Author: Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida

How Physical Therapy Saves Money

Who doesn’t want to save money? Your health is one of your most important possessions and certainly deserves a high value, so it’s reassuring to discover that not only is treatment under a Licensed Physical Therapist an extremely effective solution to many forms of physical pain and dysfunction, it’s also a viable way of actually saving money while restoring your health. Let’s explore how our Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida can help you avoid surgery, reduce and even eliminate the need for prescription painkiller drugs, and help you recover more quickly to return to productive work and a fulfilling lifestyle.

Let’s face it–surgery is expensive. It’s also invasive, involves anesthesia, if not full sedation, and typically requires a lot of recovery time to heal the incisions, let alone the operated-on tissue itself. Physical therapy involves none of these things. What if you could achieve the same or better results without the exorbitant price of going through surgery? Many scientific studies have shown that physical therapy can work just as well, and with fewer complications. For example, spinal stenosis, meniscus tears and osteoarthritis, and rotator cuff tears all have associated studies demonstrating effective treatment from physical therapists rendering surgery unnecessary. Before assuming that your only option is going under the knife, schedule a consultation with a Licensed Physical Therapist to find out what about less drastic and less expensive options.

Physical Therapists seek to correct problems without drugs. 15 years ago, the total cost of prescription pain medications for one year in the United States was $17.8 billion, much more in terms of total expenditure, and have increased greatly ever since. A survey of current prices of opioids will encourage you to rather invest in getting better and not requiring meds instead of perpetually relying upon the temporary relief of drugs that come with long-term side effects without actually correcting the problem. Researchers at Boston University analyzed over 67,000 patient records and found that even low levels of physical therapy before or after surgery can lower the odds of chronic opioid use. In fact, they even revealed that the longer a patient waits to start physical therapy, the greater the eventual odds of chronic opioid use.

Physical Therapists are experts at creating an exercise program that someone with pain or mobility limitations can still use to regain lost strength and return to an active, productive life. If you’re already at the point of requiring surgery, it should be illuminating to find out that exercise therapy before and after major surgery has been shown to augment postoperative outcomes by improving functional status and reducing complications.

With the example of something so common as low back pain, not only is physical therapy cheaper than surgery or injections in the short-term, it’s likely to save on treatment costs for at least a year after initial diagnosis, with average savings of 18% over treatments that begin with injections and over 50% over treatments that begin with surgery. The bottom line is that physical therapy can save you money. Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida’s team of doctors, therapists, and assistants are Bradenton and Sarasota’s premier providers of treatment dedicated to helping you move without pain! Find out what we can do for you by scheduling a consultation. You can reach us at (941) 264-1414, email us info@ptdoctorsfl.com, or drop us a line via our contact form.

The Importance of Breathing

Everyone knows everything about breathing, right? We all do it incessantly from the time we’re born for the entirety of our lives, about 22,000 times a day. We do it without thinking, without trying, never even considering it something worth our attention unless something happens to us that hinders it, and yet it’s the most immediately critical bodily function. It’s more important than food, water, shelter, rest, or any social interaction, as it pertains to staying alive, since none of those other necessities are even capable of being utilized without breathing air all day, every day, even while asleep. Despite the absolute ubiquity and simplicity of breathing, there really is more to be learned about it that can have a positive carryover effect into the rest of our lives.

Although just breathing in & out is basically the extent to which the majority of people go their entire lives, there are practical techniques we can employ to increase our health, both physically and mentally. Such practices have demonstrated clinical significance in the improvement of cognitive performance, and can reduce negative subjective and physiological consequences of stress. Slow breathing in particular has positive effects related to emotional control and psychological well-being. So what sort of breathing exercises can we do to help get stress under control and to relax? Let’s review an easy technique.

To engage in Belly Breathing:

1. Sit or lie in a comfortable position.
2. Place one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest.
3. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Your chest should not move.
4. Breathe out through pursed lips as though whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all the air out.
5. Do this type of breathing 3-10 times, taking your time with each breath.
6. Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.

