Do you have stiff, achy, painful joints? You’re not alone.

An estimated 54 million adults are living with this chronic condition. It is called arthritis.

Arthritis steals movement. It sometimes keeps you from doing the things you love. But with a bit of effort, you can restore some movement and regain your ability to enjoy activities.

Regular exercise (physical activity) is one of the best ways to improve pain, stiffness, and range of motion, the common arthritis symptoms. It also can benefit your physical, mental, and social health. It even can prevent or improve many chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, depression, and some cancers.

Many people with arthritis think exercise will be painful — probably because they’ve tried, and it was. But we know through research that people with arthritis can exercise without worsening their pain. Plus, regular physical activity can decrease arthritis pain and improve walking activities. The trick is doing the right exercises, in the right way, at the right time.

It isn’t easy. Arthritis is a complicated condition. Once arthritis moves into a joint, the muscles surrounding the joint become weakened. This leads to a ripple effect of joint pain and muscle weakness.

If you’ve tried to exercise and stopped because of pain, consider seeing a physical therapist. They can work with you to develop a safe and effective strengthening and conditioning program to help reduce your pain, not add to it. In the process, you also can improve your mobility and function. The bottom line:  exercise shouldn’t hurt if you have arthritis.

People with arthritis need to increase their exercise routines more gradually than those without it. A physical therapist will partner with you to develop a program for your specific ability and goals. Walking, cycling and swimming are great forms of cardiovascular exercise. Strength training and stretching are equally important. A physical therapist can teach you how to exercise with the correct form and posture. They also will help you exercise for the right amount of time and intensity.

If you have questions about how physical activity can help address your arthritis symptoms, our physical therapist can help. Call us today!

 

Pool (aquatic) exercise provides many benefits, including an ideal environment to exercise throughout the year. The buoyancy of the water supports a portion of your body weight making it easier to move in the water and improve your flexibility. The water also provides resistance to movements, which helps to strengthen muscles.

Pool exercises can also improve agility, balance, and cardiovascular fitness. Many types of conditions greatly benefit from pool exercise, including arthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain, joint replacements, neurological, and balance conditions. The pool environment also reduces the risk of falls when compared to exercise on land.

Preparing for the Pool

Before starting any pool exercise program, always check with your physical therapist or physician to make sure pool exercises are right for you. Physical therapists are movement experts who improve quality of life through hands on care, patient education, and prescribed movement.

Here are some tips to get you started:

• Water shoes will help to provide traction on the pool floor.
• Water level can be waist or chest high.
• Use a Styrofoam noodle or floatation belt/vest to keep you afloat in deeper water.
• Slower movements in the water will provide less resistance than faster movements.
• You can use webbed water gloves, Styrofoam weights, inflated balls, or kickboards for increased resistance.
• Never push your body through pain during any exercise.
• Although you will not notice that you sweat with pool exercises, it is still important to drink plenty of water.

10 Excellent Exercises for the Pool

1. Water walking or jogging: Start with forward and backward walking in chest or waist-high water. Walk about 10-20 steps forward, and then walk backward. Increase speed to make it more difficult. Also, increase intensity by jogging gently in place. Alternate jogging for 30 seconds with walking in place for 30 seconds. Continue for 5 minutes.

2. Forward and side lunges: Standing near a pool wall for support, if necessary, take an oversized lunge step in a forward direction. Do not let the forward knee advance past the toes. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. For a side lunge, face the pool wall and take an oversized step to the side. Keep toes facing forward. Repeat on the other side. Try 3 sets of 10 lunge steps. For variation, lunge walk in a forward or sideways direction instead of staying in place.

3. One leg balance: Stand on 1 leg while raising the other knee to hip level. Place a pool noodle under the raised leg, so the noodle forms a “U” with your foot in the center of the U. Hold as long as you can up to 30 seconds and switch legs. Try 1-2 sets of 5 on each leg.

4. Sidestepping Face the pool wall. Take sideways steps with your body and toes facing the wall. Take 10-20 steps in 1 direction and then return. Repeat twice in each direction.

5. Hip kickers at pool wall: Stand with the pool wall to one side of your body for support. Move 1 leg in a forward direction with the knee straight, like you are kicking. Return to start. Then move the same leg to the side, and return to the start position. Lastly, move that same leg behind you. Repeat 3 sets of 10 and switch the kicking leg.

