Are Those Day-to-Day Pains Something More?
But what if it doesn’t? Remember, pain is your body’s way of getting your attention. Learning to recognize when that message warrants a closer look can help you know when to visit Blue Sky Physical Therapy for care, ensuring a full recovery.
What Your Pain Is Trying to Tell You
Think of pain as your body’s alarm system. It lets you know that something might need attention, whether it’s an injury or another issue.
For example, it’s normal to feel sore after a new or more intense-than-usual workout. This discomfort is just your body adapting to a new challenge, and it’ll fade after a day or two, especially with gentle movement.
However, other types of pain develop because tissues become irritated, overloaded, or less able to handle everyday activities. This type of pain doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve suffered a serious injury, but it will generally benefit from focused rehabilitation that targets the various contributing factors.
So, how do you tell the difference? Here are some tips from our team.
Seven Signs Your Pain Should Be Evaluated
1. It lasts longer than a few weeks.
Minor injuries, like muscle strains, will usually improve within a couple of weeks. If your symptoms continue without noticeable progress, it’s worth finding out why.
2. Pain keeps returning.
Do you keep throwing out your back every few months? Do you notice that your shoulder hurts every time you hit the tennis courts, even if it feels better between sessions? These are examples of recurring pain, and they usually point to an underlying movement problem that hasn’t been fully addressed.
3. Everyday activities start to feel difficult.
If pain is interfering with your ability to go for a walk, get out of a chair, bring in groceries, or just generally perform any of the day-to-day activities you need to, it’s definitely time to find out what’s going on.
4. You’re changing how you move.
For many people, pain can cause them to start avoiding certain movements (such as reaching overhead) or relying too much on one side of the body. These changes can temporarily reduce pain, but they force your nearby muscles and joints to work harder, which can cause them to fatigue faster and potentially lead to additional injuries.
5. Pain is affecting your quality of life.
Persistent pain doesn’t just affect movement quality. You might also experience poor sleep, fatigue, or less confidence in the activities you used to enjoy. Addressing pain early can help prevent these effects from becoming part of daily life.
6. You notice weakness, balance problems, or numbness.
Pain combined with weakness, tingling, numbness, or frequent episodes of imbalance can indicate that a nerve might be irritated, which can affect both sensation and muscle function over time.
7. There is significant asymmetry.
While everyone has a dominant side, significant differences between your right and left side aren’t something to ignore. If one side consistently feels weaker, tighter, less stable, or more painful than the other, it’s worth having it evaluated before a minor issue becomes a bigger problem.
Managing Pain with Physical Therapy
At Blue Sky Physical Therapy, we address pain by treating its source, rather than simply masking symptoms. You’ll work one-on-one with one of our physical therapists, who’ll take the time to understand your concerns, evaluate your movement patterns, and develop a treatment plan that fits your goals.
Your care may include:
- Individualized therapeutic exercises to restore strength and function
- Neuromuscular re-education to help your muscles and nervous system work together more efficiently
- Education about body mechanics, activity modification, and strategies to prevent future problems
- Hands-on manual therapy to improve joint and soft tissue mobility
Ignoring pain often allows small problems to become larger ones. Our approach helps stop that process and helps you feel stronger and more resilient than before.
Listen to What the Body Is Saying
Pain isn’t something you simply have to accept as part of getting older or living an active life. The Blue Sky Physical Therapy team is here to help you determine what’s causing your discomfort so you can get back to the activities you enjoy.
Contact us today to schedule an evaluation and take the first step toward feeling and moving your best.
Your Progress Matters To Us!
Return to Blue Sky Physical Therapy and Let’s Continue Your Journey to Wellness Together. Schedule Your Appointment Now!
Exercise of the Month
BRIDGING
Begin on your back. Bend your knees and keep your back flat on the ground. Gently, contract your abdominals and hold to keep your back flat as you move up into the bridge position. Remember to breathe. Gently, squeeze your butt muscles and lift your hips off the ground. The goal is to have your hips aligned with your knees and shoulders. Hold for 5 seconds.
3 Sets, 10 Reps.
Staff Spotlight
Maya Shipway, PT, DPT
Maya is originally from the Seattle area, where she grew up playing soccer and softball and discovered her passion for being active. She followed that passion into her undergraduate career where she played Division III softball and worked in the athletic training room. It was there she had her first run in with physical therapy as she rehabilitated a back injury her Freshman year, she quickly realized this was the path for her. She earned her degree in Exercise and Health Science from Willamette University in Oregon and discovered she could balance her love of being active with her love of the human body and began to pursue a new dream of being a physical therapist. Since then she has fallen in love with the profession and all of the ways it allows people to get back to doing the things they love most. In her free time, Maya enjoys hiking, reading a good book, rock climbing, and traveling.
