Tag Archive for: exercise

Man getting knee pain treatment

Could your Knee Pain be Caused by your Lower Back?

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Is your knee pain actually due to a problem in your knee – or could it be caused by your lower back?

One of the most important things to get right when it comes to successfully resolving knee pain is to correctly identify the source. And often times that source can be your lower back.

One of the biggest clues that you’ve missed the root source of your knee pain is that it doesn’t go away after trying everything that “should” help it. Perhaps you’ve tried ice, heat, pain medication, foam rolling, strengthening, and stretching… but no matter what, your knee pain just won’t seem to go away.  This is often when knee doctors start to get involved, which is great if you actually have a knee problem. Knee pain that doesn’t respond to conservative treatment should be looked at further. It’s possible that you might need some kind of procedure or surgical intervention.

But what if your knee pain is a symptom of something else?

 

If so, and you don’t get it properly checked, then you risk having unnecessary knee surgery. 

I just spoke to someone who this happened to. She had knee surgery to “clean out” some wear and tear from arthritis after trying several months of physical therapy. She was told it would be a “quick recovery” and that her pain would be significantly reduced. Well, three months later, her knee is feeling worse than pre-surgery. And to fix the NEW pain she has, they tell her she will need even more surgery! She came to us for a second opinion, and the very first thing we did was screen her lower back to see if it might be the cause of her knee pain. Turns out it was! This woman’s knee pain was never actually coming from her knee, and she ended up having unnecessary surgery because the root cause – her lower back – was missed. 

How does a misdiagnosis like this even happen?

One of the biggest culprits is imaging. If you’re over age 40, and you get an X-ray or MRI taken of your knees, there is a 60-80% chance they’ll find arthritis or meniscus (cartilage) tears. Studies have shown that arthritic changes and meniscus tears are a normal part of aging, so they will show up on your images even if you don’t have any knee pain. This is why you should never dictate your treatment plan, and certainly not surgery, based on an MRI or X-ray alone.

Here are a few clues to help you figure out if your knee pain could be coming from your back.

 

First, pay attention to how and when your knee pain started. If you’ve had a fall or some kind of trauma to your knee, and you experience knee pain or swelling shortly after, then odds are very good you have an isolated knee problem. With isolated knee injuries, you often know exactly when and how you hurt your knee. It may have been associated with a pop or specific strain of some kind. But if your knee pain comes on slowly or out of nowhere, then you must consider that the source of the problem could be elsewhere. 

Another clue is how your pain behaves. When your lower back is the source, often you’ll have difficulty pinpointing exactly where your knee pain is. It may feel dull or even numb. It might move around, or perhaps travel up or down your leg. One day your knee will feel great, and other days it could feel excruciating. When someone comes into our office with pain like this, we ALWAYS check their lower back first. Knee pain that moves around a lot, or that comes and goes frequently, can quite often be due to a back problem.

If you’ve been suffering from knee pain for awhile, it’s worth considering that the root source of your problem could be your lower back.

Before you think about getting images of your knee, or undergoing some kind of surgery or procedure, you’ll want to make certain that your knee problem is indeed a knee problem.

 

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapist and Pilates expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth, NH. To get a free copy of her free guide: 7 Ways to Stop Knee Pain – click here.

Holding Knee with Arthritis

Arthroscopic Knee Surgery – Does it Even Work?

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While researching for my latest article in the Portsmouth Herald, I came across an interesting study titled: “Arthroscopy for degenerative knees – a difficult habit to break.”

The title of this study is telling.

Arthroscopic knee surgery is still one of the most common surgeries performed, despite research telling us that it’s not nearly as effective as most people are led to believe.

Furthermore, studies now indicate that people who get arthroscopic knee surgery are likely to have knee arthritis that advances more rapidly – resulting in a total knee replacement that could have been avoided.

Arthroscopic knee surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that’s commonly done to help “clean out” your knee joint if you’ve got degenerative arthritis, or to clip out pieces of a torn meniscus that might be irritating your knee.

Sounds pretty simple and harmless – right?

But over the years, research has shown that this procedure is really not necessary in most cases.

Most people can get pain relief and restore function in their knees without ever getting surgery.

One of the earliest studies from 2002 by JB Mosely and colleagues, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, revealed that placebo surgery for advanced knee arthritis was just as effective as actual arthroscopic surgery. Since then, numerous studies have shown similar results. Even if you have a torn meniscus or degenerative arthritis in your knee – you can still get better naturally and with conservative treatment like physical therapy.

Despite all this research, surgeons are still performing these procedures more than ever.

In some cases it’s just what the surgeon knows, and they haven’t kept up with the research. Other times, it’s due to poor conservative management and not giving therapy enough time to work.

In our office, we often see people after they’ve tried regular physical therapy first. Since we have a more specialized approach, and we’re able to spend more time with our clients, we tend to get better results and can help clients avoid surgery all together.

But not all physical therapy clinics are afforded that luxury. In those cases, people are led to believe that the physical therapy “didn’t work,” and they get scheduled for surgery.

But what’s the big deal really?

If outcomes are the same regardless of whether you get surgery or not – why not just get it? It’s quicker, and far more convenient than going to weekly therapy appointments…

But despite the term “minimally invasive,” it’s still surgery.

You will have bleeding, swelling, and recovery time. There is trauma that is caused to the soft tissue in and around your knee that has to heal. There’s also the risk of infection, which comes with a whole set of different complications.

And then of course there’s the elephant in the room that nobody likes to talk about…

I’ve seen many of these arthroscopic surgeries performed that had clients feeling WORSE than before surgery. Because it turns out the procedure wasn’t even necessary. Luckily, we’re still able to rehabilitate them. But it’s completely demoralizing and discouraging for our clients.

In general, despite how small the procedure may seem, you want to avoid surgery whenever possible.

Although small, the risks that can happen with surgery simply aren’t worth it – especially when you can get the same results from natural, conservative treatment.

For some, arthroscopic knee surgery really is necessary. But for most, it can be avoided.

If you’re currently suffering from knee pain and want to learn more about what you can do to avoid surgery and heal your knee pain naturally and on your own – DOWNLOAD our Free Guide: 7 Ways to Get rid of Knee Pain Naturally.

Could your Hamstring Strain Actually be a Back Problem?

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Have you ever strained your hamstring but the pain just doesn’t go away?

It’s been months since you first started hurting, you can’t actually remember how you injured it (it just started aching one day), you’ve been stretching and massaging it diligently, yet your hamstring still hurts.