6. Pool planks: Hold the noodle in front of you. Lean forward into a plank position. The noodle will be submerged under the water, and your elbows should be straight downward toward the pool floor. Your feet should still be on the pool floor. Hold as long as comfortable, 15-60 seconds depending on your core strength. Repeat 3-5 times.

7. Deep water bicycle: In deeper water, loop 1-2 noodles around the back of your body and rest your arms on top of the noodle for support in the water. Move your legs as if you are riding a bicycle. Continue for 3-5 minutes.

8. Arm raises: Using arm paddles or webbed gloves for added resistance, hold arms at your sides. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees. Raise and lower elbows and arms toward the water surface, while the elbows remain bent to 90 degrees. Repeat for 3 sets of 10.

9. Push-ups: While standing in the pool by the poolside, place arms shoulder-width apart on pool edge. Press weight through your hands and raise your body up and halfway out of the water, keeping elbows slightly bent. Hold 3 seconds and slowly lower back into pool. (Easier variation: Wall push up on side of pool: place hands on edge of pool shoulder-width apart, bend elbows, and lean chest toward the pool wall.)

10. Standing knee lift: Stand against the pool wall with both feet on the floor. Lift 1 knee up like you are marching in place. While the knee is lifted even with your hip, straighten your knee. Continue to bend and straighten your knee 10 times, and then repeat on the other leg. Complete 3 sets of 10 on each leg. For more of a challenge, try this exercise without standing against the pool wall.

 

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source: https://www.choosept.com

Aging past 50 years brings with it wisdom and perspective, but it can also mean a slow decline of physical abilities.

As we age, strength, balance, and coordination can deteriorate if they are not being challenged and practiced each day. Loss of these abilities can make it difficult or painful to perform your everyday activities.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, regular physical activity can benefit your physical, mental, and social health, and prevent or improve many chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, depression, and some cancers. For substantial health benefits, adults (ages 18 through 64 years, with and without chronic health conditions and disabilities, who are able) should do at least 150 minutes to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes to 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, and strengthening exercises two days per week.

If you are over age 50, incorporating the following exercises into your daily physical activity routine can help you with strength, agility, and balance.

1. Sidewalking

Walking sideways “wakes up” the hip muscles on the sides of the pelvis, which are essential to support the knees, ankles, and spine. They also assist in keeping your balance when walking.

What to do: Several times per day, step 10 times to the right, followed by stepping 10 times to the left. Keep hands on a kitchen counter or long table while sidestepping, if support is needed. To make it more challenging, tie an exercise band around your thighs, just above the knees, to create resistance.

2. Shoulder blade squeezes

Middle-aged and older people often have forward-curved posture, usually as a result of simply not practicing proper upright posture. This posture can reduce how deeply we can inhale, and cause neck and back pain.

What to do: Several times per day, squeeze shoulder blades together and downward. Hold for 3 seconds. Repeat 10 times. This exercise can help you stand up straighter and even breathe more deeply.

3. Abdominal drawing-in

Our abdominal muscles support the spine. With age, these muscles can become weaker unless they are being actively exercised. Weak abdominals can predispose people to back pain.

What to do: Several times per day, pull your belly button inward toward your spine. Hold for 5 seconds, without holding your breath. Repeat 10 times. As you get used to doing this, try doing it when you are walking, exercising, and during all other activities. It can protect your back from injury and pain.

4. Balancing

Good balance comes naturally to us when we are young, but over time we can become less skilled with balance. Good balance helps prevent falls and related injuries.

What to do: Several times per day, stand on both feet with your hands on a kitchen counter or a sturdy table. Slowly lift one foot, and try to balance on the other foot for 10-15 seconds. Then do the same thing on the other foot. Repeat 5 times on each foot.  If this is easy, try closing your eyes while standing on both feet. If that is easy, close your eyes while standing on one foot. Be sure to have someone standing close by to help you avoid falling.

5. Stand up and sit down

The strength and endurance of the hip and thigh muscles determine how well middle-aged and older adults can get around their homes and the community. If these muscles lose strength, standing and walking can become difficult.

