It’s almost the New Year and you know what that means – time for resolutions! If you are making a resolution to start exercising this year, we have some information and tips to get you started.
 
First off, you’ve heard it all before but let’s take a minute to recall the benefits of exercise! You can see decreased markers and risk factors for heart disease, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, improved weight loss/management, preservation of bone mass, decreased risk of falls, improvement of depressive and anxiety disorders, and even improve cognitive function. Regular exercise can also enhance your overall quality of life. Are you sold yet?

Sometimes, getting started is the hardest part. Using a pedometer or activity tracker can be a helpful way to monitor what you are doing and how you are improving. They’re not perfect and don’t give you a lot of information on the quality of movement but give you a good comparison of one day to another. Check out these links –
https://www.fitbit.com, https://jawbone.com/up, https://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/nikeplus-fuelband
Once you’ve gotten moving, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has some general exercise guidelines (please consult your doctor or PT if you have an injury or health condition that may limit your ability to exercise):

• At least 30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio exercise at least 5 days a week for a total of at least 150 minutes of exercise/week. You can substitute 20 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 days a week or 75 minutes/week if you want!
  • The talk test – if you can have a short conversation while exercising you are at the right intensity. If you can’t, slow down a little. If you could sing a song, you’re not working hard enough!
• 2-3 days/week of strengthening exercises for major muscle groups. This includes balance, agility, and coordination drills.
  • 2-4 sets of each exercise per muscle group (you can see improvement with just 1 set in beginners!)
  • Rest 2-3 minutes in between exercises
• At least 2 days/week of flexibility (stretching) exercises of the major muscle groups
  • Try to stretch after your cardio or strength work out (or as a stand alone work out)

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Make sure you are breathing! Sometimes when you are lifting, you feel like holding your breath helps give you that last little bit of strength – and it does increase the pressure in your abdomen (supporting your back) but it also can dangerously change your blood pressure leading to dizziness, fainting, or even a stroke! So try this – inhale during the “rest” phase of your exercise and exhale during the “work” phase of your exercise.
• Hydrate! You should be drinking water (not soda or other sugary drinks) during the day to keep your body well hydrated throughout the day. After exercise, make sure you are drinking more water to replenish any fluids that are lost. If you’ve completed very strenuous, intense, or extended exercises, you may benefit from a drink with electrolyte replacement (try chocolate milk!).
• Set a goal! Write down your goals for exercise and make sure they are realistic. If you currently don’t exercise at all, don’t set a goal to exercise every day. Start small and once you achieve those goals, set new ones! Don’t get discouraged if you have a hard time, just keep working towards what you want!
• Pick exercises/activities you like! Working out doesn’t have to happen in the gym – it can be a walk with your family or dog, working in the garden or cleaning the house. Just get out there and move!

 
One of the biggest risks with any exercise is musculoskeletal injury – if you start to have any pain with exercise, call us for evaluation of your symptoms before your symptoms get worse!
-Erin Bell PT, DPT

Resources:

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/tips-for-getting-exercise-into-your-life/
https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2011/07000/Quantity_and_Quality_of_Exercise_for_Developing.26.aspx
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdLJVGSUMWM

Have you noticed that as the seasons change and the cold, rainy weather returns that your knee suddenly aches a little
more? Or your wrist seems to always be the most painful right before a big storm? Well you’re not alone! Many people, most with chronic pain, do experience some change in their symptoms as the weather changes. Unfortunately, there is no clear answer exactly why this happens but researchers have come up with a few ideas.
The most popular theory deals with barometric or atmospheric pressure. This is the force that the atmosphere exerts on your body (and everything else on the planet) throughout the day. Normally, this force is fairly constant and that pressure can help keep joints from swelling or aching. When a storm is rolling in, the barometric pressure typically drops. This means that the daily pressure on your joints has decreased. Sometimes this allows the joint to swell and expand which can produce more pain and aching before the cold or rain even sets in.
Now you can’t change the atmospheric pressure but there are a few things you can try at home to alleviate those symptoms.

• Compression – try using an ace bandage or compression sleeve to put a little pressure back onto the joint to reduce swelling. Make sure you don’t cut off blood supply to your toes or fingers!
• Warm – make sure you dress appropriately for whatever conditions you will be going out in! Lots of layers will help keep the joint warm.
• Stay active – get those painful joints moving! It doesn’t have to be a lot or intense motion but getting stiff joints moving will help alleviate some of your symptoms.