This happened to a recent client of ours (“Sandy”).

Sandy was a runner and regular gym goer, who one day noticed an ache in her hamstring. She assumed she had just overdone it working out. She rested it a few days and the pain went away, but when she tried to get back to running she couldn’t. Her hamstring pain came right back. Thinking she hadn’t let it heal enough, she went back to resting it, but this time, decided to add some massage and stretching to her routine. 

A few weeks later… you guessed it… Sandy still couldn’t run.

She also noticed the pain in her hamstring started to feel “different.” It was becoming more deep and achy and started to hurt all the time instead of only when she tried to exert it. It even hurt when she sat for too long. She still couldn’t run and was starting to get worried. Her doctor told her it was just a “strain” and that she had to let it heal. The problem was that it wasn’t healing. Several months had now gone by and she was running out of exercises and stretches to try that would “let it heal.”

Luckily, Sandy attended our recent back pain and sciatica class and realized that the pain in her hamstring might not be a strain at all. 

And her instincts were right! Let me explain.

When you truly strain a muscle, it means you have done damage to your muscle tissue. Although it’s possible to have chronic problems from a strain that isn’t rehabilitated properly, strains typically do in fact heal. Once the inflammation from the tissue damage goes away, and you start doing the proper stretching and strengthening, your muscle eventually gets back to normal. Until a muscle strain is fully healed, it will typically be aggravated if you accidentally over-stretch it or exert it. But you usually don’t feel anything when you’re resting the muscle. In Sandy’s case, her hamstring was starting to feel worse when she was resting — the longer she sat, the worse she felt. Your hamstring is completely relaxed when you are sitting, so something wasn’t adding up.

This was the first sign we were likely dealing with something other than a “hamstring strain.” The second sign was that we could take her pain away by moving her back! Yes, you heard that right.

By moving and stretching her back in a specific way, we were able to significantly relieve the pain in her hamstring.

The reason her hamstring was actually hurting was because a nerve had been aggravated in her back. The nerve was causing pain to radiate into her thigh. That’s why it hurt when she sat for too long and it’s why she couldn’t tolerate any running. Sitting puts more stretch and pressure on the nerves in your back, and running puts a lot of compression through your back. Generally speaking, nerves don’t like to be stretched, especially aggravated nerves, and they don’t like to be compressed if they are aggravated either. By stretching her back in a very specific way, we were able to relieve the pressure from the nerve that was giving Sandy her “hamstring strain.” This confirmed that she was indeed having a back problem.

Has anything like this ever happened to you?

If you’ve got pain anywhere in your buttocks, hip, thigh, or leg that isn’t going away — especially if you’ve done your due diligence and tried all the “right things” — it’s possible you could have a back problem causing this pain instead. These types of back problems are easily missed if you don’t know how to accurately assess them and it won’t be picked up by an MRI or X-ray. The best way to figure this out is through specialized movement testing, like we did with Sandy. 

We talked all about this in our recent back pain and sciatica class. If you want access to the recording, just call our office: 603-380-7902. If you want to take the next step and meet us in person — you can schedule a FREE Discovery Session with one of our specialists right here! 

Neck stretches

Why Your Neck Stretches Aren’t Working

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Do you suffer from chronic neck pain and ever wonder…

Why don’t my neck stretches work?

Even though you’ve Googled and YouTubed them about a hundred times…

There are a few reasons why stretching your neck might not be doing anything to help get rid of your neck pain.

  1. Your technique could be off
  2. You could be doing the wrong stretch
  3. It could be that you just shouldn’t be stretching your neck at all!

Let’s go over the different reasons why your neck stretches might not be working… and most importantly… what you can do about it.

1. You’re doing it wrong.

Although research studies are inconclusive regarding how long you should hold a particular stretch, most people feel good when they hold a stretch for 30-60 seconds. When it comes to technique, one of the biggest problems I see is not relaxing enough. If you’re tense, or gripping your muscles at the same time you’re stretching, it won’t work very well. It’s important to breathe and move easily into the stretch. If you try to force it or push through pain, you’ll likely tense up.

Now let’s say you’re doing everything right (not tensing or gripping) but your stretches still don’t seem to work.

Some people (myself included) respond better to “moving stretches”. This is where instead of holding one static position for a prolonged period – you repeatedly move through one or several end-range stretches. Neck rolls are a great example of this.

If your neck stretches haven’t been working, try adjusting the way you’ve been stretching… if it works… then you were likely just using the wrong technique.

2. You’re doing the wrong type of stretch.

This one could be a little tougher to figure out on your own. There is a difference between corrective neck stretching and stretching to feel good.

For example, let’s say your neck is tightening up because you’ve been under a lot of stress or you just did a lot of activity that impacts your neck. Generic neck stretches such as bringing your chin to your chest, or pulling your chin to the opposite shoulder (known as an “upper trap stretch”) may be all you need.

In fact, I do stretches like this regularly because I’m constantly leaning over to help patients. I stretch my neck to PREVENT it from having problems and because it feels good.

But let’s say you already have a neck problem, or you have pain or numbness running down your arm.

In these instances, generic neck stretching could make you worse.

You likely need corrective stretches, like what we prescribe for patients in our office.

Corrective stretches are specifically prescribed to address your particular problem in your neck – and are very different from the generalized stretches that are designed to feel good and relieve tension.

If you think you might need corrective stretches for your neck – DO NOT google them – you must see a specialist and have them prescribed to you.

3. You shouldn’t be stretching your neck at all!

This is a very common problem we see… folks come in with complaints of chronic tightness and discomfort in their neck and no matter how often they stretch or massage, it doesn’t go away.

Did you know that chronic neck tightness can be a sign of a weak core?

It’s quite common – and if that is the case for you – no amount of stretching will help – and could even aggravate your problem!

The deep, stabilizing muscles of your neck are connected by fascia to the deep muscles of your core. If your deep core is not working properly, then your neck will often kick in and try to help.

Ever notice that your neck is always sore or tight after a good ab workout?

This could be a sign that your neck is compensating for your core.

Stop stretching your neck, learn how to strengthen your core the right way, and see a specialist who can help you.

In our office, our team of specialists work alongside our Pilates instructors to help folks improve their core strength from the inside out – so that their necks and backs stop getting involved.

If you’re dealing with chronic neck problems that aren’t’ responding to stretching…

There’s a good chance you could be not stretching correctly, the stretches aren’t right for you, or you’ve completely missed the root cause of your neck pain and you shouldn’t be stretching at all!

