Balance Chicago

The Magic Thumb

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:57:19 +0000

At Lifestyle, we see different causes for dizziness, but we have a trick that we teach our patients to help them cope with flare ups. First, you need to sit down with your elbows propped on your knees. Then fold your hands between your knees and look down at your thumbs, which should be on top of each other. This move works to ground your body, and trick your brain into ignoring the response by the vestibular system that the room is spinning. Instead it gets the input from your other senses, touch and vision, to see that your body is actually still. This works great to control flare ups of dizziness. If you experience dizzy symptoms try this technique and then give us a call 773-525-5200.

Time for new shoes

admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:39:59 +0000

I’m notoriously cheap, clipping coupons, and frequenting Groupon. There is one thing that I will not skimp out on and that is running shoes. The cushion and structure of running shoes protect your feet, ankles, shins, and knees from injury while running. Overtime, the cushion and structure start to breakdown and leave you vulnerable to injury. We recommend changing your shoes at about 300 miles. If you haven’t been tracking the mileage you can tell the wear on your shoes by putting them on a flat surface, looking from behind, and seeing if one side or the other tilts up. If your shoes tilt it means that your soles are worn out and you should start looking into new shoes. We recommend going to a shoe store that does a full gait analysis and watches you run so that they can get you in the best shoe that you need.

Stay Healthy Running

admin — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:36:47 +0000

One of the most common forms of exercise, that doesn’t need equipment, and can work your whole body, is running. Right now people are starting to work off their hibernation weight from the winter by pounding the streets with their feet. In Chicago there are so many of 5ks and 10ks it’s hard to keep track, almost one every week on the lakefront path, but we can’t forget about the half marathons and marathon this October. People have started training, and we already see a spike in patients. Throughout the next couple weeks stay posted to get running tips that could keep you healthy as you work up to whatever race you are training for.

First of all, don’t underestimate the benefits of stretching. Stretching is a great as part of a warmup activity, but it is most beneficial after your run when your muscles are starting to realize what you just put them through. Stretching your whole body would be best, but if you’re crunched for time at least hit the big three in your legs: Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves. Stretching these muscles post workout could help prevent injury further in your training, but also it will speed up your recovery from the workout you finished.

Holiday Back Check

admin — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:39:44 +0000

Little kids run around chasing eggs and it reminds us all that we get old. The days of searching for eggs for most of us are over, but we still need to bend over and pick things up. Now’s the time we start spring cleaning, moving to a new apartment or house, and generally get outside. If you have kids you might have to pick them up during the Easter festivities or your spouse may have you move heavy things to the curb to throw out. Remember to lift with legs and NOT your back. When I was young I didn’t quite understand this concept, but what it means is to squat down before picking something up, keeping your back straight the whole time, so the lift happens in your legs. This will your for years to come!

Vestibular Support Group

admin — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:27:47 +0000

Lifestyle Physical Therapy hosted a vestibular support group for people suffering from vestibular disorders.We want to thank Kara Houston from the Hearing Health Center who came and spoke as our guest lecturer. We try to bring in different perspectives to these support groups, and would like to get your opinions on who we should bring in next to speak or demonstrate. We are thinking of inviting a Tai Chi practitioner (or other martial art), a yoga practitioner, or another doctor.

Post ideas and votes to comment

Avoiding Foot Pain

admin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:33:14 +0000

Have you heard of Metatarsalgia?

Metatarsalgia is pain in the balls of the feet. With all the beautiful weather we have been having this March, more people are outdoors running and walking to enjoy the beautiful sunny days. This could cause pain in your feet and here are some tips to help alleviate some of the pain.

Wear the Right Shoes

If you are athletic, always wear proper footwear while engaging in sports or fitness activities. Shop for shoes that are designed to cushion and support the balls of your feet. Make sure the shoes are wide enough to prevent the pinching of nerves, with proper arch support. Use custom orthotics for ultimate comfort and support. For everyday shoes, choose shoes with lower heels and that allow a flexible ankle joint. Don’t settle for cheap, non-supportive shoes during work, play or even shopping.

Pamper Your Feet

Use foot scrubs and soak your feet in warm water with Epsom salt or foot therapy solution. Massage your feet before bedtime and apply foot therapy lotion to sooth your feet as you sleep.

You will be surprised how these tips can help you avoid long term injuries like heel spurs, toe, back, and knee pain.

