Hand, wrist & elbow pain

1275 W Pueblo Blvd.
Pueblo, CO 81004

719.542.0589
719PT.COM

Do life better.®

Hand, wrist, HOW
& elbow pain PHYSICAL

THERAPY
CAN HELP
often report being wakened with
WRIST & HAND PAIN who develop CTS, physical therapy symptoms. Many people feel the need
treatment can often relieve pain and to “shake out” their hands to try to
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is numbness and restore normal use of relieve the symptoms.
a common condition of the wrist the hand, wrist, and arm without the As the condition progresses, the
and hand that can affect the use of need for surgery. symptoms are noticed during the
the whole arm. It is caused by pres- CTS usually starts gradually, with daytime and are often worse when
sure on the nerve at the base of the symptoms such as burning, tingling, holding items such as a heavy book
palm (median nerve). Because of the “pins and needles,” or numbness in or a hairbrush. Weakness of the hand
demands that people place on their the palm of the hand and fingers. and more constant numbness may
hands and wrists, CTS is a common Often the symptoms are more notice- occur if the pressure on the nerve
condition affecting 1 out of 20 Amer- able during the night, and individuals continues. You may find that you
icans. Fortunately for most people drop objects unexpectedly or have a
weakness in your grip.
The goals of physical therapy are to
reduce your symptoms without the
need for surgery, to enable you to be
as active and functional as possible,
and to help you resume your normal
work, home, and leisure activities. If
surgery is needed to release the band
of tissue that is causing pressure on
the median nerve, physical therapy
treatment after surgery will be im-

cont. on pg 2

HAND, WRIST & ELBOW PAIN, CONT. from page 1

portant to help restore strength p Difficulty with gripping activities. you remain active by teaching
to the wrist and to teach you p Stiffness in the elbow. you how to modify your daily ac-
how to modify habits that may p Increased pain when you use your tivities to avoid pain and further
have led to symptoms in the first injury.
place. wrist and hand for lifting objects,
opening a jar, or gripping something Medial epicondylitis (commonly
ELBOW PAIN tightly, such as a knife and fork. called golfer’s elbow or throw-
p Weakness in the forearm, wrist, or er’s elbow) is a condition that
Tennis elbow is a painful con- hand. develops when the tendons on
dition caused by overuse of the It’s important to treat tennis elbow as the inside of the forearm become
“extensor” muscles in your arm early as possible. Left untreated it may irritated, inflamed, and painful
and forearm, particularly where become chronic and last for months due to repetitive use of the hand,
the tendons attach to rounded and sometimes even years. This is espe- wrist, forearm and elbow. It is
projections of bone (epicon- cially true if treatment is focused only often diagnosed in people who
dyles) on the outside or lateral on relieving pain and not on correcting perform repetitive motions, such
aspect of the elbow. The muscles the muscle weakness and bad habits as swinging a golf club or tennis
you use to grip, twist, and carry that might have led to your condition racket, or activities requiring
objects with your hand all attach in the first place. Your physical ther- gripping, twisting, or throwing.
to the “lateral epicondyle” at the apist can design a specific treatment Even using a computer or per-
elbow. That’s why a movement program to speed your recovery by forming yard work can cause the
of the wrist or hand can actually cause helping you retrain your muscles so condition. It is most common in men
pain in the elbow. that you use them properly and help over the age of 35. A physical therapist
Prolonged use of the wrist and hand, can help decrease the pain caused by
such as when using a computer or medial epicondylitis, and improve the
operating machinery —and, of course, affected elbow’s motion, strength, and
playing tennis with an improper grip function.
or technique—can lead to tennis elbow.
It can happen to athletes, non-athletes, It is important to get proper treatment
children, and adults. It occurs more as soon as pain occurs, as tendons
often in men than women, and most do not have a good blood supply. An
commonly affects people between the inflamed tendon that is not treated can
ages of 30 and 50. begin to tear, causing a more serious
Your symptoms may include: condition. Work with a physical ther-
p Pain that radiates into your forearm apist to devise a treatment plan that is
specific to your condition and goals.
and wrist.
p Difficulty doing common tasks, If you are having pain in your hand,
wrist, or elbow, get a FREE CONSUL-
such as turning a doorknob or TATION and see how we can help you
holding a coffee cup. Do Life Better at Momenum Physical
Therapy.

Do life better.®

1275 W Pueblo Blvd., Pueblo | 719.542.0589 | 719pt.com

OUR PATIENT’S RESULTS

“
I was referred to Momentum in an attempt to address the severe headaches I’ve

been suffering from for the last 14 months. While it turned out to be neurological in

origin, the dedication of the staff is far beyond any expectations I’ve ever had. Beth

was relentless in her persistance to find something that might bring relief. I have no

doubt that the exercises that I have been taught here at Momentum will only further

improve my condition as we address the medical aspects of my headache. I would

highly recommend this clinic to anyone needing any form of physical therapy.
— Kelly F.

