Exercises for Easing and Preventing Upper Back Pain

Posted on August 7, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Upper back pain and tension are common complaints, particularly when people feel stressed or spend a lot of time hunched over desks or computers. Exercises that stretch the neck, shoulders, and upper back can help relieve pain and loosen tight muscles.

Muscles tension in the shoulders can also lead to neck stiffness and headaches, so it is important not to ignore upper back pain. Regular stretching can relieve current back pain and help prevent it from returning.

In this article, we describe several exercises and stretches for easing upper back pain. For some of these exercises, it may be a good idea to use a yoga or exercise mat, rather than performing them on hard flooring.

We also cover when to see a doctor for upper back pain.

Cat-Cow Pose

To perform the Cat-Cow Pose:

Begin on all fours. The hands should be underneath the shoulders and the knees directly beneath the hips. This is the Table Pose.
Slowly arch the back upward, pushing down through the shoulders and dropping the head to the chest. This is the Cat Pose.
Hold it for a few seconds, then release it.
Return to the starting position but continue to drop the lower back toward the floor. Gently move the head back so that the chin and nose are pointing upward. This is the Cow Pose.
Hold it for a few seconds, then release it.
Return to the Table Pose and repeat the whole sequence several times.

Wall Stretch

To perform the wall stretch:

Stand with the right side of the body facing a wall.
Bend the right arm at the elbow and place the forearm against the wall. The upper arm should be completely straight so that the elbow forms a 90-degree angle.
Gently take a step forward with the right foot and twist to the left, allowing the right shoulder and upper back to stretch.
Hold the stretch for a few seconds, then return to the starting position.
Repeat the stretch several times on both sides.

Child’s Pose

To perform the Child’s Pose:

Begin in the Table Pose but bring the big toes together.
Slower lower the hips toward the floor, placing the buttocks on top of the feet. While doing this, bring the chest down to rest on the thighs and the forehead down to touch the floor.
Stretch the arms out in front, with the palms touching the floor.
Remain in this position for several breaths or as long as feels comfortable.
Pushing through the arms, slowly return to a sitting position.

Instead of extending the arms forward, a person can also try placing the arms backward beside their thighs. The palms should be facing upward.

Another variation is to stretch the right arm forward while threading the left arm under the right arm and out to the side, rotating the head to face it.

A person then repeats the stretch on the other side. This variation creates a gentle rotation and twist motion in the back and shoulders.

Trunk rotation

To perform the trunk rotation:

Lie on the back with the knees bent and the feet flat.
Gently rotate the knees to the right, keeping them bent.
Hold this position for a few seconds.
Return the knees to the center.
Repeat the stretch several times on both sides.

Neck flexion

To perform the neck flexion:

Sit or stand up straight.
Gently drop the chin to the chest, making sure to stop if there is any pain or discomfort.
Roll the head so that the right ear is down toward the right shoulder. Hold this position for a few seconds.
Keeping the chin down, slowly rotate the head back, continuing until the left ear is near the left shoulder. Hold this position for a few seconds.
Continue this gentle rotation of the head from shoulder to shoulder several times. Pause and deepen the stretch whenever there is muscle tension.

Shoulder roll

To perform the shoulder roll:

Stand or sit up straight, keeping the arms down by the sides.
Gently roll the shoulders forward, lifting them up and down in a continuous circular motion. Try to keep the arms relaxed.
Do this for around 30 seconds, then repeat it in the opposite direction.

Overhead arm reach

To perform the overhead arm reach:

Begin in a sitting or standing position.
Stretch the arms above the head.
Lean to the right, keeping both arms stretched upward. To deepen the stretch, use the right hand to gently pull the left arm to the right.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat the stretch several times on both sides.

Knee-to-chest

To perform the knee-to-chest stretch:

Begin by lying on the back.
Gently lift the legs and bend the knees, bringing them to the chest.
Hug the knees to the chest for a breath, then relax, allowing the feet to return to the floor.
Repeat a few times, as needed.

Thoracic extension

To perform the thoracic extension:

Sit on the floor.
Place the block or roller on the floor behind the body. Slowly lie back so that it supports the upper back area — the thoracic spine. The buttocks should be on the floor and the hands behind the head, supporting the head and neck.
For a deeper stretch, extend the arms above the head while bending the body backward.
Take a few deep breaths and let the back and shoulder muscles relax.
Repeat this several times.

When to see a doctor of PT

Upper back pain often gets better on its own, particularly with rest and gentle stretching.

However, see a doctor if the pain is severe or does not go away. The PT can help determine whether there is a more serious cause for the pain and can recommend treatment options.

Summary

Upper back pain is common and usually not a cause for concern. Rest, over-the-counter medications, and gentle stretches and exercises can often help relieve the pain.

See a doctor of PT for an evaluation if the pain is severe, if it does not get better, or if there are any other symptoms or concerns.

4 ways you make running harder than it should be — and How to Fix Them

Posted on July 24, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

We are always looking for ways to get faster while running, but instead of looking at the things to make you faster let’s focus on the things that are slowing you down and work to minimize their effects.

Sit too much

We spend a lot of time sitting: sitting in the car, sitting at work, sitting at school, and sitting in front of the TV the list goes on and on. Sitting may be comfortable and a useful low energy position but it can be killing your running ability. By sitting on your gluts you are deactivating the most powerful and important muscle for running. You are putting your hip flexors in a shortened position which will reduce your ability to extend your hips, another key part of running.

The Fix

Get up and move!! This is one of the easiest ways to combat too much sitting. Get up and move around every 20 min or so add some deep squats, lunges anything to get you out of that seated position for a little. This is where a sit to stand desk can come in handy to allow you to spend time in alternate positions. Also, shoot for a minimum of 5000 steps a day, these can add up quickly just walk to places you would otherwise drive to, park a little farther away or go for a short walk during your lunch break.

Slump while sitting

As if sitting by itself isn’t bad enough we tend to sit in a slumped posture with our heads jutted forward to try and be closer to the computer screen or looking down at a desk all day. This will make everything from above worse plus have an effect on your upper body posture. Your head will move forward which will place more strain on your low back as you try to hold your “bowling ball” with outstretched arms instead of close and stacked over your pelvis. Your shoulders rounded which will reduce your ability to complete a natural arm swing motion while both running and walking.

