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5 Ways to Relieve Back and Neck Pain
There are common causes of both back pain and neck pain. Changes in the spine’s anatomy often cause back pain. There may be lumbar disc herniation, lumbar degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis or sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Disc herniation occurs when the gel-like interior of the disc leaks outward and irritates the nerve roots. It typically causes
20 Mar 2019
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Suffering with Back Pain? Check Your Posture!
In one longitudinal study, back pain accounted for more than 3 percent of all emergency room visits between 2004 and 2008. It is also estimated that more than 25 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, many with a disability that prevents them from doing normal daily tasks like working and caring for themselves or others.
10 Mar 2019
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Common Causes of Shoulder Pain and How Physical Therapy Can Help
Your shoulder is the most flexible and movable joint in your body, consisting of several bones, muscles, joints and tendons. This means there are several ways the shoulder can become injured and cause pain. There are many causes of shoulder pain and steps you can take to eliminate the discomfort. Physical therapy is an effective
20 Feb 2019
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5 Benefits of Therapeutic Massage for Athletes
As an athlete, you already know that you’ve got to maintain optimal health if you want to keep playing the sport you love. Physical therapy with an experienced physical therapist is a big part of that, especially when you’re recovering from an injury. One of the main parts of a good physical therapy regimen after
10 Feb 2019
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Is Pain Stopping You From Getting Back in the Game?
According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, at least 100 million Americans are living with chronic pain (pain lasting longer than three months). As if this isn’t a troubling enough trend, in recent years, physicians have been prescribing more and more prescription pain medications, including opioids. In the year 2013 alone, physicians prescribed nearly
20 Jan 2019
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Is Your Back Pain Caused by a Herniated Disc?
A herniated disc is a condition that occurs along the spine. Most often, it is found in the lower back. The spine is comprised of 24 bones, and five of them are found in the lower back. There are also nerves and intervertebral discs in the spine. With a herniated disc, the jelly-like nucleus begins
10 Jan 2019
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Overcome Knee and Hip Pain for Good with Physical Therapy
Hip pain and knee pain are a part of life for many people. Cartilage in the knees, hip or lower back can wear down due to overuse and lead to discomfort or arthritis. Sometimes just a straight-up injury can cause pain. While some cases are so severe that they could require surgery to repair an
20 Dec 2018
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How to Put the Spring Back in Your Step
Whether you’re suffering from an injury or tired, achy muscles, a physical therapist can create a personalized program to help you feel better and have more energy so you can enjoy your daily activities. Call STAR Physical Therapy for information to see how physical therapy can help you achieve better overall health and greater physical
10 Dec 2018
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Don’t Mask the Symptoms: Treat the Origin of the Issue with Physical Therapy
Looking for a Drug-Free Pain Solution? Look Into Physical Therapy Pain can be a helpful messenger, an alert that something in your body needs fixing ‒ but it can also be an agonizing annoyance that ruins your quality of life. To make matters worse, many pain problems are rooted in deep-set underlying conditions, often originating
20 Nov 2018
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5 Reasons Why You Need to Start Stretching
If there’s one thing that you can count on a physical therapist introducing into every session, it’s stretching. Yes, building strength and endurance is important. But whether you’re an athlete, or someone coping with the aches and pains of aging, increasing your flexibility through stretching is crucial. Read on to learn more about some of
10 Nov 2018
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How to Find Relief from Stress-Related Headaches
Headaches are the third most common pain complaint throughout the world. They are debilitating and can greatly impact a person’s quality of life. Fortunately, relief is possible. By working with a trained physical therapist, you can experience immediate pain relief from stress-related headaches and other ailments that may be contributing to your suffering. In this
20 Oct 2018
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7 Simple Ways To Stay Active
Too many of us have an all-or-nothing attitude when it comes to staying fit. We’re too “slammed” at work for the gym, or our kids’ activities are keeping us in the car — and off the track — for long hours. Yet, there are a few basic elements you can add into your daily life
10 Oct 2018
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Treating Arthritis Pain Without The Meds
Arthritis is a catch-all term used to describe more than 100 different kinds of joint pain and joint disease. While arthritis is commonly believed to be a condition that afflicts the elderly, the reality is that it can strike people in early middle age. In fact, elite male athletes are more likely to develop arthritis
