Technology has made a lot of things easier. If you need to buy something, order it online. If you need to get somewhere, just drive your car.
What this also means is that Americans are walking and moving less. This is one of many factors leading to the ever-increasing waistlines in our country. And even if you haven’t been gaining weight, moving less can contribute to heart disease and other health issues.
If you want to add some more activity into your daily schedule, walking is one of the easiest things to do. As the American Heart Association points out, it’s easy, safe, and absolutely free! If walking 30 minutes a day seems daunting, set smaller goals and work toward that 30 minutes gradually. Find a way that motivates you, whether it’s in the morning on your own, walking with a friend on your lunch break, or taking the dog on a walk every night.
If you have questions about starting a walking program, talk to your physical therapist. She can create a walking program to help you get moving. Use our locator to find a Physiquality therapist in your neighborhood.
Walking after meals is particularly beneficial, says Libbie Chen. A physical therapist at Coury and Buehler Physical Therapy (a Physiquality member in California), Libbie explains that a postprandial walk can boost your metabolism and encourage digestion by increasing the rate at which food moves through your stomach. This can lower your blood sugars and triglicerides, leading to a healthier heart and weight loss.
The Mayo Clinic has some tips that can maximize your daily walk.
- Keep your focus forward and your head up, rather than looking at the ground.
- Relax your upper body and avoid stiffening your back, but be sure to keep your back straight rather than hunched over or arched backward. (This should also activate your ab muscles, which will help strengthen them.)
- Walk smoothly, making sure to place each foot from heel to toe.
- Don’t jump to your fastest pace – warm up by walking slowly at the beginning, and cool down by slowing your pace as you wrap up your walk.
One of the best things about walking for exercise is that there are plenty of ways to add variety to your routine or to increase the level of exertion, notes Polar, a Physiquality partner vendor. Choosing a walking route that includes hills will challenge your legs and stamina; choosing one with a beautiful view may help you extend the walk and stick to it.
You can also up the ante by adding some variety to your walk. If you walk in the park and there are benches, Polar suggests doing tricep dips or step-ups to add resistance. Or simply quicken your pace for 30 seconds, then slow down to your regular pace for two minutes. If you have a heart rate or calorie monitor like those from Polar, or a pedometer, you can use those to set goals for calories burned or steps taken, increasing your goals every two weeks to improve your fitness.
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Libbie Chen, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist at Coury and Buehler Physical Therapy, a Physiquality member with six locations in Orange County, California. A basketball player, she is fascinated by the intricacies of the human body and enjoys the art and science of physical therapy and its effects of helping others. She believes that the combination of providing individualized therapy, patient education, and communication are essentials to improving functional outcome and quality of life. |
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Polar is the innovator in heart rate monitoring, activity and sleep tracking, and GPS sports training solutions for elite athletes, coaches and active fitness enthusiasts. For over 40 years, Polar has helped athletes understand, track and improve their performance. Polar’s award-winning product range includes pioneering sports wearables that work elegantly with Polar training apps and cloud services.Headquartered in Finland, Polar is a privately held company that operates in more than 80 countries. Polar products are sold through over 35,000 retailers globally. For more information on Polar, a Physiquality partner, please visit polar.com. |
Tags: Walking, Walking Program
How are those resolutions coming? Are you cooking more at home? Have you seen your dentist (or at least made an appointment for your annual cleaning)?
If you’re looking for a way to increase your activity, cycling or bike riding is a great way to be active.
Anna Dark, the Fitness Director of the Take Charge Fitness Program (a wellness facility run by Physiquality member Clinton Physical Therapy Center in Tennessee), says that cycling has many health benefits. Cycling is an aerobic activity, which is great for your heart and circulation. Going for regular bike rides also increases muscle strength and flexibility, while also improving joint mobility and bone strength.
Like most exercise, cycling offers mental and emotional benefits that help individuals cope with stress, even when you’re on a stationary bike. “And cycling is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors, which in itself can help individuals feel better emotionally!” Anna adds.
If you’re serious about committing to regular bike riding, Anna recommends going to the local bike store to choose the proper bike. Consult with the staff about the type of bike that might be best for you, a road bike, mountain bike or a hybrid, based on where you’re planning to ride. And, adds Anna, they will make sure that your bicycle is properly fitted to your body.