The Fix

Again get up and move around is the most important aspect to help correct this. No posture is truly bad, the only bad part is how long you stay in any given posture. Check the ergonomics of your desk, make sure you bring your computer screen towards your face not your face towards the screen. Stretch your pecks in the doorway or while lying on a foam roll to balance out the rounded posture.

Bad footwear

Many people spend a lot of time discussing the importance of X or Y type of running shoe and why each one is special or “faster”. But no one really puts much focus on the shoes they wear most of the day. You can wreak havoc on your feet by wearing hard, stiff, lifted heel shoes all day that stiffen up and weakened joints and muscles of your foot making it hard for your foot to complete its job as your initial contact to the ground while running.

The Fix

Try and get shoes with thin and flexible soles that allow your foot to move freely on the ground and adjust to variances in terrain and make the muscles of your footwork. Or even better try to fit in some barefoot time every day. You can add a little bit of barefoot running in grass or sand to the end your runs to help your feet remain strong and flexible allowing you to run better.

Just run to run

Running is a great way to exercise and improve your overall fitness but there are many things outside of running you can and should do to prepare yourself to run further, better and faster. Ideally you get into running with some level of fitness behind you or you build your way into slowly and with the proper progressions. Run the same speed, distance, and/or route over and over.

The Fix

Get your running form looked at by a professional in order to optimize your stride and become more aware of how you’re running. It’s also to mix up the distances and paces at which you run in order to create varying stresses that your body must adapt to in order to make you a stronger and more resilient runner. There are also plenty of great strengthening and alternative aerobic training activities that may not be running but can greatly help your running.

Sincerely,

Dr. Max Biessmann
PT, DPT

Graduated from the University of St Augustine with a bachelor in Microbiology from the University of California, Davis. Max began swimming competitively at the age of five and swam through college. Max also ran cross country in high school, so he naturally gravitated toward triathlon. Max has completed 10 IRONMAN races, including the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona twice, and he has a decade of swim and triathlon coaching experience. He is excited to have a career that allows me to combine the biology and scientific research-based approach with his passion for coaching and sports.

Max is excited to be the newest member of the Rausch PT team, and looking forward to helping people achieve their goals through physical therapy and all the unique opportunities available here at Rausch PT.

Click to learn more about Sean and our other physical therapists »

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for a complimentary consultation. We would love to meet you.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us too!

(949) 276-5401

Disclaimer — All the information that you find on our blogs and social media pages are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be used as your personal professional diagnosis, or treatment. Come and see us for your excellent, personalized care! https://rauschpt.net/

Your Bad Habit: Sitting

Posted on July 19, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

There is one more thing to add to the list of things that can kill you: sitting. As you’re reading this, you’re probably sitting. Ironic, isn’t it? But you may be surprised to learn that research has shown that a sedentary lifestyle, or sitting too long every day consistently, can not only increase blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight, but it can put you at greater risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and even an early death.

How long is too long?

Over half of the average person’s day is spent sitting. If you sit all day for your job, sit while driving or riding the bus to and from work, and then sit watching TV for the rest of the night, you are doing way more harm than you may realize.

A recent study has revealed that regularly sitting for over 12.5 hours a day, in durations of over 30 minutes, can have such harmful effects on the body that it can even shorten your life. With the typical office worker spending up to 15 hours a day sitting, that’s more than a little scary.

Isn’t it natural to sit?

Sitting is definitely a natural posture, and something we need to do to rest – just not as often. Think of it like eating – necessary, yet harmful if you do it too much.

Sitting too much can also cause poor circulation, inflammation and contribute to osteoporosis. We often don’t have the best posture when we sit either, tending to slouch, which puts extra stress on our back and neck, leading to aches and pains.

Does exercise help?

Some studies have shown that exercise can offset the negative effects of sitting, while others are inconclusive. However, most experts agree that we would need to exercise for at least an hour a day to counter sitting’s destructive effects. The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) recommends adults exercise for 20-30 minutes a day. 2.5 hours a week is much more doable for most of us than 7, and if we combine the recommended amount of exercise with sitting less during the day overall, we’ll be well on our way. However, if we sit for the rest of the day, we’ll undo the benefits of all that exercise.

But I have to sit for my job – what do I do?

What if you have a desk job or have a career in which you have to drive for long periods of time, like a bus driver, taxi driver or transport truck driver?

Standing isn’t necessarily the answer. People who are on their feet all day for their jobs – like construction workers and nurses – have their own discomforts. However, standing up rather than sitting when you have the chance will help offset the damaging effects of all that sitting. Here are some other things you can do at home or work:

Stand up and stretch your legs or take a quick walk every 30 minutes – even if it’s just for a minute or two
Use a sit-stand desk at work
Use an ergonomic chair
Have a walking meeting – it boosts creativity!
Always take the stairs
Stand or walk while talking on the phone
Get up during every commercial break, or watch TV while using a treadmill or elliptical
Make sure to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day
Whatever you do, keep moving as much as possible throughout the day.

Take a stand

Obviously, we still need to sit down, and that’s fine. But since limiting sedentary time is just as important to overall health as eating healthy and exercising, we should be more conscious about breaking up how long we sit, and our total sitting time each day.

If you find yourself in discomfort or think you could benefit from a personalized exercise plan, talk to a
Physical Therapist.

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for a complimentary assessment.
Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us?
(949) 443-0713

{Reference: https://www.pthealth.ca/blog/your-bad-habit-sitting/}

5 Reasons (You May Not Have Thought of) to See a Physical Therapist

Posted on July 5, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Physical therapy might not be your first thought when it comes to nagging back pain, pesky headaches or even helping to control diabetes. But maybe it should be. Physical therapy (or PT as it’s commonly called) isn’t just for severe pain or after an accident or injury. PT encourages movement across all healthcare practices, from a fall to joint replacement to chronic shoulder pain. PT can be used to improve your ability to enjoy the activities that you love to do.