20 Sep 2018
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Tired of Lower Back Pain? Here’s What To Do:
Lower back pain is the nemesis of many. That familiar ache can limit time spent working, relaxing, and enjoying life. It can lead to irritability and a whole host of other health problems. And, yet, it’s surprisingly common. The World Health Organization estimates that in the United States, 149 million days of work are lost
10 Sep 2018
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Reduce Pain and Inflammation Through Nutrition
Internal inflammation can wreak havoc with your health. You may already be seeing a physical therapist for inflammation-related health issues, such as arthritis. Whether you have a specific diagnosis or generalized pain in your back and joints, STAR Physical Therapy Covington, Folsom, New Orleans, Slidell, Mandeville, and Lacombe, LA can help. Your physical therapist may
20 Aug 2018
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Tension Headaches: How to Handle Them
Of the four distinct types of headaches — tension, migraine, sinus and cluster — the tension type is the most common. Of course, stress is a natural reaction to stimuli and can keep us safe from danger. Yet an excessive amount of stress can lead to tension headaches. That’s why learning how to handle emotional
10 Aug 2018
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The Unexpected Benefits of Stretching
Many non-athletes — and even a few actual jocks — are guilty of either rushing through their warm-up stretching, or skipping the cool-down moves after the workout. Yet, along with cardio and strength-training, stretching also delivers significant health benefits. You probably already know that stretching extends your overall range of motion, while also elasticizing your
20 Jul 2018
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How Staying Active at Work Can Increase Productivity
Picture yourself at work. Hunched over a keyboard, clicking away on a mouse, answering the phone, or having meetings, the most moving around you are likely to do is to and from the copy machine. It is no surprise that our sedentary jobs are causing fatigue and stiffness, both mentally and physically. Fortunately, having a
10 Jul 2018
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Tips to Treat Your Arthritis Pain
If you are like the one in four American adults who suffer from arthritis symptoms, you are looking for options for managing the day to day aches and pains and often debilitating loss of mobility. Fortunately, there are many things you can do that, when combined with physical therapy, can improve your strength, increase your
20 Jun 2018
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Still hurting? Your Diet Could Be Why
What you put in your mouth can make your aches and pains worse. Like they say, “You are what you eat.” There are many foods that can cause inflammation and actually result in pain. Eating a healthier diet can help you feel better, without those nagging aches and pains. Foods To Say “No” To While
10 Jun 2018
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Without Intervention, Your Lower Back Pain Could Be Here to Stay
Ask any physical therapist, and you’ll get confirmation that lower back pain is the most frequent complaint they’re asked to treat. Often, back strain goes away on their own, especially with the classic “RICE” treatment. But when rest, ice, compression and elevation just can’t cut the pain, physical therapy is often your most reliable path
20 May 2018
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How to Be Healthier, Stronger and More Active
When you get right down to it, health doesn’t have anything to do with looking like a supermodel; it’s really about having a body whose every system is in good working order. The great news is that you have more control over everything happening in your body — from your circulation to your breathing and stress
10 May 2018
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Increasing Core Strength to Relieve Pain
Core strength has become a popular topic because it affects the function of the entire body. A strong core means better stability, fewer injuries and less physical stress. Weak core muscles can lead to chronic back and neck pain. Signs of weak core muscles include slumping in your chair, poor posture at your desk
20 Apr 2018
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5 Ways to Relieve Neck and Back Pain
Back and neck pain can stop you in your tracks, affecting your work and interfering with your recreational activities. It takes the fun right out of your day. How to Reduce Neck and Back Pain Your pain might be from a previous injury, arthritis, bad posture or another cause. However, there are things that
10 Apr 2018
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How To Relieve Shoulder Pain
Do you have aching shoulders? Do you know that the problem could be a result of rotator cuff damage? That’s right, your shoulder pain that comes along with certain motions or that you notice during sleep could be a result of rotator cuff issues. What Does The Rotator Cuff Do? Like most parts
20 Mar 2018
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Suffering With Back Pain? It Could Be Your Thighs…
Are you suffering with back pain? If you are, you are among the majority. That’s right, around 80% of the population deals with back pain at some point in their life. If you fall into this category, you know the annoyance that is caused by frequent back pain. As you know, back pain can interfere
10 Mar 2018
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Is Pain Stopping You From Getting Back in the Game?
