Brockton PT Health and Wellness

Resting Metabolic Rate

2011-08-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

Resting Metabolic Rate is the number of calories your body burns through the course of a day, even if you were to do absolutely nothing. RMR is an important tool to be aware of, especially if you are working to lose or maintain your weight. In the June issue of the IDEA Fitness Journal there was an article with some extensive information about RMR, we would like to provide you with some of the deatils.

The impact of diet-only weight loss efforts on RMR.
It has been found that restricting your diet and not exercising at all can reduce your RMR by up to 20%. This means that if your RMR is 1500 calories burned per day could drop by 300 calories. That's bad news if you are serious about losing weight. Following a diet-only program tends to result in decreased muscle mass which reduces your RMR and hurts your weight loss effort.

Long term aerobic exercise impact on RMR.
A study in 2008 was conducted over 16 months and had participants do aerobic exercise 3 to 5 days per week at moderate intensity for 20-45 minutes per session. Females in the study saw an average RMR increase of 129 calories burned per day, and males saw an average increase of 174 calories per day. If you achieved this increase you would see your calories burned per week go up by 903 for women and 1218 for men, and that is not including what you would burn from actually doing the exercise! That is tremendous!

Long term resistance exercise impact on RMR.
In a 26 week study particpants were put through regular resistance exercise routines that included doing 2 sets of 10 reps for each major muscle group at 65-80% of their maximum capability. By the end of the study the particpants had seen an RMR increase of 7%, or about 100 calories per day. That translates to a weekly calorie burn of 700 calories and that is not including the calories burned while actually doing the resistance exercise!

How do you estimate RMR?
There are many different estimation techniques out there. The following is Mifflin-St. Jeor RMR Equation:
Males RMR = 10 x (weight in kilograms) + 6.25 x (height in cm) - 5 x (age in years) + 5

Females RMR = 10 x (weight in kilograms) + 6.25 x (height in cm) - 5 x (age in years) -161

Body weight in KG = weight in pounds divided by 2.205
Height in CM = height in inches x 2.54

Do you know if you're healthy or not?

2011-07-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

Catalyst Healthcare Research released a study that gives interesting and worrisome insight into the health of Americans. 1,500 people between the ages of 18 and 65 participated in the study. When asked what the number one threat to public health in the United States is, 60% responded with obesity. It is good to know that people are aware of the obesity epidemic and that there are significant health concerns associated with it. However, the study also provides some alarming figures as well. Of the people surveyed over 60% are overweight or obese. Among those classified as overweight or obese 61% said they are in good health, 25% said they are in fair health, and 11% said they were in excellent health. Only 3% of obese or overweight respondents stated their health was poor. These results are puzzling because people are acknowledging the serious health concerns associated with being obese but are not considering themselves subject to those concerns.

Here's some of the other numbers from the survey:
- Among overweight participants: 53% don't exercise at all (yikes!), 17% do some walking, 30% perform vigorous exercise.
- Of those that said they are more fit than last year, only 10% said they weigh less and exercise more than the prior year.
- 30% of participants said they gained weight in the last year.
- The number one source participants turn to for health and wellness info is the Internet (56%), followed by friends and family (48%), physicians (31%), coaches or trainers (11%), Insurance companies (8%), their employer (5%).

Conclusions:
From this study it seems that people tend to believe they are healthy regardless of the actual amount of physical activity they engage in. It is also evident that awareness of the health issues associated with obesity and their increasing prevalence does not equate to accurate personal evaluation and perception of personal health. More simply put, people hear about what is not healthy, but they don't really know how healthy or unhealthy they are.

We encourage you to find out the current state of your health. Take the time to visit your physician so they can help you determine if you need to make changes in your lifestyle or address existing concerns.

Ankle Sprain

2011-03-30T08:59:00.000-07:00

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, approximately 25,000 people sprain their ankle per day. If you have never sprained your ankle, someone you know probably has. Ankle sprains are painful and can often affect your quality of life.

The ankle itself is made up of three bones, the tibia or inside ankle bone, the fibula or outside ankle bone, and the talus that sits in between the two. All these bones are held together by ligaments. There are three ligaments on the outside of the ankle: the posterior talofibular (PTF), the calcaneofibular (CF), and the anterior talofibular (ATF). On the inside of the ankle there are four ligaments collectively known as the deltoid ligament: the posterior tibiotalar, the tibiocalcaneal, the tibionavicular, and the anterior tibiotalar. When we “roll” our ankle we generally injure the ATF ligament.

The term sprain is used to describe a ligament injury. There are three possible degrees of ligament injury: Grade I, Grade II, and Grade III. A Grade I ankle sprain happens when ligaments are slightly stretched causing minor damage to the ligament fibers. Grade I sprains usually involve pain, bruising, and swelling but normally do not cause difficulty walking. A Grade II sprain occurs when ligaments partially tear. Within the hour, the ankle may feel painful, bruised, and swollen, and the ankle may become “loose”, also known as laxity. With a Grade II, running and or walking may or may not be possible. A Grade III sprain occurs when there is a complete tear of the ligament and gross instability is present. Grade III ankle sprains result in immediate pain, swelling and the inability to walk or run.

The treatment for an ankle sprain begins with controlling the symptoms. The principle of RICE applies within the first 72 hours of an ankle sprain. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Rest includes staying off of the injured ankle – simply “if it hurts, don’t do it”. Crutches and bracing may be needed. Ice should be applied to the injured ankle for approximately 15 to 20 minutes three times a day. Compression involves a loose elastic bandage wrapped from toes to calf. Elevation, lying down with ankle above heart, helps to decrease swelling. If symptoms persist greater than 5 to 7 days consult orthopedic advice for further evaluation and x-ray. Brockton Physical Therapy speeds up the recovery process by utilizing ultrasound to decrease swelling and increase healing, educating in appropriate exercises to increase range of motion and strength, and applying electrical stimulation to decrease pain. If you're dealing with an ankle injury and need help give us a call or ask your doctor if physical therapy is an option for you.

Have you exercised in the last 24 hours?

2010-12-02T13:05:00.000-08:00

I just read about a telephone survey of 80,000 people done from 2003 to 2008. Respondents were asked what they have done in the last 24 hours and the results may shock you.

95.6% included eating or drinking in the last 24 hours. (That's to be expected, although I would think it would be 100% unless some people were fasting)

80.1% watched TV in the last 24 hours.