Anyone new to cycling must have the proper safety equipment if they will be riding outside, as they’ll be sharing the streets with cars, pedestrians and other bicyclists, reminds Anna. Your bike should be fully equipped with safety features like reflectors and flags in order to be visible, especially at night. Check the air in your tires regularly in order to keep them fully inflated. And make sure that you have the appropriate gear to protect yourself, including a helmet, reflective vest and gloves.
When you’re going out on the road, says Anna, be sure to choose a route that you’re familiar with. This will give you confidence while riding, making the ride less stressful. Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings, especially other motorists and traffic. And make sure to use hand signals to let others know where you’re going.
Lastly, have fun! Cycling allows you to enjoy the scenic route while bettering your health. And that’s something to celebrate.
Tags: Bicycle, Cycling
We all get into bad habits in our life, in one way or another. Perhaps you don’t talk to your grandmother enough. Or you eat too much fast food. Or you stopped working out. Setting resolutions for the new year is a good way to try to work on these bad habits.
There are many habits that can be damaging to your health, but here are five resolutions you can make for the new year to improve your health.
- Evaluate your eating habits.
Have you been skipping breakfast? Snacking constantly instead of sitting down to dinner? Picking up food on the go instead of cooking at home? These are all habits that can cause us to gain weight and damage our health. Take a look at the latest guidelines recommended by the Department of Agriculture and Health to compare to your eating habits.
If you feel that a complete overhaul is too challenging, change one habit at a time, like making sure to eat breakfast, even if it’s a smoothie or a cup of yogurt. Or pledging to not buy any afternoon snacks for the pantry. Or cooking at least one healthy, sit-down dinner per week; you can always find a recipe that will make leftovers to cover your family for another dinner or two.
- Calculate how much television you watch.
A study published last year found that watching more than three hours of television a day correlates with lower levels of mental acuity. Other studies have found that extended hours in front of screens can lead to heart disease and high blood pressure. And if you’re watching with your kids, it’s been shown that children who watch more television at a younger age develop language more slowly and have more problems connecting socially with their peers. If you want to escape into another world, consider picking up a book.
A study found that reading stimulates the brain over time — the excitement you feel when sympathizing with a character lingers for days. Samantha Olson at Medical Daily notes, “Researchers believe this prolonged and measurable brain boost, which was found in the region associated with language and sensory motor skills, could improve brain connectivity over time. It brings using books as an escape to a whole new level.”
Of course, both reading and television are sedentary activities, which leads us to resolution number three:
- Increase your daily activity.
We all know the benefits of activity: Being more activereduces our risk for a variety of diseases, keeps our weight lower and makes us feel better. The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, or 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
It might sound like a lot, but they do point out that if you went to see a movie, it would take the same amount of time. And you don’t need to do it all at once; even 10 minutes at a time is better than nothing. If you’re trying to start a new habit, find a friend to do it with you — it’s been shown that if you schedule a class or walk with a friend, you’re much more likely to stick with it. And you get the added benefit of social activity, which improves your mental health. It’s a win-win!
If you’re anxious about starting to work out after a long drought or injury, consult with your physical therapist. A PT can do a wellness evaluation to determine if you’d need to adapt any physical activity, and some even offer fitness programs within their own clinics. Look for a Physiquality member near you with our clinic locator.
- Take care of your teeth.
The American Dental Association recommends visiting the dentist for a cleaning and check-up at least once a year, if not twice. You should brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily in between those appointments.
So you’re brushing your teeth and flossing regularly. You don’t have any pain. Why should you go for a check-up? Because dentists can catch problems before they turn into something painful, both as physical pain and economic pain. Look at it this way: Filling a cavity is much less expensive than a root canal.
- Get more sleep.
Most adults need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night, but many people don’t get nearly that much. A lack of sleepcan affect your mental and physical health. It is associated with increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and system-wide inflammation. Lack of sleep can also affect our immune system, our cognitive abilities (i.e., our mental capacity), and our mood and mental health. By getting a good night’s rest, your body can recuperate from a hard day’s work, giving you more energy to get up and get going in the morning.
Tags: Diet, Eating, Exercise, Health, New Year, Resolutions, Sleep
When pondering the parameters of pregnancy, there are many things that expectant mothers will research in order to be as healthy as possible. It can be confusing to consider how much weight one should gain while pregnant, as the recommendations from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council of the National Academies give different ranges based on the pre-pregnancy weight of the mother.
Ann Cowlin, the creator of Dancing thru Pregnancy, one of Physiquality’s partner programs, points women to the paper they published in 2009 for their recommendations: An underweight woman (with a BMI of less than 18.5) should gain 28 to 40 pounds. A woman of average weight (a BMI between 18.5 and 25) should gain 25 to 35 pounds. Women considered overweight (BMI of 25 to 30) or obese (BMI is more than 30) should gain less weight, 15 to 25 pounds, or even less if obese (11 pounds).
