Author: amanda

7 Keys to Setting Attainable Health Goals

It’s that time of year again when everyone is setting new goals for a new year. The problem is, few people actually get there by the end of the year. Let’s make 2021 different! We are going to talk about keys to achieving some of the most important goals we can set for ourselves. Goals that result in better health, happiness and improved quality of life . . . not just for the year, but for many years to come.

So, what are you going to need to do differently?

You probably know what it is. The problem we all seem to have is actually doing it.

Here are 7 keys to bridging the gap between your goals and actually accomplishing them.

How to do Strength Training Without Joint Pain

Strength training plays an important part in your health and fitness, but you may be concerned about injury or painful joints. By concentrating on proper technique, you can tone your muscles, enhance your posture, and actually reduce discomfort and stiffness in your joints.

From people who strength train, we often hear the following:

“I can’t lift anything overhead because of my shoulder pain”

“I stopped squatting because of my bad knee”

“I have been living on pain killers for weeks now because of this hip”

Moving around and building up supporting muscles slows down the deterioration of your joints that often comes with age. A sound exercise program may even enable you to postpone or avoid joint replacement surgery and other invasive procedures.

Try these guidelines for protecting your joints and staying safe while lifting weights.

Is Your Youth Athlete At Risk For Injury? 5 Simple Self Tests

Do you have wonderful memories as a youth athlete?

Maybe it was church T-ball, Collierville Rec soccer, the first tackle football game, cheering on your classmates, or trying out for a varsity team.

We want our own children to experience this same joy and excitement. The physical, emotional, and social benefits of participating in organized sports.

There are many reasons to encourage our children to get involved in athletics, but it’s wise to also help them be both prepared and safe. A study from August 2013 found that every 25 seconds a youth athlete suffers an injury severe enough to require an emergency room visit. As parents, this shouldn’t scare us but move us to be proactive.

What about the sports physical?

The medical clearance your child’s school or organization may require rules out health risk only. It’s important for preventing life threatening medical emergencies, but will not determine risk for injury of the soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments). Furthermore, these types of injuries or faulty movement patterns in our children can have lasting effects appearing as pain, injury, and arthritis in adulthood.

The good news is we can measure risk and take action now instead of waiting for problem to arise. When we identify the faulty repetitive movement patterns that lead to injury early, a correction is often simple. This not only improves performance in the present, it prevents a future of degenerative joints, ligaments and spinal discs.

How can we help them perform at their absolute best, while also protecting them from damage to their growing bodies?

Fortunately, there are some quick tests you can perform at home to see if their strength, agility, and movement is ready for their athletic season.

1. Squat

Start by standing with feet shoulder width apart. Squat down as far as possible. The upper legs should be parallel to the floor and the heels should be able to remain flat on the ground.

2. Balance with Eyes Closed

Stand on one foot with your hands on your hips. Close your eyes and hold this position for 30 seconds on each side. This should be done without leaning or loss of balance.

3. Toe Touch

To see if lower body muscles are ready for quick starts and heavy lifting, hamstring length should be tested. Start by putting your feet together, then bend over and touch your toes. You should be able to do this without rounding your back.

4. Push Up

Start by lying face down on the floor. The hands are placed beside each shoulder. As you push up, the back, hips, and knees need to be in a straight line.

5. Overhead Reach

With your head, back and heels against a wall and arms straight in front, lift your arms overhead and touch the wall with your thumbs. If your lower back arches or you can’t reach the wall, there are likely movement restrictions in the back or shoulders.

Further testing is indicated if the athlete is unable to complete any of these tests correctly (or if discomfort or stiffness is present). The next step is a functional movement screen. Our specialty trained therapists use this tool to identify risk factors for ankle, knee, hip and shoulder injuries. In addition, if they identify an increase in risk factors, corrective exercises can be prescribed to mitigate the risk.

Is all of this really necessary for my healthy child?

According to a 2016 review of the literature, youth athletes especially, due to their developing musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems should undergo pre-participation musculoskeletal screening for identification of movement limitations.

The amazing thing with children is the corrective strategies we implement tend to clean up the problem FAST. Generally, no time is lost from their sports training program or competition. In addition, they can continue on stronger and performing at a higher level than before.