Here are five things that PT can help you manage:

Improve mobility, balance, and strength. Physical therapists are movement advocates. Part of their job is to teach you about cause and effect in the human body. Knee pain could be the result of needing to strengthen your hips, while carpal tunnel and neck pain could be the result of typing and texting too much. Physical therapy can help you adjust how you move in everyday activities as well as improve your form when you exercise. It’s important to be proactive about physical therapy and taking care of your body mechanics. A good PT will help explain why your body is reacting in a certain way and work with you to address and correct it.
Avoid surgery. While surgery is sometimes unavoidable, pre-surgical PT (sometimes referred to as “pre-hab”) can help ease recovery time and may provide a better outcome post-surgery. Some patients have seen such an increase in motion and a reduction in pain after going to PT that they’ve opted out of surgery altogether.

Prevent injury. There’s a good chance you’ve never seen a physical therapist unless you were injured, but it’s a good idea to treat PT as a form of preventative care. Maybe you want to have a competitive sports advantage or work on your posture. A good PT will learn about your activity level and teach you about what can be done to prevent injury — including how to be more aware when it comes to movement.
Manage aging. As we age we are at risk to lose muscle mass and strength, making it harder to balance our own body weight. PT can help address joint pain, arthritic pain, and osteoarthritis issues. It’s also important for aging adults to learn to make modifications and adjustments for everyday activities (like getting up out of a chair or walking up and down steps). PT can help you move with confidence and decrease the risk of falls and injury as you get older.

Help control diseases or condition. Physical therapy extends well beyond rehabilitation centers. Some physical therapists are trained to help people with conditions involving their heart, lung or weight — or specialize in treating pelvic floor pain and dysfunction. People with type 2 diabetes, for example, can benefit from physical therapy as physical conditioning assists with weight loss through movement potentially reducing the need for medications and reducing the risk for heart disease and stroke. Another area of focus in PT is helping to manage neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. When it comes to physical therapy, movement is medicine — and sometimes the worst medication prescribed after being diagnosed with an illness is “bed rest.”

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for a complimentary consultation. We would love to meet you.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us too!

(949) 276-5401

{Source: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/5-reasons-you-may-not-have-thought-of-to-see-a-physical-therapist}

How to Prevent Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Other Major Knee Injuries in 30 minutes or Less

Posted on June 18, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

It is no surprise that knee injuries account for 60% of all high school sport-related injuries, and more specifically ACL injuries are the most common and account for 50% of knee injuries. The most vulnerable population(s) being at risk for these injuries are those 12-25 years old, female, and play high-risk sports
(i.e. soccer, basketball, volleyball, skiing). You always hear about “so and so just blew their ACL and now they are out for the rest of the season,” or maybe that so and so was you and it ended your glory days prematurely. There is usually a long and extensive rehab process and you can’t help but compare notes to your friends. But why is it that no one ever explicitly talks about how to prevent these injuries in the first place? Sure, you’ve done your pre-game warm-up or post-game cool-down, but how effective is it really?

The good news is, there are exercise-based knee injury prevention programs that ARE super effective in decreasing the risk of a major knee injury (i.e. ACL, MCL, LCL, PCL, meniscus tears, and patellofemoral disorders). In September 2018, the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT) released a brand-spankin’ new set of clinical practice guidelines highlighting recommendations for the use of such programs. For your reference, clinical practice guidelines are recommendations intended to optimize patient care that are informed by a systematic review of evidence. A systematic review is basically the highest quality of scientific research out there that you can trust.

Please reach out to Rebecca Gasca, PT, DPT at Rausch PT and Sports Performance if you’d like help implementing a program individually or for your team!

JOSPT Clinical Practice Guidelines

Click Here To Learn More

HarmoKnee

Click Here To Learn More

Knäkontroll

Click Here To Learn More

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for an initial evaluation and assessment. We would love to meet you.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us too!

(949) 276-5401

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3867093/

https://www.jospt.org/doi/full/10.2519/jospt.2018.0303

Five Reasons to See a Physical Therapist in 2019

Posted on June 13, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Are you 50, nearing 50, or older? Did you know orthopedic pain is the leading cause of disability for this age group in the United States and around the world? (“Orthopedic” means a part of the body that moves is not working correctly or is painful, and “disability” means that someone cannot live their fullest life, like work normally, spend time with their family normally, or easily play with their grandchildren.) All of these issues are treatable and even preventable with the help of a qualified physical therapist.

Here are Five Reasons to See a Physical Therapist in 2019

1. You want to age greatly, not just gracefully.

Not every 70-year-old patient I see looks and acts the same. The ones that exercise regularly and include exercise as a lifelong habit look and act about 10-15 years younger than their peers. In the game of life, from a physical therapist’s standpoint, those who are able to move, walk and live freely without disability wins!

A physical therapist’s goal is to keep you moving until the very end with good power, good motion, good balance and a high quality of life. Good physical therapy is the key to your overall good health. Please refer to an earlier blog about How to Find a Good PT.

2. You want relief from orthopedic pain.

In a study published at Life’s Work Physical Therapy, physical therapy was found to be effective in treating all types of pain in all body parts for both new and older injuries. In fact, the patients in the study had more relief from physical therapy than from pain medications! And the best part is physical therapy is not addictive and you can’t overdose on it.

3. You want to get stronger, improve your balance or sports performance as you age.

Physical therapists know how to detect injury, and how normal aging is associated with typical orthopedic problems. Time and “miles” on the body create typical “wear and tear” issues related to aging. Starting in the third decade of life, people lose 5% of their muscle mass per decade if they don’t lift weights to counteract this aging effect. By age 50, we lose 10% of our muscle power if we do not lift weights or do resistance training to maintain our strength!

Physical therapists are specially trained to diagnose injury and prescribe exercises appropriate for your age, injury, and lifestyle. A physical therapist can assist with strengthening and flexibility to combat the effects of aging.

4. You want to treat or avoid orthopedic injuries.

When it comes to detecting small injuries in the orthopedic system, physical therapists are pros! Those wear and tear injuries like small rotator cuff tears or gluteal weakness are easily found during a thorough physical therapy examination. Identifying orthopedic weaknesses and issues before they become painful is key to injury prevention. In addition, physical therapy helps to not only strengthen or stretch trouble areas but prevent future injuries. Don’t wait until it’s painful, get ahead of your injury.

