September changes a lot of routines.
Kids go from running around all summer to sitting at a desk for hours.
Parents are back to more structured work schedules.
Teachers are back in classrooms.
Sports are starting.
Commutes get longer.
And suddenly a body that spent the summer moving in all sorts of different ways is spending a whole lot more time sitting.
Then your neck starts hurting.
Your low back gets stiff.
That annoying pain down your leg comes back.
Or you finally get motivated to get back into the gym and something starts hurting two weeks later.
Welcome to September.
The good news is that pain doesn’t automatically mean you need to stop moving. In fact, there are several simple things you can do to help your body adjust to the change in routine.
1. Stop Searching for the “Perfect” Posture
Sit up straight.
Shoulders back.
Don’t slouch.
We’ve all heard it.
But here’s the thing: there isn’t one magical sitting position that guarantees you’ll never have back or neck pain.
Often the bigger problem is staying in any position for too long.
You can have beautiful posture and still get uncomfortable if you sit there for four hours without moving.
Your body likes movement and variety.
Instead of obsessing over perfect posture, change positions throughout the day.
Sit back in your chair.
Stand for a while.
Walk to refill your water.
Take a phone call standing up.
Stretch your legs.
Your next posture is often more important than your “perfect” posture.
2. Take Movement Breaks Before You Hurt
Most people wait until their back is screaming at them to finally stand up.
Try moving before you get to that point.
Set a reminder if you need one.
Every 30 to 60 minutes, stand up and move for a couple of minutes. Walk down the hall. Refill your water. Do a few movements that feel good.
This does not need to turn into a workout.
You’re simply reminding your body that it was designed to move.
This is especially important for kids and teenagers who go from sitting in school all day to sitting in the car to sitting at home doing homework.
Give them opportunities to move too.
3. Don’t Ignore What Your Pain Is Telling You
One of the things we wish more patients understood is that not all back pain is the same.
Your friend’s back pain is not necessarily your back pain.
That’s why randomly searching “best stretch for low back pain” isn’t always helpful.
A movement that makes one person’s back feel dramatically better may make another person’s symptoms worse.
At Mitchell Holistic Health, our physical therapy providers use mechanical assessment to look at how your symptoms respond to specific movements.
The McKenzie Method, also known as Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy or MDT, uses repeated movements and symptom response to help identify patterns and guide treatment. MHH uses this approach as part of its physical therapy services.
That is very different from handing every patient with back pain the same sheet of exercises.
Your body gives us information.
We use it.
4. Ease Back Into Your Fall Workout Routine
Maybe summer was busy and your normal workout schedule disappeared.
Then September comes and you decide:
That’s it. I’m getting back into shape.
So you go from working out once a week to five days a week.
And now your knee hurts.
Or your back hurts.
Or your shoulder is angry.
Your body may simply not be ready for the amount of stress you just put on it.
Build gradually.
If you haven’t been running, don’t immediately jump back into your old mileage.
If you haven’t lifted consistently, don’t start with the weights you were using six months ago.
Give your muscles, joints and connective tissues time to adapt.
Being able to mentally push through something does not automatically mean your body is physically ready for it.
5. Don’t Assume Stretching Is Always the Answer
Something feels tight, so you stretch it.
Makes sense, right?
Sometimes.
But not always.
“Tight” does not necessarily mean a muscle needs to be stretched more.
Your symptoms may be related to joint mechanics, irritated tissue, weakness, movement patterns, nerve sensitivity or something else entirely.
This is why we assess before we treat.
Depending on what a patient’s evaluation shows, treatment at Mitchell Holistic Health may include the McKenzie Method, manual therapy, functional dry needling, movement training or Frequency Specific Microcurrent.
The goal is not to throw every treatment at you.
The goal is to determine what makes sense for your problem.
6. Know When It’s Time to Get Help
A little soreness after getting back into a workout routine can be completely normal.
Pain that keeps returning, changes how you move or stops you from doing things you want to do deserves more attention.
Maybe you’re avoiding certain exercises.
Maybe sitting through your workday is miserable.
Maybe you’re waking up stiff every morning.
Maybe you’ve stopped running because your knee always hurts at mile two.
Maybe you’ve been stretching your back for six months and it still isn’t better.
At some point, guessing isn’t saving you time.
A physical therapy evaluation can help determine what movements affect your symptoms, what might be contributing to the problem and what you can do about it.
And ideally, we want to give you tools you can use outside the clinic too.
Because the goal isn’t to make you dependent on physical therapy forever.
The goal is to get you back to living your life.
Your Fall Routine Should Include Movement You Can Actually Enjoy
September is a great time to reset.
Get outside while Wisconsin weather is still beautiful.
Walk after dinner.
Get back into strength training.
Go for a run.
Play with your kids.
Take advantage of the trails around La Crosse and Onalaska.
Your body was made to move.
And pain shouldn’t be the thing deciding what you’re allowed to do.
Don’t Let Pain Become Your New Routine
If neck, back, hip, knee, shoulder or other musculoskeletal pain is interfering with your workouts, workday or daily life, our physical therapy providers can help you figure out what’s actually causing it.
At Mitchell Holistic Health, we don’t believe every patient needs the same exercises or the same treatment. We assess how your body moves and build your treatment plan around what we find.
Request a physical therapy appointment at Mitchell Holistic Health in Onalaska, Wisconsin, and let’s get you back to moving without constantly worrying about pain.