To inquire about a functional movement screen with a Doctor of Physical Therapy for you or your child, click HERE to fill out a short form. You will hear from us soon or you can call our office at 901-316-5456 to get your questions answered.

*Functional Movement Screens for Youth Athletes are performed in person at our Collierville location, as well as via telehealth.

5 Flip Flop Rules to Prevent Foot Pain

Now that school is out and summer is upon us, it is time to get a pedicure and allow my toes to enjoy the freedom of flip flops and sandals. The problem is that new aches and pains arise when I ditch the comfort of the sneakers that I lived in most of the winter. Why does my body make such a fuss over my footwear?

ankle pain flip flops foot pain footwear physical therapy plantar fasciitis sandals summer

Top 10 Foods For Exercise Recovery

Man and Woman Sitting, Talking at the Gym

A little soreness with a workout is bearable. . . maybe even pleasant if it’s a reminder of how hard you worked the day before. However, some aches and pains that are more intense or don’t seem to go away quickly enough. This can limit both your ability and motivation to train.

Many clients tell us they don’t take pain medication because of the side effects, they don’t have time for a massage, and the ice bath that the trainer recommended is just unbearable. So, the question that follows is . . . how else can I help my body recover after I exercise so I feel my best and reach my goals?

The answer may be found in your refrigerator . . . the foods you eat.

Not just post workout, but how you fuel your body on a regular basis. Your muscles and immune system must be ready to take the hit of training and bounce back with ease.

fitness health coaching injury prevention nutrition physical therapy recovery

10 Tips to Easily Maximize Exercise Recovery

What you do after the gym matters just as much as what you did during your workout. That’s because the post workout recovery period is a time when your body builds lean muscle mass and repairs any damage.

If you shortchange yourself, you could wind up decreasing performance, increasing injury risk, or even gaining body fat. And all these things are counterproductive to the reason you exercise in the first place.

The good news it, you can ensure your workouts deliver the results you want without causing any collateral damage. Add in a few of these suggestions after you exercise to encourage maximum recovery and restoration.

health coaching hydration injury recovery physical therapy physiotherapy sleep stretching wellness

How to Enjoy Exercise More This Year

Some of us love a tough workout, and others dread any activity that will keep them from heading directly to the couch after work. Unfortunately, new guidelines indicate most of us fall into the second category. Research shows that 80% of Americans fail to meet the government recommended minimum for weekly exercise.
Whether you are making a new years goal to get fit or are just continuing your long time fitness routine, I think it would be easier to get done consistently if we found a way to make it more enjoyable.
Good news . . . a new study out of Germany suggests that just 2 changes can make you enjoy exercise more. The participants with similar fitness levels were asked to ride a stationary bicycle for the same amount of time – a pretty boring exercise in my opinion. Those who considered themselves to be athletic and knew how they were benefiting from the activity said it was more enjoyable, and even required less effort.
The researchers concluded that personal expectations made the difference.
The secret is to believe in your athletic abilities and the benefits of exercising.
Think how much easier it would be for you to stick to a workout program if you really enjoyed doing it. Try these tips for building up confidence in your athletic abilities and knowledge of it’s benefits.

fitness genetics health coaching health goals nutrition physical therapy physiotherapy weight loss wellness wellness coaching

How Managing Stress Can Ease Aches and Pains

Most of us are so used to living in a state of stress, we often don’t realize the negative effects it is having on our body. In fact, small infrequent doses of stress are not bad. It can help you accomplish tasks and avoid getting hurt.

Stress is the body’s reaction to a real or perceived harmful situation called “fight or flight”. If you were a caveman, running from a bear, stress hormones would allow you to run faster and harder. When a stress hits, your body’s critical systems for survival rev up and less urgent needs are set aside.

Immediate physical symptoms of stress can include a headache, muscle tension, rapid heart rate, insomnia, dry mouth, clenched jaw, and nervousness. While stressed, your nervous system keeps the body on alert.

But, what happens when traffic jams, work deadlines, no WiFi, or a long line at the coffee shop gets our blood boiling on a daily basis?

