Premier Physical Therapy

Author: Dennis Riney

What is Physical Therapy?
Every day, we come across patients just like Matt – people who are surprised to learn exactly what it is we do at Premier Physical Therapy.

But it has dawned on us… many people don’t really understand it.

So, what is physical therapy?

It is a conservative approach to treating, healing and preventing injuries and disabilities to improve and maximize the quality of your life.

Some people mistakenly think you only need physical therapy after a severe injury or major medical procedure such as surgery. On the contrary, it can actually prevent injury and eliminate the need for surgery in some cases. In fact, nearly everyone can benefit from the positive effects of physical therapy at some point in their life.

Physical therapists work closely with physicians and medical providers to develop a program specific to your health goals. Whether it’s pain relief, increased mobility, regaining strength, or something else, physical therapy is a great tool to help you maximize your potential.

Pain is an especially important symptom to address with physical therapy. After all, pain is the body’s way of telling you something is wrong. Chronic pain can be a sign of a serious medical condition and shouldn’t be ignored. If pain is keeping you from doing the things you love, you may want to consider seeking treatment. Ask yourself these questions…

Do you experience pain during daily activities or discomfort while sleeping? Do you plan your day around what will cause your pain or discomfort? Do you have pain or an injury that other treatments have failed to help?

Physical Therapy can be used to treat a variety of conditions and injuries helping you get back to life.

At Premier, we commonly see patients for the following:
- Back and Neck Pain
- Knee Pain
- Sports Injuries
- Shoulder Pain
- Vertigo/Headaches
- Arthritis
- Ankle and Foot Pain
- Hand, Wrist & Elbow Injuries
- TMJ
- Pre & Post Surgical Cases
- Gait Abnormality
- Work-Related Injuries
If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, it’s likely that we could help you:
- Do you experience pain during everyday activities such as house or yard work?
- Is the list of things you can’t do without experiencing pain or discomfort becoming longer than the list of things you can do?
- Do you agree that addressing a longtime issue or neglected injury could improve your quality of life?
- Do you have pain or an injury that other treatments have failed to resolve
When choosing a facility for physical therapy, remember that the choice is yours! Tell your healthcare provider that you want to go to Premier Physical Therapy! The next time someone asks you “What is physical therapy?” – you will have an answer for them.

Are you ready to see how much better physical therapy can make you feel?

Contact us today to schedule an appointment: 573-335-7868.
December 9, 2019
3 Quick Tips To Reduce Lower Back Pain
3 QUICK TIPS TO REDUCE LOWER BACK PAIN

We see people every day who suffer from lower back pain. Approximately 80% of the population experiences this type of pain at some point in their lives, so we want to share some helpful tips that may benefit you! Often, there isn’t as much you can do on your own; however, we would like to offer you three quick tips on how to help reduce your lower back pain.

Let’s start by defining “lower back pain”.

The pain generators that constitute lower back pain include the discs, muscles, joints, and nerves. Pain can be on one side or all the way across the lower back, and when severe, it can radiate down one or both legs.

Now that we’ve defined “lower back pain,” let’s get straight to the three tips to reduce lower back pain.

1. Unloading 90/90 Technique

This technique will take pressure off of your lower back region. Find something around the house that you can rest your legs on such as a plastic container. You can add pillows on top in order to make it the correct height and to add comfort. Lie on your back and place your legs on top of the object. Be sure the object is close enough to you and high enough so that both your hips and knees are at 90 degrees.

Lie in this position for 20 minutes, 2 times per day or as needed for pain.

2. Self-Bracing Technique

This technique will activate the Transverse Abdominis (TA) muscle. It will serve as the primary stabilizer of the lower back region during all activities and exercises. This self-bracing “skill” should be performed during all activities, including sports, lifting, bending, standing up or rolling in bed. To practice this self-bracing skill, place a hand on the abdominal area. Then, activate the TA muscle by pulling your abdomen up and in – away from your hand about a quarter of an inch. Do NOT hold your breath, you should be able to breathe normally while initiating the TA activation.

NOTE: This contraction can be felt in front of the hip, below the beltline, and toward the center of the abdominals.

3. Straight Spine Techniques

For proper posture when sitting and standing, ensure that excessive forward curve of the lower back and upper spine does not occur. For a healthy lower back, maintain a “straight spine” – a straight line between the hips, shoulders, and back of the head. Avoid tilting your head forward and rounding your shoulders as part of your normal posture.

When bending and lifting, maintain this “straight-spine” posture. Do NOT allow the spine to flex forward. Keep a “heads up” posture – the back will follow the head. If you bend your head and neck forward, the back is likely to follow and result in bad posture. Also, remember to bend your legs and never lift using just your lower back.