Want to work with our team of specialists and finally get some help for your neck problem?

CLICK HERE to request a free Discovery Session with one of our specialists.

They’ll set up a time to talk to you about what’s going on with your neck. If you’re a good fit for what we do, then they will help you get started!

This is only for people serious about getting help…

And for those that are finally ready for a long-term solution to their pain – one that will put an end to constantly relying on pain pills – and help you avoid expensive procedures and risky surgery.

Request a Discovery Session here.

5 Tips for Staying Active and Mobile as you Age

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Most of our clients are in their 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, and they want to stay as active as possible as they age. However, as we get older, our bodies do need more care and maintenance to age well and avoid injury. Here are some tips we like to give our clients to help them stay active and mobile, prevent injuries, and continue doing everything they love!

1. Keep Moving

I always tell my clients: “You don’t get stiff because you get old, you get old because you get stiff.”

If you want to stay healthy and mobile, you need to keep moving. One of the biggest questions I hear from folks aged 50+ is what to keep doing or stop doing because of arthritis. Remember, arthritis is normal as you age and it’s rarely a reason to stop doing certain exercises. Research has shown that activities like running, when done consistently and with proper form, can actually prevent knee arthritis! A similar and equally effective exercise is walking. Consistent walks will build up your strength and endurance, something that declines as you age, and it helps your balance and coordination. If you walk outside, you can get some fresh air and Vitamin D, which is highly beneficial for a strong immune system – something we all need right now.

2. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Tafeltennis Betting Sites Vergeleken: Winstwijzer’s Vergelijking van de Beste Opties

De wereld van het tafeltennissen is een opwindende en dynamische sport die miljoenen fans over de hele wereld aantrekt. Of je nu een doorgewinterde speler bent of gewoon geïnteresseerd in de spanning van de competitie, het wedden op tafeltennis kan een extra dimensie van opwinding en betrokkenheid toevoegen aan je ervaring. Maar met de vele online wedplatformen die beschikbaar zijn, kan het een uitdaging zijn om de juiste keuze te maken.

Gelukkig heeft Winstwijzer, een toonaangevend platform voor sportweddenschappen, een diepgaande vergelijking gemaakt van de beste tafeltennis weddenopties. In deze uitgebreide gids nemen we je mee op een reis door de wereld van het tafeltenniswedden, waarbij we de belangrijkste factoren belichten die je moet overwegen bij het kiezen van een betrouwbare en gebruiksvriendelijke wedsite. Of je nu op zoek bent naar de beste odds, uitgebreide live streaming, of een breed scala aan weddenschapsmogelijkheden, deze gids heeft alles wat je nodig hebt om een weloverwogen keuze te maken.

Betrouwbaarheid en Veiligheid

Als het gaat om tafeltennis betting sites, is het van cruciaal belang om een betrouwbare en veilige website te kiezen. Bij Winstwijzer hebben we een grondige vergelijking gemaakt van de beste opties op de markt. We hebben gelet op factoren zoals bonussen, inzetlimieten, live streaming, mobiele apps en klantenservice.

Eén van de topkeuzes is zonder twijfel Bet365, een gerenommeerde bookmaker met een uitstekende tafeltennis betting sectie. Ze bieden competitieve odds, live streaming van grote evenementen en een gebruiksvriendelijke interface. Een andere sterke optie is 888sport, bekend om hun gulle welkomstbonus en uitgebreide tafeltennis betting markten.

  • Bet365
  • 888sport
  • Unibet
  • Betway

Unibet en Betway verdienen ook een vermelding dankzij hun aantrekkelijke promoties, snelle uitbetalingen en uitstekende mobiele apps. Ongeacht welke tafeltennis betting site je kiest, zorg ervoor dat je de voorwaarden en bonusregels zorgvuldig doorneemt voordat je inzet.

Bonussen en Promoties

Tafeltennis is een populaire sport die steeds meer aandacht krijgt van gokkers. Met de groeiende belangstelling voor deze snelle en opwindende sport, is het aantal online tafeltennis weddenschap sites ook toegenomen. Bij Winstwijzer begrijpen we dat het vinden van de juiste site een uitdaging kan zijn, daarom hebben we de beste opties voor u vergeleken.

Onze experts hebben talloze factoren in overweging genomen, zoals de beschikbare wedopties, odds, bonussen en promoties, gebruiksvriendelijkheid van de site en mobiele compatibiliteit. We hebben ook gekeken naar de reputatie van de bookmakers, hun licenties en beveiligingsmaatregelen om ervoor te zorgen dat uw geld en persoonlijke gegevens veilig zijn. Bovendien hebben we de klantenservice en uitbetalingssnelheden geëvalueerd, zodat u een probleemloze ervaring kunt hebben.

  • Betcity: Een uitstekende keuze voor tafeltennis fans met een breed scala aan wedopties en aantrekkelijke odds.
  • Bet365: Een gevestigde naam in de gokwereld met een gebruiksvriendelijke site en een uitstekende mobiele app.
  • 22Bet: Een opkomende ster met een sterke focus op tafeltennis en regelmatige promoties voor trouwe spelers.

Live Streaming en In-Play Weddenschappen

Tafeltennis is een populaire sport die steeds meer aandacht krijgt van gokkers. Met de groeiende populariteit van deze sport zijn er ook steeds meer online wedkantoren die wedopties aanbieden op tafeltennis. Winstwijzer heeft een grondige vergelijking gemaakt van de beste tafeltennis betting sites, zodat jij als gokker de juiste keuze kunt maken.

Bij het vergelijken van de verschillende sites heeft Winstwijzer gekeken naar factoren zoals bonussen en promoties, odds en wedopties, live streaming, mobiele apps en gebruiksvriendelijkheid. Daarnaast zijn ook de reputatie, veiligheid en klantenservice van de bookmakers meegenomen in de beoordeling. Met deze uitgebreide vergelijking kun je eenvoudig de tafeltennis betting site vinden die het beste bij jouw wensen en voorkeuren past.

Mobiele Apps en Gebruiksvriendelijkheid

Tafeltennis is een razendpopulaire sport die wereldwijd miljoenen fans heeft. Het is dan ook geen verrassing dat er een groeiende vraag is naar betrouwbare tafeltennis betting sites waar sportweddenschappen kunnen worden geplaatst. Winstwijzer, een toonaangevende gids voor online gokken, heeft een grondige vergelijking gemaakt van de beste opties voor tafeltennis betting. Zij hebben diverse factoren in overweging genomen, waaronder de beschikbare wedopties, odds, bonussen, gebruiksvriendelijkheid en veiligheid.