The Effects of Chronic Stress

With chronic stress, your body remains in a prolonged state of muscle tension and produces high levels of stress hormones. This type of stress can cause or worsen many health problems including mental illness like depression or anxiety, heart disease, high blood pressure, digestive problems, and skin conditions like acne or eczema.

You might think of stress being a problem only for your mind or psychology. However, your brain and body work together and cannot be separated.

Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and signals the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline and cortisol that slows digestion (because this isn’t really the top priority if you are running from a bear) but also increases inflammation in your body. The hormones constrict blood vessels and reduce blood flow to soft tissues including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves.

As you would imagine, this results in muscle spasm, slowed healing, and frequently pain symptoms. Please remember though that stress and emotional factors that lead to pain result in real physical symptoms and are not imagined or made up.

Stress and Pain are Linked

The bodies experience of stress and pain each have an impact on the other creating a vicious cycle. Pain is regulated by the nervous system so the brain is a key player in how we perceive pain. To maintain balance in our body and help us function, the brain works hard to try to minimize pain signals. When you are stressed, your brain is unable to filter the pain (or inhibit) signals so pain intensity will increase.

Whether your pain or stress came first doesn’t really matter, both negatively affect your quality of life.

A change as small as lack or disruption of sleep caused by pain and/or stress limits your body’s ability to heal and recover. For many people, learning how to avoid or cope with stress can lead to significant pain relief.

Where to Start?

Sometimes stress relief can be as easy as taking three long deep breaths. To be most effective breathe in through your nose and let the air fill your belly. Hold for a few seconds and then slowly blow out through your mouth. In the moment, this can decrease the production of stress hormones and start to relax your muscles.

Other times stress builds up to a point that we need help teaching the body to let go and relax again. As physical therapists, we are experts at retraining the nervous and muscular systems. Using hands on techniques we can help your muscles relax, release the knots and tension, and relieve the pain that is keeping you from the sleep you need and activities you love. Click the link below learn more about us and request to speak with a doctor of physical therapy today for free.

In the meantime, head over to Facebook where we invite you to our private group Peak Wellness Tribe. You will find tips, tricks, conversation, and Live chats on these and other health topics. You are welcome to post any questions you have on that page as well.

Free Expert Phone Consult

arthritis headaches muscle tension pain physical therapy physiotherapy stress wellness

How Can Protein Improve Your Health & Recovery?

What you eat matters to your general health, athletic performance, and physical therapy recovery plan. That’s why the first step in our wellness coaching program is to keep a food diary. In reviewing this information with numerous clients, protein is the most often goal missed on a daily basis.

Some people have used an internet search to identify their protein needs and are concerned about getting too much protein. The fact is, that unless you have kidney disease, seizures disorders, or specific types of cancer this will not be a problem.

Proteins make up about half of each of the cells in your muscles, organs, tendons, nerves, bone, and skin. They are building blocks of these structures and also contribute to the production of hormones.

If strong muscles and bones, healthy aging, stable mood, hormone balance, and maintaining a healthy body weight are important to you then protein must be a priority.

Wondering if you are getting enough protein or if you need to be a little more intentional?

Let’s discuss 6 circumstances where focusing more on protein could dramatically improve your health and quality of life.

5 Postures You (and your kids) Must Avoid When Using Technology

Packing our “car bag” for the beach I load up on snacks, books, games, and SEVEN technological devices. You heard me right, we have iphones, ipad, ipods, laptops, and CD players.

We don’t have much space in our schedule for “screen time” most weeks and I like it that way. When it comes to hours in the car though, my sanity (and ability to work from the road or hotel room) depeneds on these devices.

As a physical therapist, do you know what I worry about most when it comes to my kids and screen time?

Posture!

The way they sit hunched over with their necks crooked, knees up to support the device, elbow bent, thumbs tapping, and generally a stiff awkward position.

It’s not just the kids! All of us use portable, wireless technology. In fact, the average American adults sends 40 e-mails from a device daily. Unfortunately, as we scroll and tap away we are often oblivious to the position that puts us in.

The result can be headaches, eye strain, neck pain, shoulder and upper back stiffness, and even low back problems. The good news is – when we know better, we can do better, so we have for you 5 Postures to Avoid when using technological devices.