How does a P.T. think?

Today I was making some videos for you all about body mechanics. I will be editing and posting them soon, so stay tuned! But it brought to mind how good body mechanics is second nature for me. For my patients (or family members), it takes much more effort and thought. So let me explain how a P.T. thinks:

1. Every time I need to reach down to the floor or to a lower height, I always squat or do the golfer's grab.
2. Every time I run, I think about avoiding foot and knee pain.
3. Every time I pick up my kids, I squat.
4. Every time I lift up something, I make sure I am in a safe lifting position.
5. With every chore, I consider my technique and body mechanics.
6. Every time I sit, I check my posture.
7. Whenever I go to the gym, I think about everyone's technique, especially if it puts him/her at risk for PAIN.
8. I watch how people walk and analyze what orthopedic problems they may have.

The list could go on, but you get the idea. So until it becomes second nature to you, here are two suggestions. First, listen to your body. You will feel your back straining when you bend the wrong way. If there is a task that always causes you pain, modify it! Secondly, do what a P.T. would do! If someone were videotaping the way you do that task, would it be a good or bad ergonomics example?

NEW YEAR'S DIET

So you have decided to lose weight this year, but you have no idea how to get started. You have tried many diets in the past, but they do not work for you. Or you have trouble sticking to them. So here are some suggestions. These are also great tips for those who want to have a healthier lifestyle, regardless of their weight.

1. Cut out fried foods. If you have a habit of eating them more than 1-2x/week, that is too much! Either cut them out completely or decrease them significantly (maybe to 1x/week or less).
2. Add more fish to your diet. At least 1-2x/week have 6 oz of fish (salmon fillet is my fish of choice).
3. Snack on nuts instead of carbs. Just be careful to check the serving sizes of nuts. Almonds are a great choice!
4. Eat a garden salad at the start of every dinner (and check the serving size of the salad dressing).
5. Cook from scratch so that you control and know the ingredients in your meals. Eat out less, and eat fewer frozen or processed foods.
6. Make sauces from vegetables instead of cream/gravy (basil pesto, marinara sauce, salsa, or my favorite: green tomatilla salsa).
7. Calculate how much you spend weekly on different kinds of groceries and modify the problem areas. Work toward 20% on fruits/vegetables, 15% on lean dairy, 25% on lean meat, 20% on whole grains, 10% on boxed/canned goods and <10% on snacks.
8. Start a regular EXERCISE routine! If you join a gym, plan ahead the days/times you will regularly go.
9. Wear a pedometer and try to increase your steps by >25%. 10,000 steps/per day should be your minimum.
10. Don't get obsessed with weight loss and weighing yourself. Just weigh in 1x/week.

Scary PAIN Statistics

Adults who had low back pain that lasted 1 day or more in 2009:

     26% of males, 30.2% of females    (1)

Adults who had neck pain that lasted 1 day or more in 2009:

     12.6% of males, 17.5% of females   (1) 

Number of non-institutionalized adults with diagnosed arthritis in 2009:

      52.1 million (which is 23% of adults in U.S.)  (2)

Number of ER visits for unintentional injuries/accidents in 2008:

      28.4 million   (3)

Number of unintentional injury deaths in 2007:

     123,706 (which is 41 deaths per 100,000 population)    (4)

Number of doctor/hospital/ER visits for injuries in 2006:

      80 million   (5)

DON'T BECOME ANOTHER PAINFUL STATISTIC! Here is my top 1 way to prevent each of the above problems.

1. Low back pain:  BODY MECHANICS!!!!

2. Neck pain:  POSTURE!!!

3. Arthritis: WEIGHT CONTROL!!!

4. Accidents/Injuries: SAFETY PRECAUTIONS!!!

5. Unintentional injury deaths: PERSONAL AND CORPORATE SAFETY!!!

References

(1) NHIS 2009 Vital Health Statistics. Pleis JR, Ward BW, Lucas JW. Summary health statistics for U.S. Adults: N.H.I.S. 2009 (provisional report). Vital Health Stat 2010; 10(249). 