What to do: Several times per day, sit in a sturdy chair with no armrests. Stand up and sit back down, rising and lowering in a controlled motion. Do this slowly 5 times. Then do it more quickly 5 times. You can use your hands to help you, if you need to, at first. Try to work toward not needing to use your hands. Over time, this exercise can help your leg muscles feel stronger.

6. Pelvic floor training

Pelvic floor muscles (the muscles that we sit on, at the very bottom of the torso) play an important role in incontinence (urine and bowel movement control), spine support, and sexual response. The pelvic floor muscles can lose strength with age, illness, weight gain, and sedentary lifestyle in both men and women, and with pregnancy in women.

What to do: Several times per day, squeeze the muscles in your pelvic floor area as if attempting to stop the flow of urine or hold back gas. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Repeat up to 10 times. Do not tighten leg, hip, or abdominal muscles or hold your breath when you do this exercise.

7. Front and back stepping

Coordination and agility are important to athletes, but they are also essential for middle-aged and older adults. Loss of coordination and agility can occur with aging or inactivity and can lead to an increased risk of falls and related injuries.

What to do: One time or more per day, with your hands on the kitchen counter or a sturdy long table, cross the right leg in front of the left leg and step on the right foot. Carefully lift the left foot and step out to the left, then cross your right leg behind the left leg, and step on the right foot. Again, carefully lift the left foot and step out to the left. Repeat 2 more times. Then, carefully change directions, and do it to the right side. Start by crossing the left leg in front of the right leg. This exercise is a little more complex, so be sure to have someone standing close by to help you avoid falling.

If you are experiencing issues with your strength, balance, and coordination, speak with a physical therapist. Physical therapists are movement experts who improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed exercise.

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source: choosept.com/resources/detail/7-exercises-you-should-try-if-you-are-over-50

 

Your big toe is an important part of the body. It helps to keep our balance, bends with each step we take, gets jammed with any quick stops or twisting motion, and is under added stress when wearing high-heels.

With anything that takes a beating like the big toe, occasional pain is normal and could stem from a busy, activity-filled day, but constant pain could be the sign of an arthritic condition called hallux rigidus. Hallux refers to the big toe and rigidus means the toe is rigid and cannot move. If it’s in an earlier stage and movement is only slightly limited it’s called hallux limitus, but as the joint stiffens and worsens over time it can make it difficult for you to walk, stand for long periods of time or crouch down. Hallux rigidus can be hereditary, but often it is caused by repetitive stress from the workplace or some sports. Workers who are required to stoop a lot, golf and tennis players are more prone to developing hallux rigidus. It can also stem from an injury like a severely stubbed toe.

If you experience any big toe pain while standing for long periods, walking, squatting or bending over, it’s time to contact a foot and ankle surgeon for an examination. If caught early, it can be improved over time with conservative treatments such as shoe modifications, physical therapy, orthotics, medication or injection therapy. As the condition worsens if conservative treatment methods fail, surgery may be required.

source: FootHealthFacts.org 

Your feet are among your most important body parts. They get you where you want to go, help you stay healthy through physical activity, and provide freedom of movement. However, it’s easy to take your feet for granted — until you have an injury or problem.

Foot health is important for everyone. Most of us don’t think a lot about foot care, but it’s essential to prevent foot health issues to keep your whole body healthy. Foot health is even more vital for people with diabetes.

The following six tips can help you improve or maintain your foot health and the freedom to move.

1. Clean Your Feet Daily and Wear Clean, Dry Socks

Wash your feet daily in lukewarm water. Avoid using hot or cold water. Water that is too hot or too cold can damage your skin, especially in people with diabetes who have decreased skin sensation. Use a soft washcloth or sponge and gentle soap. Then, rinse thoroughly and dry your feet completely before donning socks and shoes.

When our feet sweat, moisture gets held against our skin by most socks. Socks that are bunched up or too tight around the ankles or calf also can cause irritation or problems. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons warns that having diabetes increases the risk of developing a wide range of foot problems. People with diabetes should consider special socks designed with extra cushioning and moisture-wicking fiber.

2. Inspect Your Feet Regularly

Check your feet for blisters, redness, small cuts, or cracked skin. If you can’t see the bottom of your feet, use a hand mirror with magnification. If you notice any problems, contact a doctor or physical therapist. Never ignore a problem with your feet. If you have diabetes, check your feet daily.