Bij het evalueren van de tafeltennis betting sites heeft Winstwijzer gekeken naar:

  • De verscheidenheid aan wedopties, van wedden op individuele wedstrijden tot toernooien en meer
  • De competitiviteit van de odds, zodat spelers de beste waarde voor hun inzetten krijgen
  • Aantrekkelijke welkomstbonussen en promoties voor nieuwe en bestaande spelers
  • Een gebruiksvriendelijke interface en mobiele compatibiliteit voor gemakkelijk wedden
  • Veilige en betrouwbare betalingsmethoden en strikte licenties voor een veilige speelomgeving

Met deze criteria in gedachten heeft Winstwijzer de beste tafeltennis betting sites geselecteerd voor Nederlandse spelers, zodat ze met vertrouwen hun weddenschappen kunnen plaatsen.

Samenvattend kunnen we stellen dat de wereld van tafeltennis betting sites een breed scala aan opties biedt voor zowel recreatieve als serieuze gokkers. Door de uitgebreide vergelijking van Winstwijzer te bestuderen, krijgt u een duidelijk beeld van de sterke punten, bonussen en bijzonderheden van elke site. Of u nu op zoek bent naar de beste odds, live streaming, mobiele apps of aantrekkelijke welkomstbonussen, er is voor ieder wat wils. Neem de tijd om uw behoeften en voorkeuren te bepalen en maak vervolgens een weloverwogen keuze uit de top tafeltennis betting sites om uw gokervaring naar een hoger niveau te tillen.

What you eat directly affects your ability to keep moving. If you’re not keeping your bones and heart healthy, you’re not going to be able to exercise! Greens like kale, spinach, and arugula are awesome for your bones. Along with citrus fruits, fish, and nuts, these foods help your bones stay strong and durable, which is a big concern for our clients with osteoporosis.

When it comes to taking care of your heart, your diet can have a huge impact. According to Health magazine, “The risk of a heart attack climbs for men after age 45 and for women after age 55.” So as you enter middle-age, be sure to increase the presence of foods in your diet like unsalted nuts, unprocessed oatmeal, raisins, blueberries, and even dark chocolate (over 70% cacao) to help keep your heart healthy! If you have any comorbidities such as diabetes or kidney problems, be sure to check with your doctor or dietician before making any drastic changes to your diet.

3. Work on your Balance

Balance is one of the first things to go as a person gets older, and it’s one of the most crucial factors in helping you prevent falls and avoid injury. Slips and falls due to poor balance can lead to broken bones and fractures, which can be harder to recover from as you age. But if you’re diligent about exercising with the intention of improving your balance, you can maintain (and even improve) it far into your later years. As already mentioned, activities like walking regularly can help, along with activities such as Tai Chi and Yoga. And now, with everything so accessible via Zoom, you can take advantage of these types of activities right from your living room!

4. Strengthen your core

Having a strong core is beneficial at any age, but especially as you get older. Strong abs, hips and buttocks (all part of your core) help you to sit and stand more upright, prevent back and neck pain, and will help you feel stronger and more confident in just about everything that you do. In our office, our favorite core-strengthening activity is Pilates. We especially love it for folks aged 50+ because it’s easy on your joints and it helps to promote flexibility at the same time. We use specialized machines that are beneficial for folks recovering from an injury, and we’ve got Zoom classes requiring no equipment at all that people can do from home. Yet another reason to love Pilates is that it doesn’t just work your core, but your entire body. You can even do portions of Pilates in standing, which helps your balance and coordination! If you’ve never tried Pilates before, we’d love to help you get started.

5. Educate Yourself

Knowledge is power, and a lack of knowledge is one of the biggest reasons I see people decreasing their activity levels unnecessarily. People think that issues like arthritis, bulging discs, or a torn meniscus are reasons to decrease or cease certain activities altogether. But that’s not necessarily true! Most of the things I just mentioned are normal occurrences as we age, and having them show up on an x-ray or MRI is not a reason to change an activity you’ve been doing successfully for years. Plus, regular movement and exercise actually helps these problems.

If you have pain, that’s a different story. Talk to an expert who can help you figure out what’s going on so that you can quickly get back to your activities and not make your pain any worse. Whatever you do, try to avoid Dr. Google. It can send you down a rabbit hole and not all the advice you read will apply directly to you. If you’re dealing with pain that is keeping you from your favorite activities, reach out to experts like us. We offer a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session just so you can ask questions, get honest answers, and figure out if we’re the right fit for your lifestyle. 

The Location of Your Pain may NOT be its Source…

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One of the most confusing topics we deal with in our practice is pain. And there’s lots of advice out there on what to do about it…

Should you rest or move? Apply heat or ice? See a doctor or let it go away on its own?

Before you can even think about a solution to your pain, you must first accurately determine where it’s coming from. If you have pain in your knee, but it’s actually coming from your back, the best knee treatment in the world is not going to fix it.

Inaccurate diagnosis of pain is a BIG reason why so many people suffer longer than they need to, and undergo unnecessary surgeries.

You must accurately determine the source of your pain for treatment to be effective, and the location of your pain alone is not a reliable way to do that.

For example, I’ve seen people in my office with what they think is unrelenting tennis elbow, only to find out it was actually a problem in their neck causing it. I’ve seen people disappointed after a failed knee surgery, because the problem was never in their knee and actually coming from their back.

Isolated extremity pain (knees, elbows, shoulders) is one of the most misdiagnosed problems we see in our office.

A recent study by Richard Rosedale, et al. in the Journal of Manipulative Therapy investigated this – and it was found that over 40% of people suffering from isolated extremity pain actually had a spinal source of symptoms.

In other words, their extremity pain was actually coming from their neck or back.

I can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen folks with unexplained shoulder pain lasting months or years get better as soon as we begin treating their neck, even though they never had neck pain.

Same for knees…

It’s possible to have knee pain that is caused by your back, without ever hurting your back!

Confused? I don’t blame you.

But more importantly, how do you figure out the source of your pain when it’s not always where you’re feeling it?

As already mentioned, the most common place for this to happen is with extremities. If you’ve got shoulder, elbow, knee or foot pain – and you don’t ever recall a specific injury to it – you MUST consider that it could be coming from your spine.

There’s a 44% chance that it is!

