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Benefits of Physical Therapy for Pregnancy

Anelisa Nokoyo August 15, 2019 Uncategorized

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting moments in a woman’s life. It’s an opportunity to bring new life in the world and ultimately, to build a family. But, a lot of women struggle physically during this time, which is to be expected.
The body must undergo massive changes in order to handle the burden of supporting another life. It’s true what they say that pregnancy is a miracle. But there’s no denying that it’s physically taxing as well, especially towards the third trimester.

Pregnant women often struggle with aching and swollen feet, tired legs and back pain. Physical therapy for pregnancy can alleviate some of these symptoms and help you focus on preparing for and enjoying this special time in your life.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time mom or on your fourth pregnancy, physical therapy is an inexpensive way to enjoy a smoother and more comfortable pregnancy.

  • Physical therapy for pregnancy

Benefits of Physical Therapy for Pregnancy


Here are some of the benefits of physical therapy for pregnancy:

Relieves back pain


Back pain is one of the most common ailments among pregnant women. It can be mild enough to live with, but in some cases, it can be severe. Back pain during pregnancy happens due to a number of reasons, namely:

  • Additional stress
  • Pregnancy hormones
  • Posture change
  • Working with a physical therapist will not only alleviate your pain in the treatment room, but you’ll learn various at-home exercises that are customized to your situation.
    Prenatal physical therapy is safe for both mom and baby and a manual therapist will also make recommendations on the best sleeping positions for pregnancy.
    Anyone who suffers from debilitating back pain during pregnancy can benefit from physical therapy. There’s no need to struggle with daily tasks due to back pain when the fix is just a few physical therapy treatments away.

Alleviates pelvic discomfort

This is another issue that pregnant women struggle with, especially during the later stages of their pregnancy. Plus, it’s important for moms to prepare this area of their bodies for delivery. Prenatal physical therapy can be helpful at preparing you for this as you’ll learn how to relax your muscles, how to push and prepare your pelvic floor muscles for the big day.

  • Benefits of physical therapy for pregnancy

Relieve Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)


If you’ve ever peed yourself a little while pregnant you’re not alone. This is caused by SUI and almost every pregnant woman has gone through it. However, it’s one of the most underreported ailments because most women assume that it’s a natural “side-effect” of pregnancy.


SUI can affect your self-confidence and psyche during a time when you should be relaxed and happy. The good news is prenatal physical therapy can help you overcome SUI through better pelvic floor strength. Plus, the physical therapy you do now can help you recover faster post-birth. All it takes are a few physical therapy sessions per week to prevent SUI and postpartum incontinence.

Click here to find out more about the benefits of physical therapy for pregnancy.

Book an appointment with us today and start feeling the difference.

Neck Pain
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How to get rid of neck pain

Anelisa Nokoyo August 2, 2019 Health, Uncategorized

How to get rid of neck pain

A lot of patients that come through our doors complain of neck pain which is sometimes accompanied by back pain. This has become a common pain and discomfort due to an increase in poor posture, lack of exercise and being overweight.

If neglected, neck pain and back pain can cause serious problems such as nerve compression which can lead to sciatica. This refers to pain that runs down the legs or hands and can sometimes manifest as a tingling sensation in the hands and fingers.

Conventional treatment methods such as pharmaceutical drugs help to subside the pain rather than treat the cause of the pain.  It’s for this reason that an increasing number of people are turning to physical therapy instead.

Neck Pain

Causes of neck pain

  • Tech neck:

“Tech neck” is a new repetitive strain injury that we’re seeing a lot of in our practice. It happens as a result of constantly looking down and developing a repetitive strain in the upper back or neck.

It commonly manifests as neck pain or persistent headaches. You may also feel it in your upper back because your head is so heavy.

In a neutral position, the average human head weighs about 5kg. If it’s directly above your shoulders, then it’s in a natural position and it won’t cause any symptoms. But, as the head starts to move forward that increases the amount of pressure on your neck and upper back. Your upper back becomes overworked as a result of trying to compensate for that pressures caused by the weight.

Tech Neck
Tech Neck

How to avoid “tech neck”

We can appreciate that it’s difficult for a lot of people to avoid tech neck, as mobile devices have become a pervasive part of our lives. But, there are certain practices that can help to reduce your chances of developing the condition. For example, you could:

  • Place your computer screen closer to eye level and keep your keyboard at slightly elbow height. Sit straight up with your hips far back in the chair and your feet flat on the floor, your back leaning on the back of the chair.
  • Get up from your desk and walk every 10 minutes.
  • Change your work station from sitting to standing every hour (if you have access to a standing desk in your office).
  • Try a good posture training program that helps you develop strength in your upper back and in your neck. Working with a physical therapist can be a great way to get your spine re-aligned. The practitioners can also help develop some basic exercises that help to strengthen your neck.

Fun Fact! After each new treatment session at Philani, we give our patients a pamphlet with helpful exercises that you can do at home to strengthen your spine and improve your overall posture.

Unless you’re ready to cut back on screen time, here are some additional tips that can help:

Move, move, move!

Get up and move around as often as you can throughout the day, especially if you lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Drink lots of water!

Drinking at least 2 liters of water per day means that you’ll spend a lot of time going to the bathroom. Not only will this boost your circulation and metabolism but it can significantly reduce the pressure and pain caused by tech neck or help you avoid the condition altogether!