Low back pain affects people of all ages and of all activity levels. This type of pain can be debilitating and therefore should be taken seriously.

The following statements are also important to consider when managing lower back pain:
- Avoid any activity that causes or increases your lower back pain.
- Proper nutrition and staying hydrated is important for healing.
- Exercise is good as long as it does not provoke your lower back pain.
- The use of heat may be beneficial to decrease lower back “tightness.”
- Let your healthcare provider know if you experience any onset of weakness or tingling in your legs.
- Let your healthcare provider know if your pain does not improve.
Physical therapy can be very helpful in the treatment of low back pain.

It’s time to feel better now! Tell your doctor, “Send me to Premier.”

Call us NOW at 573-335-7868 to schedule your appointment today.
November 21, 2019
Announcing: The Premier Physical Therapy Patient Agreement

We know you are putting your trust in us when you come to Premier to help you with whatever it is that is keeping you from fully enjoying your life physically. We think that’s really awesome. In fact, we think it’s so awesome that you deserve something back. You deserve a promise of more than just an office where you come to get your therapy. You deserve a promise of more than just an average physical therapy experience.

That’s why we’ve put together The Premier Physical Therapy Patient Agreement.

Our promise to you…

We will ensure the scheduling and billing process is quick and easy.

The last thing you need when dealing with pain is a difficult scheduling process or unexpected insurance issues. We promise to take those potential problems off the table. We can often see patients as quickly as 1 business day. We’ll always check to see what your insurance covers and clearly communicate with you about that coverage.

You will receive a thorough examination, learn the cause of your condition, and receive
a personalized treatment plan.

We don’t treat everyone who comes in the door with back pain the same because not all back pain is created equally. The same is true for every condition we treat. Your situation deserves attention and time to make sure you’re getting the appropriate treatment. We promise to never jump into a treatment program without a full understanding of what is going on with your specific situation. We’ll make sure that the treatment plan is created just for you and that you understand it.

You will be treated by a professional team who is knowledgeable, caring and strives to help you
achieve your specific goals.

Every physical therapy office is required by law to have licensed physical therapists. We require so much more of our therapists at Premier. We find therapists who truly care about helping people get better. We hire goal-oriented physical therapists and give them the same goals you have. We promise to continue to do this to help you and every other patient that comes through our door.

You will receive one-on-one care in a safe, friendly, healing environment while being
treated by a continually trained team.

One-on-one care is becoming increasingly rare in physical therapy clinics across the country, but it’s something we pride ourselves in. We strive to uphold this along with our great environment no matter which Premier location you’re in.

Our highly skilled team will adjust your plan to ensure you are progressing towards your goals.

You may have heard that “a plan is only as good as its execution.” At Premier, we believe this to be true, but we also believe in taking it a step further. We believe a plan is only as good as its ability to adapt to unforeseen obstacles. We promise to consistently monitor and be ready to make a change in your plan in order to get you to your goals more quickly.

You will receive tools to reach your maximum level of improvement and live a healthier lifestyle.

We believe our influence should be felt beyond the walls of our clinic, so we give our patients the tools and information they need to continue to improve at home and after discharge. While we love to see our former patients, we love to see them continue to feel better. So, we promise to give you every advantage we can to not only get you better but also to help you stay better.

You will be welcomed as a member of the Premier family.

The Premier family has been growing since we opened our doors. We truly care about everyone who comes into our clinics and strive to treat each one like we would our brothers or sisters. We promise to continue to foster a feeling of family, friendship, and community inside and outside our practices.

If you’re in pain, it’s time to take action and take us up on our promise. Call us at 573-335-7868 to schedule your appointment today!

October 16, 2019
Yoga Exercises for Back Pain
Don’t let yoga’s growing popularity cause you to dismiss it as a fad. Yes, it is popular, and it’s also a very safe form of exercise. Yoga isn’t just a good way to relieve stress and tension; it can also help maintain a healthy spine and reduce back pain. Yoga exercises and other types of stretching are useful because they help stretch and strengthen the back muscles that often experience pain.

The Purpose of Yoga Exercises

The goal of yoga exercises isn’t about forcing your body into unnatural positions—that can actually increase back pain. Instead, yoga exercises attempt to get you into proper alignment and ideally will help you achieve the correct posture. Yoga can also increase your flexibility and your ability to maintain your balance.

You can do yoga exercises standing, sitting, or lying down—you should feel comfortable in any yoga position. Before getting to the more advanced exercises, you should practice the easier versions of these exercises. Similarly, if you’ve never run long distances before, you wouldn’t just force your body into running an entire marathon, would you?

