Health blog Category: stretching
Better Performance with Stretching
No matter our active level; athlete, sedentary, a weekend warrior, young or old, the benefits of routine stretching reach far beyond rehabilitation.
What is stretching?
In general, stretching is the elongation of a muscle and is used to help prevent injury and discomfort. However, there are different types of stretching that are important to distinguish. One is best implemented as a warm-up to prepare your body for exercise and the other is best used as a cool-down to reduce post-activity muscle soreness.
Read full blogWarm Up & Cool Down to Prevent Injuries
Many people go out for a run or start a pickup game of baseball without taking the time to properly warm up or cool down afterwards. But making this part of your routine before and after playing a game, running, exercising or engaging in any high-intensity activity is crucial to preventing serious injuries.
Some of these injuries include:
- Strains and sprains
- Shin splints
- Knee injuries
- Tendinitis
- Dislocations
- Fractures
We see these types of injuries on a regular basis.
Read full blogProper Warm-ups
Do you get sore after working out? Or tend to injure yourself working out? If yes, I have a question for you—what does your warm-up look like?
Hopefully, it’s a dynamic warm-up. Dynamic warm-ups are the best type prior to activity because you are activating and stretching the muscles at the same time. This is the best way to ease your body into a workout.
More on dynamic stretching: https://loudounsportstherapy.com/warmup-stretch-performance-10-11-19
When you do not do proper warm-ups, you are at risk for:
- Acute injuries
- Muscle strains
- Ligament sprains
- Delayed onset muscle soreness
- Decreased flexibility overall
An example of a good dynamic sequence would be:
- Hamstring scoops
- High knees
- Butt kicks
- Forward lunges
- Side lunges
- Walk outs
- Jumping jacks
Your warm-up should last about 5-10 minutes and incorporate movements of the upper body and the lower body.
Read full blogPain from Posture: Get Relief TODAY!
Posture is something that we hear about all the time and it’s usually followed by “oh, I have terrible posture”.
Postural weakness in the neck is a problem many of us struggle with. We spend a lot of time sitting whether it is at a desk or on a couch and 9 times out of 10 we are looking down at some kind of a screen. This is the number one reason we have postural weakness.
Tight Muscles Causing Pain
Tight muscles can lead to decreased mobility, inability to perform every day activities and eventually lead to pain. It is also true that decreased mobility and pain can lead to tight muscles.
Hypomobility
Hypomobility or motion that is restricted due to tight muscles, can occur because of:
- Extended periods of decreased motion
- Sedentary lifestyles
- Poor posture
- Muscle imbalances
- Weakness
- Stress
- Trauma
Stretching
Stretching can be done to help reduce tight muscles leading to more range of motion and flexibility
Benefits of stretching to decrease muscle tightness include:
- Improved range of motion and flexibility
- Overall fitness
- Injury prevention
- Decreased soreness after exercise
- Improved ability to perform every day activities
The Role of PT
In order to keep this new range of motion and flexibility it should be coupled with appropriate strengthening and endurance exercises. That’s what a physical therapist can help with!
If you feel that your muscles are tight and causing pain give us a call today 703-450-4300!
We want to get you on the right path as soon as possible! It is important to be performing stretches that are appropriate for each body part with proper form, intensity, duration and frequency to avoid injury.
Read full blogFacets in Our Neck
Are you having neck pain but are not sure why? You notice you can’t turn your head as far as you used to and you are having pain and muscle spasms. If this is true, you could be experiencing cervical facet dysfunction.
What is a facet?
Facets are joints in your spine. They are located on the back and side of the bones in out spine, or vertebra. These joints play an important role in allowing our necks to move.
Read full blogUtilizing Dumbbells can Cause a Bicep Strain
With everyone doing at home workouts it’s important to be careful especially if you are just starting to do this for the first time. The bicep is that muscle that people are always striving to make big in the upper arm.
A common issue that occurs when utilizing dumbbells is a bicep strain.
The bicep’s job is to bend the elbow when we are speaking in this sense.
What is PFPS…
Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a condition in which the tendons surrounding the knee becomes inflamed. It can also be associated with damage of the cartilage behind the knee cap (patella). PFPS is very common in many people of all age ranges and activity levels.
The most common symptom is knee pain that is described as a dull ache or pain that increases with:
- Stair climbing
- Squatting movements
- Walking after sitting for a prolonged period of time
Other Symptoms of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
- Swelling, especially after exercise
- Restricted range of motion (inability to bend the knee or extend the knee without pain)
- Creaking/popping sensation along the front of the knee or when bending the knee
- Tenderness when you touch the front of the knee or inside border of kneecap
- Instability in the knee
Causes
- Overuse –running or jumping sports can often put repetitive stress on your knee joint, which can cause irritation under the kneecap or along the patella tendon.
Hurting Shoulder and No Sleep
“My shoulder pain wakes me up at night and I can’t get comfortable.”
Sound familiar?
Shoulder pain associated with sleep is one of the biggest complaints we hear when it comes to the shoulder. It is also a very common reason people seek out physical therapy.
Why is this happening?
Most often the pain occurs when lying directly on the shoulder but it can also occur laying on the uninvolved side or when on your back.
Read full blogEveryday Tasks that are Leading to Elbow Issues
Many people have heard and will use terms like “tennis elbow” and “golfer’s elbow” but what exactly is the difference?
Not much really….Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow are both overuse injuries that are caused by any activity that requires repetitive motion of the arm and wrist. The difference between the two conditions lies in where the elbow is inflamed.
Both of these conditions are forms or epicondylitis, which is a medical term for inflammation of a tendon that attaches to bone (Epicondyle) of the elbow joint.