program or adding a new exercise. If you're cycling, for example, set the bike's controls on the lowest speed and tension, and pedal for just a few minutes your first few times. Gradually increase the speed and intensity only when you feel ready.

You never want to work out to the point of pain. If an activity hurts, stop doing it right away. Playing through pain can often prolong your healing time and take you away from the game or exercise you enjoy.

With gyms throughout the state ordered closed to help curb the spread of coronavirus, it might be a little more challenging than usual to get a workout in.

Regular exercise and avoiding injury is very important during these uncertain times. We advocate for working a daily exercise routine into your containment schedule.

There are plenty of online exercise classes available to help you get your sweat on from your own home.

Our practice, Prime Therapy and Pain Center is offering online Virtual Sessions Support for physical therapy patients explaining their diagnoses and recommending routines to do at home.

Give our clinic a call at (800) 758-0097 so we can get started on helping you toward your fitness and recovery goals.

Most of us are suddenly finding ourselves spending a large amount of time at home, patiently practicing social distancing. While doing so it is important to try and stay physicaly active. There are a few methods of staying active at home and we have provided a few.

Calisthenics
We suggest that you try movements such as squats, pushups, sit-ups, chair dips, leg lifts, planks or bridges. These movements, along with many others are becoming increasingly standardized, which can help in finding resources and checking your form.

Outdoor mobility
You can maintain social distance while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine! As long as you maintain a suitable distance of about 6 feet from people outside your household, you can beat cabin fever and exercise outside. Try going for a walk around the house. Wave at your neighbors from afar, and take in the improving weather. You could try hiking trails or road running too.

Family exercise
Its important to keep in mind that kids are far more likely to engage in exercise if you are doing the same thing, and you are more likely to follow through on your plans if it helps others stay healthy. Set up obstacle courses for the family that include running, jumping, crawling, or balancing, play a game of more active charades, or put on some music and dance together!

As always, consult your physician or physical therapist before beginning an exercise program, and do not attempt if you are actively ill or injured.

Many people are working from home these days.

There is little doubt that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting every aspect of our lives from virtual classrooms to telecommuting to outright quarantines.

It is extremely important, especially during this time, to maintain some physical activity. We know exercise is great for our overall health, for our immune system in particular, and also really important for maintaining mental health and decreasing stress.

Please feel free to reach out to us at 951-684-2865 to talk about your at home options.

Strengthen Your Core Muscles While At Home.

You’ve probably heard of “core muscles” before, but the term “anticipatory core” is usually unfamiliar to most people. The anticipatory core group consists of 4 muscles with the most important being the respiratory diaphragm.

Respiratory diaphragm:
This is your main breathing muscle. It’s a large, umbrella shaped muscle that sits at the bottom of your ribcage and separates your chest cavity from your abdominal cavity. When you breathe in, this muscle will expand downward to draw air into your lungs. When you breathe out, this muscle contracts back up.

It is extremely important to keep these muscles strong while staying at home. If you were to get sick having the strength to breathe healthily is crucial. Contact our Experts to get you started on a core strengthening program that addresses ALL of the core muscles, not just the abdominals. We will assess the current function of your muscles, and teach you how to isolate and activate the muscles

Are You Working From Home Right Now?

We have provided a few stress-relieving stretches you can do at your desk.

1. Seated spinal rotation:
While seated, cross your arms over your chest.
Grab your shoulders.
Rotate your upper body from the waist, turning gently from left to right as far as you can.
You should feel a tension on both side of your lower back as it stretches out.

2. Posterior shoulder stretch:
Hold one arm across your body.
Pull your elbow into your chest.
You should feel your shoulder gently stretching.

3. Shoulder shrugs:
Gently lift your shoulders.
Let them slowly fall.
You should feel tension being released as your shoulders drop.

4. Sitting back extensions:
Sit straight with your feet together.
Put the palms of your hands into the small of your back.
Lean back over your hands, feeling your lower back stretch out.

5. Neck rotations:
Keep your head upright.
Gently turn your head from side to side.
As you turn your head, try to move it past your shoulder.
You should feel the muscles on the outside of your neck gradually stretching.

(Treatment should be done one on one with your physical therapist or healthcare provider after a thorough evaluation. Always consult your own physical therapist or other health care professional before attempting any new exercise program.)

Do These Things Every Day While Working From Home to Stay Productive!