There are many more somewhat more advanced techniques for you to try when you’ve had a little practice with the above, including 4-7-8 Breathing and the excitingly named Modified Lion’s Breath. For computer and smartphone users, there’s also no shortage of free apps to guide and help you keep track of your progress. If you prefer a personal instructor and/or a group setting, an assortment of local Manatee and Sarasota County classes are only a Google search away.

Your breathing capacity may have suffered if you can’t move around as much as you used to due to joint pain or injury, but you don’t have to let body aches take you out of the healthy life game. The pain experts at Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida know how to put together a treatment plan designed for your particular situation, and they do it without the need for surgery or prescription drugs. We even have breathing specialists like Cynthia Cantwell, who’s had 200 hours of Hatha Yoga teacher-training. To find out what our Physical Therapists can do for you, call us for more information at (941) 264-1415, email us info@ptdoctorsfl.com, or send us a message here. Our Physical Therapy Doctors and Assistants are all about helping you move without pain!

Gift Ideas to Encourage a Healthy Lifestyle

‘Tis the season of stressful planning and travel, overeating, and generally putting the healthiest of habits on the backburner. But it’s also a time of gift-giving! There is lots of giving potential that promotes de-stressing, cultivating a healthy lifestyle, and can actually increase the quality of your friends’ and loved ones’ lives. You may even want to wish yourself a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year by picking up some new products that will assist your own journey of a long, healthy life. Let’s survey a few options.

Something that every person of every age needs is water. You can’t go wrong with contributing to someone’s intake of this most necessary liquid. Although there is no universally agreed upon quantity of daily water intake, it seems safe to reason that most people could benefit from increasing it or at least keeping track of what they feel is an optimum amount. Water is so good for so many things. No wonder, since you as an adult are made of up to 60% of it! The cartilage of your joints and spinal disks are around 80% water, so if you suffer from joint or back pain, increasing your H2O drinking is a great starting place. To really address the root of pain problems and work towards a solution, a Licensed Physical Therapist may be the most direct route. The Physical Therapists at Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida have the knowledge to take you beyond the basics of drinking water and assess and treat your specific pain issues. You can schedule an appointment or get more information by calling (941) 264-1414. As far as a water promoting gift, look to something as simple and user-friendly as a motivational water bottle. It makes both the amount and timing of your hydration as easy as possible, and they come in a variety of sizes so you can customize to your particular recipient’s situation.

Giving people tools that make it easier to engage in more outdoor activity is a thoughtful way of expressing your affection. You could set them up with the apparel and strategy to help them develop a routine walk. Start with the basics: a pair of comfortable, new shoes designed for outdoor walking. A free online consultation can help you decide the best option for an individual. Sometimes people just need to be pointed in the right direction to get started in developing a habit of walking. If you buy them a local birding guidebook and send them to a destination where they can look for what they’re reading about, you make exercise into a fun adventure that can be repeated regularly. If they’re not someone who wants to have to carry a book around, consider buying them a membership to a local curated park where they can easily view plants, animals, and scenery on well-maintained pathways all year long. You can even provide a way for that special someone to monitor their progress via wearable technology that’s geared toward fitness. There are many price points and levels of sophistication available out there, so it may help to take an online quiz that can narrow the field to the best choices for your friends and family. Covering ground by moving around more helps burn off those extra holiday calories, strengthens muscles, and grants people a feeling of accomplishment; all the things they miss out on if they take a sedentary response to their vacation days.

Sadly, some people’s bodies have too many seemingly fargone problems that prevent them from just launching into a brisk walking workout on their own. Whether it’s pain produced by an accident or injury, arthritis, or age-related degeneration, many people require expert help in assessing and addressing their physical dysfunctions. This is the specialty of Physical Therapy Doctors. If someone you know suffers from back or joint pain, vertigo, or needs assistance in recovering from an injury, a life-changing gift you can give them is the gift of Physical Therapy. Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida have the expertise and experience in helping people move without pain, and without drugs or surgery. It’s easy to reach out to us to find out how you can acquire an appointment for someone who would be benefited by treatment from a pain expert; give us a call at (941) 264-1414, email us info@ptdoctorsfl.com, or send us a message on our contact page.

