Cypress Clinic Now Open in Hammond!
Our first month in the Hammond community has been amazing. We are overwhelmed by the response from our new patients and look forward to continued growth.

This is a great radio interview about our ribbon cutting and what services we provide and why you may need physical therapy.

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Most Back Injuries are Avoidable. Here's How to Prevent Them

We regularly see patients with back pain due to heavy lifting. Surprisingly, healthcare workers are among the most likely to be injured on the job due to moving, transferring and lifting patients from awkward positions with little to no assistance. In some cases, the injuries are worse than our patients in construction job or jobs involving manual labor.

Being conscience of your posture and limitations is one way to avoid a lower back sprain or injury. But here are more ways to protect your back.

  • Have a plan for your lift and transfer of the object or person. Test the weight first to make sure it doesn’t exceed what you’re capable of. If you have access to any aid, whether it’s another person or machinery, use it!
  • Get as close as possible to the item you are moving. This will reduce the amount of strain to your back.
  • Lift your head up while keeping your back straight. You should lift with the strongest muscles in your hips and legs.
  • Tighten and use your abdominal muscles to protect your back.
  • Keep your nose between your toes. When moving an object, pivot on your feet rather than twisting the spine. 

These simple yet effective points will keep your back healthy, strong and pain free. But in the event you find yourself in pain, physical therapy is always a great way to work out the kinks.
Can Physical Therapy Help With Headaches?
If you regularly get cervicogenic headaches you can likely get permanent relief from them through physical therapy. Cervicogenic headaches originate from the spine and neck and radiate to other areas like the top, side or back of the head. They are either gradual or caused by an injury.  Sitting at a computer for extended periods of time or prolonged positions or postures can increase the propensity for these headaches. Other symptoms may include neck pain, muscle tenderness, shoulder/arm pain, weakness and possible dizziness and nausea. These headaches and their symptoms are usually the result of stiff joints in the neck, soft tissue tightness and/or trigger points and possibly nerve irritation.

Physical therapy can be prescribed for patients who suffer from cervicogenic headaches. A therapist will complete a detailed assessment of the patient to find which structures are contributing to the symptoms. The exam may consist of range of motion for the head and neck, joint mobility, muscle tightness, tenderness and trigger points, to name a few. 

Following the exam the therapist will design a treatment plan specific for the patient and will perform manual therapy techniques to decrease pain and increase movement in the head and neck area.

These manual therapy techniques will also be paired with exercises to increase strength and endurance of the deep neck flexor muscles, other neck muscles and upper back muscles. Educating the patient on proper posture, body mechanics and stretching will help achieve long lasting relief and possibly permanent resolution to these headaches.
You don’t have to live a life in pain. Physical therapy can lead you to a better, pain free way of life.
Favorite Tips From Your Physical Therapists
“As the calendar continues to turn and the weather heats up, outdoor activities and recreation will be more available to my fellow weekend warriors. As a tip, be sure to provide variety to all training and recreational activities to avoid repetitive, over-use injuries such as: plantar fasciitis, knee pain, and shin splints. Let’s take advantage of the warmer weather and get moving!”
"The importance of strong hips and glutes cannot be overstated. Having strong, active hips and glutes helps to protect your lower back and also helps protect your knees. The muscles of the hips and glutes help to provide a stable base for your lumbar spine, and also, perhaps lesser known, control the alignment of your knee caps and greatly affect your knee function."
"With spring in the air and everyone getting into their flower beds remember these 3 steps for proper lifting technique:
1) stand close to the object with your feet spread shoulder width apart.                                            2) Squat down remembering to bend at the knees and not at the waist.                                            3) Get a firm grasp and slowly begin to straighten your legs."
See What Our Patients Have to Say
"I have completed 8 months of physical therapy with Cypress Physical Therapy in Laplace. It was a great experience from day one when I first walked in the door and was greeted by Rebecca, Office Manager. They have an awesome tech team and PTA Emma, Mona, Gregory, Justin, PTA Casey and Owner, Chris, PT. I have to give a special shout out to my new BFF Donnie Savoie, my physical therapist who never gave up on me. Worked really hard ... he cut me no slack and for that I have been able to avoid surgery. I highly recommend Cypress for your physical therapy needs." Jamie Dore' Andry