78.9% washed, groomed and dressed.

71.4% drove their vehicle.

10.6% did some gardening or house plant care.

Here's the somewhat shocking figure, only 5% of respondents said they participated in vigorous physical activity.

Obviously there are some additional things to consider, like maybe some people who exercise got asked right after their off day. Regardless, it serves as another indicator that many of us are not getting enough regular exercise to keep our bodies healthy.

Here's a link to recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine about the minimum amount of exercise needed to maintain health and prevent various diseases. Keep in mind these are minimums and if you're trying to lose weight more may be needed.

Also, please be sure to consult with your physician before you begin exercising so he/she can determine what type of program is safe for you to undertake.

Tips for Pruchasing Exercise Equipment

2010-10-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a few tips that will help you get some exercise equipment without feeling some serious buyer's remorse shortly after your purchase.

1. Buy what you'll actually use. If you walk around your neighborhood I'm sure you'll find that most garages have some old piece of equipment jammed in the corner looking like it hasn't been used in years. If you're serious about exercising at home be strategic about the equipment you buy. Spend the time to figure out what type of exercises are going to work for you. Once you know what you'll enjoy doing and can commit to then buy the equipment you need for those exercises. If you haven't run in 20 years don't go spend a few thousand dollars on a treadmill assuming you'll start running on it everyday. Start with a little jogging outside, if you think you can stick with running regularly then it might be time to consider buying the treadmill.

2. Don't waste your money. Exercise machines can be very expensive. However, to get a good workout you don't need much. You may be fine with just a few exercise bands, some dumbbells and a jump rope. I recommend you visit a local gym, they will probably give you a week membership for free. Use it to test their equipment and see what you like. Or you can give us a call, we'd be happy to show you some basic workouts with simple equipment.

3. Let your goals guide you. If you want to lose weight you are probably going to focus more on cardio-respiratory fitness which means elevating your heart rate to an ideal calorie burning level and sustaining it. If that is your goal then don't go buy some elaborate weight bench, consider a bike or eliptical trainer and some light dumbbells. If you would like to increase strength then its time to get some heavier weights and maybe a bench. If you're not sure how to reach your goals get help, there are plenty of professionals (including us) that are there for you.

4. Know how to use the equipment. Ask people, watch videos, read directions, pay for a lesson. Do whatever it takes to make sure you know how to use your equipment safely and effectively. Don't wing it and assume you'll figure it out. That is a recipe for serious injury and frustration.

5. Take care of your equipment. Make sure you know how to care for your equipment. Follow the maintenance instructions and store it in a place that is protected from the elements. You might like to workout in your backyard, but don't leave your equipment out there.

6. Don't buy products you see on TV commercials. Infomercials are very misleading. The statements they make about their products are not always true. There is no amazing piece of equipment that will get rid of your belly fat, or flabby arms or thighs and using a device for 5 or 6 or 7 minutes a day will not make you lose 50 pounds or get buff. The fact of the matter is exercise takes time and hard work, there are no shortcuts.

I hope these tips are helpful. Remember its ok to ask for help if you're serious about exercising at home. Set yourself up to succeed by putting the time it do some research and make wise choices about what equipment to buy.

Stroke Risk Factors

2010-09-07T14:39:00.000-07:00

A study done by INTERSTROKE was conducted in 22 countries using 3,000 people who have had a stroke and 3,000 people who have not. The study states that 90% of the risk of having a stroke comes from 10 risk factors. The factors are: High blood pressure, smoking, physical activity, waist-to-hip ratio, diet, blood fat levels, diabetes, alcohol intake, stress and depression, and heart disorders. High blood pressure alone accounts for one-third of stroke risk.

As you look at this list and consider your risk level you can take encouragement from the fact that a lot of these risks pertain to lifestyle, something you have control over. Now is as good of a time as any to make some healthy lifestyle changes. If you need help, or want more information on your personal stroke risk make an appointment with your family doctor to discuss it. Be sure to ask if physical therapy is an option for you, we'd love to help you out.

For more info on strokes you can check out the American Heart Association website.

Health Care Reform Bill Confusion

2010-08-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

A new poll by Harris Interactive and HealthDay demonstrated that there is still a lot of confusion about the health care reform bill. In the poll participants were asked to identify from a list of 18 items what is in the bill and what isn't. Here's a couple of the figures:

- 58% knew that the bill will prohibit coverage denial based on pre-existing conditions.

- 55% knew that children will be able to remain on their parent's insurance until age 26.

- 52% knew there will be a financial penalty for anyone who doesn't have insurance.

In these 3 items over half of respondents were in the know. But other parts of the bill saw people very much less informed. Areas where most respondents weren't in the know include: Criteria for an employer being required to offer health insurance to employees, tax credits for business that offer insurance, expansion of medicaid, creation of insurance exchanges, new taxes on medical devices, and new fees for drug companies.

Here's our recommendation. Do some research using a reliable source on the bill and find out what it includes and how that will affect you and your family over the coming years. Our health care system can be very complicated and this bill is too. It is important for you to be in the know so you can make sure you get the care you need when you need it at a price you expected.

Middle-Age Americans becoming Less Mobile

2010-08-10T13:52:00.001-07:00

After reviewing data from the 1997-2007 National Health Interviews researchers from Rand Corp. released some unfortunate news about middle-age Americans.

The study pointed out that 40% of respondents between the ages of 50 and 64 report difficulty with at least 1 of 9 basic physical functions. Over the 10 year period studied there has been a significant increase in the number of respondents that said a health problem has made it hard to stand for 2 hours, stoop down, walk a quarter of a mile, and climb 10 steps without resting. Furthermore, a growing number of respondents said they need help with simple daily tasks like getting in and out of bed, and moving around the house.

The causes these middle-age Americans gave for their need of assistance include:

- Arthritis

- Rheumatism

- Neck problems

- Diabetes

- Depression

- Anxiety or emotional problems.

Many of the respondents said these problems began in their 30's and 40's, and a major concern is that they will continue to grow worse with age.

At Brockton Physical therapy we are very aware of the mobility problems affecting middle-age people and we are able to help. Through physical therapy we can increase mobility, reduce the pain associated with these conditions and help you prevent the development of these conditions. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions or would like to come in for an evaluation with a therapist.