It’s Autumn in Bradenton

The Fall Season officially began Wednesday, September 22, 2021. Here in Manatee and Sarasota Counties we are blessed with mild, comfortable autumns that are generally neither too hot nor too cold. In fact, November is considered to be one of the most comfortable months of the year here. The pleasant temperatures, low humidity and rainfall, and of course almost no possibility of snow, makes for a time conducive to outdoor seasonal fun. Whether you’re looking for a variety of athletic activities, shopping, music, or light recreational events, there’s no shortage of fun to be had here on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

For those who want to enjoy some physical exercise outside the walls of the gym, there are a wide range of classes and group activities to match any level of fitness. Yoga is low-impact and easy to tune to how much effort you can or want to put into it. The beautiful and relaxing venue of the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens offers a special Yoga in the Gardens class Mondays and Wednesdays throughout November. It’s open to students of all ages and experience levels, so feel free to jump in even if you’re new to this trendy fitness activity.

Another healthy, though more challenging light workout to try is kayaking in Sarasota bay with a wildlife interpretive guide from the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. You need not worry about long sun-exposure, because there won’t be any. Full Moon Paddles at dusk are planned for November and December on the 18th and 19th of both months. If you’re more of a morning person, you can also discover Sarasota Bay’s animal life like dolphins, manatees, birds, and more with a Morning Paddle starting at 8:30 am on multiple dates the next couple of months.

Perhaps you’d like to combine the great outdoors with an educational experience minus the work out. Manatee County offers everything from bird-viewing to mushroom identification, from seashells to storytelling. Use this interactive calendar of events to help plan your autumn. Of course there are child-friendly options like gopher tortoise viewing and Christmas holiday cheer. Yes, winter doesn’t begin until 4 days before Christmas this year, so there will be plenty of associated events that technically fall in the fall.

Food, live music, sand sculpting lessons, and of course big time competition are all in play at America’s #1 beach, Siesta Key. You can enjoy all these things this month at the Siesta Key Crystal Classic International Sand Sculpting Festival. Check out all the happenings with their Festival Schedule. For a completely different style of entertainment, but also held outside with all the typical festival type of activities, you might be so adventurous as to try the Sarasota Medieval Fair. The overall theme this year is Scottish, with weekends hosting more specialized theming opportunities.

Shopping is fun any season, with autumn being no exception. The Downtown Bradenton Public Market takes advantage of the comfortable weather by holding outdoor events on Saturdays featuring more than 40 vendors offering local produce, art, crafts, music, and more. There’s even free parking, and dogs on leashes are welcome. For a more high-end experience involving Porsches and seaside dining, check out St. Armand’s Circle of Events & Happenings. Many of the local shops there will be offering savings galore at the Fall Sidewalk Sale, November 13th and 14th.

If physical pain or dysfunction is limiting your ability to enjoy the fall season, please give us a call at (941) 264-1414. Our team of licensed Physical Therapy Doctors and Assistants possess the know-how and the passion to treat your issues through non-surgical and drug free therapy. You can also contact us directly via our online form here, or email us at info@ptdoctorsfl.com. Physical Therapy Doctors of Bradenton is dedicated to helping you move without pain.

Celebrate National Physical Therapy Month with Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida

Since 1981, National Physical Therapy Month has raised awareness about the importance of physical therapy in helping people find relief from pain, improve mobility, and live healthier lives. Physical Therapy Doctors provide alternatives to surgery and pain medications, and are determined to get you moving again without pain. They specialize in speedily and safely keeping you on track in your recovery from accidents and prior surgeries, and they do it while being a personal point of encouragement and accountability to you on your journey to wellness.