Reference: http://www.majon.com/articles/health-products-health-vitamins-dieting/metatarsalgia_3621.html

Spring is Here!

admin — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:58:24 +0000

In Chicago, I feel that the change from winter to spring is marked by good weather and the dying of the Chicago River to a nice healthy green for St. Patrick’s Day. Along with the nice weather, St. Patrick’s Day partying, and getting outside to enjoy both of these comes along the risk of getting injured. You see it every year, people get so excited that the weather is nice again so everyone goes outside and tries to do all of the activities they used to do before it got cold. Everyone goes out playing hard, and comes back in a cast of some sort. In high school and middle school this would have been cool, we would have had all of our classmates sign the cast and we’d be the center of attention for a while. Now, a cast means that you’re stuck NOT participating in activities for even longer, the problem is that you’re now wasting away the summer.

Don’t be this person! If you have lived on the couch this winter, remember to take it slow. Get with a personal trainer or physical therapist to design a workout plan that will get you ready for the summer. The plan should focus on areas that you are weak that need to be strong to prevent future injuries. Maybe your shoulders or legs depending on what you would like to do, but almost always the plan will have some sort of focus on the core. Strengthening your core will help in all activities that you do, and help prevent injuries.

Instead of doing sit-ups until you can’t move, try doing a set of planks. Assume the pushup position except on your forearms instead of your hands. Keep your back straight and flex the muscles in your bum, this will help keep you straight. Start off doing 30 seconds and work your way up to a minute.

Neck Pain and Dry Needling

admin — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:35:44 +0000

People often complain of having neck pain when they wake up in the morning, and they attribute it to sleeping on it wrong. Usually this lasts a day or two. Other neck pain can come about from direct injury to the neck, whiplash, stress, or extended periods of working at a computer. The first two can be serious immediately, and the last two, overtime, can become serious injuries if left on their own. Taking frequent breaks from work to walk around, stretch, or just shake your head yes and no a couple times will help reduce your risk of developing serious neck pain. Also, after a long day of work, try to keep your body and neck moving to reduce the chances of your neck pain becoming serious.

If the pain lasts more than a couple days you might have developed a trigger point, or bad muscle knot, in your shoulder, neck, and head preventing your range of motion and often causing pain. Techniques that we use to release trigger points involves movement, massage, and Trigger Point Dry Needling. Trigger Point Dry Needling uses acupuncture needles to break up these trigger points faster than movement or massage. The patient has increased range of motion and pain relief after one session. To find out more information or a therapist near you, please visit http://www.kinetacore.com/physical-therapy/Find-a-Therapist-TDN-IMT/page62.html to see if Dry Needling is something that could help you.

5 Tips to Beat Postwinter Dizziness

admin — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:58:05 +0000

This time of year, Mother Nature can be unpredictable and unforgiving. Here in Chicago we have gotten weather below freezing that shoots up to the mid 50s the next day. While we are enjoying the great outdoors and the beautiful sun, little viruses and bacteria also come out and infect unsuspecting people.

1) Remember that you are not the only one

The changing weather and these little viruses can wreck havoc on people suffering from dizziness. The barometric pressure changes distort your inner ear pressure leading many patients to have a short relapse, and a miserable day. The bugs you catch also can affect your dizziness.

2) Try to focus on a point

Try to do this on a “boring” background like a wall. This minimizes the visual stimuli that can make the dizziness worse.

3) STAY HYDRATED

Water helps to balance the body and will help bring you back to normal. As we go about our day often we can forget to drink enough water. According to the Mayo Clinic, people should drink between 9 and 13 cups of water to make sure you have enough water for your body to function properly. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make it hard to focus which all can affect dizzy feelings.

4) Control your breathe

It’s common that when dizziness catches people by surprise they can hyperventilate. This makes the symptoms worse. Controlling your breath forces you to focus on something inside of yourself, and it will get your mind off the rest of the world literally spinning.

5) Do your vestibular exercises

This might seem counterintuitive, but doing the exercises will help bring you back to normal when you are having a bad day.

If you or someone you know suffers from dizziness, please get in contact with us at info@balancechicago.com to learn more.

Lessen Your Back Pain While Working

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:54:34 +0000

We all guilty of trying to get school and business work done while lying in bed. Although, it easy to get work done while in bed, this can cause a strain on your back. According to a senior consultant ergonomist at the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA), “bad posture is inevitable because of the way laptops are designed”. This does not mean you have to stop using your laptop in bed. Here are a few tips to help lessen your back pain while working on your laptop computer:
• Use a separate keyboard and mouse so that the laptop can be put on a stand and the screen opened at eye level.
• Use your laptop on a stable base where there is support for your arms, and not on your lap.
• Take regular breaks. If you’re moving, there’s a lot less stress on your muscles and joints.
• Adopt good sitting posture with lower back support, and ensure that other desk equipment is within reach.
• Get into good habits before the aching starts. Neck, shoulder and back problems gradually build up over time.