 If you continue to have pain, come in for an evaluation – there may be      something else going on that is causing your pain including muscle weakness,  lack of flexibility, joint stiffness, or difficulty coordinating movements. While  we can’t change the weather, we can address all those other components that  may be causing you pain. Give us a call today!

-Erin Bell PT, DPT
 

References:

https://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/bodywork/fitness-coach/Why-cold-damp-weather-makes-old-injuries-hurt.html
Pictures:
https://assisted-living-list.com/articles/effects-of-cold-weather-on-arthritis/
https://aim4healthblog.com/2013/11/14/how-do-i-deal-with-stiff-joints-in-the-winter-time/
 

Click here to view closeup

Calling all female athletes or parents of active girls – listen up! We as physical therapists love when you are active, competitive, and driven to succeed but there is an under-recognized and under-reported phenomenon seen in active women that can cause serious health issues. I’m talking about the “Female Athlete Triad” – a combination of different but related conditions including disordered eating, amenorrhea (absent or irregular periods), and osteoporosis (decreased bone mass).

Look out for excessive or rapid weight loss, preoccupation with food or weight, mealtime rituals, avoiding team meals or secretive eating. Disordered eating combined with excessive physical activity can in turn cause amenorrhea and osteoporosis due to inadequate caloric intake.

This triad is often seen in women who are highly driven and excel in their sport – which is often an individual sport or one based on appearance (gymnastics, figure skating, running, or even ballet). These athletes are often perfectionists and are looking for control in all aspects of their life.

Physical signs may include stress fractures, yellowing of the skin, soft baby hair on the skin, frequent sore throats, chipmunk-like cheeks, dental cavities or foul breath, fatigue, dizziness, and depression.

If you suspect someone you know may have disordered eating or exercising habits, strongly encourage them to seek medical treatment. They often require the help of a doctor, nutritionist, psychologist and the support of their family, friends, teammates, and coaches to recover.

-Erin Bell PT, DPT

Resources for parents or loved ones:

• https://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/the-female-athlete-triad.pdf
• https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/athletes-and-eating-disorders

As Physical Therapists, we consider ourselves the human body movement experts. Just as a car needs to move (that’s its purpose) so do we! And just like a car needs repairs, so do we! As Doctorate level professionals of human movement, Physical Therapists are here to be your body mechanics! Just like your family has a mechanic you take all of your cars to, we want to be your whole family’s body mechanic. We’re here to help you get back on to your road in life, moving well and without pain!

Here are 5 reasons to see your body mechanic:

1. Persistent Pain
   If you still have sharp, achy, or dull symptoms/pain after 3-5 days of rest, we can help you find out why and address your pain before it worsens
2. Trauma
   If you have one traumatic event such as an ankle sprain or acute back pain, you need to find out how to manage and prevent further injury or compensation
3. Non-responsive to anti-inflammatories
   If anti-inflammatory medications don’t control the pain, then you have a problem that is likely mechanical in nature and you need to fine-tune the pieces of your machine
4. Joint stiffness and/or swelling in muscles and/or joints
   If you have visual changes such as swelling or bruising, you need find out why it is occurring and how to manage it to avoid joint stiffness or tissue scarring

   Joint stiffness with or without swelling is another reason to consult us. Joint stiffness causes pain, compensation, and additional torque on other joints which could lead to more problems or pain

5. Pain with New Activities
   If you start an exercise program to improve your health and you begin to have pain, a physical therapist can help you find out why so you can prevent it from happening.

   We are also the experts to help you modify and tailor your new plan to fit your goals and your movement patterns to optimize your health and benefit from exercise.

Understanding our body as a biomechanical machine and doing regular maintenance with your Physical Therapist will improve how you move. Movement is the key to body freedom and will keep you working, living, and playing longer.

Remember, you can see your Physical Therapist without a physician referral and we’ll get you repaired and running on your road again!