5. You want to invest in your long-term health.

What’s a healthy, working body worth to you? These days, with increasing insurance costs and more out-of-pocket expenses for patients, we hear patients make poor decisions about spending money on themselves when it comes to physical therapy. If it costs you $500 to $1000 to see a physical therapist who can help prevent or treat a rotator cuff tear, treat early arthritis of the knee to avoid joint replacement, help you run with no pain (or better yet, run faster), or help relieve back pain so you can pick up your grandchild, then it’s worth it! Skip the daily Starbucks, pack your lunches and invest in your health!

An excellent physical therapist makes all the difference in how you age. Find one that works well with you and keep them on your team. You can usually access a physical therapist directly without going to your doctor first. Research physical therapists in your area or ask a trusted friend/family member for a recommendation. At Life’s Work Physical Therapy, we often see patients referred to us from other patients. Because we take care of very complex and stubborn injuries and have an Annual Physical program, patients who have failed to improve with other treatments or who want preventative care seek us out. Most physical therapists accept insurance but be prepared to pay some out-of-pocket expenses. Remember, you get out of it what you put into it. Physical therapists partner with you to get the results you desire. Your effort is essential in recovery and prevention! Physical therapists love helping people get well, and it only works if you follow the instructions and advice provided by your physical therapist.

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for a complimentary assessment.
Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us?
(949) 443-0713

{Source: https://lifesworkpt.com/2019/02/five-reasons-to-see-a-physical-therapist-in-2019}

Solo Step Overhead Track and Harness System: Your Partner in Recovery

Posted on May 23, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

The road to recovery can be a daunting road for clients as they navigate the sometimes challenging demands of physical therapy. However, PT need not be accompanied by apprehension or anxiety about falling down or losing your balance during treatment. We use the Solo Step Overhead Track and Harness System to supports individuals as they work on their mobility and range of motion. Ideal for clients overcoming a variety of ailments, from Parkinson’s to amputations, the suspension system comfortably and safely supports PT clients as they work through their therapy without risk of falling down or injuring themselves due to losing balance. The Solo Step Overhead Track and Harness System allows you to work smarter, not harder, in your recovery.

By implementing the Solo Step Overhead Track and Harness System in your recovery, we aim to achieve the goals of not only aiding our clients on their road to recovery but also to help eliminate or reduce pain, to help restore range of motion as well as to allow clients the opportunity to work on their recovery with confidence. The clients are securely fastened within a harness, allowing them the freedom to work through their therapy without fear of slips or falls. When there is one hundred percent safety from accidents, clients can work on balance, strength, and recovery in a controlled and safe environment, thereby expediting their recovery while allowing them a space to challenge themselves and the way their body moves.

The Solo Step Overhead Track and Harness System also helps those with neurological and orthopedic disorders as well as high-performance athletes. Its benefits are limitless and it aids in the recovery of many types of patients. It’s easy to use while reducing the fear of strain or pain, which allows the physical therapist to step away from the patient and monitor full-body alignment and movement. The Solo Step Overhead Track and Harness System is another tool our PTs use to access methods of treatments that help to aid in recovery while limiting risk and strain on the individual.

Pack PT has the systems and the knowledge to aid you in a speedy recovery! Our team of experts has both the passion and the experience to provide you with the support and the programming to get you back to feeling like your strong and capable self! Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PackPhysicalTherapy or give us a call at 949.443.0713 to learn about the ways we can get you back to feeling like the best version of yourself!

Rausch Physical Therapy’s 13th Anniversary ¡Fiesta!

Posted on May 1, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Calling all current patients, past patients, friends, family and our entire community of support! Rausch PT is turning 13 🎉1️⃣3️⃣🎈 We wouldn’t be where we are today without you all, so please come celebrate another amazing year and join us at our Annual Anniversary ¡Fiesta!

We’ll have a taco cart and margarita truck (plus a few other fun surprises 😉) here at the clinic from 5:30-8:30 PM, and since it’s Tuesday night that means you can also join our Tuesday Night Run crew before stuffing your face! Families & kids welcome.

Please RSVP here to let us know you’re coming by… we’d love to see you!

[button link=”https://www.facebook.com/events/310094963223424/” size=”large” color=”blue” align=”center” target=”_blank” ]RSVP now[/button]

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for an initial evaluation and assessment. We would love to meet you.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us too!

(949) 276-5401

Dear Parents: Stop Overusing Your Kids

Posted on April 24, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Originally published August 17, 2015

Dear Parents of Young Athletes:

As a physical therapist, I have the privilege to work with many of your young all-stars. Some of your kids are here to recover from an injury as quickly as possible so they can get back to competing; others come in for injury prevention so they don’t go down again; and still more are simply going above-and-beyond to understand how their body works so they can push their limits. A few of these young athletes are simply, hyper-focused individuals, self-driven to be the best in their sport, and I’m always impressed by their desire to be here and get better. Unfortunately more often than not, your kids are here because of you, the parent.

Parents are pushing their young athletes to perform and—this is going to be hard for some of you to hear—it’s usually too hard, too much and too fast.

From talking to your kids while they’re on my table, I’ve learned that it’s not uncommon for young athletes to have practice twice a day, sometimes for up to four to six hours a day, just for one sport! Whether it’s swimming, running track, or playing baseball, what this means is that your kids are performing one repetitive, sport-specific movement pattern for hours at a time, day after day, for many, many months straight.

Our bodies were not meant to perform one type of movement pattern for the amount of time that most of these athletes are putting in. Kids used to play a variety of sports throughout the year, which provided the body with more diversity and helped avoid overusing one set of muscle groups. However, our society’s current fascination with the specialization of one particular sport has dramatically increased the tendency of our young athletes to overdevelop particular muscle groups without any counter balance. Over time, the overuse of these muscle groups results in an overwhelming demand that their young bodies simply cannot support, which then leads to the injuries plaguing our children these days.

A prime example of this issue is a young soccer player. Between high school and club games, practices and tournaments, she’s essentially playing soccer year-round. She continues to push her body over and over, month after grueling month, for just this one sport. The result? Her quadriceps become too dominate; her hamstrings, glutes and outside stabilizers are basically non-existent because of the lack of strength training in her other muscle groups. This can potentially lead to an ACL tear, which studies show are up 400% over the last decade.

