Physical Therapy of the Rockies May Newsletter

Do Life Better.®

o 8 West Dry Creek Circle, Ste. 130
LITTLETON, CO 80120

303-955-8163

o 296 W. Hampden Ave.
ENGLEWOOD, CO 80110

720-583-6425

ptoftherocDkioes.lciofme better.®

HELPING PEOPLE WITH

Chronic Pain
Chronic pain affects each person experienc- HOW DOES IT FEEL?
ing it differently. In some cases, chronic pain
can lead to decreased activity levels, job loss, How chronic pain feels varies with each indi-
or financial difficulties, as well as anxiety, de- vidual; it is very personal. How often it occurs,
pression, and disability. Physical therapists how severe it is, or how long it lasts is not pre-
work together with chronic pain patients to dictable from one person to another. Here are
lessen their pain, and restore their activity to some common symptoms related to chronic
the highest possible levels. With treatment, pain:
the negative effects of chronic pain can be re- • It may seem as if “everything hurts,
duced.
everywhere.”
WHAT IS CHRONIC PAIN? • There may be sudden stabs of pain.
• It may seem as if the pain “has a mind
Chronic pain is any discomfort or unpleasant
sensation that lasts for more than 3 months – of its own.”
or beyond an expected normal healing time. • You feel symptoms even if you are not
Often, those who have chronic pain believe
they have an ongoing disease or that their doing anything to cause them.
body has not healed, when this may not be • It feels worse when you think about it.
the case. Chronic pain is likely not warning • It feels worse when you experience
you of possible injury or danger; instead, the
pain centers in the brain may be causing you to hurt even though upsetting circumstances in your life.
there are no new causes of pain occurring in the body. Anyone • You may feel more anxious and depressed.
can develop chronic pain, at any age. • You may feel your symptoms spread from
When pain is chronic, pain sensations are activated in the brain. one area to another area.
The brain continues to interpret all sensations from the problem • You may feel fatigued, and afraid to do your normal
areas as danger, even when there is no more tissue damage oc- activities.
curing. This makes it easier for the pain centers in the brain to
activate. Pain messages come from many different areas of the SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
brain – areas that may control fight or fear reactions, movement,
emotions, problem-solving, and learning. In fact, almost any sys- Research finds the following signs may be associated with a
tem of the body can be affected by chronic pain. chronic pain syndrome:
Fearfulness. It is easy to begin to fear increased pain when you
have a chronic pain condition. As a result, you may begin to avoid
activity. You may find that you rely more on family members to
help with daily functions.

cont. on pg 2

CHRONIC PAIN, CONT. from page 1

Body stiffness when you try to become more active. Stiffness may an individualized treatment plan that fits you best with treatments
make you feel as if your body is less able to perform daily activities. that may include:

Deconditioning. Not moving your body results in less tolerance Strengthening and flexibility exercises to help you move more
when you want to become more active. If you are inactive for a easily with less discomfort. Graded exercises (movements that are
long time, muscles weaken and degenerate from not being used. gradually increased according to your abilities) help you improve
This can also increase your risk of falling. your coordination and movement, reducing the stress and strain
Decreased circulation. Lack of activity decreases the circulation on your body, and decreasing your pain. Carefully introducing a
of much-needed blood to your cells. Tissues in your body may graded exercise program will help train your brain to sense the
not get as much oxygen as they need. As a result, they may not be problem area in your body without increasing its danger messages.
as healthy as they can be. This can cause you to feel fatigued, and Manual therapy, consisting of specific, gentle, hands-on tech-
lack energy. niques can manipulate or mobilize tight joint structures and soft
Weight gain and/or a worsening of other conditions. Decreased tissues. Manual therapy is used to increase range of motion, im-
activity can lead to unwanted weight gain. Added pounds and in- prove the quality of the tissues, and reduce pain.
activity can aggravate symptoms of other conditions such as dia- Posture awareness and body mechanics instruction to help you
betes and high blood pressure. Chronic pain conditions are also use your body more efficiently while performing activities and
commonly associated with feelings of anxiety or depression. even when you are resting. We can help adjust your movements
Increased use of medication. Chronic pain patients can have the at work, or when performing chores or recreational activities, to
tendency to increase their medication over time to seek relief. reduce your pain and increase your ability to function.
No one wants to live in pain. But no one should put their health at Research shows that treating pain as soon as possible helps to pre-
risk in an effort to be pain free. Opioid risks include depression, vent chronic pain. Don’t ignore pain. Physical therapy can help!
overdose, and addiction, plus withdrawal symptoms when stop-
ping use. That’s why the CDC recommends safer alternatives like Call for a FREE CONSULTATION and see how
physical therapy to manage pain. we can help.

