Almost everyone makes new year resolutions. Some want to decrease stress, get a good night’s sleep, or have more energy. Did you know that exercise helps you do all three? This one simple lifestyle change can improve the overall quality of your life.

If you want to make exercise a part of your life in 2009, remember that an active life is lived one moment at a time, not just in the gym. Choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk with your children around the block instead of watching TV, park in the furthest spot from the mall entrance.

Remember that your thoughts and feelings support your actions, your actions support your behavior, and repeated behavior becomes your lifestyle. So, don’t just think about being active, in every moment, make active choices. With every choice you repeat, the more active your lifestyle becomes.

If pain or discomfort has kept you from choosing an active lifestyle, New Fairfield Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is here to help. We combine traditional methods with the most cutting edge technology and techniques of all major disciplines. We emphasize education with our patients and discuss their diagnosis and treatment plan so exercise becomes a pleasant routine, benefiting the patient for a lifetime.

"New Fairfield Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (NFPMR) changed my life. After 10 months of being referred to five doctors, two physical therapy facilities, and having every test known to man for my back, I was still in severe pain and without a plan for healing. When I was referred to NFPMR it all changed.

I had a very poor attitude at my first visit to New Fairfield. I was a frustrated, formally-fit 50-year-old woman with a busy life, three active boys, and tired of my life being on hold. As the doctor described my treatment plan, I knew it would help me grow stronger, healthier, and keep the pain away. It was slow, hard work, but each week I felt stronger and more confident that I could get my life back.

The staff at NFPMR was amazing and responsive to any adjustments my therapy program needed. They really listened to my concerns and knew exactly how to address them."

Today, thanks to NFPMR, I’m light-years ahead of where I was just three months ago. I will always have to exercise and know my limits, but I’m almost completely pain free, much stronger, and enjoying many of my favorite activities. Mom is back!

Melissa is a great success story; she came into the practice with chronic upper back and neck pain. She had been seen by numerous practitioners before us. She would get minimal results and her pain would return rather quickly. The traditional form of care just was not working. Our ultimate goal was to institute a lifestyle change from the beginning. We educated her on proper ergonomics, lifting techniques and exercised for strength and conditioning of not just her upper back and neck, but her whole body. The combination of all the disciplines utilized in conjunction with a true rehabilitation program resulted in a positive outcome. Melissa has stopped in to say, “Hi”, but we have not treated her condition because she is doing so well on her own.

Pain felt in your lower back usually involves spasms of the large, supportive muscles alongside the spine. The muscle spasm and stiffness can feel particularly uncomfortable. Back pain is the #2 reason Americans seek treatment options, second only to cold and flu.

Back injuries have many causes, and can result over time from improper sitting, standing, or lifting and then one simple movement, like bending at the waist, can lead to pain.

There are many factors that increase your risk for lower back pain:

• Over age 30
• Pregnancy
• Stress and depression
• Low pain threshold
• Arthritis or osteoporosis
• Bad posture
• Smoking, lack of exercise, and overweight
• Work requiring heavy lifting, bending, twisting, or whole body vibration

• Do NOT wear high heels; use cushioned soles
• Place a pillow behind your lower back while sitting or driving
• Sleep curled-up with a pillow between your legs, or sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees
• Quit smoking
• Lose excess weight

Contact New Fairfield Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation to discuss exercise and treatment options for any kind of back pain.

Alaina Warchal, DC is board certified by the national board of Chiropractic examiners and is a member of the American Chiropractic Association. She received her doctorate from New York Chiropractic College after completing her Bachelors Degree at the State University of New York at Albany. Dr. Warchal blends gentle manual care with progressive innovation to aid in your therapeutic progress.