3. Cut Nails Carefully and Regularly

Keep your nails trimmed, but not too short. Nails that are cut too short can become ingrown and cause soreness or infection. It is best to cut nails straight across and then carefully file the edges. If you cannot cut your own nails, a podiatrist can assist. If you use a nail salon, make sure to tell them to be careful not to cut your toenails too short or injure your skin during filing.

4. Always Wear Well-Fitted Shoes

Shoes that don’t fit well may cause blisters that can lead to infection or other problems. Make sure you choose shoes that do not irritate your feet. Wear shoes that properly support your feet and ankles to ensure safety while walking.

A physical therapist can help ensure that your shoes fit properly for general wear or sports-specific activities and recommend shoes or shoe inserts (orthotics) for proper support.

5. Moisturize Your Feet at Night

Keep your skin soft and healthy by moisturizing every night. This can help prevent itching or cracking. Avoid putting lotion between your toes.

6. Keep your Blood Sugar Under Control

According to the National Institutes of Health, diabetes can affect your feet. High blood sugar levels can cause nerve damage, resulting in loss of skin sensation. Reduced blood flow also can make it harder for your feet to heal from an injury or resist infection.

Regular physical activity and proper nutrition are keys to preventing type 2 diabetes and maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels. Whether you have diabetes or not, it is important to get the recommended amount of daily physical activity to prevent and manage many chronic conditions and diseases.

Our physical therapists are movement experts who help people with foot problems improve their quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement. They also can help people with diabetes improve their strength, balance, and endurance, and maintain good skin health.

 

 

 

Ahhh-swimming; that oh-so-wonderful feeling of being able to cool off on a hot day! Gliding through the water, that is 800 times denser compared to air, de-weighting us to the point where we can, somewhat, believe it brings out the child in us. And why shouldn’t it!? For most of us, we couldn’t wait to run and jump in and splash, and free-stroke.

Yes! Free-stroke equaled Free-dom!

Confidently we become buoyant, meeting a greater resistance by moving our arms and legs through the water (vs. air); hence we feel the restorative powers- like a superhero! And, when we are finished with our swim, whether it was for an hour, or several, we get exercise; pain-Free at that…might even have a little appetite too from so much exertion! Not-to-mention looking a little more toned and sculpted.

With our busy lifestyles, and as we age, we are gonna have aches and pains-and maybe a little joint cracking here and there.  You may even be experiencing a little (or a lot) of arthritis now. What to do? Ah-yes, go swimming! Because to be pain-free means you have to move consistently, and frequent movement is a hard sell to those of you in pain! Whether you have musculoskeletal disorders, chronic back pain, need lumbar stabilization (pregnancy), have foot, ankle, knee, or shoulder pain, or any kind of arthritis–results from swimming and aquatic therapy are immediate!

So, rekindle your memory of youth and rebuild your confidence of daily living; pain-Free. Go get in a pool and MOVE; swimming (aquatic therapy)-it’s a high-intensity exercise…….Free yourself today!

When a patient makes an appointment with a physical therapist to rehabilitate after a shoulder injury, for example, it’s because he wants to get better, right? Well, yes, but what exactly does that mean? As it turns out, “getting better” means different things to different patients. To some, proper recovery from a shoulder injury means being able to carry a golf bag and swing a club while to others, it means being able to lift their children in and out of their car seats.

Here’s the thing: Helping your physical therapist know and understand your own personal goals is the key to success. As a patient, that means speaking up early and often about how the injury is limiting the everyday activities that are most important to you. With this knowledge, your PT can adapt her approach and individualize aspects of the treatment plan to ensure that you meet your goals.

It’s part of a physical therapist’s job description to work with patients to reduce pain and to improve strength, range of motion, balance, and mobility. Your PT will address these aspects of your treatment regardless, but if you return home to unload the dishwasher and realize that you still can’t reach to place the coffee mugs on the shelf, then that’s a problem.