1. Wake up 15 minutes earlier.
This allows you to spend extra time on your morning routine and prepare your mind. Take your time getting out of bed instead of rushing and stumbling to the bathroom. It is the extra time needed to truly wake up.

2. Find movement every 60 minutes.
Some studies recommend every 30 minutes, but if you are deep in your work, getting up for a walk when you're in peak creativity is just as counterproductive. Opt for a five-minute walk or doing heplful stretching that we provide every 60 minutes in addition to using a standing desk. The quick break allows your brain to pause and rejuvenate.

3. Create accountability.
Have a colleague or manager checking in on your project or status can help you focus and stay on task. When you know that someone else is involved with your work, you are less likely to fall behind.

4. Prepare a podcast or audiobook for your extra time.
It's the time you could normally zone out but instead, you're replacing it with riveting ideas that could lead you to more ideas.

5. Pick three major things that need to get done today and assign a time/deadline to them. Create that list but rank the top three things that must be done ASAP, and they also have to be big projects. I can't list small and easy errands as the big three. From there, I assign a time when they need to be done. Deadlines are the biggest motivators.

The Importance of Warming Up and Cooling Down After Exercise.

Heading straight into a workout without a warm-up and promptly finishing exercise with no cool down is not the best approach (read: It’s bad, don’t do it). Incorporating a warm-up and cool down is a great way to slowly increase your total time of exercise, decrease the risk of injury, and improve workout performance.

Warm-ups should be light to moderate in intensity depending on the exercise to follow. There should be a gradual increase in body temperature and incorporation of large muscle groups. This slow increase in heart rate contributes to an increase in circulation, therefore, oxygen and nutrients will be delivered to working muscles.

Almost the reverse of a warm-up, this time frame is a period of low impact and slower pace exercise performed after more vigorous exercise. Just like we didn’t want to go from zero to 60, we don’t want to stop immediately. The risk of no to minimal cool downs can cause pooling in the lower extremity and an excessive drop in blood pressure.

Start the cool down with a less intense version of the same exercise, or a few minutes of walk, then transition into a flexibility portion hitting major muscles groups with about a 10-30 second stretch.

We’ll see a drop in heart rate and blood pressure to a similar if not lower level than pre-exercise.

(Treatment should be done one on one with your physical therapist or healthcare provider after a thorough evaluation. Always consult your own physical therapist or other health care professional before attempting any new exercise program.)

With all the time spend couped up at home during this pandemic, you may start to feel tense in your neck and back.

The upper back muscles tend to get tight and tense, especially if your work involves sitting for a large portion of the day. Doing a series of light stretches can loosen the tension, prepare you for a workout or even help to improve your posture.

We have compiled a few basic stretches that are easy to implement on a daily basis.

1) Rotate your head down:
Look diagonally down to the bottom of your shirt. Hold your gaze for 20 seconds and then pull your head back into a straight position. This will stretch your your levator scapulae muscles between your neck and back.

2) Stretch your hands forward in a rounded back stretch:
Clasp your hands together, and drop your chin to your chest. Reach your arms straight forward. As you do so, you should be pulling the shoulders forward. Hold the pose for a few breaths before releasing.

3) Do a side bend:
Place your hands behind your head. Keeping your feet planted on the floor, bend your body to the left, so that your elbow points to the floor on your left side. Hold the position for 20 seconds, then bend toward the right, so that your right elbow points to the floor on your right side. Hold the position for 20 seconds. Repeat five times on each side.

Don't let Arthritis keep you from living a healthy life. Here are some exercises for those dealing with arthritis.

Walking:
Walking is a great bone-strengthening and aerobic activity. A conservative to a more intense pace about three to five days a week is what is recommended. With a goal of working up to a 30-minute session. You’ll build endurance if you walk longer, but it’s okay to do 10 minutes at a time or what you are capable of.

Water workout
A great alternative for those with significant joint pain.
Most beneficial in a lap pool with consistant depth. The goal is to walk from one side of the pool to the other at a brisk pace.
The buoyancy of the water relieves pressure on your joints. If you have access, exercise using a water jogging belt. It suspends you above the pool floor so you can move without putting any pressure on your hips, knees or ankles.

Stretching:
The most common yet effective method is Stretching:
Choosing the stretches that work for you and what you are capable of doing. It may be best to get your Physical Therapist's advice on this.

Getting restless at home without being able to go to the gym?

Air squats are a great exercise you can do at home to stay in shape!

Not only will squats build lower body strength, they’ll get you closer toward your goal of getting the body you’ve always wanted, improve your athleticism, and more.

They engage your entire body. If you do air squats right, not only do air squats engage your legs and butt muscles, they also work your core, back and shoulders.

They increase mobility. To be able to squat properly, you need basic hip, ankle, and torso control. Working on your squats will increase mobility and flexibility in each of these joints, and make you less prone to injury.

How to perform a Air Squat

Step 1: Stand with your feet hip-width apart with your toes pointed slightly outward. Your arms should be hanging loose by your side. Then engage your core muscles and push out your chest slightly by pulling your shoulder blades towards each other.

Step 2: Bend your knees and squat down as if you were sitting into a chair. Keep your weight on your heels and keep your core tight. Your eventual goal will be to touch your glutes to the back of your calves but if you can only get to parallel right now, that’s fine. Make an effort to keep your knees externally rotated (don’t let them collapse inward). As you lower down, you can either raise your arms straight in front of you or keep them bent in front of your chest. Focus on keeping your torso upright and core tight.

Step 3: Straighten your legs and squeeze your butt to come back up, lowering your arms back to your side.

(Treatment should be done one on one with your physical therapist or healthcare provider after a thorough evaluation. Always consult your own physical therapist or other health care professional before attempting any new exercise program.)

Proper Lifting Technique to Avoid Back Problems.

lift close to your body:
You will be a stronger and more stable lifter if the object is held close to your body rather than at the end of your reach. Make sure you have a firm hold on the object you are lifting and keep it balanced close to your body.

Feet should be shoulder-width apart:
Having a solid base of support is important while lifting. Placing your feet too close together will be unstable, while if they are too far apart it will hinder movement. Keep the feet about shoulder-width apart and take short steps.

Bend your knees and keep your back straight:
Practice the lifting motion before you lift the object, and think about your motion before you lift. Focus on keeping your spine straight. Raise and lower to the ground by bending your knees rather than bending at the waist or hips.

Tighten your stomach muscles:
Tightening your abdominal muscles will hold your back in a good lifting position and will help prevent excessive force on the spine.

Lift with your legs:
Your legs are many times stronger than your back muscles. Let your strength work in your favor. Again, lower yourself to the ground by bending your knees, not your back.

Once you are ready with these steps you can now lift!

(Treatment should be done one on one with your physical therapist or healthcare provider after a thorough evaluation. Always consult your own physical therapist or other health care professional before attempting any new exercise program.)

Essential Exercise Saftey Tips

1. Don’t work out every day. Your body needs a day to rest once or twice per week.

2. Vary the types of exercises you do and target different areas/muscle groups from day to day. This helps prevent overuse injuries and provides more comprehensive, beneficial workouts over the course of the week.

3. Never skip the warm-up before you stretch and exercise. Also, use the same techniques for a cool-down after your workouts.

4. Remember that stretching before and after exercise has lots of benefits, including reducing the risk of injuries and soreness.

5. Never bounce as you start or hold a stretch; use smooth, slow motions.

6. Learn proper form and techniques for weight lifting, resistance training, and other strength-building exercises. The best option is to work with a professional. While there are lots of videos online for learning techniques, it can be hard to tell which are reliable.

(Treatment should be done one on one with your physical therapist or healthcare provider after a thorough evaluation. Always consult your own physical therapist or other health care professional before attempting any new exercise program.)

Stretching Your Lower Back.

Many of us experience lower back pain at one point or another. Here are a few helpful stretches that can alleviate that pain.

-Back Flexion Stretch. Lying on the back, pull both knees to the chest while simultaneously flexing the head forward until a comfortable stretch is felt across the mid and low back.

-Knee to Chest Stretch. Lie on the back with the knees bent and both heels on the floor, then place both hands behind one knee and pull it toward the chest, stretching the gluteus and piriformis muscles in the buttock.

-Kneeling Lunge Stretch. Starting on both knees, move one leg forward so the foot is flat on the ground, keeping weight evenly distributed through both hips (rather than on one side or the other). Place both hands on the top of the thigh, and gently lean the body forward to feel a stretch in the front of the other leg. This stretch affects the hip flexor muscles, which attach to the pelvis and can impact posture if too tight.

(Treatment should be done one on one with your physical therapist or healthcare provider after a thorough evaluation. Always consult your own physical therapist or other health care professional before attempting any new exercise program.)

The complex nature of the shoulder joint can easily cause dysfunction or shoulder injuries.

Instability of the soft tissue or bony structures in your shoulder can cause severe pain and lead to more complicated issues such as a frozen shoulder.

We provide and guide you through many exercises, modalities, and manual techniques to help control your pain. This is all before we even give you the at-home exercises you can do to help speed up the recovery.

Our Pain and Injury Experts trained in shoulder pain can improve mobility and comfort regardless of the condition. They work to ensure every patient can move beyond their shoulder pain and get back to living their life!

(Treatment should be done one on one with your physical therapist or healthcare provider after a thorough evaluation. Always consult your own physical therapist or other health care professional before attempting any new exercise program.)

A.R.T. or Active Release Technique is just one of our treatment methods at Prime Therapy and Pain Center.

Active Release Technique (or A.R.T.) is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with A.R.T. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles.

Click here to learn more on how A.R.T. can help with pain depending on the condition that you have.
https://primetherapy1.com/art-active-release-technique/

Hip pain is a common complaint that can be caused by a wide variety of problems.

Problems within the hip joint itself tend to result in pain on the inside of your hip or your groin. Hip pain on the outside of your hip, upper thigh or outer buttock is usually caused by problems with muscles, ligaments, tendons and other soft tissues that surround your hip joint.

We will be able to analyze your movement patterns to determine the most likely original cause of the pain and provide treatment.

Stop enduring the pain and call us today at 951-684-2865!

Static stretching can be an extremely beneficial part of your daily routine and help your mobility. Static stretching is a stretch that is held for up to 15 seconds at the point of getting tight. When you release a stretch after a short break, return to the next session stretching slightly further than you would otherwise have.

The Standing Side Stretch
(A) Stand with your feet together and your arms straight overhead. Clasp your hands together, with your fingers interlaced and pointer fingers extended. Inhale as you reach upward.

(B) Breathe out as you bend your upper body to the right. Take five slow breaths. Slowly return to the center. Repeat on the left side.

The Seated Back Twist
(A) Bend your right knee and step your right foot over your left leg. Put your right hand on the floor, fingers pointing outward, for support. Bend your left elbow and turn to the right, placing the back of your arm against your right knee. Inhale as you sit tall.

(B) Breathe out as you twist, pressing your arm into your leg and looking over your right shoulder. Hold for five breaths, then slowly return to the center. Switch sides.

We Have 3 Exercises and Stretches For You to Relieve Shoulder Pain!

Some of the most effective exercises and stretches to relieve shoulder pain at home are:

Pendulum:
To do the pendulum exercise, start by leaning over and supporting your non-injured arm with a table or chair. Allow the sore arm to dangle straight down and then draw circles in the air. The circles should start out small but gradually grow, and you should also reverse direction periodically. Repeat this exercise 5 to 10 times throughout the day.

Arm across the chest:
To do this stretch, hold your right hand out in front of your body, keeping it near the waist. Then reach the left hand behind the elbow while pulling the right arm to the left and across the chest. Lower the arm until the pain lessens. Hold in this position for 30 to 50 seconds and then release. Repeat this stretch 3 to 5 times.

Neck release:
While sitting up straight, slowly tilt the chin toward the chest until the stretch can be felt in the back of the neck. Then lean your head toward the left to stretch the right shoulder, or conversely lean to the right to stretch the left shoulder. The stretch should be held for a minute on each side. Try breathing deeply to help relax and maximize the stretch.

Quick exercises to strengthen your knees and reduce pain!

1. Wall Squats:
Place your back on a wall. Step forward a couple of feet, keeping your feet hip bone distance apart. Bend at your hips and knees to bring your thighs almost parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight and your knees lined up over, not in front of, your ankles. Squeeze your glutes to straighten back up to your start position. This targets your quads and glutes.

2. Straight Leg Raise:
Lying on your back, keep one knee bent with your foot flat on the floor. Tighten the knee of the straight leg and lift it up to the height of your bent knee. You will feel your quads and hip flexors working! Keep your pelvis still by engaging your abs. Perform 2 sets of 10 reps.

3. Step Ups:
You can start with a 6-inch step and then increase the height using a sturdy box, no higher than the height of your knee. Start with both feet on the box. Keeping your pelvis level, step back with one foot to tap your toe on the floor and then step back up fully straightening the leg on the step. Focus on keeping your knee tracking over your second toe. This is a great exercise for that vastus medialis muscle for patellar stability. Perform 15-20 step-ups, then switch legs.

As many as 4 out of every 10 adults will eventually get sciatica!

The pain can range from a slight inconvenience to full out debilitating pain. Our Pain and Injury specialists always recommend coming in for an appointment right away when experiencing any kind of sciatica pain!

Here are some techniques that can be helpful to offset Sciatica pain.

1) Aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, and other activities that increase your heart rate without causing more pain if you already have sciatica.

2) Strength training exercises using free weights or weight machines, or isometric exercises, which involve contracting muscles without excessive movement.

3) Flexibility training is very important as well. Training like yoga, tai chi, Pilates, and similar activities that can increase both flexibility and strength.

Please call (800) 758-0097 today for a free discovery visit to find out how we can help you relieve your sciatica pain

Joint pain is one of the leading types of chronic pain among American adults, typically caused by injury, infection, or advancing age.

According to a report from the U.S. Bone and Joint Initiative, arthritis is the most common cause, affecting over 51 million Americans (or roughly one of every two adults).

Our joint pain experts can help you identify the root cause of your joint pain and then create a natural treatment plan to address that pain and prevent it from coming back. Call 951-684-2865 to request a free discovery visit to find out how we can help!

The Impacts of Bad Posture:

Continuous use of poor posture will catch up over time. You will begin to feel increasing amounts of pain when at rest, or in motion due to stress on joints, spine, and the entire body-support system.

A few bad posture side effects are:

-Lower back pain
-Hip and leg pain
-Shoulder and neck pain
-Headaches
-Acid reflux
-Muscle tingling and weakness, and more

How to Fix Bad Posture:

Fixing poor posture is a matter of staying aware of how you are sitting, standing, and walking on a daily basis. Catching and correcting poor posture behaviors is the ultimate solution.

Stand with your chest outward and shoulders straight. Stretch your spine every time you get up. Use proper pillow support under your head and neck. Another way to improve your posture is to strengthen core muscles and increase your flexibility.

How To Properly Warm Up for a Run:

Warming up your muscles before you use them vigorously during a run or other physical activity significantly reduces the risk of joint and muscle injury. Your body needs to be limber and flexible before doing any intense movement,

Warm up with stretches!
Many people opt for basic dynamic stretches for their pre-running routine. Dynamic stretches keep you moving, helping to warm up your body while lengthening your muscle fibers. Prior to a run, focus on stretches for your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Don’t forget your arms! Do some shoulder rolls and arm circles.

Starting with a light jog to warm up?
A slow start with your run can prepare your body for larger movements. By mimicking the same movements during your warm up that you plan to use for the main part of your exercise, you will be prepping your muscles with minimal impact. You could also try jumping rope or performing walking lunges.

6 tips on starting a new program to make sure you not only are able to achieve long term change, but you are able to do it safely:

1. Make goals not resolutions - plan and write out actionable steps to reach your targets.

2. Give your self enough time - any long lasting change in behavior takes time. Dedicate at least 6 months of consistent effort into the pursuit of that goal. When planning your goals, give your self time to accomplish them. This strategy will also reduce stress, as long as you don’t procrastinate.

3. Create mini goals that are easily accomplished during your journey.

4. Start slow, gradually ramping up the activities that promote behavior change. An example would be someone who wants to start working out consistently. If you haven’t been working out, write down a schedule that ramps up duration, intensity, and frequency of your workouts. The first week it may be getting to the gym just once for a 20 min session, by week 3 try to get to at least twice for 30-45mins. And so on.

5. Create a baseline - take at least 2-3 sessions to know what your body can handle, or where you are at in your journey of behavior change. Especially when it comes to starting a new program. What ever level you are at, start at 80% if that, and gradually move up from that tolerance level.

6. Establish a mind set for success by knowing why you are doing it in the first place. Look past external or superficial reasons and spend a few hours digging into your inner and philosophical reasons of why you want to take on the challenge of changing. The more meaningful and purposeful the reason for change is, the more likely you will be able to not only reach your goal, but make sure it becomes permanent as intended.