Many people are unaware that their daily habits could be causing harm to their bodies. From poor posture to a sedentary lifestyle. Here are five common habits that might be hurting your body and explain how physiotherapy for pain relief can help correct these patterns, restore balance, and improve overall well-being.
Whether you’re dealing with persistent aches or looking to prevent future injuries, understanding these habits is the first step toward a healthier, pain-free life.
1. Poor Posture
In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, poor posture has become a widespread issue affecting people of all ages. Whether you’re sitting at a desk for long hours, hunched over your smartphone, or slouched on the couch watching TV, these everyday positions can take a toll on your body.
Poor posture, such as slouching or hunching over, disrupts the natural alignment of your spine, leading to muscle imbalances that can cause a variety of aches and pain, including neck pain, back pain and headaches.
Over time, these habits can even contribute to more serious issues like chronic pain, herniated discs, or postural imbalances.
The effects of poor posture extend beyond just physical pain. It can also impact your energy levels, reduce your breathing capacity, and affect your overall mood.
When your body is out of alignment, it has to work harder to perform even
simple tasks, leading to fatigue and stress.
As well, poor posture can create a vicious cycle where pain leads to more poor posture as your body tries to compensate, further aggravating the problem.
2. Sedentary Lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle has become all too common these days, especially with the increase of desk jobs, remote work, and the convenience of digital entertainment.
Whether you’re spending hours at a desk, commuting in your car,
or relaxing on the couch after a long day, sitting for long periods
can have a major impact on your body.
One of the main consequences of a sedentary lifestyle is muscle stiffness. When you sit for too long, your muscles can become tight and inflexible, particularly in the hips, lower back, and shoulders.
This stiffness can lead to discomfort and pain, making it difficult to move freely and engage in physical activities.
Sitting for long periods can lead to imbalances that can affect your posture and movement patterns.
How Physiotherapy for Pain Relief Can Help
Physiotherapy for pain relief focuses on assessing and correcting your posture along with manual treatment and exercises. We use digital posture analysis and work on strengthening the muscles that support good posture, providing exercises and stretches to alleviate pain and improve movement.
Don’t let pain hold you back any longer!
Contact us now to book your appointment and experience the benefits of expert physiotherapy firsthand!
Call (416) 479 – 8311 or book an appointment online
Reduced Circulation
When you sit for extended periods, blood flow to your muscles and tissues decreases, which can lead to swelling, numbness, and a feeling of heaviness in your legs and feet. In some cases, this can even contribute to more serious conditions like deep vein thrombosis (DVT), where blood clots form in the veins of your legs.
A sedentary lifestyle also contributes to muscle weakness.
When you’re inactive, your muscles are not challenged or engaged, leading to a gradual decline in strength and endurance. This weakening of muscles, particularly in the core and lower body, can make you more susceptible to injuries when you do engage in physical activity.
Simple tasks like lifting, bending, or even walking can become more challenging, increasing the likelihood of strains, sprains and other injuries.
Lack of movement can lead to feelings of lethargy, reduced motivation, and even depression. The mind and body are closely connected, and a sedentary lifestyle can create a cycle of inactivity and low energy that’s difficult to break.
3. Lifting Techniques
Proper Lifting Techniques
- Assess the weight before lifting
- Stand close to minimize strain on your back
- Place your feet shoulder-width apart to provide stability and balance
- Lower your body by bending at your hips and knees, not your waist
- Tighten your abdominal muscles to support your spine and maintain stability
- Grip firmly and use both hands
- Straighten your legs to lift the object, using the strength of your legs and glutes rather than your back
- Hold it close to your body at waist level to reduce the strain on your back and improve balance
- Turn your whole body with your feet to change direction
- Lift and lower in a controlled manner, avoiding sudden jerks or fast movements
- Lower it by bending at your hips and knees, keeping your back straight. Avoid dropping the object abruptly.
How Improper Lifting Techniques Could Cause Injury
Lifting heavy objects is a part of everyday life, whether you’re at the gym, doing household chores or carrying out tasks at work.
However, improper lifting techniques are one of the most common causes of lower back injuries, and they can lead to significant pain and long-term damage if not addressed.
The risks associated with poor lifting form are often underestimated, yet they can have serious consequences for your musculoskeletal health.
When you lift an object without proper technique, you’re likely to place undue strain on your lower back, rather than distributing the load across your stronger muscles, such as those in your legs and core.
This can cause immediate injuries, such as muscle strains and sprains, where the muscle fibers or ligaments are overstretched or torn.
Common mistakes include bending at the waist instead of the knees, twisting your body while lifting, or attempting to lift too much weight without assistance. These can increase the risk of injury, particularly in the lower back, but also in areas like the shoulders, neck, and knees.
