SPRING INTO SUMMER PAIN-FREE

Spring is coming to a close in the next month, and with that comes a new season. Summer is a time for bike rides, long walks, traveling, hiking and camping. But before all the outdoor activities can commence, what better way to make sure everything starts off without a hitch and a pesky injury popping up, then by seeing your physical therapist for a check up to get things squared away!

With the days becoming nicer and the sun staying around longer, it's natural to want to spend as much time outside as possible. Oftentimes, you find yourself becoming more active. Which for some people, is a change of pace from a typical day indoors due to the weather and time of year. Switching from sedentary to active can be a wake up call for your body and sometimes, can bring to surface some underlying injuries you didn't know you had. Whether it’s a shoulder injury, low back pain, ankle or even hip, all can stay hidden and creep up when the body starts to get active. 

Low back, hip and ankles injuries are the common outliers when getting active and tend to get worse if not addressed promptly and accordingly. Pain or discomfort in any part of the body should be addressed.

Some signs and symptoms of a possible injury could be:

 ANKLE/FOOT

  • Pain in Achilles

  • Pain under heel

  • Sharp pain during running

  • Achy pain after running

  • Sharp pain under foot in the morning

  • Tight surrounding muscles

  • Decreased strength in calves

  • Inflammation in bottom of foot

  • Lack of mobility in big toe

LOW BACK 

  • Pain with sitting for long time

  • Pain with standing for long time

  • Pain laying on back

  • Pain bending over

  • Tight surrounding muscles

  • Dull pain in spine

  • Achy pain in surrounding muscles

  • Muscle spasms throughout day

  • Excessive low back curve

HIP

- Pinching pain in front of hip (walk/run)

- Dull ache at night/sleeping

- Sharp pain near sit bone

- Sharp pain in hip joint

- Numbness in legs/buttocks with sitting

- Pain with running

- Pain with standing

- Pain in surrounding muscles

- Achy pain in hip at night

- Tight surrounding muscles

KNEE

  • Achy pain with prolonged sitting

  • Pain with (walk/run)

  • Pain going uphill/downhill

  • Pain going upstairs/downstairs

  • Pain in back of knee

  • Pain with squatting

  • Pain in surrounding muscles

  • Popping  in kneecap with movement