Laura Hoffman, MSPT

Photos courtesy of:

1. https://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-an-auto-body-mechanic-do.htm
2. https://www.greatback.co.uk/joint-and-muscle-problems

In our highly competitive and driven society, many kids are now participating in one sport all year long without a break and doing it at younger and younger ages. Some parents feel that if their child doesn’t specialize early on, they have no chance at excelling in the future and hopes of a scholarship will be lost. While some kids are passionate about one sport and do excel when training this way, there are many factors to consider that greatly affect the mental and physical health of our kids.

Five negative things that can be associated with early specialization:

• Single sport athletes account for >50% of overuse injuries
• These athletes are often inactive as adults as result of burning out as teens
• A study found that single sport athletes were 70 – 93% more likely to be injured than their multi-sport peers
• High risk of burnout due to the stress and pressure of playing a single sport
• Female single sport athletes may be at higher risk for knee pain and even ACL tears

How do you fight the negatives of specialization and keep your child healthy and happy?

• Before age 12 – 80% of their time should be spent in deliberate play and in sports other than their “chosen” sport
• Age 13-15 – 50% of time should be spent in “chosen” sport, 50% should be spent performing other athletic endeavors
• Age 16+ – Specialization is more appropriate for this age group but 20% of time should still be spent cross training in a different sport

Every child is different but on the whole, kids need time spent playing and pursuing multiple different sports to enhance their learning and motor development. Often the stress and pressure associated with early specialization causes the athlete to drop the sport before a college scholarship or professional dreams can come to fruition. Make sure your child can still be a kid and encourage their passion and love of sports! Being active is a life long journey with the ultimate goal of health and happiness!

-Erin Bell PT, DPT

Reference:

• https://changingthegameproject.com/is-it-wise-to-specialize/

Photos:

• https://blog.discoveroptions.com/2010/12/exercise-thoughts/
• https://blog.sportssignup.com/blog/bid/165860/Can-Sports-Superstitions-Actually-Hurt-Your-Youth-Athlete

Click map for close-up

The profession of physical therapy is ever evolving and changing. One of the biggest changes in the last 20 years has been the transition to the DPT or Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree. As of today, all Physical Therapy Schools are at a doctoral level (except for one). By the year 2020, a graduating Physical Therapist will not be eligible to take the boards and become a licensed Physical Therapist unless he or she has a DPT (those already licensed without a DPT will still be licensed and able to practice). This means that all graduates of those programs have extra training in differential diagnosis, pharmacology, radiology, and often more time spent out in various clinical rotations.

The education provided by DPT programs is intensive and comprehensive. Graduates come out ready to treat a wide range of patients – young, old, athletes, couch potatoes, parents, kids, and everyone in between. Between Corvallis and Albany Sport and Spine, there are 6 physical therapists with DPT after their names.

Doctors of Physical Therapy are educated and prepared to practice without the direct supervision of a doctor and have the training to know when it’s necessary to refer you to your primary care physician or a specialty physician. Check out one of our previous blog posts about direct access here – https://csspt.com/2014/06/13/direct-access-2/.

One of the owners of CSSPT just graduated with her transitional (tDPT) doctorate in August. Carrol worked hard over the past few years – not only running a business and family, but studying for tests, writing papers, and giving presentations. Carrol, or should we say “Dr. Esterhuizen”, has graduated with the most up to date information on physical therapy and what treatment is best for her patients. We are so proud of her – way to go Carrol!

-Erin Bell PT, DPT

Click photo to enlarge

Football is a high-energy sport with a lot of contact. Despite the ample padding and use of helmets, football players are still at risk for injury – especially concussion. Head trauma can occur with helmet to helmet contact or even when getting tackled to the ground. While other injuries can occur, today we are going to focus on concussion management.

There has been a lot more information and research done on concussions lately and it doesn’t just include football players. Any athlete can be at risk for a concussion – with player contact, a fall, or getting hit by a projectile object. If your child has any kind of head injury while playing sports, they should be thoroughly evaluated by their doctor before returning to play – even if they say they don’t have any symptoms at that time.

