Check out our 7 tips for back-to-school backpack safety! Backpacks, when worn correctly, are designed to distribute the weight of the load evenly across the body’s muscles. However, many children carry backpacks incorrectly or that are too heavy. Carrying a backpack can have significant biomechanical and physiological impacts on the wearer during a critical time in a child’s growth, placing undue stress on the body, changing posture, and contributing to injuries of the back, neck, and shoulders

Check out our 7 tips for an ergonomic workstation! An ergonomic workstation is one that supports your body in a neutral position and reduces the risk of discomfort or pain that the stressors like sitting at a desk and computer for long periods of time can place on our bodies. Poor office ergonomics and posture can contribute to ongoing aches and pain, such as neck strain, low back pain, wrist discomfort, or eye strain. However, proper workstation ergonomics—correct chair height, appropriate equipment spacing, and good desk posture—can help you stay productive but healthy and comfortable at work.

Chronic pain affects up to 28% of American adults each year and is one of the most common reasons adults seek medical care. Chronic pain develops when the nerves that communicate pain to the brain become hypersensitive, causing the brain to perceive that area of the body as a potential threat and therefore painful beyond the normal healing timeframe. Exercise is an effective way to manage chronic pain by building muscle strength, reducing pain sensitivity, and improving mobility through targeted strengthening, low-impact aerobic exercise, stretching, and aquatic therapy.

Carrying a backpack can have significant biomechanical, physiological, and discomfort impacts on the wearer, placing undue stress on the body, changing posture, and leading to back, neck, and shoulder pain. It’s essential that parents take steps to prevent backpack-related musculoskeletal pain in their children this school year. Check out our ergonomic tips for backpack safety!

Cervicogenic headaches are caused by musculoskeletal dysfunction in the neck that refers pain to the head through the nervous system. Cervicogenic headaches commonly affect one side of the head and can result from a traumatic injury to the cervical spine and neck muscles such as whiplash or due to muscle tension or strain from forward head posture. Physical therapy can reduce pain and address the underlying cause of cervicogenic headaches for sustainable headache management.

Check out our 10 spring gardening injury prevention tips in our latest infographic! While gardening has many health benefits, it also is a physically demanding activity that can place strain and stress on your body. Keep these 10 tips in mind to prevent injury while gardening this spring!

Neck pain is a common musculoskeletal condition that can cause pain, numbness, and stiffness in the neck, upper back, and shoulders. Physical therapy is one of the most effective treatments for neck pain. Physical therapists reduce neck pain, restore range of motion and function in the neck, and strengthen the neck’s postural flexibility through a customized treatment program. Check out our infographic to learn more!

Tech neck is a repetitive stress injury to the neck caused by prolonged use of technology in which the head is bent downward, straining the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and upper back. Bending the neck forward when using technology places an excessive load on the neck, leading to pain, tightness, and limited range of motion. Physical therapists address tech neck through a customized stretching and strengthening exercise program, manual therapy, and posture reeducation.

Neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions, affecting 30 to 50% of adults each year. While there can be numerous causes of neck pain, the most common source of neck pain is mechanical neck pain resulting from muscle strain or joint issues. Physical therapy is the most effective treatment for neck pain, reducing pain and stiffness, improving range of motion, and strengthening the postural flexibility of the neck through therapeutic exercise and manual therapy.

Mangiarelli Rehabilitation physical therapy assistant, Patti, demonstrates how to lift an object correctly and safely as well as several common but incorrect and unsafe ways to lift. The holiday season requires quite a lot of bending, lifting, and reaching. If you lift improperly, it can lead to back, shoulder, or neck strain and limit your holiday activities. As we enter the holiday season, it’s critical to review how to lift heavy objects safely and take steps to minimize strain and fatigue during your winter and holiday activities.

The season of autumn brings spectacular fall foliage. However, once the vibrant beauty of the colorful leaves fades, we are left with the job of raking and bagging enormous amounts of leaves. Weekly leaf raking can take a toll on your body, particularly if you are engaging in incorrect biomechanics that strain your back, neck, and shoulders. Check out our tips to help you avoid injury when raking this fall!

Check out our latest infographic with 8 Tips for Back-to-School Ergonomics! Carrying a school backpack can have significant biomechanical, physiological, and discomfort impacts on the wearer and can contribute to neck, back, and shoulder pain. Learn how to address body mechanics, posture, and the proper use of school-related equipment to protect students’ necks, shoulders, and backs from pain or injury with our back-to-school ergonomics tips!

Physical therapy plays a critical role in restoring men to optimal health through treatment of a variety of musculoskeletal and health issues, including work and sport-related injuries, post-surgical rehabilitation, chronic pain, incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and TMD. June is Men’s Health Month and June 14-20 marks Men’s Health Week, a time to highlight the importance of men’s health, early treatment of disease and injury, and development of sustainable healthy habits.

Migraines and headaches can be debilitating, limiting daily activities, work, and quality of life. While neuro-vascular, nutritional, and chemical imbalances can trigger migraines and headaches, musculoskeletal dysfunction in the neck and shoulders is a common cause of headaches and can contribute to the development of a migraine. Physical therapy can ease headache and migraine symptoms, addressing the underlying neuro-musculoskeletal causes for safe and sustainable management of chronic headaches and migraines.

Whether you are cycling outdoors in the warm spring weather, participating in a spin class, or competing at the professional level in cycling, it’s important to take steps to prevent injury. Cycling is an excellent low-impact activity that improves overall fitness, cardiovascular health, and core and leg strength without placing too much stress on your joints. However, cycling injuries can occur due to overuse, improper bike setup, and lack of a proper warm-up and cool down. Check out our 8 tips to prevent injury when cycling this spring!

With the start of spring and warmer weather, it’s that time of year to get outside and build and tend your garden. Gardening has many health benefits, including reduced depression and anxiety, increased life satisfaction and quality of life, and consistent physical activity. However, gardening is a physically demanding activity and certain gardening tasks, like weeding, raking, digging, and mulching can place strain and stress on joints and muscles, particularly the back, neck, shoulders, knees, and wrists. Check out our 10 gardening tips to prevent injury this spring!

How do you know whether you’re suffering from a pulled muscle or a pinched nerve? Both a pulled muscle or a pinched nerve may cause severe pain and limit your mobility, function, and ability to complete daily tasks. Being able to ascertain the difference between a pinched nerve and a pulled muscle is critical to ensure you receive the correct treatment and return to your activities quickly and safely.

This past year brought a number of sweeping changes to our work and home lives, including the rise of remote work and extensive technology use, which will likely continue into the foreseeable future. While there are many benefits and advantages to technology use for remote work, it can also contribute to poor posture and subsequent back, neck, and wrist pain. Check out our ten tips for an ergonomic workstation to prevent work-related aches and pains!

Winter in Northeast Ohio means several months of snowy weather and the inevitable task of shoveling snow. It’s common to experience muscle soreness and aches and pain after shoveling, but more serious injuries can occur as shoveling snow in the cold temperature places stress on your body. Check out our 8 Snow Shoveling Safety Tips to prevent injury this winter season!

Holiday preparation and festivities can place a strain on your body. If you lift heavy objects incorrectly, you can strain and injure your back, neck, and shoulders. Proper lifting technique protects your back and neck and minimizes strain on the entire body. When you lift an object properly, you avoid placing too much stress on one body part and instead, allow the body to work as a cohesive unit, sharing the weight of the object and distributing it evenly. To stay healthy and prevent pain during the holidays, follow our 8 tips for proper lifting technique!