Stress Hurts - Breakaway Physical Therapy
Shaina Clemons Health Tips

"Almost Daily Health Tips From Physical Therapist Shaina Clemons..."

Stress Hurts

Stress

2020 has been a year that will go down in history books forever, but it shouldn’t be the year where you let stress overtake your life. One thing that patients always ask is, “Can my pain be exacerbated by all of the stress I’m under?” The answer to this question is absolutely!

Stress and anxiety can manifest themselves in many ways, and how it presents in the body really depends on the signals that your brain is being sent. Whenever we are anxious or stressed about a certain situation or events that haven’t even happened yet, our body prepares for them and subconsciously our muscles begin to turn on and build tension.

Sometimes it can present as a headache or pain in your jaw, and other times it can show itself in the form of tight muscles surrounding the shoulders, neck, stomach, back or even your pelvic floor. If the muscles continue to fire and become tighter, then it can result in pain.

So now I that I have all of this pain, what can I do about it?”

One of the first things that we teach our patients here at Breakaway is proper breathing. YES, the way you breathe under stress really does matter! Diaphragmatic breathing has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, provide oxygen to your muscles, and promote relaxation.

Let’s take a few moments to practice this together.

First, quiet your mind and tune out the world around you. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly. When you inhale, try to think about filling your belly with air and then slowly exhale. You should feel the hand on your belly rise and fall with your breath and the hand on your chest should not move.

Okay now you’re ready… close your eyes and begin.

Feeling better? Taking a few moments out of each day to practice breathing can begin to help you cope with your stress and any pain that you could be feeling as a result.

If you have tried all the relaxation techniques in the book and are still having tension or pain in any of your muscles, then physical therapy might be a great option for you. At Breakaway all of our therapist specialize in a hands on approach to help decrease all of that tension and get you on the way to living the life that you want without anything holding you back.

Do not hesitate to call us today at (410-721-6333) to set up a free consultation with one of our experienced therapists to see how physical therapy can help YOU!

If you feel like you need to talk to a medical provider because the stress that you are experiencing is getting the best of you, call our office and we will help you find the best health care provider to help! We believe in a holistic approach and will make sure that you get the right support that you need!


Caroline McDaniel

Caroline McDaniel

Caroline was born and raised in the Mississippi Delta and if you listen closely, you will hear her fun accent “yawl”. She loves to travel and spend time with her friends and family.  She attended Auburn University for her Bachelors in Exercise Science (WAR EAGLE!) and then went on to get her DPT from University of Mississippi Medical Center. She became interested in Women’s Health during PT school, where she saw the amazing changes to the body that can happen with this type of treatment. Exploring the outdoors is her favorite and she is excited to see more of the Maryland area. She has taken many yoga and barre classes, which helps further her ideas for her patients. Reading books keeps her mind and energy going, as well as her competitive spirit of how many books can she read in a year?! How many can you read? 
Caroline McDaniel

Latest posts by Caroline McDaniel (see all)

Share This
Google Rating
4.9
Based on 119 reviews
×