Health blog Category: physical therapy
It’s Time to Start Eating Healthy Again
There are many parts to eating healthy, but one important part of healthy eating involves portion control. “How much am I eating?” you ask. “What is the best way to measure portion sizes?”
When food scales or measuring cups aren’t handy, you can still estimate your portions using these easy tips below to know exactly how much food you’re eating.
3 Ounces of Meat = Deck of Playing Cards 
Medium Apple = Tennis Ball 
1 oz of Cheese = 4 Stacked Dice 
½ Cup of Ice Cream = Tennis Ball 
1 Cup of Mashed Potatoes or Broccoli = Your Fist 
1 Teaspoon of Peanut Butter = Tip of Your Thumb 
1 Ounce of Nuts or Small Candies = One Handful 
*If you’re cutting calories, remember to eat healthy and nutritious food to keep you full.*
*For a list of the food groups and recommended daily servings, please visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/.*
If you have any questions about nutrition or portion control, call Loudoun Sports Therapy Center at 703-450-4300 to speak with our expert staff members.
Read full blogMuscles Spasms and Low Back Pain
Most people have probably experienced lower back pain at some point in their lives. In fact, lower back pain is very prevalent in our society and can greatly limit our ability to bend over to empty the dishwasher, tie our shoes, sit at our desk at work or stand in line at the grocery store.
Indicators of low back pain:
The number one complaint is pain and stiffness localized to the low back which is worsened with standing, walking, or prolonged positioning.
Running Too Much, Too Soon Can Cause Shin Splints
Doing too much, too soon can be a recipe for shin splints!
What are shin splints?
Shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, MTSS, are an overuse injury caused by repetitive stress to the lower legs. It’s common for runners to get them especially when they don’t gradually increase their mileage. Remember feeling pain in your shins right your first few practices at the start of a sports season?
Read full blogWater VS. Sports Drink Debate
You’ve been exercising for an hour and a half, your muscles are weak, your shirt is drenched, you’ve recently noticed a minor headache and you’re beyond thirsty. Do you reach for your water bottle filled with water or do you grab a bottle of one of those flavorful sports drinks?
The water versus sports drinks debate has been a topic of discussion for many years. There are a multitude of opinions because there are different circumstances in which one choice trumps the other.
Simple Techniques to Cure Aching Shoulders
Aug 2nd 2019Do you find your shoulders aching at the end of the day or when having to lift your arms?
Why Our Shoulders Hurt
Our shoulders are the most complicated joints in our body and thus, one of the most easily injured. They have to move through an incredible 180 degrees of motion, while still maintaining stability and strength. Some of the most important muscles in the shoulder are actually the smallest. The rotator cuff is a series of 4 muscles that form a cuff around the glenohumeral joint.
Our Feet Could be Causing Our Back Pain
You know that old song, ‘the knee bone is connected to the hip bone?’ That catchy tune has a lot of truth to it and explains what is called the biomechanical chain. For many people, simply standing or walking for more than 20 minutes means their back starts aching. This can be due to a whole host of factors, but believe it or not, your feet and ankles can be a culprit.
When we walk, our hips, knees, ankles and feet rotate in opposite directions to act as shock absorbers.
No Movement, No Energy
Do you sometimes feel sluggish, tired, achy, sore or have low energy? Most of these problems can be caused by lack of movement. If you sit still for long hours in your car, at your job, or at home watching TV, you are hurting your body over time.
Without frequent movement, your muscles waste away, joints become stiff, and normal chemical processes in your body change. Your circulation and lymphatic systems slow down causing a backup of toxic wastes, such as cholesterol, that are normally produced and excreted by your body.
How Your Core Muscle Strength Affects Your Health
Do you ever find yourself slouching in a chair, slumping at the computer or your belly sticking out after standing for awhile? This is a sign of core muscle weakness that can negatively affect your health and create long-term back or neck pain.
What are Your Core Muscles?
Your “core” is the group of muscles that help stabilize your body and give a strong anchor point from which your skeleton can move properly with good posture.
Read full blogManual Therapy VS. Massage
Manual Therapy VS. Massage, What’s The Difference?
At first glance it is easy to mistake manual therapy for a massage. However, there are significant differences between these two treatment methods. It is important for you to be able to understand these differences, in order to pick the appropriate treatment method.
Massages:
You most likely think of a massage then instantly think of laying on a table of a spa.
Where is Your Pain Coming From?
If you are suffering from aches or pains, it is important for you to be able to determine the root cause of the problem. Here are some important questions to ask yourself in order to determine the causes:
How long have you had your pain?
For example, acute low back pain may be from a muscle strain. Chronic low back pain is typical of restricted joints, tight muscle tissue and weakened muscle strength.