Here is a link to the article to read more: http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/637792/main.html?ic=6012

IE Arthritis Walk

2010-06-02T14:40:00.000-07:00

This Saturday (June 5th) is the Inland Empire's Arthritis Walk fundraising event. It will be at Fairmount Park in Riverside starting at 8:00am. This is a great opportunity to support a worthy cause, get a little exercise, and be social with people in your community.

For more information or if you would like to make a donation (We are supporting Dr. Zamiri's Arthritis Medical Clinic Team) you can visit the website http://www.arthritiswalkie.org

We hope to see you there!

Imagine being pain free!

2010-05-24T11:10:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder today that pain is not a normal part of life, it is an indicator that something is wrong. We commonly work with people who felt like their pain (back, neck, knee etc.) was just part of getting older. That is absolutely not the case. If you're dealing with any kind of pain we strongly recommend you do something about it before it gets worse. We are here to help if you have any questions about how to get started in becoming pain free.

New Equipment at Brockton PT

2010-05-03T15:59:00.000-07:00

We are now using the LiteGait in our clinic and it is proving to be a very valuable tool in delivering results to our patients. The LiteGait is a gait training device that promotes the development of normal walking patterns.

This equipment allows our therapists to observe gait and make manual corrections in limb placement, weight shift, and step timing. The harness system eliminates risk and fear of falling and allows us to progress through a range of weight-bearing from non to full weight.

LiteGait can be used with a wide range of impairments including stroke, spinal cord injuries, Traumatic brain injuries, amputees and other orthopedic and neurological conditions.

Reduce your risk of stroke

2010-04-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

A recent study was published in the journal Stroke that reinforces the value of cardiovascular exercise.

This study included 39,315 female participants with an average age of 54. 11.9 years of follow-up with these test subjects showed that 473 of them had an ischemic (clot-related) stroke and 102 had hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke. The study focused on comparing women who walk regularly with those that do not. Here is the findings:

Women who walk 2 or more hours per week reduced their risk of any kind of stroke by 30% and their risk of hermorrhagic stroke by 57%. If they walked at a brisk pace those numbers increase to 37% and 68% respectively.

The team that conducted this study emphasized that physical activity is essential to cardiovascular health. We at Brockton PT absolutely agree and were here to help you start exercising if you need us. If you have any pain or injuries that are keeping you from participating in physical activity we can help, don't hesitate to give us a call.

Read more about the study here: http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/637789/main.html

National Nutrition Month

2010-03-18T13:23:00.000-07:00

The American Dietetic Association has named March "National Nutrition Month". The focus for this month is emphasizing the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound habits when it comes to eating and exercise. Check out more about the campaign and the ADA at their website http://www.eatright.org/nnm/ .

Brockton PT does not offer nutritional services but we do promote overall wellness and your nutritional decisions are absolutely a part of your overall wellness. Here's our tip for you for the month of March.

Commit to learning about nutrition. There is a lot of misinformation out there along with risky diets and pills that are being followed and used in pursuit of good nutrition. We encourage you to do some research through legitimate sources. Learn how your body processes foods and what it needs to function at its best. Then you can craft your own personal diet accordingly. You may even want to setup an appointment with a registered dietitan to get some help. If you're not sure where to start why not visit the American Detetic Association website we linked above.

What can physical therapy do?

2009-05-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

When we talk to people about physical therapy we find a common misconception that physical therapy is for people recovering from a surgery. We do work with people after surgery but I would like to fill you in a few of the areas we help people that you may not be aware of.

Back Pain – We have a variety of techniques to treat all kinds of back pain. We can relieve the pain and strengthen the back to keep the pain from returning.

Arthritis – Arthritis pain can be effectively managed through physical therapy.

Weight Loss – Physical therapy is a great place for people to receive exercise guidance; especially those that are obese and unable to safely participate in traditional exercise routines like jogging or even walking.

Balance and Walking – We do a lot of work helping people reduce their risk of falling down. By improving balance and strength people are able to walk independent of canes or walkers.

Children’s Developmental Issues – During the developmental process from infancy to adulthood there are a number of physical complications kids may run into. Physical therapy can help kids overcome these hindrances.

Injury Prevention – In physical therapy we devote a lot of attention to helping our patients reduce their risk of future injuries. Frequently we will help our patients develop a home exercise program that will ensure their body is able to keep up with their regular activities.

This is just a few of the areas physical therapy deals with but there are many more. If you or some one you know is dealing with physical pain or limitation, physical therapy is likely to be a good option for you.

Quick Exercise Bouts

2009-04-09T09:44:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, we're all very busy and finding time to exercise is a challenge. This fact has led to hundreds of books, videos and infomercials insisting that all it takes is just a few minutes a day (5,8,10 etc.) to achieve your fitness goals. These advertisements show people that look incredibly fit and imply that all they did was an 8 minute routine a few days a week. I hate to burst your bubble if you have already gone out and purchased some of these workout videos but these claims just aren't true.

The U.S government and various exercise organizations and associations have research based recommendations that directly conflict with the idea that just a few minutes is enough for your health. Their guideline is to participate in 30 minutes a day of moderately intense activity on most days of the week. Following this guideline will help prevent diseases like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

If you can't handle 30 minutes or more right off the bat that's fine. You can start small and gradually work your way up. Start with 10-15 minutes and progress as you feel comfortable. Getting started is always tough but if you can commit and get to the 30 minutes a day at least 4 or 5 days a week, you won't be disappointed with the results you'll experience.

Enjoyable Exercise

2009-03-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

Exercising doesn't have to be torture! It is ok to have fun while you exercise!

Most people would probably say "oh I know" to these statements yet when you ask them about their exercise routine it sounds about as fun as going to work on a Saturday.

Here's a few ideas to make your exercise experience more enjoyable.

Play sports - when you're playing a game of basketball or tennis or whatever sport you like best, you're not really thinking about fat burn, heart rate, treadmill pace, and all those exercise related things. You're thinking about the game and enjoying yourself.

Sport specific training - Go out and shoot hoops, practice dribbling a soccer ball, run some football pass routes, go to the batting cages.

Go dancing!

Take your walks or jogs in a park or on the beach.

Wrestle with your kids or chase them around in a pool or on land.

Take some friends out to the park and have a tug-o-war, play dodgeball, or play freeze tag.

Don't try to write off my suggestions and claim they are for young people. Since when can older people not go out dancing or play a game of freeze tag?