”

If you have experienced
low back pain,

you are not alone.

According to a 2012 survey by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), 61%
of Americans said they have experienced low back pain, and of those, 69% felt it has
affected their daily lives. THE GOOD NEWS IS that most cases of low back pain
are not serious and will respond well to conservative, proven treatments such as
physical therapy. Physical therapy is a cost effective first choice in an era when all too
often back pain is over-treated with narcotics or expensive imaging scans that lead to
higher costs. Learn more about why you should get physical therapy first for your back
pain. Call Momentum Physical Therapy for a FREE CONSULTATION.

PFAREINE DID YOU KNOW?

CONSULTATION Everyone has the freedom to choose their own
physical therapist. All 50 states allow some
WE TREAT: form of direct access to physical therapist
services without a physician’s referral AND
4 Back Pain everyone has the right to choose their own
4 Neck Pain physical therapist and are not obligated to
4 Headaches receive physical therapy in any specific facility.
4 Shoulder Pain
4 Hip/Leg Pain Do you know someone suffering with aches
4 Vertigo & Dizziness and pains? CARE TO SHARE and refer
4 Fibromyalgia them directly to Momentum Physical
4 Sports Medicine Therapy for a FREE pain consultation.
4 Vehicle Accidents They will thank you and so will we!!
4 Post-op Rehabilitation
4 Workers’ Compensation Most insurances accepted. Always insist that your physical therapy be pro-
vided by a licensed physical therapist. Physical therapists who are members
of APTA are bound by the association’s Code of Ethics and are especially
committed to providing competent and compassionate care.

KNOW SOMEONE WHO NEEDS
OUR HELP? PLEASE SHARE THIS
NEWSLETTER & SEND THEM
OUR WAY!

719.542.0589

1275 W Pueblo Blvd., Pueblo

Do Life Better.®

5 SOOTHING STRETCHES

if you sit at a desk all day
Sit at a computer all day at work? Spend hours sitting in your car traveling?
Here are 5 stretches to soothe and strengthen muscles to prevent lower back pain, maintain flexibility and improve mobility.

Seated Figure 4 Stretch Seated Spinal Twist

White sitting in your chair, cross your RIGHT Sitting in your chair with a tall spine,
ankle over your left knee, as if making a figure keep your hips square and parallel to
“4.” Keep your back as straight as possible as the wall in front of you, as you rotate
you hinge at your hips to increase the your torso to the RIGHT. Place your
stretch. You can even apply a little extra LEFT hand on the outside of your
pressure on the right thigh to deepen RIGHT thigh to help you rotate. Always
the stretch, as well. Hold the stretch for
about 60 seconds, and then switch sides. think of lengthening your
spine and getting taller as
you twist. Hold for 30
seconds, and then rotate to
the other side.

Chest Opener Neck Stretch

Standing with your Standing or sitting tall in your chair
spine tall, reach and with your shoulders back, bring your
clasp your hands RIGHT ear to your RIGHT shoulder.
behind your back, Gently use your RIGHT hand to add
as you draw your shoulder blades down a SMALL amount of pressure by gently
your back. If you can, slightly raise your pulling the head closer to the ear (just a
arms up behind you to increase the stretch. small amount of pressure is enough).
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and release. To increase the stretch a little bit more,
flex the LEFT hand and reach it toward
to floor. Hold for about 30 seconds and
then switch sides.

Spinal Reach with Clasped Palms

Standing tall, clasp your hands in front of you and rotate your palms away
from you (this will give you an added wrist stretch!), and bring the arms
overhead, reaching your spine tall. Keeping the weight even in both hips, reach the arms up
and over to the RIGHT. You should feel a stretch in the LEFT side of the body. Try to relax the
shoulders away from the ears
as much as possible, and
not rotate the spine at all.
Hold for 30 seconds
and then switch sides.

Do life better.®

1275 W Pueblo Blvd., Pueblo | 719.542.0589 | 719pt.com

1275 W. Pueblo Blvd.
Pueblo, CO 81004

719PT.COM

MEET OUR STAFF

Beth Achterhoff PT, DPT

Physical Therapist

Beth was born and raised in Muskegon, Michigan so the lake and beach will always have a spot in her heart!
Since fourth grade, softball has always been her passion. She had the honor of being a NCAA softball player
and still continues to play. She received her Bachelors of Science in Biology from Saint Mary’s College Notre
Dame in 2008 where she then continued to receive her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Wayne State
University in 2011.
She has a passion for pediatric patients and loves the energy they bring. She loves to travel especially around
Europe. Seeing different parts of the world will always be what she looks forward to! She is enthusiastic about
being able to do what she loves while helping her new community of Pueblo to live a pain free life!

Do life better.®