So whether you like to hear it or not, the fact of the matter is kids are suffering more overuse injuries these days, which ironically leads to a decrease in their overall playing time. You think you have your kid on the path to the Olympics, but instead they’re headed to my PT table with an increased risk of surgeries and chronic joint pain later on in life.

Now don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great that these young athletes are so determined to become the next Mike Trout, Michael Phelps, Misty May-Treanor and so on, but the emphasis on overtraining is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. It all starts with you, parents! Can you be the difference maker in your young athletes’ lives?

Please take caution in playing your young athlete for more than eight months consecutively in a given year. A lot of these injuries can be prevented through multiple sport play, active rest and coming in to see one of our sport-specific PTs here at Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance as soon as your child starts showing warning signs of overuse injury (Remember, if they’re in pain, they should have been in here weeks ago.)

With proper injury prevention knowledge and tools, together we can help reduce this alarming overuse injury trend and keep our kids happy, healthy and in the game much longer.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Meltzer, PT, DPT

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Statistics and Additional Reading:

Jonathan Meltzer graduated from the University of Redlands with a bachelor of arts in biology and a minor in physical education. Following graduation, Jonathan discovered his passion for physical therapy while working as a Physical Therapy Aide. After graduating top of his class from Loma Linda University in 2012 with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, Jonathan began his career at Rausch Physical Therapy and Sports Performance. Jonathan’s goals are to identify limitations and treat his patients with the most recent and innovative techniques in order to maximize functional independence and obtain his patients’ individual goals.
Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for an initial evaluation and assessment. We would love to meet you.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us too!

(949) 276-5401

Six Ways to Avoid Painful “Text Neck”

Posted on April 5, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Your screen addiction isn’t just straining your eyes and relationships; over time, your neck muscles can become stretched out and weakened while others become tight and painful as they struggle to stabilize your head in front of your body. Poor posture due to hours of mindless scrolling and tapping could be at the root of the chronic soreness and pain in your head, neck, shoulders, and back. PT Ashley Heller shares her six tips for avoiding the painful condition “Text Neck.”

BY ASHLEY HELLER, PT, MPT, RAUSCH PHYSICAL THERAPY

I constantly notice patients looking down at their phones—texting while in the waiting room, scrolling through Instagram while on the table, checking their work calendar to schedule their next appointment. These days, most everybody relies on their smartphone to stay connected to the world, and almost everyone is guilty of looking down at our phones.

While there’s no question that having technology at our fingertips is entertaining and convenient, it can also be a pain in the neck—literally. So, what can we do to prevent the pain associated with the dreaded “Text Neck?”

What is “Text Neck?”

What many people fail to realize is that repetitive or habitual postures over time related to texting, reading, and working on the computer may lead to long-term effects on the way we feel. Over time, the neck muscles become stretched out and weakened while others become tight and painful as they struggle to stabilize your head in front of your body. Poor posture over a prolonged period of time can lead to postural dysfunction resulting in chronic soreness and pain in your head, neck, shoulders, and back.
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What’s the science?

Postural syndrome occurs when prolonged stress is placed on the neck
The average human head weighs 10-12 pounds in a neutral position
The further bent forward your head is, the more weight your neck has to support:
- 15º = 27 pounds
- 30º = 40 pounds
- 45º = 49 pounds
- 60º = 60 pounds

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Symptoms of Text Neck

Headaches or migraines
Pain in neck and or between the shoulder blades
Numbness or tingling down the arm
Shoulder pain

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Long-term effects of Text Neck

Prolonged posture strains your neck muscles and cervical facet joints, resulting in soreness and inflammation in that area. It also flattens the normal curve of your neck, which can lead to:

Headaches
Nerve pain in neck or arms
Disc degeneration or herniations
Arthritis resulting in neck stiffness, as well as arthritis in the neck joints

Text Neck also can also cause a rounded shoulders posture, which can affect the mechanics of the shoulder and may result in shoulder impingement. You’re also more susceptible to a condition called Upper Crossed Syndrome, which occurs when the muscles in the neck, shoulders, and chest become deformed causing things like a hunched back or chronic shoulder, upper back and neck pain.

Six ways to combat and avoid Text Neck

The good news is that it’s not too late to make changes to undo any damage your screen addiction may be inflicting on your body. These tips can also apply while reading or working on your computer or tablet.

1. Be aware of your posture. Pay attention to the way you are sitting or standing and how long you have been in that position.
2. Listen to your body. When you feel neck pain starting, correct your posture immediately by getting out of a slumped position, then find a neutral spine posture by sitting upright while aligning your ears with your shoulders.
3. Bring your phone up to eye level to reduce strain to your neck while you are texting.

Text with your arms supported to decrease strain to the neck.
Don’t stay in one position for too long. You now know that prolonged postures can lead to muscle strains, so get up and move around! You should also use a foam roll, tennis ball or lacrosse ball to decrease tissue tension in your upper back.
See a physical therapist. If you’re already feeling the painful symptoms of Text Neck in your neck, upper back or shoulders, schedule an appointment with a physical therapist. We’re experts in musculoskeletal dysfunction, and we can create a specific plan of care combining manual therapy and therapeutic exercises to help you find relief and change your texting habits for good.

Ashley Heller, MPT is a licensed physical therapist at Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance. She received her Masters of Physical Therapy degree at California State University, Long Beach and is passionate about working with patients with shoulder, knee and ankle injuries. With background in orthopedic-related injuries and post-operative rehabilitation, Ashley believes that the combination of manual therapy and personalized therapeutic exercise program is vital to recovery. Known as the Water Sports PT, Ashley says her goal is to help her patients better understand their injuries and the plan for their road to recovery.

Click to learn more about Ashley and our other physical therapists »
Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for an initial evaluation and assessment. We would love to meet you.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us too!

(949) 276-5401

Sports Injury Prevention Tips

Posted on April 1, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Sadly, medical science has yet to figure out how to clearly identify people who are at risk for sports injuries. Injuries happen, but we mostly don’t know why they happen to the people they happen to, so prevention is a bit of a crapshoot. This article reviews some of the closest things we have to evidence-based injury prevention options.

But first, let’s deal with a classic tactic that is not evidence-based …

Stretching ain’t it

Weekend warriors and a lot of amateur athletes tend to believe that injury prevention is pretty much all about having a stretching regimen, and they are usually feeling guilty about not doing it enough. If I had a buck for every time I’ve heard someone say, just before a game of ultimate, “I should really do some stretching” … well, heck, I could afford to play ultimate for a living.

