Health blog Category: stretching
Does Getting Older Mean We Can’t Exercise…
Statistics show that roughly about one third of people 65-years-old are physically active. That’s in contrast to the roughly 80 percent of the general population. As you age you may begin to think that your body won’t be able to handle exercising, and you may just stop exercising all together. The reality is, folks over the age of 65 should be doing 150 minutes of exercise each week, per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read full blogBack Pain and Back Strains
Low back pain is one of the most common issues seen in an outpatient physical therapy clinic and the vast majority of people will experience some form of back pain at least once throughout their life. There are many different causes of low back pain, but one common cause of back pain is due to muscle strain.
Defining a Strain
Muscle strains can occur to any muscle throughout the body.
Read full blogGuide to Better Running
The way we run is a matter of energy and efficiency. We may ask ourselves how some people can run farther, faster and make it seem effortless. The trick is in how their body moves.
Our Body When Running
Our body is like a spring; it stores energy at one point in our stride and releases it to move forward. If our body is strong, flexible, and coordinated, our muscles and tendons act like elastic bands.
Read full blogHow Tight Hamstrings Can Lead To Back Pain
When we think of muscle tightness, several pictures can come to mind.
- We may think about how we’re unable to reach down and touch our toes without bending our knees (or at all)
- Some may think about how they have a hard time squatting down to tie their shoes without lifting their heels up
- The list goes on.
Muscle tightness doesn’t just hinder good form in our daily activities, but it can also lead to pain and injuries in different parts of the body.
Read full blogStretches to Alleviate Neck Pain and Improve Posture
Neck pain is a common ailment that is experienced by a large number of individuals. There are many causes of neck pain.
Possible causes of neck pain include:
- Tight muscles
- Whiplash injuries that can be caused by car accidents
- Sports related accidents and injuries.
- Poor posture which is a result of everyday activities that most individuals engage in such as using a computer, sitting for long periods of time, driving, texting.
Warm-ups and Adequate Stretching
Do you know what constitutes a complete warm-up? Too often, sports-related injuries occur and could have been easily prevented had the athlete thoroughly prepared their body for practices and games. So what is an appropriate warm-up?
Warm-ups
The warm-up, feeds the body. Whether it’s a run, a jog, a swim or a brisk walk, the change in activity does several things:
- It increased the blood supply to the muscles
- It increases the heart rate
- It begins to produce more lubrication for the smooth joint motion
Now that the body is warm, the next step is to thoroughly stretch.
Read full blogSciatica and Its’ Solution
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is nerve pain affecting the lower extremity, caused by irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve provides motor and sensory feedback to and from the lower extremity. It is the largest nerve in the body, and begins from nerve roots in the lumbar spine and extends through the buttock region down into the lower leg just under the knee.
Symptoms of Sciatica
Sciatica can cause pain, burning, numbness, or tingling radiating from the lower back down through the back of the leg.
Read full blogBursitis Pain and How it Occurs
Let’s Start by Defining Bursitis.
Our bodies are amazing and have been equipped to deal with our bones rubbing or grinding together because we have ‘joint pillows’.
Bursae are thin, lubricated cushions located at points of friction between a bone and the surrounding soft tissue. They are found all over our body including the shoulders, knees, hips, heels and elbows. These sacs cushion and lubricate our bones so they don’t grind away.
Four Rotator Cuff Muscles and What They Do
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles that help stabilize our shoulder within it’s socket as we do overhead movements. There are four muscles that make up the rotator cuff, each muscle has a different action and all must be equally strong and flexible in order to avoid a number of different shoulder injuries.
Shoulder Injuries
Rotator cuff strains are common in professions that require a lot of repetitive overhead movements and rotator cuff tears are common in sport athletes who participate in overhead motions for example baseball, tennis, and basketball.
Read full blogWarm-ups, Stretching, and Better Performance
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.
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