So, if you’re interested or have any questions, head on over to Move Forward PT next Tuesday and tune in! If you want more information, you can check out the full press release here.

Photo by Benjamin Rossen via Flickr

Every year, millions of office workers complain of on the job aches and pains.  According to WebMD, one study reported that over 50% of employees who used computers for at least 15 hours a week, reported musculoskeletal problems in the first year of a new job.  That is a very high percentage, don’t you think?  So, since many of us can relate to these aches and pains, I’m dedicating this show to preventing and managing aches and pains that occur as a result of office life.

As promised, here are shows #8 and #11: “Watch That Posture! Stand Tall!” and “Heading Off Neck Pain!“.

Announcement: Being Healthy for Busy People, is a Podcast Awards finalist!  Daily voting will run till November 30th.  If you have time, please go and vote for my podcast under Health/Fitness as many days as you can! Thank you!

Some references I used while researching this show are WebMD and Mayo Clinic.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Olive Oil

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Study: Eating Blueberries for Antioxidants? Skip the Milk.
2. What’s It Going To Be? Tap or Bottled Water?

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

Photo by aussiegall via Flickr

According to a Gallup poll, about 3 out of 5 adults have foot pain.  Most accept it as a fact of life, but most foot pain can actually be prevented. So, since many people have ongoing foot pain and many others will experience it at some point in their life, I had to discuss it today.

There are many things that can cause or aggravate foot problems.  It could be anything from flat feet to diabetic neuropathy to osteoarthritis, just to name a few.  Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately because a lot of you would be bored and stop listening, I don’t have time to discuss every foot problem.  The podcast would go on forever.  Instead, I am going to focus on 7 common foot problems and give you some tips on how to prevent them.  So, sit back and enjoy the show!

As promised here is the link to my blister article:  Blisters Are No Fun!

Some references I used while researching this show are New Wellness Encyclopedia and Mayo Clinic.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Flaxseed: Little Seed, Big Potential!

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Omega-3’s and Omega-6’s: Strike A Balance!
2. Can Food Labels Be Trusted?

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review. It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners. Thanks for listening, everyone!

And I think good posture is worth achieving just for the aches and pains that it can prevent!  That is why the goal of this episode is to give you tips on how to achieve a good standing posture.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

Photo by Sergi Melki via Flickr

For the past few weeks, Darren had woken up tired and in a bad mood. Not only that, his neck and shoulders had become progressively more tense and achy.  Since his mattress was fairly new and had all the latest features, he figured it couldn’t be the problem.  It had to be the pillow.  It was 10 years old, after all!  With that in mind, Darren went online to purchase a new pillow.  “But which is the right pillow?” he wondered.  “There are so many to choose from…”

Like Darren, many people are confused by the huge variety of pillow choices on the market.  Picking the right pillow can be as confusing as picking the right car or television.  There are hundreds of different types of pillows to choose from. Many people, however, just grab the first pillow they see or the cheapest they find.  However, picking a pillow is too important a decision to make that way.

Why is choosing the right pillow so important?
Your posture during sleep is just as important as when you are awake.  If you want a good night’s sleep and less aches and pains when you wake up, it’s critical. The right pillow can substantially improve your quality of sleep.  The wrong pillow can lead to restless nights due to increased muscle tension.  Over time, that increased muscle tension and poor sleep quality can take a toll on your body, making you both sore and more fatigued.

How do I choose the right pillow?
Buying a pillow doesn’t have to be complicated.  Just remember one simple rule. When choosing a pillow, make sure that it supports your head in such a way as to maintain the natural alignment of your spine.  You want to make sure that your head is aligned so that your ear is in line with your shoulder.  Some pillows will bend your head towards your chest or your ear upwards to your shoulder, depending on what position you sleep in.  If you are not in proper alignment, it can strain your neck and cause discomfort, pain and a poor night’s sleep.

Now, that being said, there is no one right pillow for everyone.  It is important to choose a pillow based on what kind of sleeper you are.  If you are unsure, choose a pillow based on what position you start in when you go to bed.  Here are some tips based on the position you sleep in:

1. Stomach Sleeper: Choose a soft, flatter pillow that keeps your back from excessively and unnaturally arching.
2. Side Sleeper: Choose a firmer, thicker pillow to keep your head in line with your spine.  You can also place a pillow between your legs or hug a long body pillow to help keep the rest of your body in proper alignment.
3. Back Sleeper: Choose a medium sized pillow that won’t push your head unnaturally forward.  Your head should be in line with your spine so that you are looking straight up at the ceiling, not down the length of your body.

As for those people sleeping with two or more pillows, that is too many.  You should only sleep with one good pillow under your head.  More than that will force your head out of alignment and result in aches, pains and a poor quality of sleep.