Lucky for them, they aren’t really missing anything important. As established elsewhere, stretching doesn’t really work for the things people think it does, and it is particularly useless at preventing injury. Here are five ways to prevent injury that are a much better use of your time …

Train in the Goldilocks Zone: manage your training “load”

One of the few things we know for sure is that injury is linked to training “load”— how hard and quickly your tissues are challenged. So load management is one of the best overall strategies for preventing injuries. What “load management” mostly means is avoiding spikes and lulls in training and competition where possible … and when they do occur, be more cautious for a while. Train regularly and moderately, with only moderate increases in load.

That’s the tip of the iceberg on the topic of load management. It’s simple in principle, but the devil is in the details. In 2016, a panel of experts for the International Olympic Committee covered all of those details in an exhaustive scientific paper on this topic, “How much is too much?” Here are the main points they made, translated to plain English:

There’s not enough research, surprise, and what we do know is mostly from limited data about a few specific sports. But there’s enough to be confident that “load management” overall is definitely important.
Both illness and injury seem to have a similar relationship to load — lots of overlap.
Too much and not enough load probably increase the risk of both injury and illness. You want to be in the Goldilocks zone! But the devil is in the details …
Not everyone is vulnerable to high load, and elite athletes are the most notable exception: they are relatively immune to the risks of overload, probably because of genetic gifts. Everyone else gets weeded out!
Big load changes — dialing intensity up or down too fast — are much bigger risks than absolute load. If you methodically work your way up to a high load, it may even be protective.
“Load” can also refer to non-sport stressors and “internal” loads, which are legion. Psychology, for instance, probably does matter anything from daily hassles to major emotional challenges, as well as stresses related to the sport itself.

Most of the tips below are really just diving deeper into the implications of load management.

Warm up

The best simple way to prevent injury is to warm up. Prepare for any intense activity by doing a similar activity less intensely. In other words, start slow! To warm up your tissues, you need metabolic activity: the heat causes physical changes in connective tissues that make them more pliable. Many more complex benefits arise from the stimulus of mild physiological stress.Mobilizations are an excellent warm-up method, but really it’s just a matter of starting intense activities slowly.

Conversely, don’t overdo it. I’ve seen sports teams scrimmage for an hour before game time. I think that’s crazy: players go into a competition not only warmed up but worn out. In competition, you can’t afford to give up any resources, and you only have so much juice in a day — no matter how fit you are. Athletes get hurt far more when they are fatigued than when they’re fresh.

And speaking of being tired …

Get your zzzleep

As just mentioned, fatigue is a major risk factor for injury. Sleep deprivation is an almost universally underestimated problem. It’s a major factor in chronic pain. It impairs athletic performance, getting more sleep boosts performance, and injury rates and recovery are probably affected too.

People who actually do get enough sleep are extremely rare, and of course, actual insomnia is a common problem. Insomnia treatment is not as hard as people think, and it’s a great indirect injury prevention tip, something that is definitely relevant to performance and injury risk — but has nothing to do with what you’re doing before, during, or after workouts.

Cultivate coordination

Many traumatic injuries are probably caused by minor glitches in coordinating fast, powerful movements — an inability to sense and respond to traumatic forces at just the right time, either from lack of developed skill and/or fatigue. Creating coordination takes practice at complex and specific tasks (working within genetic advantages and disadvantages). But you can make some progress simply challenging yourself with a wide variety of activity and sensations, and coordination can be improved. For instance, a particularly long-term study followed a men’s basketball team for six years, tracking their injury rates in response to “classic proprioceptive [coordination] exercises” — which seemed to clearly reduce ankle sprains, and possibly more.

Balance is one of the most basic elements of coordination and isn’t much of a concern for younger athletes, but it becomes one for older adults — and even fit older people fall just as much as their less active counterparts. Fortunately, if you practice tasks that require balance, your balance will usually get better (as long as there’s no medical issue). And better balance means fewer falls.

Play smart, not hard

Many injuries are caused by excessive and misdirected effort! That might seem like a bit of a no brainer, but people need to learn this. I certainly did. It is one of the great lessons of martial arts.

I remember the day I learned this lesson in ultimate, watching an older woman play. She seemed unlikely to be competitive — she was simply too old, and a little overweight. In fact, it turned out that she was the best player on the field that day, entirely because she was clever. I particularly remember how little she ran. Although there were certainly bursts of intensity, her effort was precise and savvy, and time and again she got the better of other players with only a fraction of the sweat.

One particularly important way of playing smart is to relax into intense challenges …

Chill out, man

Adaptability prevents injury, and rigidity is the opposite of adaptability. Relaxation is more psychological than golf. To purge rigidity from your system, you will have to go on the journey of self-exploration: most tension is emotional and protective. You won’t be able to relax and be “comfortable in your own skin” until you know yourself better. Meanwhile, you’ll get more injury prevention mileage.

Part II: Collateral and re-injury prevention

Don’t underestimate the importance of prevention … after you’ve already been injured! After an injury, you should double-down on injury prevention.

The risk of re-injury and collateral injury is a significant factor in many cases of chronic pain. Minor re-injury can stop healing in its tracks, or at least slow it down. Injury “prevention” is therefore not just a way of keeping yourself from getting injured in the first place, but directly relevant to recovery from obvious injuries that have already happened. Double or triple your alertness and caution when limited by an injury, and bear in the mind the risk of minor re-injury turning an injury into a chronic pain problem.

We’re not just talking about the risk of a second “oh @#$!&” moment, dramatically re-injuring your injury, although that can certainly happen: re-injury routinely occurs in small, sneakier ways. And every minor re-injury impedes recovery. Minor re-injuries can be so subtle that you aren’t even really aware that it’s happening — all you know is, you aren’t getting better fast enough. (Although it’s awfully hard to tell how fast is fast enough.

Good health care professionals are always considering the “aggravating factors” of their patients’ pain problems. What factors in patients’ lives are making the problem worse? What keeps people from healing? What adds insult to injury? In a sense, almost every “aggravating factor” is basically just a kinda re-injury. You could call them “micro” re-injuries.