Where this gets really confusing is that typically your doctor will order an MRI when you’ve got isolated knee or shoulder pain that won’t go away. And if you’re over 40 years old, the MRI will almost always show “something” – a torn rotator cuff, torn meniscus, arthritis, or wear and tear.

Remember that these are normal signs of aging in everyone, and may not be the cause of your pain.

If you haven’t already had your spine checked properly as a possible source, you can’t rely on these findings (or the location of your pain) as an accurate diagnosis. That is how people end up having surgeries they don’t really need.

Whenever someone comes into our office with isolated extremity pain, we don’t even look at it without an exam of their neck and back first.

By moving your spine repeatedly, and in certain directions, we can often produce – or take away – the pain you’re feeling in your knee or shoulder.

Why?

Because if the pain in your extremity is caused by a pinched or aggravated nerve, moving your spine around is going to influence that, and tell us where the source really is.

An MRI and X-ray won’t be able to determine this for you with certainty – because sometimes your nerve only gets irritated when you move a certain way – or when you’re in a certain position. Since MRI’s and X-rays can’t see what’s going on while you’re moving, you can’t rely on those tests alone to tell you exactly where your pain is coming from.

If you’ve had pain in one of your extremities for a while now, and it’s not going away, it’s possible you’ve missed the source.

That source could be your spine.

And if you’re considering some kind of surgery or procedure, you definitely want to rule that out first.

Specialized movement exams like we do in our office are one of the most reliable ways to figure this out. If you’ve had unexplained pain in your knee or shoulder that isn’t going away, CLICK HERE to request a Free Discovery Session with one of our specialists.

Weight Loss

How to Keep Knee or Back Pain from Derailing your New Year’s Goals

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The most popular goals for the New Year continue to revolve around weight loss and exercise. But here is one thing that can get in your way when pursuing those goals… unresolved back or knee pain. So many people make the mistake of thinking that exercise or weight loss alone, is going to “cure” their nagging pain. But that’s not always the case. 

Here are some top tips and advice I give all my clients around this time of year to help you get the most out of your health and fitness goals for 2021, and NOT let something like back or knee pain get in your way…

Mobility before Stability

Your muscles can’t function at their best if you don’t have optimal joint mobility. In other words, you don’t want to strengthen around a joint that isn’t moving at its best, or you’ll encourage compensation. If your nagging back or knee pain is due to inadequate mobility, you’ll run into problems (and more pain) if you suddenly increase your exercise or activity level. We saw this happen at the beginning of the pandemic. People started walking and exercising more and we saw a huge influx of unexpected back and knee pain as a result. Their joints weren’t accustomed to moving so much and it highlighted the lack of mobility and compensations. Don’t let the same thing happen to you! Make sure all of your joints, including your spine, can move fully and freely without any pain before you begin a new exercise program.

Pace yourself

Siti Scommesse Basket Online: Le Migliori Opzioni di Scommezoid per il Basket

Il basket è uno sport appassionante che attira milioni di fan in tutto il mondo. Con la sua azione frenetica, le giocate spettacolari e le emozioni travolgenti, non c’è da stupirsi che sempre più persone vogliano scommettere sul basket online. Tuttavia, con l’enorme quantità di siti di scommesse disponibili, può essere difficile sapere quale scegliere. Come puoi essere sicuro di trovare un sito affidabile, sicuro e con le migliori quote?

In questo articolo, esploreremo le migliori opzioni di scommesse basket online attualmente disponibili. Analizzeremo i fattori chiave da considerare quando si sceglie un sito di scommesse, come la reputazione, la sicurezza, le quote competitive e l’esperienza utente. Inoltre, forniremo una guida dettagliata su come scommettere sul basket online in modo responsabile e divertente. Che tu sia un appassionato di lunga data o un nuovo arrivato nel mondo delle scommesse sportive, questo articolo ti darà tutte le informazioni necessarie per fare la scelta giusta e massimizzare le tue possibilità di successo.

Panoramica dei Principali Siti di Scommesse sul Basket

Il mondo delle scommesse sportive online offre un’ampia gamma di opportunità per gli appassionati di basket. Le scommesse basket online consentono di scommettere su una vasta selezione di partite, campionati e tornei, sia a livello nazionale che internazionale. Che tu sia un fan dell’NBA, dell’Euroleague o dei campionati nazionali, potrai trovare numerose opzioni per scommettere sui tuoi giocatori e squadre preferite.

Uno dei vantaggi principali delle scommesse basket online è la comodità. Puoi piazzare le tue scommesse ovunque ti trovi, direttamente dal tuo dispositivo mobile o dal tuo computer. Inoltre, i siti di scommesse online offrono spesso quote competitive e una vasta gamma di opzioni di scommessa, come le scommesse sul risultato finale, i punteggi parziali, i margini di vittoria e molto altro ancora.

Per sfruttare al meglio le scommesse basket online, è fondamentale scegliere un bookmaker affidabile e di alta qualità. Alcuni dei migliori siti di scommesse basket online offrono:

  • Ampie coperture di eventi e mercati di scommessa
  • Quote competitive e opzioni di scommessa diversificate
  • Promozioni e bonus dedicati agli appassionati di basket
  • Piattaforme user-friendly e facilmente accessibili da dispositivi mobili

Che tu sia un principiante o un giocatore esperto, le scommesse basket online rappresentano un’opportunità emozionante per aumentare il divertimento e l’emozione delle partite. Tuttavia, è importante gestire in modo responsabile il tuo bankroll e scommettere solo ciò che puoi permetterti di perdere. Con la giusta strategia e una buona dose di conoscenza del gioco, le scommesse basket online possono rivelarsi un’esperienza gratificante e coinvolgente.

Analisi delle Quote e delle Opzioni di Scommessa Offerte

Quando si tratta di scommettere sul basket online, gli appassionati di questo sport hanno una vasta gamma di opzioni a loro disposizione. I migliori siti di scommesse basket online offrono una varietà di mercati, quote competitive e funzionalità user-friendly per rendere l’esperienza di scommessa più piacevole e redditizia possibile. Alcuni dei fattori chiave da considerare nella scelta di un sito di scommesse basket includono la reputazione, la sicurezza, la varietà di mercati e le opzioni di pagamento.

Tra i siti di scommesse basket più popolari e affidabili troviamo nomi come Bet365, William Hill, Unibet e 888Sport. Questi operatori offrono una copertura completa degli eventi di basket più importanti, come l’NBA, l’Euroleague e i campionati nazionali di tutto il mondo. Inoltre, molti di questi siti offrono anche opzioni di streaming live, statistiche dettagliate e promozioni esclusive per i fan del basket, rendendo l’esperienza di scommessa ancora più coinvolgente ed emozionante.

