Tom Willemann Health Tips

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Low Back Pain and Bed Rest

Tom Willemann |

Be careful about too much bed rest. Multiple studies show more than 2-3 days of bed rest for patients who have low back pain actually  demonstrate a greater loss of range of motion and are weaker than patients who remained active as soon as possible without increasing their symptoms. Other studies demonstrate pain levels of patients are higher in persons who rested for greater than a week. My recommendations for the first 3-5 days:
(1)    Sleep on side with pillow between knee and limit twisting when going from lying to sitting or standing to curving of spine
(2)    Be careful about sitting for greater than 20 minutes in especially first 3-5 days
(3)    Attempt to move and maintain most activities that do not increase your pain levels dramatically
(4)   If allowed by your doctor take anti inflammatory medications as prescribed
(5)    Ice 10-20 minutes as needed.  Do not apply ice directly to skin.  Avoid use of heat.
(6)    If not significantly  improved in 3-5 days consult a health care provider for a evaluation
When treating musculoskeletal conditions one must balance the bodies needs to heal and protect with the negative effects of lack of movement and resulting deconditioning of several systems in our body.

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann is a premier physical therapist based out of Bergen County, New Jersey. He holds an MS in physical therapy from the University of Miami, is credentialed in the world-renowned McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), and holds an OCS (Orthopedic Clinical Specialist) certification. As of 2018, there are approximately 14,000 ABPTS certified specialists in the nation and less than 400 of them are located in the state of New Jersey. Tom is the owner and director of Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation in Paramus. He opened the clinic, which specializes in spine and sports injury prevention, in 2004 after many years of experience in the field. Tom’s caring interest in others and his strong belief in continuity of care, combined with his clinic’s ability to find solutions for the most difficult orthopedic problems, have earned Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation its excellent reputation with patients and medical professionals in northeastern New Jersey and beyond. A true “family man,” Tom takes pride in his clinic’s warm and welcoming environment.
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