When you are trying to figure out why your injury isn’t healing, do not neglect this important perspective: could you be slightly re-injuring yourself regularly? Have you actually removed from the equation any forces that might be, even just slightly, hurting you again … and again … and again …?

Injury déja vu: the risk of real re-injury

Obviously, injured parts are vulnerable. A classic example of re-injury is the ankle sprain. The anterior talofibular ligament in the ankle is the most commonly injured structure in the body — and undoubtedly the most commonly re-injured structure in the body. Once it is damaged, it is never the same again. The chances of having a second ankle sprain are way higher than the chances of having the first. Almost exactly the same is true of muscle strains (“pulled” muscles), one of the most common athletic injuries.

People also often continue doing the very same activity that injured them in the first place. Like me, for instance: for years, I had almost annual compression sprains of my thumb joint — a “thumb jam,” well known to rugby players — from playing ultimate. I was at great risk for re-injury because I kept exposing myself to the same dangers, and the thumb was so damaged that virtually any impact constituted a real hazard, flaring it up again for weeks.

The need to avoid re-injury might seem too obvious to even bother writing about. But the failure to do so isn’t just an amateur mistake made by people too eager to get back to normal after an injury. For decades, patients have often been encouraged to do so by professionals, to the point of serious risk. It’s been in vogue in physical therapy for a long time now to “mobilize” injuries as quickly as possible — probably too much in vogue. In the zeal to get people on their feet again ASAP, serious sprains — which are worse than fractures in some ways — are almost never put in a cast. Turns out that’s a mistake. A 2009 experiment published in the Lancet presents clear evidence that a full cast for a severe ankle sprain is superior to the almost universal practice of using braces and tubular compression bandages. The editors write, “This elegant study highlights the need for trials to address common problems.” n other words, it has not been common sense to make re-injury avoidance a top priority.

In many contexts, getting active makes complete sense — but doing it prematurely can be a disaster. You definitely have to consider the risk of re-injury when you are trying to heal.

Collateral injury: when you are hurt, you are at higher risk for completely different kinds of injuries

One of my clients had a shoulder injury — an ordinary thing, no big deal, just a little rotator cuff lesion, a tear in the muscles around the shoulder socket. Unfortunately, it impaired her ability to catch herself when she tripped and fell. It is amazing — shocking, really — just how hard you fall when you aren’t able to catch yourself. She fell face first onto a curb, and fractured her jaw and facial bones severely … a much more grievous injury than the original shoulder injury.

This kind of thing is surprisingly common. Patients with injuries need to be wide-awake alert to the fact that you are more vulnerable when you’ve been injured!

Being injured is an unfamiliar state, and it’s the “weirdness” of that state — the new sensations, and limitations — that gets people into trouble. An injury basically induces poor coordination (some more than others). Just like a child needs to be warned to look both ways before crossing the street, injured people — especially if they’ve never been injured seriously before — need to be warned to be much more alert to potential dangers.

Masking symptoms

A major mechanism for re-injury is the overconfidence given by masking symptoms with medication. Pain killers and anti-inflammatories, when they are effective, can make you feel less vulnerable than you actually are. And that’s when you’re going to go too far and hurt yourself … again. And you may not even realize it, both because of the masking and because it doesn’t have to be serious re-injury to really slow down recovery.

“Masking symptoms,” especially with medications, is often maligned because it doesn’t “treat the root cause.” But masking symptoms can be a good idea, and it should not be eschewed just because it doesn’t have a real healing effect … because there are very few real healing effects! “Healing” is mainly about removing impediments to natural recoveries, like stress on tissues. It’s not dictated by some mythical power to speed healing, but by a strong understanding of the nature of the problem and what pisses it off and impedes recovery. Focus on facilitating natural recovery, and don’t knock a little “symptom relief” along the way.

But, if you decide you need some symptom relief, you must exercise more cautiously.

Let’s talk! Give us a call for a complimentary assessment.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us?
(949) 443-0713

[https://www.painscience.com/articles/injury-prevention.php]

How to “Eat to Heal” During Recovery

Posted on March 21, 2019October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

When you are recovering from surgery or acute injury, focusing on how to fuel your body can make a huge difference in your rehab success and recovery time. PT Kevin Capata shares five simple tips to help you get started building the habits for “eating to heal.”

BY KEVIN CAPATA, PT, DPT, CSCS, RAUSCH PHYSICAL THERAPY

So, you’ve been coming to physical therapy twice per week for a month now, you’ve been doing all your exercises at home, you even had a therapeutic massage and tried Pilates! And yet, that pain in your back continues to linger. What gives?

There is more than just musculoskeletal injury that affects pain levels, in fact there are a myriad of other factors that can contribute to chronic pain, such as age, gender, weight, genetics, activity level, stress, and sleeping patterns, but the one most often overlooked is diet and nutrition. While physical therapists do not have the training and education to prescribe specific dietary plans like a dietician or nutritionist can, it is within our scope to understand how nutrition can aid or hinder our patient’s road to recovery.

When you are recovering from surgery or acute injury, focusing on how to fuel your body can make a huge difference in your rehab success and recovery time.

Don’t be scared of calories

Some patients, especially if they cannot walk or exercise like they normally do, try not to consume too many calories because they’re afraid of gaining weight while they’re recovering. While you obviously want to avoid over-eating, what is even more detrimental is under-eating and risking a caloric deficit, which will slow down recovery by stimulating muscle loss.

When you are recovering from injury, the dietary and nutritional requirements are similar to those during muscle growth. Our metabolism actually speeds up in order to help us heal–while it is a large range, we will burn somewhere between 5-50% more calories/day when recovering from injury. So if you want to recover quickly, limiting your caloric intake is not the answer!

Anti-Inflammatory foods are your friend

To prevent excessive inflammation that results from the stress our bodies go through while trying to heal from surgery or injury, the key is to fuel up with adequate nutrients and “anti-inflammatory” foods. Go for dietary fats high in omega-3, such as salmon, sardines, olive oil, walnuts, almonds, and avocado, as well as fruits and veggies high in anti-inflammatory properties, such as blueberries, strawberries, cherries, spinach, kale, and other dark leafy greens. You can search online for more anti-inflammatory food ideas, just remember that whole foods (not the grocery store, but real food that comes from the ground!) is always preferred to supplements or packaged or processed goods.