Sports represent a healthy way to stay in shape, enjoy socialization with friends and family, and provide an effective outlet for stress. Nothing else in life compares to the invigorating and stimulating enjoyment that comes from participating in sports. As you play, however, you may develop some pain or injuries that prevent you from fully
20 Feb 2018
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Don’t Let Neck Pain and Headaches Hold You Back
Head and neck pain are quite common, but that doesn’t mean you should tolerate it. Chronic neck pain, neck tightness and frequent headaches are not only uncomfortable; symptoms like these can interfere with your work, family life and overall enjoyment. Many people seek temporary relief with NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen, but these
10 Feb 2018
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Overcoming Hip and Knee Pain
Situated at opposite ends of the femur bone, the hip and the knee joints are two of the most important parts of the human body. The hip’s ball and socket structure allows the leg to have a greater range of motion, while the configuration of ligaments within the knee help support the tremendous weight of
20 Jan 2018
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Is Your Back or Neck Pain from a Herniated Disc?
When it comes to going about your day, few things will disrupt your normal, daily routine like a sudden jolt of back pain. Often, this pain can seemingly appear out of nowhere, rendering once easy tasks like tying your shoes nearly impossible without intense pain in the neck or back. While the localized pain may
10 Jan 2018
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Where Is Your Pain Coming From?
No matter your age, aches and pains can take the joy out of life’s activities. Whether it’s sore knees after taking a job, or a stiff back while getting out of bed, determining the true cause of the pain can seem frustrating if not impossible. Since pain is the body’s response to a wide variety
20 Dec 2017
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How to Put the Spring Back in Your Step
There’s no avoiding it; with age can come a whole host of new challenges, and with them seemingly random aches and pains. Fingers and joints may become sore after mundane chores, and physical undertakings that once brought joy now result in discomfort. It can be easy to become discouraged away from participating in activities that
10 Dec 2017
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Arthritis Pain Sufferer? Find Out How to Stop the Pain & Get Relief
Arthritis pain is a common and growing problem for many Americans today. According to recent statistics compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), osteoarthritis (OA), is the most common type of arthritis and now afflicts at least 13.9% of the adult population, aged 25 or older. OA and other types of arthritis
20 Nov 2017
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Are Aches and Pains Ruining Your Day? Discover Why You Hurt and How You Can Lessen the Pain
As people age, many develop aches and pains that become progressively worse and begin to interfere with their normal work requirements, daily activities and even healthy sleep patterns. In many cases these aches and pains are worse upon awakening in the morning and ease as the person arises and begins to move about. Although this
10 Nov 2017
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The Amazing Benefits of Stretching
Everyone knows that exercise is a part of healthy living, but do you consider a stretching routine part of your exercise program, or as an afterthought that gets done if time permits? Since no one ever has enough time, you may want to reconsider how you view exercise, as there are so many benefits to
20 Oct 2017
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Neck Pain and Headaches from Stress
Stress is nothing more than our reaction to a provocation that upsets our physical and/or mental equilibrium. Therefore, stress is an inevitable part of life. Nevertheless, when we are faced with stress, our “fight or flight” response can be triggered; this causes the production of hormones including adrenaline and cortisol to increase and rush through
10 Oct 2017
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How to Treat Arthritis Pain
You have more options than ever for the day to day aches and pains of arthritis in the current generation of medicine. When combined with professionally monitored physical therapy, you can use all of the following tips to relieve the symptoms of arthritis while improving the strength and the mobility of your muscles. A Program
15 Jul 2017
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Summer Runs
If you like to run like I do you’ve probably suffered with knee pain at some point in time throughout your journey. Your mileage, speed and overall performance slowly diminishes with every run and you find yourself skipping those perfect summer days because of the pain. Without a doubt running can be damaging to the
12 Jul 2017
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Physical Therapy Following a Lower Extremity Amputation
Ashley G. George, DPT working with Arthur C. Spears, patient at the New Orleans East clinic There are approximately two million people currently living in the United States with a lower limb amputation. The majority of cases are caused by some form of trauma or from complications of vascular diseases like diabetes. An amputation can
20 Jul 2016
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ALINE Orthotics
At STAR Physical Therapy we are glad to be helping our patients with Aline Orthotics. ALINE was founded to improve how people move from the ground up. We believe when we improve movement patterns, we can reduce injuries and reduce the need for surgeries. This Wall Street Journal article agrees. Wall Street Journal Sept.1 Bunions,
29 Aug 2017
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Thanks to Aline Orthotics, I walked around the whole zoo!