All it takes is a little creativity and your torturous exercise sessions can become the highlight of your week.

Enjoy!

Some Current Fitness Trends

2009-03-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

The following are some of the top fitness trends that are sweeping the country. Some are new styles of exercise while others have been around for a very long time but are experiencing increases in popularity.

Boot Camps – These classes are based on military style training. In a boot camp class you can experience great cardiorespiratory results and strength benefits. These classes also feature great variety so it is hard to get bored with the workouts. Many participants appreciate the constant attention from the instructor as it provides strong motivation and encouragement. There is some risk of overdoing it in this class so it is important for participants to pay attention to their body and stop if any pain is experienced.

Interval Training – Interval training is a practice of alternating between high and low intensity during exercise. Something like running is a great place to incorporate intervals. The basic method would be to do some light jogging and periodically work in short sprints. This is a great way to experience high calorie burn and improve fitness level quickly. Success requires strong self-motivation capabilities.

Dance workouts (Zumba) – There is a big variety of these dance-based classes including hip-hop, salsa, and even ballet. Typically these classes create a high-energy party atmosphere that participants really enjoy. The class relies heavily on maintaining dance rhythms and some intervals to promote calorie burn and cardio benefits. If you lack some natural rhythm these classes may be challenging but often you can find beginner classes to help you learn the basic moves.

Pilates – Pilates is all about slow and controlled, low impact workouts that primarily help with core stabilization and spinal alignment. People at all fitness levels can participate in pilates with proper instruction. Keep in mind that pilates is anaerobic so it is not a high calorie burn compared to most of the other exercise options in this list.

Individual and Group Personal Training – One on one fitness planning is a great way to ensure the exercises you are doing are best suited for your needs. Use of a trainer is a great way to incorporate strong accountability into your exercise, and to make sure your workouts are safe and effective. Just make sure the trainer you choose to work with really knows what they’re doing.

Traditional Yoga – Yoga is often found to be very relaxing but beyond that it can provide great benefits to flexibility and contribute to developing muscle tone. There are yoga classes and instructors that cater to all fitness levels but advanced classes can be very challenging so it is important to keep it very basic when you are first starting out.

Stability Balls – Workouts using a stability ball are great for strengthening your core. A pretty good variety of exercises using the balls have been developed but ideally you would probably want to incorporate these exercises into a broader routine. It can be very challenging to learn proper form and make sure you get a good workout using the ball so it is best to have some one experienced give you some training.

Cross Training (CrossFit) – The CrossFit model involves short, high intensity workouts with a heavy emphasis on using your own body weight for resistance. These workouts typically don’t require a lot of equipment and are excellent for targeting the whole body. These workouts are not ideal for “unfit people” or beginners due to their high intensity levels and the potential risk for injury.

Active Gaming – Video game developers have turned their attention toward fitness and have created a wide range of exercise games to play in your own home. These games are fun and fairly easy to do for long periods of time. Keep in mind that the real activities are much more beneficial than the interactive video games but for those of you who like video games anyway it doesn’t hurt to incorporate a little bit of exercise.

Fusion Fitness – This is a practice of combining two or more types of exercise for example, cycling and stretching. This is a great way to get variety in your workouts and improve your overall fitness level. Just be mindful that some workouts don’t necessarily mix well and it is important that whoever is leading these workouts be very familiar with all of the ones being combined.

If you are looking for some variety in your exercise I encourage you to check out a couple of these. I can’t emphasize enough that you definitely need to have some one train you on these different workouts so that you do them properly and don’t hurt yourself. If you’re willing to give them a try you might find some great new elements to add to your exercise routine.

Snack Idea

2009-02-24T09:27:00.000-08:00

Try some nuts! Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts, Hazelnuts... Whichever you like best!

Nuts can be very good for you when it comes to heart health, here's why:

Nuts help lower your LDL cholesterol level.

Nuts are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which for some reason seem to help keep your heart from developing any dangerous rhythms that can lead to heart attacks.

Nuts contain L-arginine which is a substance that is thought to help the health of your artery walls making them more flexible and less likely to have clotting occur.

All nuts contain fiber, which can help you lower your cholesterol, feel full so you don't eat quite as much, and it is believed that fiber can help prevent diabetes.

Nuts also contain vitamin E. It is not known for certain but some researchers think that vitamin E can help stop the development of plaques within your arteries that can restrict blood flow.

Plant sterols are also found some nuts. These sterols help lower your cholesterol and are often added to other food items but they are naturally in nuts.

Nuts are very fatty and while it is healthy fat compared to most snacks you don't want to over due it. Try working nuts into your diet with just maybe a handful a day and use it to replace a less healthy snack you might be considering. Also keep in mind that you can cancel out the heart healthy benefits of the nuts if you cover them in things like salt, sugar, or chocolate.

Who needs physical therapy?

2009-02-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

"I thought physical therapy was where you go after you have surgery."

It is! But there are hundreds of other reasons to go as well!

We hear people say this all the time and we are thrilled at the chance to explain to them everything we can do to help people.

Rather than wait for this statement to come from you I figured I would let you in on some of the less commonly known things that we can do.

Take a look at dictionary.com's definition of what we do:
Physical Therapy - the treatment or management of physical disability, malfunction, or pain by exercise, massage, hydrotherapy, etc., without the use of medicines, surgery, or radiation.

This is a good summation but let me give you some more specifics that could be helpful to you and people you know.

We can help:
Back pain - Don't just accept the fact that your back hurts on a regular basis. This is not normal and you should not have to live with it. We can help eliminate the pain and teach you what you can do to make sure it doesn't return.

Walking and Balance - As people get older they start to feel off balance and sometimes have dangerous falls. The common response is to rely on a cane, walker or wheelchair, but that doesn't have to be your response. We can help you improve your balance and reduce your fall risk so that you can maintain full independence and require no walking aids.

Obesity - If you aren't obese or overweight, I bet you at least know some one who is. At physical therapy we can help you exercise safely and effectively under the supervision of our staff.

Wounds - If you are suffering from a wound from surgery or any other cause we can help clean and care for it on a regular basis to make sure that it heals and closes properly.

Heart conditions - If you have had a heart surgery or are at risk of needing one we have programs to help you recover and improve your cardiovascular system. You will be closely monitored by our staff to ensure your safety and that you are getting the results you and your cardiologist want to see.

