Cairn Physical Therapy & Wellness

It is impossible that one will never feel pain . . . there are so many different kinds. For our purposes we will focus on physical pain as that is what relates most to injury. In our first blog of July we talked about Independence from Injury, and as promised, this post is about Freedom from Pain!   When initially injured one has acute pain (lasting 2-3 days) and as the healing begins this pain diminishes. When something interfere's with the healing process the pain can linger. If this happens for 6 months or more it becomes chronic. Chronic pain persists long after the injury is actually healed. But what if you didn't have an injury? Sometimes we just wake up with pain. Sometimes we just notice some pain that doesn't really go away. Sometimes we don't even remember how long it has been because it really wasn't that bothersome for several weeks and suddenly we can't reach the top shelf or squat down to pick up our kids. These can be characterized as chronic as w...

It's July and summer is in full swing! Are you able to get out and enjoy the sun, sand and surf (or your outdoor activity of choice)? If your answer is no, keep reading! This post contains helpful information on how to reclaim your independence from injury! RICE versus MEAT?? No matter your injury/pain location there are fundamental are ways to heal faster. It used to be RICE ~ Rest  Ice Compression Elevation It still can be for the first 24-72 hours after injury. Longer than that and you risk slowing your healing and prolonging your recovery. Ultimately you can't return to the activities you love very quickly! Try  MEAT~  Movement Exercise Analgesics Treatment Movement  Ever sit too long at work, on a plane, in the car? Remember how you felt getting up? Movement is just as important to healing as resting fatigued or irritated tissue. **Exceptions to Movement ~ if you have a broken bone or a torn tendon or ligament you should not move that body part ~ it needs to be ...

June is Men's Health Month and . . .  the 12th of June is Family Health and Fitness Day, the 19th is Father's Day and on the 21st we welcome summer ~ a time for getting outside to play, vacation, unwind and more!  Let's start with some stats:  Currently, men are dying an average of 5 years younger than women and lead 9 out of 10 of the top causes of death. Leading causes of death in 2020 include Heart disease, Cancer and COVID-19. Men also have a higher suicide death rate than women.  Men account for 92% of fatal workplace injuries. Why? Men are employed in the most dangerous occupations, such as mining, fire fighting, construction, and fishing. Men do not see physicians for a physical exam nearly as often as women and men are more likely to be uninsured than women. Men make ½ as many physician visits for prevention. Compared to women, men are more likely to smoke, drink and make unhealthy or risky choices.  Adding to the problem:  Society discour...

You may be wondering why we are talking about food allergies . . . we are Physical Therapists not Nutritionists or Gastrointestinal Physicians or Allergists. Here's why:  Food has a lot to do with injury recovery, healing, and tissue maintenance! Let's start with some definitions and physiology . . . The "Gut" means the gastrointestinal (GI) tract from the mouth to the large intestine.   "Gut Health" refers to the health of the entire system ~ the function and balance of the bacteria that work in the GI tract. For our purposes we will focus on just the intestinal component.  While the entirety of the gut plays important roles in turning food into nutrients, the small intestine is where the magic happens ~ digestion and absorption of fluid, nutrients, vitamins, etc.  Good Bacteria, normally present in your gut, helps with nutrient absorption, controlling bad bacteria and can even make vitamins (altho we should NOT rely on them for our daily supplements!) ...

SHAPE America (Society of Health and Physical Educators) started National Physical Education and Sport Week, (always the first week in May), as a celebration of the importance of physical education and health education. This Society exists "to advance professional practice and promote research related to health and physical education, physical activity, dance and sport". Their vision is to see "a nation where all children are prepared to lead healthy, physically active lives".   https://www.shapeamerica.org/about/default.aspx What does the physical education look like in your children's school?  How do you get your kids engaged physical fitness? Did you know that mental health is related to physical fitness? Over the last few decades we know that funding for physical education in public schools has dramatically declined. Luckily community sports programs have filled in the gap. These however are run by us ~ parents who love sports and want to share them with our...

  "May, more than any other month of the year, wants us to feel most alive." -  Fennel Hudson  This month there are many health observances we will touch on! National Physical Fitness and Sports Month  Mental Health Awareness Month National Physical Education and Sport Week (May 1–7)  Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 9–15) National Senior Health & Fitness Day 27th (its also Arthritis Awareness Month) For National Physical Fitness and Sports Month I am raising money for the California Physical Therapy Fund ~ it funds PT research so we can continue to advance our knowledge to best serve the community. I have pledges to walk 62 miles and practice 300 minutes of yoga this month. I would be honored with your support of a donation, you can donate here  https://bit.ly/RoxPTRes   Cairn Physical Therapy & Wellness is offering Free Fitness Assessments for 5 individuals ~ call 424-244-0575 to book yours before they are gone! Mental health is intertwi...