(2) NHIS 2009 Vital Health Statistics. Pleis JR, Ward BW, Lucas JW. Summary health statistics for U.S. Adults: N.H.I.S. 2009 (provisional report). Tables 7,8.

(3) National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2008. Emergency Dept Summary Tables, Table 15.

(4) CDC Fast Stats. Source: Deaths: Final Data for 2007, tables B, 18.

(5) CDC Fast Stats. Source: Ambulatory Medical Care Utilization Estimates for 2007, table 7. Average annual 2006-2007. 

How To Improve SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE

Do you ever get annoyed when you are relaxing and you get interrupted? Picture this: you work all day, go to the gym, eat supper, get your children into bed, take a shower, and finally at 10 pm you are ready to relax (or just sleep). The moment you sit down to watch House Hunters, your dog starts scratching the back door. So you grudgingly get off your comfy sofa to let him out. You don't know how long he will be wandering around the backyard, so you go back to the couch and get cozy in the new, fuzzy throw you got for Christmas. After 1 minute, the dog is at the door again, scratching to get back inside since it is freezing out there! So you get up again and tell the dog how annoying he is and how he acts like a child.

So the next time you get interrupted, at least there are some benefits:

1. Burning calories.
2. Stretching out your back.
3. The excuse you needed to run to the bathroom.
4. The opportunity to get a glass of... WATER!
5. A few more steps on your pedometer for the day.
6. The chance to move, since you sat on your behind all day.
7. A friendly reminder that you are addicted to House Hunters and American Idol and ...
8. With DVR, now it's not so bad to get interrupted.
9. A chance to pet your sweet but annoying puppy.

Winnie the Pooh's Funny Exercises

BACK HEALTH For A Lifetime

Everyone talks about back pain, but what does it take to have a HEALTHY BACK? One of the main ways is to be active. A sedentary lifestyle decreases your BACK HEALTH and will likely cause back pain in the future.

"The disk appears to live and thrive on movement, and to change and die slowly through lack of it." (1)

There is a disk between each of your vertebrae. You probably have heard of a disk herniation or a slipped disk. Those often result from back trauma (especially bending/twisting your back). But disks can also break down (degenerative disk disease) over the years. So in order to avoid disk problems later in life, it is urgent to keep moving earlier in life. This can be as easy starting a walking program.

Exercise contributes to your back health in many ways:

1. It strengthens your core muscles.

2. It helps you to maintain a healthy weight.

3. It helps to increase circulation (therefore nutrition) to your disks.

4. It can improve your posture (especially upper back exercises).

5. It strengthens your legs so that you can squat more (BODY MECHANICS).

Reference:

(1). Orthopedic Physical Therapy, 3rd ed. Donatelli, RA, Wooden, MJ. Churchill Livingstone, 2001, page 305.

A HEALTHY New Year!

Happy New Year! As you think about your resolutions for this year, I hope they include some healthy ones! Even if you do not need to lose weight, there are other areas of health that you could consider improving. Mine is to run the Cooper River Bridge 10K race in Charleston, SC this year. Some family members told me they were doing it, so of course I jumped on board!

I already exercise several times per week, so I am just going to modify my workouts to train for the race. I typically do the treadmill and/or bike for cardio, machine weights/free weights for strengthening, and a little flexibility at the end of each workout. I can already run 3 miles, so now I will work up to 4, 5 and 6 miles in the next 8-10 weeks. My average pace has been 6.8 mph, so my goal is to increase that to 7.5 mph. If I run at that pace for 6.2 miles, I will finish the race in under 51 minutes (which is my goal).

To make healthy changes in your life, you need specific, realistic goals! Here are some good examples.

1. To lose 1 lb. per week for 10 weeks by joining a weight loss program.
2. To walk my dog 30 minutes/day, 5x/week.
3. To decrease my ice cream intake to 2x/week.
4. To join a gym for 1 month and go there >3x/week.
5. To replace 1 soda per day with water.