Download ActivePT April Newsletter (2) - Active Physical Therapy | Reno

Location: 3954 West Plumb Lane, Reno, NV 89509 Contact: Call (775) 786-2400 Text (775) 440-7902

L

Low Back Pain The spine is one of the most complex parts of the body. The spine is composed of 3 major regions: cervical, thoracic, and lumbar. These regions are made up of vertebrae and intervertebral discs. The discs are what cushion your spine. The cervical spine is made up of 7 vertebrae, the thoracic spine has 12 vertebrae, and the lumbar spine has 5 vertebrae. Amongst all three of the regions of the spine, back pain in the lumbar region is the most common. According to the Global Burden of Disease, it is the single most leading cause of disability in the United States. Doctors approximate that about 80% of America will experience some back pain at least once in their lives. More than half of those low back pain cases are due to impinged or compressed disc. The rest of the cases are due to a fracture, infection, arthritis, or cancer. Most of these back conditions result in either the patient needing physical therapy or surgery. So what can you do to help prevent low back pain? One simple strategy is to maintain good posture. Most people don’t realize the effects of prolonged poor posture. Another good strategy is to remain active and healthy. Maintaining a healthy diet and active lifestyle greatly reduces your risk of back pain. Also, try to limit the amount you sit. Too much sitting has been linked to a variety of musculoskeletal problems including an increase of low back pain.

Trivia Q: What is the longest muscle in the human body? A: The Sartorius - The Sartorius is located in the anterior and medial portion of the thigh. The origin of this muscle is at the anterior superior iliac spine near the hip and its insertion is the anterior surface of the tibia near the knee. The functions of the Sartorius include hip flexion, hip abduction, and external rotation of the hip, and assists with knee flexion.

Fun Fit Fact If all 600 of your muscles in your body had one same range of motion, the human body could lift 25 tons!

About Us Active Physical Therapy has been one of Reno’s top physical therapy clinics since 2011. Our clinic provides various physical therapy services for all ages that include the knee, shoulder, spine, and hip. A variety of injuries that we treat in these areas of the body ranges from sports-related, post-surgical rehab, motor vehicle incidents, injury prevention, etc. Knee injuries tend to be one of the most common injuries treated by physical therapists. Along with the knee, the shoulder joint is also another common body part to be injured due to its wide range of motion. For the spine, it’s very common to see intervertebral discs that may be compressed or impinged. The hip joint is the biggest joint of the body. The hip joint functions with it’s ball and socket structure. This makes it very susceptible to various injuries.