Vantaggi e Svantaggi delle Scommesse sul Basket Online

Nel mondo delle scommesse sportive online, il basket è uno sport che sta guadagnando sempre più popolarità. Con le sue emozioni travolgenti e l’azione incessante, il basket offre numerose opportunità per i giocatori di scommettere e provare a vincere. Siti scommesse basket online come Scommezoid offrono una vasta gamma di opzioni per scommettere su questo appassionante sport.

Una delle caratteristiche principali dei migliori siti scommesse basket online è la varietà di mercati disponibili. Oltre alle scommesse tradizionali sul risultato finale, i giocatori possono scommettere su una miriade di altri aspetti del gioco, come il punteggio di un singolo quarto, il margine di vittoria, il numero di punti segnati da un giocatore specifico e molto altro ancora. Questa ampia scelta di mercati consente ai giocatori di adattare le loro strategie di scommessa alle proprie preferenze e competenze.

  • Quote competitive
  • Ampia copertura delle principali leghe
  • Opzioni di scommessa dal vivo
  • Bonus e promozioni vantaggiose
  • Piattaforme user-friendly

Strategie e Consigli per Scommettere con Successo

Il basket è uno degli sport più emozionanti e seguiti al mondo, e per gli appassionati di scommesse, rappresenta un’opportunità unica per mettere alla prova le proprie abilità di previsione e strategia. Fortunatamente, esistono numerosi siti di scommesse basket online che offrono una vasta gamma di opzioni per scommettere su questo sport avvincente. Questi siti consentono di scommettere non solo sulle partite, ma anche su una miriade di altri aspetti del gioco, come il punteggio finale, il margine di vittoria, i punti realizzati dai singoli giocatori e molto altro ancora.

Quando si tratta di scegliere il miglior sito di scommesse basket online, è fondamentale considerare diversi fattori chiave. In primo luogo, è importante valutare l’affidabilità e la reputazione del sito, assicurandosi che sia regolamentato e autorizzato a operare nel proprio paese di residenza. Inoltre, è necessario prendere in considerazione l’ampiezza dell’offerta di scommesse, le quote proposte e la facilità d’uso dell’interfaccia. Alcuni dei migliori siti di scommesse basket online offrono anche interessanti bonus di benvenuto e promozioni speciali per i nuovi giocatori, rendendo l’esperienza ancora più entusiasmante.

Infine, è sempre consigliabile fare una ricerca approfondita sui diversi siti di scommesse basket online prima di effettuare la propria scelta. Leggere le recensioni degli utenti, confrontare le quote e le opzioni di scommessa offerte, e valutare attentamente i termini e le condizioni di ciascun sito può fare la differenza tra un’esperienza di scommessa positiva e una deludente. Con la giusta combinazione di conoscenza, strategia e un sito di scommesse affidabile, gli appassionati di basket possono vivere emozioni indimenticabili e, con un po’ di fortuna, anche realizzare qualche bella vincita.

Sicurezza e Affidabilità dei Siti di Scommesse sul Basket

Ecco 4 paragrafi in italiano che dettagliano “Siti Scommesse Basket Online: Le Migliori Opzioni di Scommezoid per il Basket”:

Gli appassionati di basket hanno molteplici opzioni per scommettere sui loro eventi preferiti grazie ai numerosi siti di scommesse online dedicati a questo sport. Questi siti offrono una vasta gamma di mercati di scommessa, dalle classiche quote sul risultato finale alle opzioni più dettagliate come lo spread, il totale dei punti e le scommesse sui singoli giocatori. Inoltre, molti di questi siti propongono anche streaming live degli incontri, consentendo ai giocatori di seguire l’azione in tempo reale mentre scommettono.

Uno dei principali vantaggi di scommettere sul basket online è la comodità. Non è più necessario recarsi in una sala scommesse fisica, poiché tutto può essere gestito dal proprio dispositivo mobile o computer. Inoltre, i siti di scommesse online offrono spesso quote migliori rispetto alle sale scommesse tradizionali, grazie alla riduzione dei costi operativi. Questo si traduce in potenziali vincite più elevate per i giocatori.

Quando si sceglie un sito di scommesse basket online, è importante considerare fattori come la reputazione, la sicurezza, la varietà di mercati di scommessa offerti e i bonus e le promozioni disponibili. Alcuni dei migliori siti di scommesse basket online includono:

  • Bet365
  • William Hill
  • 888Sport
  • Unibet

Questi siti sono noti per la loro affidabilità, le quote competitive e l’eccellente copertura degli eventi di basket a livello nazionale e internazionale.

Infine, è fondamentale ricordare di scommettere in modo responsabile e di gestire attentamente il proprio bankroll. Le scommesse sul basket online possono essere un’esperienza emozionante ed entusiasmante, ma è importante mantenere sempre il controllo e non lasciarsi travolgere dall’eccitazione del gioco. Con la giusta strategia e un approccio disciplinato, è possibile trarre il massimo divertimento e potenzialmente anche profitti dalle scommesse sul basket online.

In conclusione, il mondo delle scommesse sul basket online offre una vasta gamma di opzioni per gli appassionati di questo sport. Dalle migliori piattaforme come Scommezoid, che garantiscono un’esperienza di gioco sicura e affidabile, alle numerose opportunità di scommesse disponibili, gli amanti del basket possono immergersi completamente nell’emozione del gioco. Che tu sia un principiante o un esperto scommettitore, l’importante è scegliere con attenzione il sito di scommesse più adatto alle tue esigenze e goderti appieno l’adrenalina di ogni partita.

It’s very tempting to go “all in” on your new exercise or weight loss goal… but remember, the tortoise won the race, not the hare. It’s important to not beat yourself up if you’re not seeing immediate results. If you’ve been out of shape for a while and doing something completely new, expect to be sore. But if you’re limping around for days or experiencing sharp pain in your back or knee, there is a chance you overdid it.

My general rule of thumb is to monitor your soreness on a scale of one to ten. I tell my clients to not let their pain go above a five when they are pushing themselves or returning to an exercise we haven’t tried in a while. If you find that your pain level goes above a six, or persists at that level (or higher) for more than a day, there’s a chance you’re overdoing it and setting yourself up for an unwanted injury. When in doubt, listen to your body. And if you’re not sure what it’s saying to you, enlist the help of experts like us!

