Health blog
How to Get Moving Safely and Effectively
It’s no secret that regular exercise is important to your overall health. Many of us are probably trying to move more to get in shape. Exercise is defined as planned and structured physical activity with the purpose of training a specific part of the body. So how much do you really know about exercise and why it is so important?
Exercise has many proven health benefits:
- Exercise can help control weight to keep your BMI (body mass index) in a healthy range.
Planking Our Way to A Full-Body Workout
It’s true! You can get a full body workout with one exercise. It may sound like a myth, but there is one legendary strengthening and stabilization move that will simultaneously work your arms, shoulders, chest, upper and lower back, abdominals, gluteals and quadriceps: the plank!
Physical and Mental Challenge
Holding a plank is certainly a physical challenge, but it’s often just as much of a mental workout. It’s easy to psych yourself out and quit when you start feeling “the burn” before you truly reach muscle fatigue.
Read full blogInflammation, swelling or difficulty moving smoothly?
By: Angie Austin, LPTA
Hip problems make daily activities like simply walking difficult and painful. When you talk to your physical therapist or doctor about your hip pain, it’s important to be able to describe exactly where your pain is located. This helps confirm that your hip is actually the problem. It’s not uncommon for us to hear a patient say ‘my hip hurts’ and then once we’ve done a full evaluation of their area of pain, we find they actually are having a back-related problem.
Popping, Clicking, Locking in the Joints?
By: Rachel Herrmann, DPT
When you start to have knee pain, you really start to realize how big of a role your knees play in your day-to-day and leisure activities. Going up and down stairs becomes a dreaded part of the day. Getting on and off the floor when playing with your children is no longer an easy task. You start to think twice before squatting down to get something off the floor or out from a lower cabinet.
Ever have muscle spasms or feel like you’re leaning to one side?
By Cierra Washington, ATC
Here’s a riddle for you: What holds your body upright, is made up of a series of irregularly shaped bones, appears to be in a straight line but is also curved when you look at it from the side?
The answer: YOUR SPINE!
Your spine consists of 33 bones: seven cervical, 12 thoracic, five lumbar, five sacral and four fused coccygeal bones. Only the top 24 bones are movable.
Head into Summer without Shoulder Pain!
Memorial Day has passed and pools are open signalling the unofficial start for summer for a lot of folks. Many children and teens in this area are getting ready to start, if they haven’t already, swim team practices and meets. So it’s timely to talk about shoulder injuries and make sure you and your kids know how to prevent pain and injury so you can enjoy your summer.
Not too surprising, shoulder pain is the most frequent orthopedic injury among swimmers.
Mobility and Stability in the Lower Body
By Alyssa Burke, LPTA
Ankle and foot problems are common and can impact people of all ages and activity levels. Conditions in the foot and ankle can vary from fractures to sprains. When these injuries occur, it is often a result of an imbalance in the joint or surrounding soft tissues in your ankle. This imbalance usually pertains to a lack of mobility and or stability, two very important factors that allow your joints to function properly and prevent injuries.
Difficulty lifting weights, groceries or the kids?
Shoulder pain is a very common problem and can cause a lot of difficulty with many daily activities. People frequently come to physical therapy with different complaints involving the shoulder. The number one complaint: pain in and around the joint that in turn radiates up into the neck or down the arm. Some people also experience stiffness in the shoulder which causes difficulty moving the joint or overall weakness in the shoulder which can extend down into the hand.
Read full blogPlanning to get outside for a walk
By Alyssa Burke, LPTA
Walking is a great step to improve bone health and fitness. Springtime is a good time to get outside and be active. What better way to kick the winter blues and enjoy the beautiful spring weather than to go for a walk! Walking is one of the easiest ways to get a workout and it offers many physical and mental health benefits. It’s why the American Heart Association designates April as National Walking Day.
Moving Differently Because of Discomfort?
By Kieran Loving, ATC
Core is defined as the central or most important part of something. When it comes to the CORE of the human body what comes to mind? Most people think a rocking six pack of abs means a strong core! This is a huge misconception. The core of your body actually means the central most important part of your body and the average body space is a lot bigger than just your abdomen.