According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 20% of American adults have chronic pain and 8% of U.S. adults have high-impact chronic pain. The CDC also informs us that doctor-diagnosed arthritis affects approximately one in four (54.4 million) U.S. adults. The sad reality is that pain is the norm for many people, but the encouraging truth is that it doesn’t have to be. Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida’s specialty is not only accentuating recovery, but foundationally strengthening people’s bodies so that they are not as prone to future injury, quicker to recover, and able to get back to doing the activities they enjoy without pain.

Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida are dedicated to helping the members of our community to live more active and fulfilling lives by maintaining and improving their overall health and fitness. Even if you do not need to rehabilitate a specific injury, or if you are not trying to avoid potential surgery for a problem, you need to incorporate a routine of physical activity to help lose and keep off excess weight and to maximize your longevity. Physical Therapists are specialists in assessing your current fitness and activity level, as well as your particular abilities and limitations, and  know how to handcraft a realistic strategy that personally fits you. The second edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that 80% of U.S. adults and adolescents are insufficiently active. You don’t need to launch yourself into a one-size-fits-all popular media workout regimen. Let our experts guide you through a tailor-made routine that can both rehabilitate and bring you to a higher level of fitness for life. Regular physical activity will:

• Improve memory and brain function in all age groups.
• Protect against many chronic diseases.
• Aid in weight management.
• Lower blood pressure and improve heart health.
• Improve your quality of sleep.
• Reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
• Improve joint pain and stiffness.
• Maintain muscle strength and balance.
• Increase life span.

A huge benefit to working with a Licensed Physical Therapist is that they won’t seek to merely mask your pain with medication. The CDC includes physical therapy on its list of options for managing pain without opioids. As recently as 2019, 22.1% of U.S. adults with chronic pain used a prescription opioid in the last 3 months. According to HHS, prescriptions for opioid medication have increased since the late 1990s after pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to opioid pain relievers. It turned out to be untrue, leading to the current opioid misuse and overdose crisis. Our Physical Therapy Doctors know how to rehabilitate your back, neck, limbs, and joints by treating the root weaknesses, imbalances, and injuries without leaving you to remain dependent upon side-effect laden drugs.

What better time to schedule a consultation with a Licensed Physical Therapist than in National Physical Therapy Month? Our comfortable clinic is conveniently located in Bradenton and easily accessible from all of Manatee and Sarasota Counties. Call us today at (941) 264-1414, email us info@ptdoctorsfl.com, or fill out our Online Message Form so we can contact you. We can’t wait to help you move without pain!

Is Hip Pain Normal?

Is Hip Pain Normal?

Sadly, more than 76 million people in the United States report that they experience some form of hip pain. Not only that, but self-reported hip pain has only increased since the early 1970s. While hip osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain and disability among older adults, painful hip joints can affect all ages, having multiple possible causes.

Incidence rates of hip pain are high among those who are obese. Maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the most important tools in staving off osteoarthritic pain and prematurely worn joints. An active lifestyle with a body that is strong and skilled at carrying its own weight lends itself to both healthy longevity and a higher quality of enjoying that long life. Our Physical Therapists are not only certified in treating existing pains and dysfunctions, but they also have the experience and passion to help clients develop personalized workout routines to shed excess pounds and strengthen weak and underdeveloped muscles and support structures. Physical Therapist Megan Bollinger has an advanced certification in Pilates from the Pilates Center in Boulder, CO.

Apart from carrying excess weight, hip pain can stem from improperly healed injuries. Even if you are young and healthy, if you suffer from hip pain after an accident or injury, our Physical Therapists are experts at rehabilitating your hip joints in a safe, drug-free, and non-surgical way. They can put you on the path to success at avoiding unnecessary long-term pain or dysfunction. Dr. Jonathan Mullis was responsible for managing the Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapies Department at Boston Medical Center prior to founding Physical Therapy Doctors here in Bradenton.

