10 Strategies to Employ Right Now

1. Keep moving and let pain be your guide! Research shows, post injury light exercise improves pain levels and decreases healing time.

2. Stick to an anti-inflammatory, low glycemic index, high vegetable protein diet rich in antioxidants. Diet makes a significant difference in the body’s ability to heal in an efficient manner. Eating the proper foods and avoiding inflammatory foods will speed your healing time. If you would like guidance with your nutritional plan, please let us know.

3. Explore reversible sources of inflammation: food allergies/ sensitivities, gut imbalances, dietary deficiencies, and environmental irritants can increase your inflammation and your pain. Consider formal testing to detect contributing factors. If you would like to be tested, please let us know.

4. Optimize your weight: even a 10 lb. weight loss can significantly reduce your symptoms.

5. Go for the endorphins!: mind/body/spirit approaches such as meditation, visualization, prayer, biofeedback, social outlets and group programs help lower pain levels by increasing endorphins and optimizing brain chemicals that affect pain and healing.

6. Consider topicals for pain relief: Capsaicin, counter-irritants ( menthol, eucalyptus, oil of wintergreen, magnesium gel), traumeel all control pain with minimal side effects.

7. Try natural herbs or supplements: some have been shown to be as good as ibuprofen without the side effects. Consider turmeric, boswellia, avocado oil, glucosamine (Dona Brand), SAMe, flavacoxids and collagen peptides.

8. Remember adjuvant therapies: acupuncture, therapeutic laser, microccurent, and light massage may help decrease inflammation, improve healing, activate stem cell activity and help pain.

9. Start on regenerative therapies: PRP, Prolotherapy, and stem cell therapies have been shown to regrow cartilage, restore ligaments / tendons, and stabilize joints. If you would like a referral to a physician that specializes in regenerative therapy, please ask.

10. Consider your movement patterns and habits. Is there something in the way you sleep, sit, stand, walk, drive or work that is aggravating your symptoms? Please bring this to your physical therapists attention during your first visit.We look forward to helping you. If you have any questions about the topics above, please do not hesitate to ask!