All this on top of what you already new about therapy! I know, it is shocking how much we can do for people if they are willing to come see us.

Dealing with Stress

2009-01-30T14:50:00.000-08:00

In my previous post I listed a bunch of different negative effects stress can have on your life. I’m sure you were able to relate to at least a couple of them. That being the case the big question is “what can be done about stress?”

Let’s take this in two parts, what is causing the stress and what will help alleviate it. First, you need to pin point the things that are stressing you out. This is pretty easy and you may find that you have a pretty long list once you really start thinking about it. Common culprits are things like: life changes, your environment, unpredictable events, family, work, social, fears, uncertainty, attitude, and unrealistic expectations. These are pretty broad so take some time to grind down to some of the specifics that really stress you out. Hopefully just thinking about them doesn’t cause you too much stress.

Secondly, now that you know the causes you can plan for reducing the stress. A handful of common stress relieving methods are: exercise, relaxation techniques, building healthy relationships, plenty of sleep, and counseling. I know these may not sound as specific or practical as you might like them to be, but you need to customize the actions to your specific stressor. For example, if you get to work everyday at 8:00 and right away your boss is on your back stressing you out, and you can’t get out to exercise or for some counseling until you get off work at 5:00 then you might need to develop a little bit more effective plan. You should have a good idea of the things that relax you and take your mind of things you don’t want to think about, those need to be incorporated into your stress relief plan.

Additionally I’d like to say that simply having a stress relieving response to every stressor is not quite enough. In some cases you may need to find a way to stop certain stressors from occurring. If you have a friend that stresses you out every time you interact with them something isn’t quite right with that relationship and it should be addressed. I’m not saying avoid your friends or end the relationship but maybe you could talk it out and resolve whatever is making the friendship stressful.

There’s a lot to say about stress and I don’t want to try and accomplish too much in a blog post. Just remember, there are professionals out there who are trained to help you with this stuff and for your health’s sake it is worth it to seek their assistance.

Understanding Stress

2009-01-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

You are probably pretty familiar with stress because you experience it on a regular basis. You know you don’t enjoy stress and its negative effects on your life but you can’t seem to escape it. You have probably come to an understanding that you just have to live with it and hope you get through it. This is a common response but it is not made in the best interest of yourself and your health. Check out this long list of physical, mental and behavioral issues that can result from stress and see if you can relate to any of them:

Physical: Headaches, chest pain, pounding heart, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, muscle aches, back pain, clenched jaw, grinding teeth, upset stomach, diarrhea, constipation, increased sweating, tiredness, sleep problems, weight gain or loss, sex problems, skin breakouts.

Mental/feelings: Anxiety, restlessness, worrying, irritability, depression, sadness, anger, mood swings, job dissatisfaction, insecurity, confusion, burnout, forgetfulness, resentment, guilt, lack of concentration, negativity.

Behavior: Overeating, under eating, outbursts of anger, drug use, excessive drinking, increased smoking, social withdrawal, crying spells, relationship conflicts, decreased productivity, blaming others.

Your body has its methods of reacting to stress in order to protect you from perceived threats. Constantly being in a stressed state will mess you up bodily and mentally because your “fight or flight” reaction system is always on. This long-term activation of the stress response system results in over exposure to stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol disrupting your body’s processes and increasing your risk of serious health problems.

All this is to say that simply trying to live with excessive stress is not the way to go. Ideally you want to be able to manage the stress in your life. By understanding what stresses you out you can take action to reduce the duration and severity of stress, as well as incorporate healthy relief activities into your daily life.

In my next post I will discuss common stressors and in what ways you can manage your stress so that your health risks are reduced. In the mean time, try to get a grasp on what stresses you out on a regular basis so that you can begin to formulate a plan to manage those stressors.

Weight Loss Pills

2008-12-30T09:49:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a warning for consumers not to consume certain weight loss pills. The primary reason is that these pills contain active pharmaceutical ingredients that may cause serious health risks.

The list includes the following weight loss pills:
- Fatloss Slimming
- 2 Day Diet
- Japan Lingzhi 24 Hours Diet
- 5x Imelda Perfect Slimming
- 7 Day Herbal Slim
- 8 Factor Diet
- 999 Fitness Essence
- Extrim Plus
- Imelda Perfect Slim
- Lida DaiDaihua
- Perfect Slim
- Perfect Slim 5x
- ProSlim Plus
- Royal Slimming Formula
- Slim Express 360
- Slimtech
- Superslim
- TripleSlim
- Venom Hyperdrive 3.0
- 3x Slimming Power
- 3 Day Diet
- 7 Diet Day/Night Formula
- GMP
- Miaozi Slim Capsules
- Phyto Shape
- Slim 3 in 1
- Somotrim
- Zhen de Shou

Some of the ingredients found in these pills were substances like sibutramine, rimonabant, phenytoin, and phenolphthalein, as well as other substances in amounts that exceed what the FDA would consider a safe level. If you have been taking one of these products it is recommended that you stop and consult with your physician immediately.

I have never heard of most of these weight loss pills and I have a feeling many of them come from other countries. However, they are available in the U.S. and I think the moral of the story here is that just because something is being sold on the shelf doesn’t mean it is safe for you to use. I don’t recommend the use of any weight loss pills but if you insist on using one please consult with your physician first and make sure you know the complete list of ingredients.

Get paid to lose weight!

2008-12-17T09:48:00.000-08:00

The Study: The Journal of the American Medical Association recently released the results of a study about cash incentives for weight loss. The results were very interesting but not surprising. 57 participants were randomly assigned to three categories: A lottery based incentive program, a deposit contract that allowed for participant matching that would pay out if goals were met, a group that simply performed monthly weigh-ins but had no additional incentives. The goal for all participants was to lose 1lb per week for 16 weeks.

The results: The two incentive groups lost significantly more weight than the control group. The two incentive groups lost on average 13-14 lbs while the control group averaged 4 lbs of weight loss. About 50% of the incentive groups met the goal of 16 lbs of total weight loss while only 10% of the control group met the goal.

Analysis: These results might have you thinking you need to have some one offer you money to lose weight, or you might want to try offering money to people you know if they lose weight. This really touches on the constantly debated issue of whether or not money is a motivator. This study would indicate that to some extent the money motivated people to lose more weight than they would have otherwise. Now let me give you the rest of the results. Within 3 months of the conclusion of the study, participants in the incentive groups found their weight changes fall more in line with the control group indicating that they did not sustain the weight loss they experienced.