Your PT can’t possibly know everything that’s important to you—or the obstacles that you face—unless you share that information with them. One way around this is to bring a list to your first therapy session of the chores that are most important to you in and around your home and the activities that you participate in that bring you the most joy. To take it a step farther, whittling that list down to one main goal can give you something to focus on in therapy—and motivate you to keep showing up and following the home exercise program that your PT designed. That number-one goal may be different for each patient but the desire to attain it should be the same.

With a little effort on both sides, patients and their PTs can work together to individualize the therapy sessions and select the most appropriate interventions. After all, physical therapists want nothing more than to help their patients return to previous levels of function as quickly and effectively as possible.

Medical diagnoses don’t need much of an introduction. They’re what you get from your doctor when you’re sick. Examples would be influenza, diabetes, or hypertension. They describe the underlying problem that is causing your symptoms.

When people feel sick, they know they need to go to the doctor and find out what’s going on to get treated. We should treat movement the same way. If you’re having pain when you move, can’t do things you used to be able to – like get on and off the floor easily, or can’t do things you want to do – like go for a bike ride or pick up a grandchild then you need to get a movement diagnosis.

A movement diagnosis does the same thing as a medical diagnosis; it describes what’s causing your difficulty with movement. Some examples would be difficulty standing from a chair secondary to decreased force production, scapular down rotation syndrome, or lower crossed syndrome.

Diagnoses set the roadmap for treatment, so getting them right is crucial. Human movement is complex and is influenced by more than just your muscles and joints. According to the APTA, movement is impacted by the following systems:

– Endocrine
– Nervous
– Cardiovascular
– Pulmonary
– Integumentary
– Musculoskeletal

Because of the complexity and interplay between these components of the movement system, getting a movement diagnosis correct is often very difficult. Physical therapists are experts in human movement with doctoral-level training and should be your first stop for movement issues.

Not only can our physical therapist provide an accurate movement diagnosis they will also design a treatment plan to correct the underlying issues and help get you moving well again.

References:

https://www.neuropt.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/movement-system-diagnosis-in-neurologic-physical-therapy-where-are-we.pdf?sfvrsn=0

https://journals.lww.com/jnpt/FullText/2018/04000/White_Paper__Movement_System_Diagnoses_in.9.aspx

 

This time of year, many people are focused on fitness so it’s worth taking a look at what fitness really means. The dictionary defines fit as “sound physically and mentally, healthy.” Using that definition, many “fitness” routines fall short of the goal. If you don’t enjoy running and dread every workout, you’re probably falling short of the “sound mentally” portion. Exercise should be enjoyable, reduce stress, and leave you feeling better, not worse.

NO PAIN NO GAIN?

Exercise should also leave you feeling better physically. If you can run a good time in a 5k, but have aches and pains for days after, you’re not “sound physically.” If you are increasing your PR in the squat rack, but your joint pain is increasing right along with it, you’re not “sound physically” either. Sure, some muscle soreness and fatigue after a hard workout is normal. But if you’re having pain that doesn’t go away, sore joints, or trouble moving after exercise, you’re probably developing movement dysfunction along with your fitness.

MOVEMENT DYSFUNCTION

Go back to the dictionary and you’ll find that dysfunction is “impaired or abnormal functioning.” So movement dysfunction is impaired or abnormal movement. When someone has a movement problem like a sore joint, limited range of motion, or strength loss, the brain finds a way to get the body to do what it wants. That usually means moving in a way that is less than optimal. For a while, it works. But eventually, it leads to injury. As a concrete example, think of someone who has trouble bending one knee doing squats. When one knee bends further than the other, it will cause one side of the pelvis to drop lower than the other. Now that the pelvis isn’t level, the spine bends towards the high side to stay balanced. When that one side of the pelvis drops lower than the other one, it also usually rotates. Now the spine has to bend to the side and twist to keep you upright. This works for a while, but as weight gets added to the squat, and the repetitions add up so does the risk for a back injury.

PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE

Pain during workouts, or pain and soreness that don’t go away after can be warning signs of a movement dysfunction. If you’re experiencing any of these, your physical therapist is a movement expert who can help. PTs are trained to analyze movement, and figure out the root cause of problems. They can then design a program to treat the cause and correct the abnormal pattern. There is no need to wait until you’re injured to see your physical therapist. In fact, it’s preferable not to. Getting minor problems fixed early means fewer visits to the PT, less pain, and not having your workouts put on hold by injury.