Protein is power

After the inflammatory phase of healing, you have to go through the proliferation and remodeling phases. Musculoskeletal injuries cause a decrease in your muscles’ ability to integrate protein, known as “anabolic resistance.” To ensure patients recovering from injury maintain the ability to build strength and decrease the chance of disuse atrophy, I recommend integrating at least 1.0 g/kg/BW of protein into their diet.

However, keep in mind that not all protein is created equal. When you can’t get it from natural food sources (e.g. beans, quinoa, eggs, fish, lean meats, nut butters, etc.) then look for supplements containing “whey” protein. Unless you have a dietary restriction and can’t consume dairy products, “whey” should be your first choice ; it is digested faster than other sources like soy or vegan and it has a greater anabolic response to aid in healing processes.

Five simple tips to eat to heal

“Actually it’s remarkable how much consensus there is about the fundamentals of healthy eating… diets that emphasize vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds, beans, lentils, water for thirst, and food that’s minimally processed. These findings have been reaffirmed again and again. The fundamentals are there.”
-Dr. David Katz MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, FACLM (Founding Director of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, and current President of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine)

Dr. Katz said it best, “If people stay confused about what a healthy diet is, you can keep selling the next diet book.” Doing something, anything at all, is always better than nothing at all! Take action and follow these simple tips to get started building the habits to eat to heal:

Shop on the perimeter of the grocery store. This will force you to buy minimally processed foods, and eat as close to the earth as possible.
Do not overthink it, and be realistic with yourself. You will sometimes have to resort to processed foods, such as energy bars, rice and beans, or nut butters. Just keep the “grandmother rule” in mind: If your grandma would recognize the ingredients listed on the package, then you should be good to go!
Plan ahead and do some prep work. Again, KEEP IT SIMPLE. The more you complicate things, the less likely you are to follow through with it. When you are prepared and have meals or snacks planned out, you will automatically make better food choices when those “HANGRY” moments strike. Figure out what you want to eat for the week, write out a plan and list of ingredients you may need, and take action!
Quit restricting yourself with fad diets or strict rules. This way of thinking and eating is not sustainable, and while it may lead to short term results, your long term health will suffer. Instead, eat with a purpose besides weight, looks or performance. Make eating a pleasurable experience, as it should be! Chew your food, take note of how it tastes, try new ingredients or recipes with your loved ones, and enjoy it without feeling guilty.
Start with small, short term goals, then build upon those habits. Each week decide on one new habit that you are going to be consistent with. It could be making breakfast at home each morning, cooking dinner with mainly vegetables twice per week, or just making an effort to stop eating when satisfied rather than grossly full. Regardless of the new habit, the idea is to make a few small changes and let them build upon each other.

You can make this concept of “eating to heal” complicated by asking too many questions: “Exactly what do I eat?” “How often?” “How much, and at what time?” What it really boils down to is this: Eat mainly fruits and veggies, whole grains, small portions of meat, and minimally processed foods.

For some more pointers on tasty recipes and ways to make it simple but good, check out my Instagram @thelifestylephysio and message me your questions or concerns!

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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References

Katz D, reThink Food, 2016. ‘THE FUNDAMENTALS OF GOOD NUTRITION ACTUALLY HAVEN’T CHANGED FOR DECADES’.
Magne H, Savary-Auzeloux I, Rémond D, Dardevet D. Nutritional strategies to counteract muscle atrophy caused by disuse and to improve recovery. Nutr Res Rev. 2013 Dec;26(2):149-65.
Mercer L, The Role of Nutrition in Physical Therapy. NGPT.com 2017.
Wall BT, Morton JP, van Loon LJ. Strategies to maintain skeletal muscle mass in the injured athlete: nutritional considerations and exercise mimetics. Eur J Sport Sci. 2015;15(1):53-62.

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Kevin Capata, PT, DPT, CSCS is a licensed physical therapist at Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance. After receiving his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at Columbia University, Kevin started his career at Rausch PT, where he used to work as a physical therapy aide. Now, Kevin enjoys helping his patients recognize and fix movement faults to help them overcome their injury or pain, as well as empowering them with the knowledge and tools to prevent re-injury or potential new injuries.

Click to learn more about Kevin and our other physical therapists »

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for an initial evaluation and assessment. We would love to meet you.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us too!

(949) 276-5401

Cat-Cow Pose

Wall Stretch

Child’s Pose

Trunk rotation

Neck flexion

Shoulder roll

Overhead arm reach

Knee-to-chest

Thoracic extension

When to see a doctor of PT

Summary

Sit too much

The Fix

Slump while sitting

The Fix

Bad footwear

The Fix

Just run to run

The Fix

Sincerely,

Dr. Max Biessmann PT, DPT

How long is too long?

Isn’t it natural to sit?

Does exercise help?

But I have to sit for my job – what do I do?

Take a stand

JOSPT Clinical Practice Guidelines

HarmoKnee

Knäkontroll

Here are Five Reasons to See a Physical Therapist in 2019

1. You want to age greatly, not just gracefully.

2. You want relief from orthopedic pain.

3. You want to get stronger, improve your balance or sports performance as you age.

4. You want to treat or avoid orthopedic injuries.

5. You want to invest in your long-term health.

Dear Parents of Young Athletes:

Sincerely,

Jonathan Meltzer, PT, DPT

Statistics and Additional Reading:

What is “Text Neck?”

What’s the science?

Symptoms of Text Neck

Long-term effects of Text Neck

Six ways to combat and avoid Text Neck

Stretching ain’t it

Train in the Goldilocks Zone: manage your training “load”

Warm up

Get your zzzleep

Cultivate coordination

Play smart, not hard

Chill out, man

Part II: Collateral and re-injury prevention

Injury déja vu: the risk of real re-injury

Collateral injury: when you are hurt, you are at higher risk for completely different kinds of injuries

Masking symptoms

When you are recovering from surgery or acute injury, focusing on how to fuel your body can make a huge difference in your rehab success and recovery time. PT Kevin Capata shares five simple tips to help you get started building the habits for “eating to heal.”

Don’t be scared of calories

Anti-Inflammatory foods are your friend

Protein is power

Five simple tips to eat to heal

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