Arthritis, bursitis, and tendinitis all can contribute to pain in the hips, and all are subject to improvement under the guidance of a pain specialist. A client named Susan wrote a Google Review about her experience with relief from hip pain. She writes, “Having suffered from a sharp, jabbing hip pain I had been going to a chiropractor and his physical therapist for one month without much improvement. I took the advice of a friend and went to see Dr. Jon Mullis. After the first visit, the shooting, jabbing pain was gone and I had a mild, dull pain. After the second visit, I felt great! What a relief. His ‘hands on” approach of stretching and working on the targeted areas is remarkable…He’s GREAT and I highly recommend him.”

Hip pain does NOT need to become your new normal. Sarasota and Manatee Counties’ own Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida have the certification, experience, and sheer professionalism to help you move again without drugs, without surgery, and without pain! Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Call us directly at (941) 264-1414 or email us at info@ptdoctorsfl.com

Celebrate National Farmers’ Markets Week all Month in Bradenton and Sarasota

Manatee and Sarasota Counties have enough farmers’ markets for you to visit a new one every week for a month and still have more new ones to try. Strolling around the market is a stress-reducing, low impact, and fun way to get some light exercise and sunshine; not to mention you’ll probably find some new favorite booths you’ll want to return to. Healthy, locally-sourced food options, arts, crafts, and music all contribute to a safe, family-friendly outing to enjoy. Let’s survey some of the outstanding farmer’s markets we have in our own Bradenton and Sarasota neighborhoods.

Oneco Farmers Market is open everyday from 7AM to 7PM, so this a very convenient option, as it doesn’t require as much of a plan to attend as other more limited day & time markets. Oneco Farmers Market prides itself in offering an array of multicultural restaurants with the most delicious ingredients in the freshest environment. As a place for small businesses to flourish and grow, this market enables vendors to offer products from local artists and farmers. It also hosts Monthly Events like free drive in movies. You can visit Oneco Farmers Market at 5108 15th Street East in Bradenton.

Red Barn Flea Market located in Bradenton at 1707 1st Street is another convenient option. In addition to the open-air farmers’ market it also has the distinction of 80,000 square feet of air-conditioned indoor shopping which allows for a more prolonged experience. If you start feeling hot and sun-exposed outside, take a break and wander the cool interior for some more shopping leisure; they have more than 600 booths and shops. This market is only closed on Mondays, with the entire market open from 9AM to 4PM Friday through Sunday, and the plaza only open the same times Tuesday through Thursday.

Sarasota Farmers Market was founded in 1979, and in 2009 its vendors formed a not-for-profit to further enhance the market with a focus on local farms and growers. It’s open year-round every Saturday from 7AM to 1PM, rain or shine. Check their Events Calendar for a roster of live music. Well-behaved pets are welcome with short, non-extendable leashes. The market is of course in Sarasota at 1 N. Lemon Avenue, and you can even plan to get a sneak peek of the layout with this helpful map. There are parking garages and designated street parking, all of which can be learned about on the Frequently Asked Questions page.

The Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch is home to more than 50 curated vendors of the region’s food and flavors. It’s located at the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center and has ample free parking. Directions and more specific information about parking can be found here. Enjoy this market every Sunday from 10AM to 2PM. You can preview Lakewood Ranch’s vendors with this Online Directory that includes links to each. Chef Demos and Recipes are also featured at this market.

Something as light as strolling a farmer’s market does not have to be a painful event to endure. If you suffer from the effects of an accident, arthritis, stiffness, or weakness in your joints or muscles, Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida have the expertise to assess your particular situation and customize a plan of recovery for you. Our Physical Therapists specialize in helping you move without pain. They treat patients without narcotics, pain medications, or surgery, and know how to address the underlying problems for a strong recovery instead of merely masking symptoms with drugs. For more information or to schedule an appointment ,call us today at (941) 264-1414, email info@ptdoctorsfl.com, or send us a message on our Contact Page.

Celebrating Independence From Pain

Independence day is a federal holiday commemorating the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Every fourth of July we celebrate our American independence from the monarch of Britain, King George III, as 50 united and free states. We generally celebrate it as an unofficial kick-off to summer with outdoor activities like parades, picnics, barbecues, fireworks, and baseball games. Parks and beaches are usually very crowded with celebrants enjoying the summer climate. Unfortunately, plans for July 4th fun can be upended by bouts of pain, weakness, or dizziness; much of which is treatable. This Independence Day, let’s celebrate independence from pain!