The bottom line:
Choosing the right pillow can make a big impact on your quality of sleep and your life.  It can be the difference between a poor night’s sleep and a night of restful sleep.  So, no matter what style of pillow you pick, make sure that it is the right fit for you!  After all, a good night’s rest depends on the pillow you use!

For the first show, I decided to cover a subject that affects everyone watching: sitting posture. The goal of this episode is to teach you about proper sitting posture, make you conscious of how you are sitting and show you why it is important to change your sitting posture if you’re sitting incorrectly.

If you haven’t yet please subscribe through iTunes.

Have you ever woken up with a stiff, painful back?  Or stood up after sitting too long in a movie theater and had stiff, painful knees?  You probably noticed that the pain eased after you got up and moved a bit. If so, you probably have some degree of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is so common that by the time people reach 40, most people show some signs of it on X-rays.  In this show, I am going to discuss what osteoarthritis is, what causes it and give you some tips on managing the pain and stiffness accompanied by osteoarthritis.

Some references I used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia, Mayo Clinic healthcentral.com and medicinenet.com

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Healthy Grilling: Avoid Those Carcinogens!
2. Bagels: Healthy Breakfast or Just Hype?

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Most people have experienced some kind of back pain at least once in their life.  Fortunately, for most people, back pain comes and goes within a few weeks and is not that serious.  But once you have experienced back pain, you have a higher chance of recurrence and an increased possibility of greater pain.

Back pain is an issue that I know well.  As a physical therapist, I have treated many people suffering from back pain, both acute and chronic.  The back is a complicated structure with many bones, joints, nerves, muscles and ligaments.  With such an involved subject, I could go on for hours.  To keep this short though, I’ll only focus on prevention in this article.

What causes back pain?
There are many things that cause back pain, including bulging or ruptured discs, sciatica, arthritis, skeletal irregularities, osteoporosis and some other more rare conditions.  The majority of backaches, however, are caused by strained muscles and ligaments.  This can be the result of poor posture, of lifting improperly or by making a sudden or awkward twisting motion.  These more commonly occurring back pains are much easier to prevent.

What can I do to prevent back pain?
Fortunately, there are some actions you can take to keep your back in optimal health that I’ll go over here.

1. Maintain a good posture: Posture is key for a healthy back.  Poor posture puts excessive force on your back, causing back and neck pain.  So make sure to keep your head up, chest out, neck straight, ears in line with your shoulders, pelvis forward, and stomach and buttocks tucked in.
2. Lose weight: Excess weight in the stomach can change your posture, strain your back muscles and compress the discs in your lower back, causing pain.  This increased strain on the muscles and ligaments and compression of the discs is why overweight people have a disproportionately high incidence of back pain.
3. Exercise regularly: Exercise is very important for a healthy back.  It helps with weight control, improves posture and helps reduce muscle tension.  Strengthening your back and abdominal muscles should be high priorities because they are important for stabilizing that area, reducing pressure on the back.  If you are already injured, speak with your medical doctor about visiting a physical therapist in order to ensure that you are doing appropriate exercises and are performing them correctly.  Otherwise, you might make your condition worse. (A personal trainer would not be recommended in this specific situation.  They have no education in injury rehabilitation and might unknowingly suggest inappropriate exercises for your particular situation.)
4. Practice proper body mechanics: Make sure that your legs do most of the work when you lift. The muscles of the legs are far stronger than those of the back.  So, when you are lifting something heavy, squat with your legs more than shoulder width apart with your toes pointing out at about 45 degrees, tighten your abdominal muscles, keep your back straight and hold the object close to your body.  Do not arch or twist your back.  Instead, turn your whole body as a unit. This is important because your back is at its weakest when arching or twisting.
5. Sleep in a good position: Avoid sleeping on your stomach, since that increases sway back (a condition where your back’s arch is exaggerated), putting more pressure on your discs.  Instead, try sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees or on your back with a pillow underneath your knees.  And make sure that you have a reasonably firm mattress.  A mattress that is too soft can cause back pain.
6. Dress appropriately: Avoid wearing high heels for prolonged periods.  They will increase the curvature of your back.  And if you wear a back brace occasionally, make sure not to wear it all the time. That will weaken your abdominal muscles, which will increase the likelihood of injury.

Taking these simple steps can help you to prevent or lessen back pain.  While maintaining a healthy back takes some effort, the payoff is well worth it.  Take my word for it.  I see people everyday who didn’t put in the effort and they regret it afterward.  Having back pain is not pleasant and can even be debilitating.  So, take good care of your back and it will take good care of you!