Most of us don’t usually know our BMI, so if you want to calculate it, use the one posted by the National Institutes of Health. And keep in mind that a) BMI doesn’t take into account your fitness level, only your weight and height, and b) it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor about the proper weight gain for your body.
When considering your weight gain during pregnancy, there are a few things to note:
It’s rare to gain a great deal of weight during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, or the first trimester. This is often due to nausea or vomiting, as well as a lack of appetite.- In the second and third trimesters, the average woman gains about a pound a week, especially after week 20.
- Your doctor may use ultrasound, along with your weight gain, to assess the baby’s health as your pregnancy develops. (Be prepared for stepping onto the scale a great deal over these nine months.)
Ann explains that pregnant women need to eat a balanced diet that includes proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. She adds that women don’t necessarily need to add extra calories during the first trimester, but by the second trimester, they should be eating roughly an additional 300 calories a day, and an additional 500 by the third trimester.
There are several ways to add in these additional calories, says Alyssa Cellini, a nutritionist with ProCare Physical Therapy, a Physiquality network clinic in New Jersey. Alyssa suggests increasing the protein servings at all meals and adding fruit as an extra snack when hungry. The goal, she says, is to keep a healthy ratios of fruit, vegetables and protein, just in slightly larger amounts.
If you’re having problems with nausea in the morning, Alyssa suggests protein, then fruit, one serving at a time, until lunch. Then you can eat a more balanced meal of protein, vegetables and starch, followed by fruit or healthy fats (i.e., avocado, olives, etc.) as an afternoon snack.
Don’t forget that another way to keep your weight gain at a healthy level is to continue exercising while pregnant. It keeps moms more fit as they prepare their bodies for labor, helps to keep weight gain at a manageable level, and gives babies healthier hearts and improved breathing movementsin utero. Exercise also helps women feel better overall, which means they do better and feel healthier and happier during pregnancy. Your physical therapist is a great resource to discuss how to continue your exercise regimen while expecting.
If you are planning on or have become pregnant, you should talk with your obstetrician about realistic weight gain expectations and fitness regimens. Just remember that ahealthy mama is more likely to have a healthy baby.
If you’ve ever sprained your ankle or injured your elbow, you probably know that it’s been standard practice for decades to apply ice after injury to decrease swelling and pain. Dr. Gabe Mirkin coined the acronym “R.I.C.E.” in 1978 (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), and this concept became the standard in treatment of acute injuries and post-surgical patients.
While there has been some debate about whether cold therapy should be used for all musculoskeletal injuries, most healthcare practitioners would agree that proper use of ice or cold therapy can reduce swelling and pain. Here are a few reminders about using cold therapy:
- Apply ice for no longer than 20 minutes at a time.
- Allow your skin to return to room temperature before applying ice again.
- Place a thin towel between the ice pack and your skin to prevent irritation and even frostbite.
- And never ice prior to activity — doing so may cause further injury.
Another option is combining cold therapy and compression. Studies have shown that people who use cold therapy and compression therapy together, as opposed to just one of those therapies alone, recover from their injuries significantly faster. Compression, particularly intermittent compression, works to push swelling out of the injured site. This can limit tissue damage and aid in the removal of cellular debris and waste in the body. Active compression therapy mimics the body’s natural muscle contractions, pumping swelling out of the injured area. This increases blood flow and delivery of oxygen to the site, stimulating tissue healing and optimizing lymphatic drainage.
It has become almost routine for patients undergoing some types of surgeries (such as ACL repairs or joint replacement) to receive cold compression therapy post-operatively in the hospital or surgi-center through mechanical devices designed for this purpose. Some patients also receive treatment from these machines at home or in skilled nursing facilities in the weeks immediately following surgery, as ordered by their physician. In recent years, these devices have become available for people who wish to use this therapy at home for injuries, such as sprains, fractures and tears, for chronic pain and swelling, or to help reduce muscle soreness and fatigue.
For minor aches and pains, icing afterwards may be enough to keep your body healthy and to avoid serious injury. However, keep an eye out for the following red flags:
- Pain that gets worse instead of better
- Pain after resting for a few days, or when you wake up
- Chronic swelling in your joints, or bruises that don’t heal
- Knees or elbows (or other joints) that lock or are unstable
Any of these problems is a sign that you need to consult with a doctor or physical therapist about your pain or swelling. Trying to treat such issues at home with ice, compression and anti-inflammatories could end up making your problem worse instead of better.