Stretching as a form of treatment

If you have stress-related pain in your neck or upper back these stretches can help you get rid of tension and improve your quality of life.

First Stretch

  • Sit nice and tall in your seat and place both feet firmly on the floor.
  • Take a deep breath. Inhale through the nose and exhale through your mouth.
  • Bring one ear to one shoulder and slowly roll from chin to chest.
  • Bring the ear to the opposite shoulder and repeat.
  • Repeat this movement at least 5 times and then bring your head to the center.

Second Stretch

  • Tilt one ear down towards the shoulder, use the same hand to grab the side of the head and gently pull.
  • Reach down with the opposite arm and take a deep breath.
  • Bring your head back to center and switch to the other side
  • Bring your right ear down to the shoulder, use the same arm to pull your head down slightly while the other arm is reaching down
  • Inhale deeply and exhale completely
  • Return to center and release your arms

Third Stretch

  • Reach your arms forward and pull the shoulder blades away from each other while reaching the arms out
  • Retract your shoulder blades and squeeze them together
  • Repeat at least 5 times

Good News! Assessments to anyone that books online are only R260! You will receive a 45min consultation that will provide you information about the condition of your spine as well as how each vertebra may be having an impact in your body discomforts or diseases. 

This offer is valid until 31 August 2019.  

Click on this link to book your assessment today.

painful shoulder
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What Causes Shoulder Pain?

Anelisa Nokoyo June 6, 2019 Health, Uncategorized

Learn about your spine series- Part 4: C6 Cervical Vertebra 


painful shoulder
painful shoulder


If you’re reading this, then you know that shoulder pain is nothing to be sniffed at. To say that performing daily tasks will be difficult is an understatement. A painful shoulder can negatively affect your quality of life and compromise your ability to perform simple tasks like picking up objects, lifting up your arm or even brushing your teeth.
But, have you ever wondered what causes shoulder pain? Whether it happens gradually due to old age, or abruptly due to an injury or misuse, there are certain tissues involved in the problem that once corrected, can rapidly heal shoulder pain.
As usual, we at Philani approach the issue from the purview of spine health and this article is dedicated to exploring a part of the spine which has a direct effect on shoulder function and pain.

The connection between your spine and shoulder health

If you’ve been following our “Learn about your spine series” then you know that the human spine consists of four major curvatures, each with several bones within it. The C6 part of the spine is part of the cervical curvature and is responsible for ensuring the proper function of the shoulders, the neck, and even your tonsils.

shoulder pain
shoulder pain

Common types of shoulder pain

Shoulder pain manifests in different ways according to the cause. Generally, these are some of the most common types of shoulder pain and their causes:

– Calcific Tendinitis: This condition is characterized by a sudden sharp pain that tends to flare up particularly in the mornings. It’s very common among diabetes sufferers, as well as middle-aged individuals and the elderly.

Calcific tendinitis pain stems from calcium deposits that are found in the rotator cuff tendons, which is a fancy way of saying “the part between your arm and your shoulder.” According to experts, these calcium deposits develop when one is healing from an injury in this area and are caused by an inability to heal the problem properly. The most effective treatment for this condition is to take mild pain medication or herbs like Devil’s Claw and Capsaicin, in conjunction with physical therapy methods like such as Breuss Massage to help ease the deposits out of the way.

– Osteoarthritis: This has to be one of the most common conditions that we deal with here at Philani, and not just among the elderly but with middle-aged patients as well. While most people think that osteoarthritis only affects the hands and knees, it can also manifest in the shoulders as an incessant pain that flares up every time you try to move your arm or your shoulder.

This happens due to an erosion of the cartilage cushions that stand between the bones in your shoulder. Once this happens the bones rub up against each other and can cause a gnawing pain.
The most common osteoarthritis treatments include taking corticosteroid injections, anti-inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy. The latter can be quite excruciating, especially if you rely on conventional physical therapy methods. On the other hand, Dorn Method Therapy corrects the problem without clicking or cracking the joints into place, thus reducing the amount of pain you feel during treatment sessions.

– Adhesive Capsulitis: You might be familiar with this condition as “frozen shoulder” and it happens when the tissues around the shoulder joint stiffen. It’s mostly common among middle-aged individuals that suffer from medical conditions like high cholesterol, diabetes and thyroid disorders.

Frozen shoulder can also happen after a minor injury, a tendon tear or a rotator cuff impingement. This condition makes it difficult to move the shoulder and sufferers tend to avoid all movement as a result.
The good news is that you can completely heal from adhesive capsulitis by using nonoperative treatment methods such as manual therapy.

stretching
stretching


Also, performing simple stretches on a daily basis can fast-track the healing process for frozen shoulder as well as the other conditions mentioned in this article.

Performing these stretches two to three times a week can help to alleviate pain and increase muscle flexibility as well.
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Look well to the spine for the cause of dis-ease

Ole February 8, 2017 Uncategorized 0


If we understood the function of our spine, we would recognize the importance of keeping it aligned. If we knew the impact of a misaligned spine on our muscles and organs, we would ensure that we visit a Dorn Method Practitioner or Chiropractor often. I know little about cars, but I know much about how keeping your spine aligned is as important as servicing your car 🙂 The result of not servicing neither vehicle can lead to the same result … suffering and discomfort.

Care for your body! It is the only one you have in this lifetime.