4. Ignoring Minor Aches and Pains
It’s common for people to dismiss minor aches and pains, thinking they’re nothing more than temporary annoyances that will resolve on their own.
Minor aches and pains often serve as warning signals from your body, indicating that something may be wrong or that you’re overloading a particular muscle or joint. For instance, a slight stiffness in your lower back after a long day at work might seem trivial, but it can be an early indicator of poor posture, muscle strain, or developing issues such as a herniated disc.
When these early signs are ignored, the underlying problem can worsen over time. Small issues that could have been easily addressed with minor adjustments or treatment can escalate into chronic pain or serious injuries.
How Physiotherapy Can Help
Physiotherapy for pain relief is crucial in addressing minor aches and pains before they escalate into more serious conditions. By seeking physiotherapy early, you can manage symptoms effectively and prevent long-term damage.
6. Overuse of Mobile Devices
In today’s digital age, mobile devices like smartphones and tablets have become integral to our daily lives. While these devices offer convenience and connectivity, excessive use can lead to a range of physical issues collectively known as “tech neck” and other repetitive strain injuries.
Tech Neck
“Tech neck” is a term used to describe the neck pain and discomfort resulting from looking down at mobile devices for extended periods. When you constantly tilt your head forward to view a screen, you place significant strain on the neck region and surrounding muscles.
This unnatural posture can cause several issues
Cervical Spine Strain
The cervical spine is designed to support the weight of the head in a neutral position. Tilting the head forward increases this load, which can lead to muscle strain and tension. Over time, this can cause chronic pain and stiffness in the neck.
Muscle Imbalances
Prolonged forward head posture can lead to imbalances in the neck muscles. The muscles at the back of the neck become overstretched and weakened, while the muscles at the front of the neck become shortened and tightened. This imbalance contributes to discomfort and reduces your range of motion.
Nerve Compression
Persistent strain on the cervical spine can lead to nerve compression or irritation. This can result in symptoms such as tingling, numbness, or pain radiating down the arms, a condition often referred to as cervical radiculopathy.
Headaches
The tension and strain in the neck muscles can also contribute to tension headaches, which are characterized by a dull, aching pain around the head and neck.
Repetitive Strain Injuries, RSI
In addition to tech neck, overusing mobile devices can cause repetitive strain injuries in your hands and wrists. These injuries result from the repeated and prolonged use of small, precise movements, such as typing or swiping on a touchscreen.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Repeated movements and prolonged use of mobile devices can compress the median nerve in the wrist, leading to carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition is characterized by symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and pain in the hand and fingers.
Tendonitis
The tendons in the hands and wrists can become inflamed from repetitive movements, leading to tendonitis. This condition causes pain, swelling, and reduced mobility in the affected tendons.
De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
This type of tendonitis affects the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist, leading to pain and swelling at the base of the thumb. It’s often seen in individuals who frequently use their thumbs for texting or scrolling.
Trigger Finger
Excessive use of mobile devices can also lead to trigger finger, a condition where a finger gets stuck in a bent position and then suddenly straightens with a snap. This is caused by inflammation of the tendons responsible for finger movement.
Physiotherapy for Pain Relief Techniques
Physiotherapy for pain relief is a highly effective approach to managing and alleviating pain caused by various factors, including poor posture, sedentary lifestyles, improper lifting techniques, and repetitive strain injuries.
Personalized Treatment Plans
Through personalized treatment plans, physiotherapists work to identify the underlying issues contributing to discomfort and develop strategies to manage and relieve pain effectively.
Our physiotherapists evaluate how factors like poor posture or improper lifting techniques impact your musculoskeletal system.
Based on this assessment, they provide targeted exercises to strengthen muscles, improve flexibility and correct imbalances.
Techniques such as manual therapy, including massage and joint mobilization, are also employed to relieve muscle tension, reduce inflammation and improve circulation, which can significantly ease pain.
For conditions related to repetitive strain or overuse, such as tech neck or carpal tunnel syndrome, physiotherapy includes specialized interventions and tools such as cold laser therapy or shockwave therapy to address these specific issues.
By combining therapeutic exercises, manual techniques, and lifestyle modifications, physiotherapy for pain relief helps to heal and support long-term recovery and well-being.
Core Wellness Centre for Pain Relief
Ready to take control of your pain and improve your well-being?
At Core Wellness Centre in Toronto, our expert physiotherapists are dedicated to helping you find relief and enhance your quality of life.
Don’t let pain hold you back any longer!
Contact us now to book your appointment and experience the benefits of expert physiotherapy firsthand!
Call (416) 479 – 8311 or book an appiontment online