There are many reasons to sign your kids up for sports teams. They’ll build strong muscles and bones by being active, make friends and learn how to get along with others, and become more confident as they improve on the field. But many kids burn out and quit playing before they graduate from high school. Why?
“Parents and coaches need to remember that the primary goals of playing sports when younger are to improve motor skills while learning how to be a part of a team,” says Mark Salandra. A certified strength and conditioning coach who works with many student athletes as the founder of StrengthCondition.com (a Physiquality partner vendor), Mark often sees parents (and coaches) that emphasize competition over fun.
These parents will see that a child has a talent for baseball or tennis and start encouraging the child to sign up for multiple leagues for the same sport. Or the coaches will suggest that Noah or Ashley won’t be able to get an athletic scholarship if he or she doesn’t start practicing the same sport year round. Mark explains that this constant practice and competition can cause two types of burnout: physical and mental.
Jeff Rothstein, an exercise physiologist and the Director of Sports Enhancement at the PT Center for Sports Medicine in Akron, Ohio, equates physical burnout with increased risk of injury. Jeff encourages parents to think about the repetitive motion many sports require — repeated kicks of a soccer ball with one leg, the constant swinging of a bat in baseball, or the motion required to serve in tennis. If athletes have off seasons or play multiple sports throughout the year, he says, they will strengthen multiple muscle groups and let other muscles recuperate. But add up two to three leagues a year in one sport and the athlete’s muscles never get a chance to recover, leading to overuse injuries.
Mark and Jeff agree that mental burnout can be just as detrimental. Ask any eight-year-old what his favorite color or cartoon character is, and he won’t hesitate to answer. But if you ask him again a week later, his answer may be completely different. So why should he choose which sport to do at such a young age? In reality, Jeff says, by the time that boy reaches high school, the sport he loved as an eight-year-old has become a chore. Weekend fun with friends is passed over for tournaments played out of state. Holiday breaks are spent refining techniques with specialized coaches. Athletes who burn out like this may quit playing all sports, leading to a sedentary lifestyle and the health risks that come into play when one is overweight.
The irony in all of this is that kids (and the parents who encourage them) who specialize at such a young age usually think that this will help them to succeed in the sport, leading to scholarships or even a professional career. But Jeff points out that many of our most revered professional athletes excelled in multiple sports. Basketball star LeBron James was an all-state receiver on his high school football team. Tom Brady was drafted by the Montreal Expos baseball team before playing football at the University of Michigan and for the New England Patriots. And this goes for successful collegiate teams as well: At Ohio State University, 42 of the 47 football players on the team that won the 2015 college football national championship were multi-sport athletes.
Aside from reducing the risk of overuse injuries and mental burnout, these multi-sport players gain more athleticism. The skills gained in one sport can enhance those for another. And best of all, each sport feels fresher on the field when not played every week, and the athlete can enjoy the sport for what it is — a game.
– See more at: http://www.physiquality.com/blog/?p=8379#sthash.S5hWqdq9.dpuf
There are many benefits to working out with another person: Motivation. Accountability. Group support. Combining exercise with a social activity. But should you work out with your significant other?
Sharing a common activity with your partner has been shown to lead to better relationships. This doesn’t have to be a physical activity, but playing sports together, or taking a dance class together, can improve your relationship. And if you’re learning together, it can help increase your confidence in both the activity and your relationship.
Randy Gustafson, a physical therapist and the owner and clinical director of Mesa Physical Therapy (a Physiquality member in San Diego, California), points out that working out with a partner can keep you accountable and improve results for both people. (And sometimes that partner isn’t even human — research has shown that people with dogs and those that use virtual partners are often more active than those who work out solo.) But research shows this correlation is strengthened within a relationship: A 2013 study found that “when partners care about fitness — their own and their partner’s — it becomes easier to achieve fitness goals. … Average-weight husbands who care about fitness engage in more physical activity when their wives offer more supportive health-related comments.”
If you’re working out at the gym, working out with your partner can help to make your time there more effective, for a couple of reasons. Having someone to spot you on the weights and to watch your form can ensure that your technique is correct. And trainers — and our own experts — will tell you that rest is essential to building muscle, even during your workout. Taking turns on equipment or with free weights will build periods of rest into your regimen, improving your pace and making your workout more efficient.