Best Yoga Exercises for Back Pain

Even simple exercises like the ones below can help you benefit from yoga. However, these exercises and their suggested frequencies are general guidelines for helping to maintain a healthy spine. Make sure to talk to your doctor before incorporating any of these exercises into your daily routine.

Standing Forward Fold
- Start in a standing position with your feet hip-distance apart.
- As you inhale, raise both of your arms out to the side and then up so they’re above your head. Palms should be facing each other but not touching.
- As you exhale, slowly start to bend at the waist, and gently lower your arms out to the side and then down toward the ground if your hands can reach it. If not, rest your hands on your shins.
- Let your head drop, and relax the neck. Notice your breath in the pose: Your breath should be steady and smooth. Hold this pose for 5 breaths.
- To come out of the pose, bend your knees slightly. Put your hands on your hips, and slowly start to come up, vertebra by vertebra. Let your head be the last to come up.
- Repeat standing forward fold 3 to 5 times once a day.
Bridge Pose
- Start by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Your feet should be hip-distance apart.
- With your arms straight by the sides of your body and your palms on the ground, slowly start to lift your hips off the floor. Hold this for 3 seconds.
- Slowly roll back down to the floor, vertebra by vertebra.
- Repeat the bridge pose 3 times once a day.
With back pain, your abdominal muscles may also be weak, so while it’s important to choose yoga poses that lengthen and strengthen your spine, you should also do poses that develop strong abdominals such as the opposite hands and knees balance (below).

Cat/Cow Stretch
- Start on all fours—on your hands and knees. Your hands and arms should be shoulder-distance apart and your knees should be hip-distance apart.
- Inhale, and then as you exhale, slowly start to draw your navel toward your spine and gently tuck your tailbone.
- As you inhale again, repeat the pose. Be sure to link your breath to your movement.
- Repeat the cat/cow stretch 5 to 10 times once a day.
Opposite Hands and Knees Balance
- Start off on your hands and knees. Without moving anything else, raise the right arm and left leg up about as high as your hips. Your hips, right arm, and left leg should be parallel to the floor. Keep the right arm and left leg straight.
- Your right hand should face the floor, and the toes of the left foot should face the floor. Hold this pose for 3 breaths. Then release. Repeat by raising your left arm and right leg.
- Repeat this pose 3 times on both sides once a day.
Other Benefits of Yoga Exercises

Yoga exercises can also help you build strength and flexibility.

After doing yoga, it is normal to feel a little sore the next day. Soreness should go away within a few days. Doing yoga exercises shouldn’t cause numbness, pain, or tingling. If you feel any of these symptoms, stop and call your doctor immediately.

Since it’s a type of physical activity, talk to your doctor about doing yoga. For maximum back pain relief (and a long-term solution), you will likely need to combine yoga with other back pain treatments such as physical therapy.

Premier Physical Therapy is ready to be a part of your back pain recovery journey. Call us today at 573-335-7868 to get started and schedule your appointment.
September 17, 2019
What is “Health?” – Here’s Our Take

If you asked people this question, “What is health?”, what answers do you think you would get? Some people may say physical health, financial health, spiritual health, relationship health, and numerous other answers. What do you find is the most important? Is one more important than the other? We have concluded that our overall health is how you FEEL.

It’s not just what our age is or what we look like. Someone can look great but if their back is killing them or their blood pressure is out of control then at that moment their health is not good. Also, if someone is tired all the time, feels out of shape, is hurting somewhere, can’t sleep at night, can’t play with their kids or grandkids due to some problem then at that moment their health is not ideal. Health is not a weight, not always what we see in the mirror, not a pill, not a drink, not a diet, not just exercise alone, and not some crazy fad. Health is, how you feel right now?

On a scale of 0-10, ten being the best, how would you rate your “health” right now? Are you living with some type of pain? Are you not able to lift, reach, walk, bend, work, or do some hobby that you really enjoy? Are you worried about the future because of your health?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, my hope for you is that you seek help. Seek assistance, get a plan, and take action. NOW, not tomorrow. Ask questions. Seek advice, good advice. Talk with your doctor, significant other, family, friends, and therapist. Do some research. Get the help you need. Maybe it’s a new exercise plan, a few nutrition changes, quitting a bad habit or starting a new good one. Maybe it’s trying physical therapy or making that appointment you’ve been putting off. No matter what it is, it’s important so stop making excuses and put your health as a priority.

We want you to get the best out of life. You’re more likely to do that if you FEEL your best. It doesn’t take perfection, just consistency of good habits and not thinking that pain or problem will just “go away” or “I’ll do that later.” God wants his children to be healthy and happy. You can do it!

Contact us today, and we’ll help you get there.

August 26, 2019