Chew on that for a couple days and in my next post I’ll address this money as a motivator issue and include some recommendations when it comes to motivation.

Stay tuned…

Muscular Strength and Endurance – Getting Started

2008-12-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

So you want to start doing some muscular strength and endurance training to complement your cardiorespiratory exercise program. That sounds like a brilliant idea but there is just one problem. Your body has over 600 muscles and if you target each one individually you may find yourself doing hours of ridiculous things like eyebrow raises, toe curls and lip puckers. Ideally the best way to get started in working out your muscles is to meet with a professional that can help you develop a program that suits your needs and will help you meet your goals. That being said let me give you a couple pointers to consider when you are getting started.

1. The workouts your family and friends do might not be the best ones for you. We see a lot of people that workout regularly but through their workouts have developed drastic muscle imbalances, and injured themselves severely, both of which cause functional problems on a daily basis. It is a great idea to workout with other people but make sure your workout is benefiting you, not hurting you.
2. Divide your muscles into groups. Some of the more common muscle groupings are: Lower legs, upper legs, hips/glutes, Abs and low back, chest, shoulders, upper arms, lower arms, back. After grouping your muscles then you can pick a few groups to focus on at each workout.
3. When working out a specific muscle group you should try to think functionally. Let’s say you have decided to focus on your shoulders for your next workout. Think about what types of regular movements you do that use your shoulders. Use these functional movements to guide you in choosing beneficial workouts for your shoulders.
4. Keep things even. Muscles often work together to make your body do what you want it to. You might find that you enjoy working out certain muscles more than others or that some muscles are hard to work at the same intensity level as others. I encourage you to give each of your muscle groups a fair share of attention regardless of these challenges. If you begin neglecting muscles you will find yourself at risk of injury and susceptible to long term complications.

Muscular strength and endurance training can be tough to get started but if you get on a well-rounded program and keep it up on a regular basis you will experience tremendous results. We are well aware of the challenges people run into when they start working out so please don’t hesitate to ask us questions if you need some help. You can submit questions to our staff by visiting our website, http://www.brocktonpt.com/, and clicking on the tab that says “Contact us”.

Target Heart Rate

2008-11-19T11:05:00.000-08:00

We frequently get questions from people about how they can know if the exercise they are doing is enough to get results. This is a tough question to answer without being present to exercise with the person to get an idea of their intensity and duration. An understanding of your personal target heart rate can help you feel confident that the exercise you are doing is giving you the cardiovascular benefit you are trying to achieve. The American Heart Association sets the target heart rate range at 50 to 85% of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate in beats per minute (bpm) can be estimated by subtracting your age from 220.

Age Target Heart Rate Zone Maximum Heart Rate
20 100 – 170bpm 200bpm
30 95 – 162 190
40 90 – 153 180
50 85 – 145 170
60 80 – 136 160
70 75 – 128 150

In order to assure that you are maintaining a heart rate within your target zone while exercising you will need to be able to check your pulse periodically. Starting out you should try to exercise at 50% of your maximum heart rate. When you can sustain that pace comfortably then you can push yourself a little bit harder moving higher in your target heart rate zone. It is important to remember that you do not have to reach 85% of your maximum heart rate in order to get results. Exercising anywhere in your target heart rate range will be beneficial for your.

Hopefully this will be a helpful tool for you as you attempt to ensure you are exercising effectively. I want to conclude with a very important caution. If you are taking any type of blood pressure or heart medication or anything that might affect your ability to exercise it is essential that you consult your physician before beginning an exercise program.

Childhood Obesity

2008-10-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've all heard that obesity in children is still on the rise and you have probably heard it referred to as an epidemic. I recently read about a study done by the University of Michigan on the topic of childhood obesity that produced some concerning results. The study included 2000 parents of kids ages 6 to 11. Of the parents whose kids were obese 40% believed their kids were at a proper weight level. Amazingly once parents were informed that their child was obese 10% said that they weren't concerned about it. So basically there are parents out there that either don't know their child is obese or refuse to acknowledge it. There are also parents out there that know full well their child is obese but don't see it as a problem or don't care. It is frustrating to hear those kind of things considering the health of these children is in the hands of these parents. Some of the parents stated that they felt like it would be cruel or insensitive to tell their child that he/she is obese and needs to lose weight. I agree that it would be cruel considering the blame and responsibility should be on the parents. By making some healthy changes to the family's eating habits and by embracing a more active lifestyle both the kids and the parents would experience great improvements to their health. I know addressing obesity can be difficult and uncomfortable but ignoring it is really not an option. By letting it go unaddressed we are putting our children at risk of very serious health problems and failing in our duty to look out for them and keep them safe.

Measuring your heart rate

2008-10-14T14:08:00.001-07:00

Your heart rate can serve as a basic indicator of your cardiovascular fitness level and your heart's efficiency. If you check your resting heart rate regularly you can also see results from your regular exercise. The general range for healthy adults is to have a resting heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute. If you are an athlete that participates in intense training and competition then the range is going to be lower, 40 to 60 beats per minute. To check your resting heart rate do it when you are relaxed and haven't been moving around a lot. Sit down and find your pulse, the easiest place is going to be in your neck slightly to either side of your throat, or on the inside of your wrist toward the thumb side. Once you can feel your pulse look at a clock and count the beats for 30 seconds, be sure you are counting your pulse beats and not the seconds on the clock. Multiply the number of beats you counted by 2 and you'll have your resting heart rate in beats per minute. It might be a good idea to write it down and check it every few days or once a week. Also, you may want to record what time of day you checked it so you can see if there is any variance throughout the day. Factors that will have an impact on your resting heart rate are: Activity level, Fitness level, Air temperature, body position, emotions, body size, and some medications. If you find that your heart rate is consistently below 60 or over 100 I recommend you go see your doctor and point it out to him/her.