Randy notes that when you exercise, you release endorphins, which makes you happier and can improve your relationships and mood. And Psychology Today adds that exercise induces the symptoms of physiological arousal — sweaty hands, a racing pulse, shortness of breath. These symptoms mirror, in many ways, the thrill of romantic attraction, and might lead to more private activities when you get home from the gym.
Not all couples are compatible for couples workouts. If your fitness personalities clash — one into intense, sweat-dripping workouts, while the other prefers low-impact yoga or Pilates — it will be difficult to find activities that please both people. And if an agreement to work out isn’t working out, it can lead to nagging or more negative encounters than positive feedback.
The number one danger? Competition. If one of the people is highly driven to succeed on the court or in the gym, it could easily lead to pulled muscles and sore feelings. It’s probably better for those individuals to go their separate ways, in the fitness realm, at least. Maybe it’s better to join a fitness program, like the exercise and nutrition program offered at Mesa Physical Therapy. Or perhaps it’s time to get a dog.
Any parent will tell you that taking care of young children can wear you out. They need constant care and attention, their schedule shifts from day to day and week to week, and their mood swings will definitely affect their parents’ demeanor.
While many moms (and dads) skip exercise because it’s too challenging to work into their schedule, as we’ve mentioned before, exercise can help parents lose excess weight, minimize depression and feel better.
“Finding time to exercise is one of the biggest challenges for parents,” says Rachelle Hill (a physical therapist at Moreau Physical Therapy in Louisiana), “along with finding the energy to get going.” She recommends setting goals to help you stick to a routine. Whether the goal is losing weight, improving your health, or getting rid of back pain, she advises posting goals in highly visible areas, like the bathroom mirror or the front of the refrigerator, so they are hard to miss.
As little ones settle into a sleep routine, parents can work out while they rest. To make the most of the time you have, says Rachelle, consider these options when building your regimen:
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Challenge your core strength and balance.
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Exercises that involve your arms and legs at the same time will help work multiple body parts in a short period of time.
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Utilizing a circuit training format will help keep your heart rate up and burn more calories than just performing isolated muscle movements.
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Add challenges like plyometrics and interval training to increase your workout.
Tags: Mom exercise, Mother exercise, Post Partum Exercise
With the Champions League final coming up in Berlin between Juventus and Barcelona, and soccer summer leagues starting soon, it’s a good time to think about playing soccer. And given the high rate of some injuries while playing soccer, it’s even more important to consider how to play the sport more safely.
As any athlete (or sports parent) knows, playing sports brings the risk of cuts, bruises and contact injuries (from running into an opponent or teammate). While many soccer injuries occur in the lower extremities (the hips, legs and ankles), some players may experience neck sprains or shoulder injuries after a collision with a fellow player or a fall to the ground.
Use your head… or should you?
One common category of soccer injuries that’s been getting more attention in recent years is brain injuries and concussions. Scientific American asked the same question in multiple articles in 2013 and 2014: Does heading a soccer ball cause brain damage? The short answer is, yes, it can; the author of the most recent article states that “heading a soccer ball can contribute to neurodegenerative problems, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy.”
– See more at: http://www.physiquality.com/blog/?p=7807#sthash.wl0WHpSO.dpuf
Tags: Concussions, Soccer, Youth Injuries, Youth Sports
If you’re a parent, this probably sounds familiar: You’ve worked to make a healthy meal for your son (or daughter), but he’d rather have a cereal bar. Or snack foods. Or nothing. So how do you encourage him to eat healthy food and make responsible choices when eating?
Nutrition and fitness expert Anna Dark encourages parents and caregivers to be patient and positive. She says, “The goal is to get them to adopt the healthier choices because it is GOOD for THEM and ultimately will form a good habit that will take them into their adulthood!” After earning her degree in nutrition, Anna became the Fitness Director at the Take Charge Fitness Program at Clinton Physical Therapy Center, a Physiquality member in Clinton, Tennessee.
Anna recommends avoiding comparisons to other kids, orshaming them by saying they are “fat;” this is especially true for girls, who have plenty of societal pressure to look a certain way. Such negative reinforcement will only lead children to associate eating better with punishment, rather than health.
Use your child’s hero as a positive way to get a child to eat better or to become more active, suggests Anna. For example, she says, “If your child’s hero is an athlete like Kobe Bryant, you could say, ‘Did you know that Kobe Bryant eats raw vegetables so he can be fast?’” Read More
Tags: Diet, Eating, Nutrition, Obesity
