January 1, 2020
Quick changes for the New Year
by Lisa Snow, personal trainer
It’s New Years! Your friends have big resolutions — eat better, work out more, lose weight — but you’re still living with chronic pain. You want to be in better shape, too, but it’s hard enough just to get through the day. Here are just a few things you can do immediately:
- Paint the picture for your doctors. Pain is invisible. If she or he is only talking about your bloodwork, it’s likely she doesn’t even know you’re in pain, so speak up! Even if you DON’T have one specific, acute injury (such as a car accident or a fall on the ski slopes), you can still get a referral to a Physical Therapist, which might be paid by insurance. Over the past 12+ years of personal training, I’ve heard countless people say that their friends, family, or doctor don’t believe they have “real” chronic pain just because they’re not addicted to opioids. If you’ve been in pain for more than a few months, that IS “chronic.” The more vividly you can describe your symptoms to your doctor, the more likely he or she is to be able to give you the right diagnosis. Is your pain sharp? Dull? Radiating? Worse going down stairs than going up? More intense when you’re looking at a computer screen? Many people are visual learners, meaning they learn better from pictures and videos than from written articles or lectures. So paint the picture for your friends and your doctor with visual words. One of our clients, a baby boomer with kyphosis, had pain and weakness because the upper back muscles between her shoulder blades were like “overstretched taffee.” That’s an image we’ll never forget! If you CLEARLY tell your doctor what’s wrong and they still don’t believe you about chronic pain, see if another doctor has additional insights.
- Explore private pay PT. Many insurance plans have a high deductible. Paying cash for physical therapy is often more affordable than you think, and prices vary widely throughout NYC; don’t assume it’s beyond your budget until you get actual price quotes from at least 2 or 3 different therapists. If your therapist is “out of network,” the money you pay for each visit may count toward your deductible anyway, which will help you afford other doctors and therapists throughout the year. (Double check this before starting with any new practitioners.) Even if the fees do NOT count toward your deductible, a therapist who understands your specific injury and really clicks with you can be worth their weight in gold.
- Use pro tools at home. Many gym goers are foam rolling, and that can be a good start (check with your doctor that it’s OK to start or continue an exercise program). Foam rolling breaks up “knots” in muscles to help you move more freely and live with less pain. However, foam rollers only cover a large, general area. To target more specific points by yourself in between visits, try using a HyperVolt. Tools like this used to only be for PTs and athletic trainers, but now you can get one yourself to use at home or at the gym. It looks like a power drill, but instead it provides gentle but deep massage. I own, like, and use the TheraGun (the main competitor to the HyperVolt), but I feel it is just too loud for home use. It looks, and feels, like a power tool. The HyperVolt is quiet — you can hear a whisper over it — and for the majority of clients, it works just as well. Whether it’s a simple, cheap, but powerful foam roller or a high tech tool like the HyperVolt, self-massage tools don’t replace your doctor. It’s still really important to get an accurate diagnosis and find out the true cause of your pain.
Lisa Snow is the owner of On the Mend. She is a personal trainer and nutrition coach who helps clients get everything on their fitness and wellness wishlist.
Lisa works closely with each client’s doctor and PT to provide a seamless transition from rehab to the gym.