Certified Physical Therapists are experts at assessing and correcting dysfunction, recurrent pain, and physical limitations. Our own Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida right here in Bradenton have an ever-growing record of successfully reduced and eliminated joint and back problems. That’s why our Physical Therapists have earned nothing but 5-star reviews on Google!

Frequent knee pain affects approximately 25% of adults, with osteoarthritis as the most common cause in people 50 years or older. Pat came to us as a patient claiming “considerable pain, stiffness, and I could not get my knee flat” after a knee replacement. As a snowbird, Pat was only with us for 1 season, but returned home saying “I can now go home and play golf, bowl, and do all the things I could not do when I came down in December.” Pat made the right choice to not be taken out of the seasonal festivities by dysfunction, but went home celebrating independence from pain.

Rotator cuff tears are half of all tears experienced by people in their fifties, and two-thirds of those over the age of 60. Keith came to us after rotator cuff and bicep tendon surgery and happily reported that our Physical Therapist Jay got him back on the golf course in less than 8 weeks! Cheryl also tells of her great experience with us, writing “I received excellent personalized treatment for my rotator cuff repair, including recommendations and exercises tailored to my specific situation.” Wow! Keith and Cheryl are both now celebrating this Fourth of July also as their independence from pain!

This Independence celebration can also include independence from pain medication. Physical Therapists treat without drugs, and treatment of an injury can often rehabilitate without having to resort to surgery. A study of chronic neck pain found “over utilization of narcotics” and “…under utilization of effective treatments such as therapeutic exercise.” Our patient Lauren took the time to thank Dr. Mullis for answering her questions, making sure she was comfortable, and helping with her neck and back pain. She reported “More relief in one session than I’ve had in the last 6 months.”

Ed also came in with neck pain after an injury and said he felt almost back to normal after only two sessions. He describes Dr. Mullis’ team as “professional and also very friendly,” adding “I would highly recommend them to anyone in need of quality care!”

Michelle had gotten used to taking painkillers as she got out of bed to deal with back and hip pain. She wanted independence from the meds, so she scheduled an appointment with our team. After directly addressing the issues at the root of her pain instead of masking the symptoms with drugs, she now “can get out of bed without clutching my hip and hobbling around looking for analgesics. Thank you so much, Dr. Mullis!”

Let this season in which we celebrate our nation’s independence include the start of your journey of independence from pain! Call us at (941) 264-1414, email us at info@ptdoctorsfl.com, or send us a message to schedule an appointment today. We specialize in helping you move without pain!

Men’s Health Month and Family Health & Fitness Day (Parks & Recreation)

The National Park & Recreation Association celebrates Family Health & Fitness Day on the second Saturday of June each year. That means that June 12, 2021 will be a day to promote the importance of parks and recreation in keeping communities healthy. June is also nationally-observed Men’s Health Month, when we raise awareness about health care for men to practice and implement healthy living decisions, such as exercising and eating healthy. Manatee and Sarasota Counties abound with a wide variety of well-maintained parks offering a great range of recreational opportunities for men and their families.

If you want to get started moving more without overexerting yourself, walking is an entry-level exercise most people can utilize. There’s no shortage of trails throughout our community. Some parks to highlight that feature paved paths include: Atwater Community Park and Bayfront Park in Sarasota, and Buffalo Creek Park and Myakka Community Park in Manatee. More rigorous hiking trails that are not necessarily paved are to be found at Perico Preserve in Bradenton, Emerson Point Preserve in Palmetto, and Sleeping Turtles Preserve in Venice. Perhaps a mid-level activity between walking and hiking that may suit your current stage of fitness is bicycling. There are bike paths to enjoy at Sarasota’s Legacy Trail and Nathan Benderson Park. An interactive map of Manatee County called Breezin’ Thru Manatee will help you find a park close to you. It includes links to each park’s website for details about what they have to offer.