Stay Hydrated

Most people don’t drink enough water during their regular day, never mind when they increase their activity level. Drinking lots of water has two great benefits. It will give you the extra hydration you need if you’re planning to be more active. And it will help you lose weight by curbing your appetite. Some additional benefits of staying hydrated include increased muscle strength and stamina, more lubrication in your joints, more supple skin, better cardiovascular function, and improved energy and mental alertness. One really easy tip to jumpstart your day is to begin with 10 oz of water first thing upon waking. A good place to start when you’re trying to stay adequately hydrated is to drink at least half your body weight (in ounces) of water every day.  

Get assessed by a movement expert

If you’ve already got some nagging back and knee pain, do yourself a favor and get assessed by a movement expert FIRST, before you begin your new exercise routine or New Year’s goal. Your first thought might be to go see your medical doctor, which of course isn’t a bad idea, but it’s important you understand how different medical professionals look at you when you have knee or back pain.

Medical doctors are trained to screen your whole body and spot for serious problems. If you see them for musculoskeletal pain, they will typically take X-rays and MRI’s to make sure there are no broken bones or serious pathologies. They do not have extensive training to assess how your pain behaves during movement or exercise, which is the majority of people’s problems. That’s where we come in.

A specialty practice like ours will be able to assess your movement in detail, through various movement tests, which will tell a much better story about how your pain may or may not impact the new exercise or weight loss program you’re about to start. Plus, once we know how your pain behaves, what the triggering patterns are, we can also teach you how to control it – so that you don’t have to let nagging back or knee pain derail your 2021!

I hope your New Year is off to an amazing start, and if you want to ensure that back or knee pain doesn’t get in the way of that, reach out for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session. We would love to talk with you about your goals and be part of your support team as we all launch into 2023!

 

 

Active and Mobile

Five Easy Ways to Keep Active and Moving this Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving might look a lot different this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to stay active during the holiday. And if you suffer from back or knee pain, it’s especially important to find ways to keep active and moving. Our spine and joints don’t like to be sedentary for prolonged periods. That’s especially true if you have arthritis. You may not notice any pain while you’re sitting or relaxing, but you WILL pay for it the next day. 

Here are five very easy ways to keep active and moving this Thanksgiving:

1. Interrupt your sitting.

This is quite possibly the easiest and most effective strategy to minimize pain and stiffness in your back and knees. I give this tip out all the time, not just for Thanksgiving. Our bodies were not designed to sit for prolonged periods, so getting up frequently (I recommend once every 30 min) keeps your knees, hips, and spine from getting painful and stiff. 

2. Do a Turkey Trot!

Thanksgiving Turkey Trots are a tradition for many. But just because races aren’t happening live and in person this year, doesn’t mean you still can’t get out there! Plus, many of these popular events have switched to virtual and have arranged ways for people to still participate but on their own time, and socially distanced. Turkey Trots are typically 5K’s – or 3.2 miles – so grab your dog, headphones, or favorite podcast or audiobook and start your morning off right. Whether you walk or jog, it will feel great to get your Thanksgiving Day started with lubricated joints and blood flowing. 

3. Stretch during Commercials.

Yes – the Macy’s Day parade is still happening (on TV only) and there will of course be football. A very easy way to keep yourself from sitting or slouching too much because you’re watching TV is to get up during commercials! I literally teach my clients to do “TV exercises”. Choose some very easy stretches or mobility exercises to do during the commercial breaks. It’s the perfect opportunity to do a quick 2 min exercise or stretch.  It doesn’t have to be complicated. Choose from a quick set of squats, some heel raises, a set of planks, or back stretches on the floor or in standing. You can alternate through these during each commercial break.

4. Walk for Dessert.

Just because you did that Turkey Trot in the morning doesn’t mean you have to be done for the day! Skip the dessert (maybe) and go for a nice easy walking stroll after dinner. Walking is one of the best exercises you can do. And it gives you many of the same benefits of running (only slower). Walking is very functional, and it’s good for your hips, back and knees. Since we tend to sit and bend so much during the day, walking is a very natural and active way to get some much needed lengthening and stretching into our bodies. Plus, it can’t hurt to work off some of those Thanksgiving calories!

5. Help with set up and clean up.

You may not like this tip, and your kids and grandkids might fight you on it, but it’s another easy way to keep moving on Thanksgiving Day. If you’re suffering from back problems, be careful bending and repetitively leaning over when you’re collecting or setting dishes down. And watch your posture when you’re cleaning dishes or loading the dishwasher. An easy fix for this, and a great way to protect your spine from the harmful effects of too much bending, is to remember to stand up straight and stretch backwards often and frequently whenever you’re doing an activity that requires a lot of bending forward. And remember to bend from your hips and knees instead of curving over from your spine.  And of course, if your back is so bad that it prevents you from being able to help clean up, or do any of the other activities I mentioned in this article, please reach out! 

I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving, and that these tips help to give you some easy, practical ideas to stay active and moving!

Holding Knee with Arthritis

When Traditional Physical Therapy Fails…

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I’ve been a physical therapist for a very long time — 20 years to be exact — and I’ve seen a lot of changes in healthcare over the course of my career. One of the biggest (and saddest) changes I’ve seen in my field is the overcrowding of clinics. As reimbursements from insurance companies go down, traditional physical therapy clinics have been forced to increase their patient volume. That means you rarely get to spend time with your therapist, and your treatment sessions consist of repetitive exercise sets that you typically can do at the gym or on your own.

If you do manage to get some one-on-one time with your therapist, whether it be for hands-on-care or actual consultation about what’s going on with you, it’s often just a quick 20 minutes. The rest of the time, your poor therapist is usually held hostage by a computer because of all the documentation requirements placed on them, and you’re left on your own doing all those exercises.

Has this happened to you?

With this model of care, it’s impossible for the quality of your treatment NOT to suffer. Many folks I speak with say that traditional physical therapy is a “waste of time.” 

Why bother going when they can do everything on their own at home?

Worse, when traditional physical therapy does fail, most people go back to their doctors hoping for a different solution. Many times, the next step for these folks involves unwanted procedures, pain pills, or surgery.

So what do you do if you don’t want to go down the medical route of procedures or surgery, but the “physical therapy” didn’t work?

Well first, you need to understand what physical therapy actually is, seek that out, and don’t settle for anything less.