Physical therapists treat pain through movement, hands-on care,
and patient education—and by increasing physical activity you
can also reduce your risk of other chronic diseases.

HOW CAN PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP? Do life better.®

We will educate you on chronic pain, find solutions to improve
your quality of life, and get you moving again! We help you im-
prove movement, teach you pain management strategies, and re-
duce your pain. Since all chronic pain is different, we will design

CaretoShare

REFERRAL PROGRAM

Your referrals mean the world to us.

A great physical therapy experience deserves to be shared. We hope you will tell someone
you know we could help. They will thank you and so will we with a $5 gift card for every

new patient you send us. Ask for referral cards at the front desk.

#DoLifeBetter
Active KidsPHYSICAL THERAPYFOR
of ALL AGES!

Sports-related injuries cause impairments such as pain, inflammation, restricted
movement, joint instability, or muscle weakness. Physical therapy can help get
kids — little ones to high school athletes ­— back in the game.

Athletic injuries can be identified and effectively treated by a physical therapist who is able to
restore and maximize mobility. The physical therapists at PT of the Rockies will help your child
by developing an individualized plan tailored to their specific injury and goals. We will work
to safely put weight on the recovering area and begin treatment to return to normal activity
and help your child gain back strength, motion, balance, and sport skills.

Depending on the injury, physical therapy treatment may include:
• Swelling Reduction
• Walking Instruction
• Gait Training
• Exercise - A customized exercise plan to strengthen and regain motion
• Restoring Mobility - Gently moving the injured joint(s) and surrounding

tissues to reduce stiffness, and increase range of motion.
• Return to Play/Sports - As strength and flexibility is regained, we will

provide activity training specific to your child’s leisure activity or sport.

Physical therapy treatment is different and specialized for each individual
and depends on the type of injury, how healing is progressing, whether
surgery took place, as well as the age and physical health of each patient.

ptoftherockies.com Injuries we often treat:
4 Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist
4 Knee, Ankle, Foot, Toe
4 Hip Conditions
4 Neck & Back Injuries
4 Headaches/Concussion

LITTLETON Do life better.® ENGLEWOOD
303-955-8163 720-583-6425

OUR PATIENT’S SUCCESS FPAREINE

“I started PT because I fractured my tibia CONSULTATION
while skiing. Since I had never gone to PT
before, I didn’t know what to expect and Are you or someone
was pleasantly surprised to see how com- you know...
fortable and relaxing it is. It feels really
personal and I actually look forward to m Having aches and pains and
going every week.” — Lauren C. want answers?

“Since my first session I’ve noticed signif- m Noticing the body not working
icant improvement with my range of mo- like it used to and you’re less
tion in neck & shoulders. They worked to active?
my strengths and helped me feel more
like my active self again. Considering the m Suffering from sprain, strain,
fact that I was pregnant throughout my PT or recovering too slowly from
sessions they helped me feel comfortable surgery or an accident?
with each session.” — Priscilla D.
m Wondering if physical therapy
8 West Dry Creek Circle, Suite 130 can work for you?
Littleton, CO 80120
CALL TODAY FOR YOUR
FREE PHYSICAL THERAPY
CONSULTATION!

303-955-8163

8 West Dry Creek Circle, Suite 130 • Littleton

720-583-6425

296 W. Hampden Ave. • Englewood