Nutrition Summary

2008-09-18T10:08:00.000-07:00

In closing this series of posts on specific nutrition components I'd like to give some general advice for planning your diet. My recommendation first and foremost is to sit down with a licensed dietitian, not some one who says they are a nutritionist, and plan out a diet that suits your needs. A diet is personal and it needs to take into consideration your lifestyle, your current health, and your goals.
That being said, my general recommendations are: First, know what your are eating. Keep track of the nutritional value of the foods you eat and the quantities you are consuming. It is difficult to pinpoint changes that should be made if you don't know what you are eating. Second, set some specific goals before you make changes to your diet. Simply saying you want to eat more healthy is not clear enough because foods are not that easily categorized as healthy or unhealthy. With specific goals defined you can then create a diet that will help you achieve those goals. Third, you don't have to follow a trendy diet plan. Just because your friends are all on the same diet or you heard one works great doesn't mean its the right one for you. You diet needs to be tailored to your body, your needs, and your goals. Remember your diet is not something you do for 3 months, meet your goals, and then stop. Following that model you will simply lose any benefits you may have attained in those 3 months. You need a diet that you can comfortably sustain for life. Fourth, supplements are not a quick fix and are probably not even necessary. Severe deficiencies are not particularly common among Americans. If you did find that you were lacking in some particular nutrient you could simply eat foods containing that nutrient rather than take a chemcially engineered pill. I can't tell you that supplements are harmful because I don't have any research to back that up. I will say that I don't see them as necessary and I personally would rather eat foods with the nutrients I need rather than try to get those nutrients from a chemically engineered pill.

I hope these posts on nutrition have been informative and have motivated you to give some serious consideration to your diet. I hope you find a diet that suits you and will help you achieve your health goals. Remember, diet and exercise are both huge components of your overall health, don't make the mistake of relying solely on one or the other. Use them in tandem to get the results you want.

Understanding Vitamins

2008-09-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

Vitamins are defined as organic essential nutrients that are vital to life. Vitamins are broken into two groups, water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins enter directly into the blood when consumed and move about freely. These vitamins need to be eaten regularly and have less risk of reaching a toxic level because the body can get rid of some excess. The water-soluble vitamins are Vitamin C, and the B Vitamins (Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid, B6, Folate, and B12). The fat-soluble vitamins are stored by the body and must be transported around by protein carriers. Because these vitamins are stored by the body with no excess being secreted they do not have to be consumed as regularly and there is more risk of reaching toxic levels. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K.
It is important to understand that vitamins do not provide the body with fuel or energy but they do play vital roles in the bodies many functions. Vitamins contribute to the health and function of the eyes, skin, teeth, nervous system, GI tract, blood, lungs, bones, protein synthesis, growth and reproduction, and the metabolic process. Vitamin deficiencies can cause some severe diseases and conditions, however the body’s vitamin needs can easily be met by eating a balanced diet. Vitamin supplements should only be taken if advised by a physician or a registered dietitian and only in cases where a dietary adjustment has not been able to correct a deficiency.

Understanding Fat

2008-08-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

In casual discussions about nutrition and dieting fat often is considered a bad guy. This is not necessarily true so lets take a closer look at fat to get a better understanding of its role in nutrition. The human body uses fat for energy, insulation, protection against shock, efficient use of protein and carbohydrates, and building cell structures. These are very necessary functions making fat essential to the body. That being said, because of the high fat content of a lot of the foods we eat regularly in the United States we run into problems with excess fat consumption. Rather than give you a chemistry lesson on the different kinds of fat I’ll stick to food label references to fat and the American Heart Associations intake recommendations. There are essentially 4 classes of fats: Trans, Saturated, Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated. The American Heart Association recommends that Trans fats be less that 1% of your daily caloric intake. Saturated fats should be less than 7% of your daily caloric intake. Other fat intake should come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats but your total fat consumption should be less than 25-35% of your total daily caloric intake. Keep in mind when reading food labels that there are 9 calories in 1 gram of fat no matter what kind of fat it is, this will help you monitor how much you’re eating. Eating high amounts of trans and saturated fats will increase your cholesterol level, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke. Eating excessive amounts of any fat will cause your body to store those extra calories and unless you are exercising enough to burn them off you will experience weight gain. So be diligent in reading those food labels and keep control over how much fat you’re eating.

Sources:

American Heart Association website, www.americanheart.org

Understanding Nutrition, E.N Whitney and S.R Rolfes. 2002 Wadsworth Thompson Learning

Understanding Protein

2008-08-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

Protein is composed of amino acids that our bodies use for numerous purposes. Some of the main functions of protein include: providing building material for tendons and ligaments, strengthening artery walls, knitting torn tissues back together and helping heal injuries, replacement of skin cells when they are shed, and serving as antibodies to help defend against disease. The institute of medicine recommends consumption of .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This is to keep the body from experiencing tissue breakdown. Beyond that there is not firm information on which to base a recommendation of more or less protein. However, where we get our protein from deserves some consideration. Complete proteins (containing all the amino acids your body needs you to consume) come from animal products. The typical American diet includes a lot of meat and dairy foods therefore protein deficiency is pretty rare. Unfortunately many animal products (especially red meat) are high in saturated fats, so a good recommendation is to eat a variety of vegetables and nuts and make the steaks and cheeseburgers an occasional meal choice. If you do not eat any meat or dairy products then make sure you are consuming a good balance of vegetables, legumes and grains.

Sources:

Protein, the Bottom Line. Harvard School of Public Health
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein/

Understanding Nutrition. S. R. Rolfes, E. N. Whitney. Wadsworth Thomson Learning

Carbohydrates

2008-08-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Carbohydrates (carbs) are the main source of energy in our bodies. In the metabolism process carbs are broken down and converted to Glucose for immediate energy needs or they are stored as Glycogen for reserve energy to be used as needed by the body. Carbs are made up of sugar units (saccharide units) and are divided into two types, simple and complex. Simple sugars contain only one or two units (monosaccharides and disaccharides) and are quickly broken down for energy. Complex carbs are chains of simple sugars bonded together (polysaccharides). The body breaks the bonds in the chain so that the units can be absorbed and used for energy.

The complex and simple classifications are primarily on a chemical level, so a newer system exists to help classify carbohydrate foods for dietary purposes. The Glycemic index classifies foods based on how quickly and how high they will boost blood sugar compared to pure glucose. This coupled with the food’s Glycemic load can help you determine which foods should be a part of your diet and which ones should be limited or removed. This system is especially helpful when managing type 2 diabetes. For more information on Glycemic index, Glycemic load, and lists of food ratings I recommend you visit www.glycemicindex.com.

