Is Pain Getting in the Way of the Life You Love?
Pain often starts small. Maybe you have a sore shoulder that makes it hard to sweep your kitchen. But before you know it, that mild ache has blossomed into intense pain and stiffness that’s keeping you on the sidelines during weekly pickleball games.
The truth is, pain can have a big impact on your independence and quality of life, which is why care at Infinity Physical Therapy is built around one simple idea: helping you get back to the life you want to live. When you work with our team, we tailor your treatment to help you meet your day-to-day goals, from household chores to returning to recreational activities you thought you’d left behind.
Our Patients Get Great Results
“I started having pelvic floor and bladder issues after having my baby. I had no clue I could do PT for those until my doctor referred me here. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable and after coming in 3 times a week for the last 4 weeks and using what they’ve showed me at home, the issues I’ve had have gone down significantly and I’m very happy with the progress so far.” – K.U.
The Importance of Personalized Care
Orthopedic conditions such as arthritis, tendon injuries, or joint pain can affect how you move and function each day, often leading to reduced activity. This inactivity can then cause muscle weakness, joint stiffness, and other concerns that only worsen your initial symptoms.
Fortunately, you can break that cycle with guided movement and targeted hands-on care. The key is finding the right approach to meet your unique needs.
This process starts with a comprehensive assessment in which we explore your specific symptoms, movement patterns, and overall health history. As part of that assessment, we’ll discuss the activities that matter most to you.
From there, we create a treatment plan focused on restoring the specific movements you need to live your life to the fullest.
Four Examples of Goal-Based Treatment
1. Struggling to Keep Up with Household Chores
One of the most frustrating things about pain is that it can make simple, everyday tasks like laundry or cleaning feel overwhelming. This is especially true when symptoms limit your ability to perform movements like bending over, lifting, or reaching. To address these specific concerns, we might suggest:
- Manual therapy to reduce joint stiffness, ease pain, and prepare your body for treatment
- Targeted strengthening for core and hip muscles to support your spine, making basic movement feel easier and more efficient
- Movement retraining to improve how you bend and lift safely
2. Unable to Take a Walk Around the Block
Pain in the knee, hip, or foot can make walking uncomfortable or unpredictable, severely limiting your ability to stay active. You might have a dog that needs to go for a walk or friends who want to stroll around a local shopping plaza, but you feel stuck at home!
In these cases, we’ll help you return to longer, more confident walks without flare-ups. Techniques might include:
- Balance and gait training to improve your coordination and walking pattern and lower your fall risk
- Strength training to ensure your muscles can support your joints effectively during every step
- Progressive walking programs to safely rebuild endurance
3. Difficulty With Work Tasks
Whether you sit at a desk or work a physically demanding job, pain can interfere with productivity. You might feel fine at the start of the day, but as fatigue sets in, focusing on job tasks becomes more and more difficult. Our team can help with these techniques:
- Postural training to reduce strain on the neck and back, whether you’re sitting or standing
- Mobility exercises to improve joint range of motion
- Activity modification strategies to protect your body during repetitive work tasks, such as typing or running a cash register
4. Giving Up Exercise or Hobbies You Enjoy
So many of our patients come to us when pain and dysfunction are keeping them from the recreational activities that make them happy, whether that’s growing flowers in a garden or playing pick-up basketball in the park. This impact is particularly difficult because staying active is one of the most effective ways to manage chronic pain and maintain long-term health.
Fortunately, our team can help you safely return to activity through:
- Graded exercise programs that gradually increase intensity so you don’t injure yourself
- Neuromuscular training to improve how muscles and nerves work together
- Pain science education so you can understand what your body is telling you
Take the First Step Back to Your Life
You don’t have to settle for limitations. With the right guidance, your body can regain strength, mobility, and control. Schedule an appointment with Infinity Physical Therapy today and start moving toward a more active, independent life.
Simple Strategies for Incorporating Exercise Into Your Daily Routine
Regular exercise is crucial to so many aspects of your health. It can prevent chronic health conditions like cardiovascular disease or diabetes, help you stay mobile well into old age, and even regulate your emotions.
Unfortunately, your workouts are often the first to slip when life gets busy. It can also be challenging to begin a regular exercise routine, especially if you have to fit it into an already jam-packed schedule.
The good news is that you don’t have to work out like a professional athlete to reap the benefits of staying active. In fact, a few simple strategies can increase your daily activity levels–no matter how busy you are!
5 Easy Tips for Sneaking in Physical Activity
- Park at the far end of the parking lot, so you have to walk a little further to get to the store.
- Take the stairs whenever possible.
- Do some stretches or core exercises while you’re watching TV.
- Go for a quick walk around your building during your lunch break.
- Try a micro-workout. Micro-workouts are short, 10-minute circuit-style workouts that pack a big punch. Keep a set of dumbbells by your desk and work out on your break!
Visit Infinity Physical Therapy for More Tips!
Our physical therapists can work with you to develop a program for daily physical activity, no matter your needs. We can show you efficient strength training routines, suggest daily mobility exercises, and help you set movement goals. We can also help you resolve any pain or other conditions that might limit your physical activity.
Incorporating movement into your daily routine helps exercise feel like second nature. Schedule an appointment to get started!
Recipe of the Month: Chicken Caesar Wrap
Ingredients:
For the Toasty Panko Croutons
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Tahini Caesar Dressing
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons water
- kosher salt
For the Wrap
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale ribs removed and shredded
- 1 whole romaine heart shredded
- 3 tablespoons Everything but the Bagel Seasoning
- 2 ripe avocados cut into large wedges
- 2 chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled
- 4 tortillas
Instructions:
- Place the olive oil and butter in a small skillet over medium high heat. Add the panko and toast until golden. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Combine the ingredients for the Tahini Caesar Dressing in a small blender and set aside.
- Combine the shredded kale and lettuce in a large bowl. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the dressing along with the toasted panko, the everything seasoning and the chopped grilled chicken. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning and dressing.
- Place a heaping portion into 2 tortillas and wrap and roll. Slice on a diagonal and serve.