Professional Experience and Education:
Maya earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. There she actively engaged with increasing diversity and equity in PT for both students, patients, and providers as well as took on a leadership role in the Pro Bono Neurologic Rehabilitative clinic. She also participated in course work where she learned the Tai Chi Fundamentals Adapted Program and solidified her belief that PT should treat the whole patient, rather than a single injury at a time. While finishing her education, Maya travelled all over the country and completed rotations in speciality inpatient and outpatient settings.
Continuing Education:
Maya is a lifelong learner and is very eager to complete continuing education in order to provide a more holistic treatment plan for her patients. Her specific interests include the Fascial Distortion Model, Neural Mobilization, manual therapy, and neurologic specific rehabilitation.
- NM1: Neural Manipulation: Neuromeningeal Manipulation; An Integrative Approach to Trauma from The Barral Institute
- NM2: Neural Manipulation: Peripheral Nerves; Upper Body from The Barral Institute
- VM1: Visceral Manipulation: Abdomen 1 from The Barral Institute
- Maitland-Australian Physiotherapy Seminars: MT-2: Essential Spinal Seminar
Certifications:
- Tai Chi Fundamentals Adapted Program Certified Instructor
Special Interests: Chronic Pain and Neurologic Conditions:
Maya’s biggest passion is working with patients who experience either chronic pain, or who have a neurologic diagnosis (or both!). She finds PT invaluable in helping patients be able to get back to their daily lives and what is most important to them. Maya uses her skills and unique perspective to help patients improve balance, confidence, strength, and stability, and take back control in their lives.
Get to Know Maya!
* How long have you been working at Blue Sky? “I have been working for Blue Sky for almost 3 years.”
* What drew you to this career? “I have always wanted to help people and knew that I didn’t want to sit at a desk every day. Growing up as an athlete, PT seemed like the perfect fit for me. Now I get to move my body and teach others to do the same and be able to get back to all the things they love.”
* What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know? “I don’t like chocolate.”
* What’s your favorite place you’ve traveled – or a place on your bucket list? “Favorite place I have travelled is Glenorchy New Zealand.”
* Coffee or tea? “Tea”
* Cats or dogs? “Dogs!!!”
Balance, Strength, and Stability: Why They Matter More As We Age
When we talk about “healthy aging,” we’re exploring the ways you can continue to live a full, active lifestyle even as you get older. While many factors contribute to healthy aging, three key ones often work together: balance, strength, and stability.
And when one begins to decline, the others often have to compensate.
Taking A Closer Look
Balance
- This is your body’s ability to remain upright and in control. It depends on your vision, inner ear, muscles, joints, and nervous system working together.
Strength
- This is your muscles’ ability to produce force. Strong legs and core muscles in particular help you climb stairs, rise from a chair, walk safely, and recover if you stumble.
Stability
- This is your ability to control movement. It helps your body stay aligned when you reach, turn, step off a curb, or change direction.
Why These Skills Matter
The body undergoes several natural changes as we get older. Your muscle mass can decrease, and you start to feel stiffer. These changes can make it harder to stay active, which is essential for healthy aging. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to slow down the process.
That’s where physical therapy comes in. Our team will work with you to address the specific factors that affect your overall movement, including lower-body and core strength, walking patterns, reaction time, coordination, and more.
Stay Strong, Steady, and Independent
Ultimately, our goal is to help improve your movement confidence, no matter your age.
If you’ve been feeling unsteady or uncertain during daily activities, Blue Sky Physical Therapy can help. Contact us today to schedule an evaluation and take a confident step toward healthier aging.
Been to a number of PT clinics over the last few years for various sports injuries, and Blue Sky PT is one of the best. From day one, Rachel listened to my concerns, established a comprehensive workout routine, and helped me develop a longer-term plan beyond PT. I couldn't have asked for better care!
Cool off with these refreshing Strawberry & Banana Popsicles, a naturally sweet treat that's perfect for hot summer days. Made with simple, wholesome ingredients, they're an easy and delicious way to enjoy a healthy frozen snack the whole family will love.
Enjoy This Featured Recipe!
Strawberry & Banana Popsicles
- 1 pound strawberries, washed and stems removed
- 1 large, ripe banana
- 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- sugar to taste (optional: let the fruit do the work instead!)
Add the strawberries, banana, milk, and yogurt to the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add sugar if needed, depending on the ripeness of your fruit and your taste preferences. Pour the liquid into popsicle molds (or even paper cups), insert the handles, and freeze until firm, generally overnight. Enjoy frozen the next day.