When determining your own personal diet I recommend you consult with a trained professional (i.e your doctor or a registered dietitian). Learn all you can about carbohydrates and their role in your body before you make any drastic changes to your diet. Stay tuned and we’ll talk about some other elements that need to be considered when formulating your diet.

Sources:

Carbohydrates, The Bottom Line. Harvard School of Public Health.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/carbohydrates/

What is the Glycemic Index? http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Carbohydrates, A. Carpi. Vision Learning. http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=61

Understanding Nutrition

2008-08-08T14:57:00.000-07:00

I was recently reading an article about making dietary adjustments to help a family member dealing with a specific medical condition. At first I thought I could post about certain conditions and what dietary adjustments can be made, but I decided that should be left to the professionals with advanced training on those conditions. Instead I think it would be helpful if I did a series of posts on basic nutrition elements. A better understanding of what makes up the food you are eating and how it works in your body will be helpful when it comes to evaluating our own diet. In my next few posts I will try to give you a basic understanding of things like, fats, carbs, protein, sodium, vitamins, etc. There is a lot of information about these things and for those who are really into science and would love to hear about the chemical make up of a carbohydrate I'm going to have to dissappoint you. My intent is to keep things practical, so I will try to describe these nutritional items in such a way that you can use it when you are creating a suitable diet for yourself.

Stay tuned!

How healthy are you? Conclusion

2008-07-31T10:14:00.000-07:00

After reading the last few posts on this topic and considering the questions I prompted you to ask yourself my hope is that you have a little bit better idea of how healthy you are. In answering the questions you may have found areas where you can make improvements and that’s great. I gave some very basic recommendations to start with but I would encourage you to consult with a professional if you want to get serious about improving your overall health. Physicians, dietitians, personal trainers and physical therapists are all great resources that can help you set and achieve very specific health and fitness goals.

I would like to close this topic with one final recommendation; anything you do to improve your health needs to be specific to you. What I mean is what your friends, family, and coworkers are doing may not be the best thing for you. You need to have your own goals and your own plan on how to achieve those goals. Others can help you by keeping you accountable and exercising with you but I would encourage you to trust only trained professionals with developing a program for you to follow.

How healthy are you? Part 4

2008-07-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

When you feel like a snack, what do you typically eat?

Snacking is an area where people often lose sight of their diet. Determining what you are snacking on can reveal a lot about how healthy your habits are. If you realized that when you want a snack you find yourself reaching for a bag of chips, a candy bar or maybe a bowl of ice cream, you probably need to make an adjustment. Fruits and vegetables are great snack items, some nuts is a good option as well. Snacking is almost an unconscious act by a lot of people so it takes some real discipline to make a change in this area. I recommend starting small, so if you eat a snack every day, try to make it something healthy twice a week. Once you have that down you can progress with your ultimate goal being to make those not so healthy snacks an occasional indulgence rather than a daily routine.

Do you smoke?

This one needs little discussion. I am assuming by now everyone knows that smoking is terrible for your health. If you smoke I strongly recommend you quit, but if you don’t want to quit then I don’t have any advice for you.

How much Alcohol do you drink?

Some studies have pointed to health benefits associated with moderate consumption of alcohol but I have yet to read anything that would make me recommend you start drinking. If you don’t drink at all I think that’s great and you should stick with that. For those that do drink it is best for your health to keep it to moderate levels. Moderate would be no more than one drink a day for adult women and anyone over 65, and 2 drinks for adult men. People under the legal age, pregnant women, and people on certain medications or with certain medical conditions should not drink alcohol at all. In those cases involving medication and medical conditions I recommend you consult with your physician about alcohol consumption.

What do you do to relieve stress?

Everyone experiences stress. It is important to have a way to regularly relieve that stress to minimize the effects it can have on you. You may already be doing something that relieves your stress and that’s great, for those that don’t, pick something and give it a shot. Consider things you like to do for fun or things that you know relax you. Some examples include reading a fiction novel, going for a walk or jog, going to the beach, going out to eat with friends or family, watching a movie, or going to the gym for a good hard workout. The idea with stress relief is to remove yourself from the parts of your daily routine that cause the stress, get those things off your mind, and relieve the tension that those things brought on. It may be hard for you to start doing your stress relieving activities everyday but it would be good to start with at least once or twice a week.

How healthy are you? Part 3

2008-07-25T15:45:00.000-07:00

How do you typically spend your free time?

This question helps us determine if you have an active lifestyle or not. If you find you use your free time to do things like, go for a walk, work in the garden, play a sport or go play outside with your kids/grandkids, then you probably live a pretty active life. If you answered this questions with things like, watch TV, go to the movies, have a snack or go out to eat, or read a book, then you might not be living a very active life. I don’t want to lecture you on how you spend your free time, I simply want to make you aware of the impact your usage of your free time has on your overall health. People who are living an active lifestyle have much less difficulty incorporating a regular exercise routine into their life. This is because they are use to being up and about doing things so some specific exercise can fit right into what they are already doing. If much of your free time is spent sitting you will probably find it much more difficult to take time regularly to exercise. My suggestion is to make a list of your usual free time activities, and then try to find a way to mix in something a little more active. You get to pick but here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing: play catch with a Frisbee or some sort of ball, go for a walk, hike or bike ride, go window shop around the mall, start a project in your backyard like a new garden or repairing a fence. These are all things that will get you up and moving and I believe you will find that you have some fun.

How much fruit do you eat each day? And
How much vegetables do you eat each day?

Hopefully I don’t sound too much like your mother with this one, but you really do need to be eating fruits and vegetables. The general recommendation for fruits and vegetables is around 7 to 9 servings per day (3-4 fruits, 4-5 vegetables). How much is a serving varies depending on the fruit or vegetable so for simplicity’s sake you may want to estimate a little bit. Figure a medium sized piece of fruit like an apple or orange is one serving, and ½ a cup of most vegetables is one serving. The tricky part is making sure these are a part of your diet. I have a couple of tips that may help you. Chances are there are some vegetables you just don’t like the taste of, they are either bland or have weird texture. I would encourage you to check around for ones you do like; there are a lot of vegetables and some tasty ways to season them so that you will enjoy them. Vegetables often come into play at dinnertime, which is great, but it would be good if you could work them into your lunch as well. Try a side salad or some cauliflower with your lunch, and maybe push yourself to snack on some carrots if you need something to much on in between meals. