Community Class Recap – Back Care

Exercise, General Health

Community Class Recap – Back Care

9 Comments 26 April 2010

First I want to give a big thanks to everyone who came to the class last Thursday, and congratulate Tom on winning our drawing! We felt it was a successful class, and we hope we were able to answer all of your questions. If you have topics you’d like to see addressed in our future classes please let us know!

For those of you who missed it, Paul W. Sagers, PT gave a very good seminar on back care.  Due to the fact that about 80% of all people suffer from some sort of back pain we thought it might be useful to provide a recap of the class.

One important thing Paul hit on was the cause of back pain. Many people think that they have hurt their back lifting something one time. What they don’t know is that back problems are seldom caused by one incidence. Back injuries usually occur gradually due to a few different causes. People just don’t notice the injury until it finally gets bad enough to cause them pain.

In truth, there are many causes of back pain and imbalances. These are the main culprits:

  • Poor posture while sitting or standing.
  • Moving and positioning your body incorrectly in ways that could increase stress on muscles, tendons, and bones. This is also known as poor body mechanics.
  • Increased stressful living and working environments.
  • Decreases in strength and flexibility.
  • Overall decline in physical activity.

One of the most important things you can do to prevent back injuries is to maintain good balance in your spine. One of the best ways to do this is to assume the “Power Position” or “Neutral Position”.  This basically means that you are standing up straight, and holding in your stomach. By pulling your stomach in and up you’ll be able to better support your spine.

Now this can be tiring after a while, and it takes some practice to coordinate this with proper breathing. Just try it for a few minutes at a time throughout the day. Gradually increase to doing this as often as you can. Soon you’ll notice that by doing this you’ll be standing up straighter, and you’re core will be much stronger.

Here are 7 other great ways to prevent back problems:

  1. Physical exercise – Incorporating strength training, aerobic exercises, and flexibility will do a world of wonders for your back. There some great back specific exercises that help many see a huge decrease in pain. The main thing with these is to make sure that you’re doing the exercises right. If you don’t have correct posture, or if you’re doing too much then you might cause more problems. Meeting with a physical therapist or personal trainer is important if you’re just starting out.
  2. Back support - Make sure your chairs are ergonomically supportive. If you are doing a lot of lifting a back support device may provide some good protection, but should not be worn all the time.
  3. Nutrition – By supplying needed nutrients you can increase the health of your bones and muscles. If you’re overweight eating healthy for weight loss is another great way to prevent back problems.
  4. Stress Management – Many problems are caused by constant stress. Focus on relaxing.
  5. Get a Massage – This is a great way to help tense muscles relax, and to help reeducate muscles.
  6. Rest - Don’t overdo it on the exercises, and make sure you are getting enough sleep.
  7. Quit Smoking – Nicotine has actually been shown to slow circulation and healing in the spine and muscles.

If you are feeling constant back pain, especially if it is sharp or shooting, it is very important to be working with a doctor or physical therapist to make sure that you’re not doing more damage with exercise.

Earth Day 2010

Exercise, General Health

Earth Day 2010

No Comments 23 April 2010

Today, April 22nd, is in fact Earth Day. Yes, I know I’m a little late in this posting as Earth Day is almost over. That’s why I’m just going to pretend that it is Earth Week*. Why only have one day for something that we live on for our whole lives? Unless, of course, you’re an astronaut.

Now, I honestly didn’t know very much about Earth Day until today when I decided to research it. According to the Earth Day Network this is a day “founded on the premise that all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography, have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment.” Sounds like a worthy cause to me. Basically it is a day to spread awareness of environmental issues and inspire people to appreciate the Earth. Different communities have different events, and many countries are now getting involved.

I, for one, enjoy this Earth. It’s a lovely place to live, and I hope to keep living here much longer. That is why I finally got myself a bike (by that I mean that I stole my little brothers old bike, and had a friend fix it up). Ok, this sounds off topic, but just hear me out.

There are times when I drive home from work at rush hour and I notice a cyclist on the road. Now it seems logical that I would make it to my destination quicker then them because my car can go much faster. However, once you take into account stop signs, stop lights, and lots of cars then we really end up making about the same time. Sometime the cyclist even beats me. After making that observation, and looking at all the other benefits it just seemed logical to get a bike.

Here is a list of some benefits for both you and the environment that come from cycling vs driving:

  • Reduced air pollution (carbon monoxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.).
  • Decreased amount of gas and oil being used.
  • Increased fitness, decreased blood pressure, decreased risk of diabetes, decreased risk of osteoarthritis, and many more health benefits.
  • Increased life expectancy (that way you can celebrate Earth Day for more years to come).
  • You save money. After gas, oil changes, and tune ups is costs about $3000 a year to keep your car running. The average annual cost to keep your bike running is more like $300. That is worth the extra few minutes it may take me to cycle to work.

For this summer try and make a new commitment to bike more and drive less. Great for you. Great for the environment.

For those of you who want to give some of the trails around the Provo area a try here is a great link to descriptions of bike trails in Utah County.

* I actually discovered after writing this that there is indeed an Earth Week. It starts April 16th, and goes until April 22nd. If you missed it (like I did) then you can celebrate it late with me.

February Myth Debunking

Exercise

February Myth Debunking

1 Comment 15 February 2010

Myth: Running outside when it’s cold can harm your lungs.

This myth actually has a lot of truth to it. That, however, depends on your present health. Cold air itself does not pose a problem for your lungs. By the time it goes through your nose or mouth, and down your throat, it’s temperature is about the same as your body temperature.

It’s not actually the temperature of the air that can be harmful. It’s the fact that cold winter air is usually very dry. The lungs and mouth may become raspy and dry because of the work you’re body is having to do to moisturize the air. That does not mean that it is not ok to exercise in cold weather. Sorry, cold weather just isn’t a valid excuse. You just need to assess what kind of shape your lungs are in. If you have a cold, sore throat, or exercise-induced asthma be careful of how much dry air your lungs are exposed to. Limit your mileage, or just work out indoors on especially cold days. Wearing a scarf over your mouth is not a bad idea either.

Another factor to look at is the air quality. In cold areas inversion causes pollution to hang around longer. In conclusion don’t let cold weather chain you to a treadmill. Just watch what the weather and air conditions, and be smart.

If you have any winter exercise ideas you’d like to share, then please, share!

Recap – Stretching Class

Exercise

Recap – Stretching Class

1 Comment 09 February 2010

For those of you who missed the stretching classes, or those who just want a reminder, I’ve decided to post a recap. Listed below are some of the benefits of stretching, and some useful tips for you. Stretching is such a great way to relieve stress, prevent tight muscles, and improve your workouts. However, most people never take the time to stretch. Try to incorporate a basic stretching routine into your daily life for just two weeks. You’ll notice a world of difference!

Benefits of Stretching:

· Improved posture

· Beneficial for arthritis

· Relieve back pain

· Prevent injury and muscle tears

· Increase Flexibility

· Improve Circulation

· Increased range of motion

· Great for relaxation and stress relief

Tips for Stretching:

· Warm your muscles before stretching them. Don’t stretch cold muscles. Walk or do some light aerobic work to warm them up.

· Ease yourself into the stretch. Relax and don’t push or bounce. You should feel a stretch in the muscle, but not pain.

· Hold for 15-30 seconds.

· Keep your breathing soft and consistent in a normal rhythm during the stretch.

· Trying closing your eyes, and exhale as you ease into the stretch focusing on overall relaxation.

· Don’t rush it, stretching should be a time to slow down and relax. Don’t worry if you’re not as flexible as you think you should be, this isn’t a competition!

Here are some great online resources for easy stretches that anyone can do! These sites include some good visuals, but be sure to modify them to your own flexibility level. As with any exercise program be sure to talk to your doctor if you have any questions about your limitations especially if you’re had any knee or hip surgeries.

For those of you looking for the monthly myth debunking don’t worry it’ll be posted next week!

Exercise

Stretching Class Part 2

No Comments 02 February 2010

Another free community health class this week! After several requests we have decided to do another stretching class this Thurs:

February 4, 2010 @ 7 pm

Location: Edgemont Physical Therapy and Fitness.

Subject: Stretching For Your HealthWe’ll briefly review the benefits of stretching that we discussed in our last class. Then we will go through a short stretching routine that you can do daily to improve your quality of life. We cover stretches for stress relief, neck tension, and low back pain

Once again this is for all age groups! If you  missed the last class then you won’t want to miss this one! You may want to bring a large towel or floor mat to make the stretches a little easier.

Upcoming classes: Headache Prevention coming in 2 weeks!

If you’d like to receive email reminders about this event, and upcoming events please use the contact form in the sidebar! We would also like feedback as to what days and times work best, and if you have any ideas for classes please feel free to comment!

January Community Health Class

Exercise, General Health

January Community Health Class

No Comments 20 January 2010

Ok, those free community health classes we promised are finally here! The first one will be this Thurs:

January 28, 2010 @ 7 pm

Location: Edgemont Physical Therapy and Fitness.

Subject: Stretching For Your HealthLearn the benefits of stretching in order to relieve stress, prevent injury, and improve health. You’ll gain a clear understanding of how and when to stretch in order to help back pain, improve posture, and gain many other benefits.

This is for all age groups! It is never too late or too early to incorporate some simple stretches into your everyday life. There will also be upcoming classes in February and throughout the rest of this year.

Upcoming classes: Couples massage class, back care, nutrition 101, and many more!

If you’d like to receive email reminders about this event, and upcoming events please use the contact form in the sidebar! We would also like feedback as to whether you prefer Thurs evenings or Sat mid-morning for classes, and if you have any ideas for classes please feel free to comment!

Continuing this month! Free community health classes at Edgemont Physical Therapy.Check the calendar for details!

3210 N Canyon Rd, Suite 202, Provo

If you'd like to spread the word about a health related event by posting it on our calendar please contact me using the contact form below.
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