We have been utilizing the Aline inserts at our New Orleans physical therapy offices for a few weeks now. Staff have been trained in what type of patients need to be assessed on the measuring device, and the patients that need Aline are loving it. A couple of weeks ago I had a patient with
20 Jul 2016
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Dry Needling – It Takes What You Put
When I would ask my grandmother how to make a particular dish for dinner, she would instruct on what to put into the dish. When I would ask how much of each item to use, she would reply “it takes what you put.” In the world of Physical Therapy here in Louisiana, there are no
20 Jul 2016
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Concussions can cause other Injuries
In the past few years, concussion has received a great deal of attention as people in the medical and sports worlds have begun to speak out about the long-term problems associated with this injury. The Centers for Disease Control estimate that in sports alone, more than 3.8 million concussions occur each year. Recent scientific evidence
20 Jul 2016
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When to go to Physical Therapy?
Recently I was approached with a question from an acquaintance, “ I have been having lower back pain for about a month. Do you think I should come to Physical Therapy or wait and see if my pain gets better on its own.” Just the same as any other medical condition early detection and treatment
20 Jul 2016
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Are you Breathing Correctly?
Have you ever considered how your breathing affects your overall health? Proper breathing from the diaphragm aids in relaxation, decreases pain, lowers anxiety, reduces stress levels, decreases fatigue, improves exercise tolerance, and facilitates proper digestion. Most people breathe from the chest, especially during times of increased pain and stress. This type of breathing is less
20 Jul 2016
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Think BIG
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic and progressive movement disorder affecting nearly 1 million people in the United States. Ten Percent of that population is believed to be under the age of 40. All symptoms vary, but typical motor signs include tremor, slow movement, stiffness of the limbs and trunk, and postural instability. When patients with
20 Jul 2016
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Looking to make fitness a priority in the New Year?
Looking to make fitness a priority in the New Year? According to polls taken in 2015, over 68% of the U.S. population chose improving physical health as their New Year’s resolution; however, only 8% reported being successful. STAR Physical Therapy can assist in meeting these goals and keeping this New Year’s resolution. STAR is offering
20 Jul 2016
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This tape is very special for many reasons.
For any of you that may be into sports, really any sport for that matter, have you ever noticed the colorful, crazy patterned taping that is now covering many athletes? Well, you are not the only one wondering what kind of tape is that? It is Kinesio Tape. The use and study of this tape
20 Jul 2016
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Hoverboards and Physical Therapy
Santa Claus decided to make therapist across the country busier this year. One word… HOVERBOARD! Most adults couldn’t resist the opportunity to be a kid again and unfortunately this came at a price. Wrist fractures, elbow trauma and even back pain are just some of the incidents this lovely toy has allowed adults to experience.
20 Jul 2016
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You Can Get in Great Shape – Even if you Hurt
January is a great time to start an exercise program. It’s a new year and with our sub-tropical climate in Louisiana, bathing suit weather is a few short months away. The chances are you are already starting to think about working out again. But plenty of people aren’t sure if they can exercise effectively, because
20 Jul 2016
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Do You suffer from “Text Neck” ?
The term “text neck” was first coined in 2008 as described in an article on CNN. It describes a condition of neck pain and or headache that occurs due to the poor positioning of the neck while using phones, i pads, etc. The neck is flexed forward placing significant stress on the neck and upper
20 Jul 2016
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Many golfers experience back pain due to a lack of mobility
Many golfers experience back pain due to a lack of mobility in the hips and lower back, and weakness in the lower back and core muscles. The golf swing is a highly complex and powerful motion. In order for the spine to adequately sustain the load placed upon it during the swing, it requires a
20 Jul 2016
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Why Can’t I Get Rid of My Back Pain?
Have you ever wondered why once you injure your back you seem to keep reinjuring it? Well one reason is due to a particular back stabilizer muscle called your multifidus. The multifidus is one core stabilizer muscle that is responsible for helping to protect your back from injury. The multifidus must turn on before you
20 Jul 2016
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Top 5 things to Know About Your Physical Therapy Evaluation:
As a physical therapist, I know another evaluation from a healthcare provider can be overwhelming. Our job is simply to restore and improve your quality of life. You may be visiting us due to a recent surgery,pain dysfunction, decreased balance or falls, or vertigo. Whatever your diagnosis from your doctor may be, we are here
20 Jul 2016
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How Posture Relates to Back or Neck Pain
Quite often individuals develop back or neck pain with no apparent cause or event. What may be surprising is this pain could be attributed to poor posture. Appropriate posture in the standing position should allow for a straight line from the earlobe, through the shoulder, hip, knee, and into the middle of the ankle. To
20 Jul 2016
Spring is upon us in New Orleans!
Spring is upon us in New Orleans! The weather is warming up and it is the perfect time to get outside and do things before it just gets way too hot. With all the festivals, fairs and other outdoor activities going on, there is an increased chance that falls will happen given the large crowds