Physical therapy is NOT just a bunch of general exercises or ultrasound — at least it’s not supposed to be. After your pain is gone and your problem has been resolved, the role of general exercise is to keep your pain gone, and to continue optimizing your strength, performance, and mobility. That’s what we use our Pilates program for.

When you receive proper physical therapy in the way it was intended, it looks something like this…

Your therapist will first give you a proper examination and an actual diagnosis. Your physical therapy diagnosis might be different than your medical diagnosis. In fact, it should be. For example, you may come to us with a diagnosis of “bulging disc,” but our job is to figure out WHY your disc is bulging. Our diagnosis is going to be related to the specific movements, habits, and musculoskeletal deficiencies that led you to having that problem in the first place (discs don’t just bulge spontaneously). Once we know that, we can come up with a plan for you.

Here’s an example…

Let’s say your bulging disc is due to poor sitting posture, a weak core, and poor mobility in your spine. When your spine doesn’t move well and you sit too much, compensations like bulging discs can occur. Your plan might then consist of strategies for better, less painful sitting postures, as well as some help getting your spine back to full mobility again — so that your bulging disc no longer irritates you.

At this stage in your treatment, any “exercises” given to you should be corrective, very specific to your problem, and should be prescribed specifically to you.

There should be nothing cookie-cutter or general about them — and they should be working!

When you have the right “movement prescription” and when your exercises are corrective versus general — your pain goes away, your problem gets resolved, and most importantly, you’ll know exactly why and can even replicate this on your own in the future.

Once this has all been achieved, THEN we can get you back to the fun stuff like exercises at the gym, Pilates, or yoga — the stuff that is designed to keep you feeling healthy, active, and mobile.

Getting rid of something like back, knee, or neck pain doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t have to involve pills, procedures, or surgery. But it may require you to be a bit open-minded about HOW you receive physical therapy.

If you’ve had a frustrating experience with physical therapy in the past, don’t just give up!

Consider working with a specialist practice like ours that operates differently from traditional clinics.

Click here to request a Discovery Visit.

It’s completely FREE! A discovery session serves as an opportunity for you to “discover” what’s going on with your body and what we do in our practice. You’ll speak with one of my specialists, find out if we’re a good fit for you, and then get started on a path to natural recovery!

Five Ways Adding Pilates to your Life will Enhance your Fitness.

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Pilates has been around for about 100 years, and it still amazes me how many people have NOT heard of this incredible exercise method. It was first created by Joseph Pilates and initially gained popularity among the dance community as a way to recover from and prevent injuries. But you don’t have to be a dancer to practice Pilates — or enjoy the benefits. 

We’ve been incorporating Pilates into our physical therapy practice for the last 10 years and it’s been transformational for both our clients AND our practice.

Pilates is a full body strengthening system that emphasizes breath, precision, coordination, and core strength. It helps our clients connect to their bodies in a way that they haven’t been able to achieve with traditional strengthening methods. Most of my clients are well into their 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, and they love Pilates because it helps them have more energy, better balance, improved strength, and more mobility. It allows them to participate in all the activities they love with more ease, and most importantly, significantly decreases their risk for injury.

Here are five reasons why I personally love adding Pilates to any fitness routine, and why you should consider adding it to yours too!

1. Pilates helps prevent back pain.

Once you hit 40, your risk of back injury starts to climb. We specialize in back pain, so see a lot of folks with this problem in our office. They’ve often worked with traditional physical therapists or chiropractors in the past to successfully get rid of back pain in the short term, but it keeps coming back. And our clients want it gone for the long-term. A regular practice of Pilates is a safe and sustainable way to help keep your back pain-free. It focuses on core strength but is also a well-balanced exercise system. Full body strength and balance is a critical component for life-long back health, and it is not always addressed in traditional back rehabilitation programs or treatments.

2. Pilates strengthens your whole body, not just your core.

One of the keys to truly enhancing your fitness is what I call “balanced strength.” That’s when each part of your body works together to produce the right amount of force, at the right time, to do your favorite activity in the most efficient way possible. Efficiency means you’ll be able to do it for longer and with more ease. We see lots of strong people in our office, and they can’t understand why they’re in pain. It’s entirely possible to be “strong,” but still have certain muscles working harder than others. This creates an imbalance, which eventually leads to problems. Pilates emphasizes full body strength that is coordinated, which helps promote balanced strength throughout your body and leads to fewer injuries over time.

3. Pilates helps you get more flexible and mobile.

Do you stretch your hamstrings every single day and get frustrated because they’re still tight? It’s probably because you’re not stretching the right way. What I love about Pilates is that it stretches your body in a dynamic way – with movement – so that muscles lengthen the right way. The days of statically holding a stretch for 30 seconds are long gone. Plus, mobility is extremely important for strength. Muscles work better when your joints move fully and freely. “Mobility before stability” is a phrase you hear daily in our office. And Pilates is a great way to get your joints and muscles mobile while ALSO promoting stability.

4. Pilates puts minimal stress on your joints.

Aging is a real thing, and along with it comes arthritis. The key to combating arthritis is optimizing the area around the affected joint or joints. When you have good mobility, and balanced strength, you have less compressive forces around your joints.  Arthritis doesn’t like compressed, crowded joints. So when you strengthen and stretch your whole body in a good, balanced way – arthritis becomes less painful and stiff. Pilates helps with all this and doesn’t cause any added stress on your joints. There’s a good reason you see lots of folks in their 60’s and 70’s enjoying our classes.

5. Pilates trains your nervous system.

Huh? Is that even a thing? Yes it is – and it’s almost ALWAYS the missing link for people who feel stuck, or can’t seem to get beyond a certain point in their fitness. It can also be the reason why an activity you’ve been doing “for years” suddenly becomes problematic or painful. If you don’t train your nervous system, it gets lazy, and compensations will develop in your body. Compensations lead to problems when unchecked. Since Pilates is a mind-body exercise, it helps to keep the communication between your brain and your muscles fresh. Pilates emphasizes precise and coordinated movements, which enhance and reinforces this connection.  In other words, your nervous system can’t get lazy when you do Pilates!

If you’re not yet incorporating Pilates into your fitness or rehab routine — what are you waiting for?

As a specialist physical therapist it’s my go-to exercise system for folks over 40 and my favorite way to help people keep their back pain gone.  We’re actually re-launching our signature 8 week program, Pilates 101 ! Pilates 101 is completely dedicated to folks who are new to Pilates, or who have back pain and want to learn how to develop a safe core-strengthening routine. If you want more information, just click here!