Click photo to enlarge

Here are some important things to remember:

1. You don’t have to lose consciousness (get knocked out) to get a concussion
2. Look out for dizziness, nausea, headache, loss of balance, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, numbness/tingling, and blurry vision
   • You should NOT be exerting yourself physically or mentally if you have any of these symptoms!
3. Treatment of a concussion includes physical rest and mental rest – no screen time (including texting), reading, homework, or even school if symptoms are severe enough
4. You must be completely free of symptoms before you return to play. Your doctor or athletic trainer should take you through a series of mental and physical tasks to ensure you are ready to return to competition without symptoms (ask if your child’s school takes baseline assessments at the beginning of the season for comparison).
5. There is something called second impact syndrome. If your child returns to their sport while still experiencing symptoms and receives another blow to the head, they are at risk for serious brain injury, herniation, and even death. This syndrome is relatively rare but it is important to allow the brain to fully heal before returning to play.

If your child has experienced a head injury, make sure they are cleared by their doctor and are symptom free before getting back in the game!

-Erin Bell PT, DPT

References:

1. https://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/concussion.aspx
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2672291/

Images:

1. https://www.caremattersllc.com/tbi/brain-injury-concussion.php
2. https://www.knowconcussion.org/2012/09/26/kevin-glenn%E2%80%99s-set-to-start-despite-his-%E2%80%9Cheadache%E2%80%9D-raising-questions-about-cfl-concussion-protocols/
3. https://www.ajc.com/news/lifestyles/health/college-football-players-concussion-rates-double/nQXDh/

Are you a young athlete, or do you have one that’s looking to weight train. Here are five important tips to consider:

1. Check with your physician before starting on any weight training program
2. Begin with a supervised, no- or low-resistance exercise routine to perfect form and technique before adding too much extra weight
3. Once form is perfected, routines should focus on high repetition/low resistance exercises
   • Heavy weights and explosive lifts should be avoided
4. Exercise machines are often too large for growing teens; supervised free weight routines are best
5. Training routines should include:
   • Start with a 10-15 minute warm-up
   • 2-3 sets of 8-15 exercise repetitions
   • Finish with 10-15 minute cool down/stretching period

At Corvallis Sport and Spine Physical Therapy we’re committed to the health of each member of your family. We encourage everyone to exercise regularly in ways that best suit their needs and abilities.

If you want further assistance in setting up a fitness routine appropriate for you, we do offer cash pay training sessions with our expert health and medical fitness knowledge! We’ll see you out their exercising!

– Laura Hoffman, MSPT

Photo courtesy of: https://fitsit360.com/tag/weight-lifting/

High school sports are kicking into high gear and so are many other youth activities. If your child is playing football, soccer, volleyball, running cross country, or participating in any other athletic endeavor – listen up! All athletes are at risk for injury in every sport but there are things you (as an athlete or parent) can do to minimize that risk. This blog isn’t all-inclusive and physical therapists are great resources for athletes. If you are concerned about your athlete getting injured, check out https://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/ for more information on sport specific risk factors and prevention tips. If your child is having pain while they are playing any sport, call us today – they shouldn’t have to play through pain!

There are two general categories of injuries – acute and overuse. Acute injuries are hard to predict and occur suddenly – like rolling your ankle or getting hit with a ball. Overuse injuries occur over an extended period of time, almost creeping up on you – sometimes without warning. Errors in training (over training, under training, inappropriate training…) are the primary cause of overuse injuries, which is a good thing! This tells us that changing training or exercise habits may eliminate the problem and its symptoms (pain!). Overuse injuries are more common in the beginning or end of the season – as you are just getting back into shape or after you’ve been playing hard all season. Tendinitis, golfer’s elbow, little leaguer’s elbow, and shin splints count as overuse injuries (that’s just the tip of the iceberg!) Often imbalances in strength or flexibility are the root of the problem – both things that a physical therapist can identify and correct. If you think you or your child may be at risk for an overuse injury here are a few quick tips:

1. Cut back on the duration, intensity, or frequency of your training.
2. Use cross training (biking, walking, swimming) to maintain your fitness levels.
3. Talk with your coach, trainer, or PT about appropriate training schedules.
4. Warm up and cool down.
5. Use ice if you have any aches or pains.

If these tips don’t resolve your problem, it is important to get your symptoms addressed quickly! Don’t be afraid to go to the doctor or physical therapist – we want you to be playing just as much as you do! Our goal is to keep you on the field or get you back as fast as possible – without pain!

Erin Bell PT, DPT

Images:

• https://bjiprc.umich.edu/why.youth.asp
• https://www.cristalyoga.es/51047_es/Why-Ice-and-Anti-inflammatory-Medication-is-NOT-the-Answer/