June’s weather in Florida invites fun exercise activities at the beach and in the water. Swimming or just moving through the water is a low impact exercise to get your heart pumping and give your muscles some light work that they may not be used to. Walking through sand causes a stroll to double as both stress-releasing leisure and a mild workout for your legs, ankles, and feet. Manatee Public Beach and Coquina Beach are prime locations for local fun in the Florida sun. Not sure if the conditions will be what you’re looking for on the day you want to go? You can check what’s happening at each beach with this useful link that’s updated by our local Mote Marine Laboratory.

Not only for men, but for the whole family, fitness through exercise is usually overlooked or neglected as boring, but its merits are not only temporarily beneficial, they contribute to a long, healthy life. Gyms typically aren’t conducive to the whole family working out together, but many of our local parks feature outdoor fitness equipment. That means the children or grandchildren can work out with you, or they can play nearby under your watchful eye as you use the available tools. Urfer Family Park, Conservatory Park, and Rothenbach Park are all places the whole family can exercise together with outdoor fitness equipment.

Perhaps you already recognize the need to take steps toward a healthier lifestyle but are hindered by pain or limited by a physical dysfunction such as vertigo. Certified Physical Therapists specialize in assessing individuals to develop a plan of recovery so you can get moving again without pain. Our non-surgical back and joint pain specialists take great professional satisfaction in helping people improve their health and getting past weaknesses and pains that detract from being able to enjoy healthy recreation. To get started, call us (941) 264-1414, email us, or send a message here. We’re here in Bradenton to help Manatee and Sarasota’s residents move without pain!

Arthritis Awareness and Treatment

Doctor-diagnosed arthritis affects nearly 53 million Americans and is the number one cause of disability in the United States. Many people think it is something that only harms the elderly, but there are multiple types of the disease that can cause pain to people of all ages. As the month of May is Arthritis Awareness Month, we thought it would be a good opportunity to explore how this disease can be helped, and even prevented.

“Arthritis” is really an umbrella term that covers many painful conditions of the joints, tissues around the joints, and other connective tissues. It broadly refers to inflammation or swelling of one or more joints. Although it’s incredibly common it is by no means untreatable, so a diagnosis should be assessed by a pain specialist who can assist you with your rehabilitation and progression towards moving without pain again.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 32.5 million Americans suffer from this type of joint cartilage degeneration. You might think that the “wear and tear” of tissue would only be worsened by increasing your physical activity, but in reality, sometimes we need to learn proper movement patterns that enable us to be active without exacerbating the pain. It may initially seem counterintuitive, but The CDC actively recommends physical activity for people with arthritis. Our Certified Physical Therapists specialize in helping people correct imbalances, strengthen supportive tissues, and give their bodies a chance to recover without having to resort to medication or surgery.

The CDC’s Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. Here’s a starter list of joint-friendly exercises that also happens to be full of activities that are common right here in Manatee and Sarasota. These exercises can be broken down into multiple small sessions throughout the day to reach the time-goal of the guidelines. The CDC also suggests muscle strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms) at least 2 days per week. If you experience pain with movement these guidelines may sound implausible or intimidating, but Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida’s expertise lies in assessing a realistic starting point for your particular situation, and incrementally adjusting your program to facilitate progression out of your pain and back into moving with confidence. Our Physical Therapists know how to construct an efficient and safe program optimize your recovery.

The Arthritis Foundation recommends Physical Therapy as a means of getting you moving safely and effectively. You don’t necessarily need to go down the route of surgery or opiate drugs to deal with your arthritis. Schedule an appointment with one of our Physical Therapy Professionals to find out what they can offer you. You can call us at (941) 264-1414, fill out the online form here, or email us at info@ptdoctorsfl.com. We’re located in Bradenton, conveniently in range of all Manatee and Sarasota Counties. Check out our Client Testimonials and Facebook Reviews to hear from our many happy success stories. We look forward to crafting a treatment plan customized just for you and helping you get back to moving without pain!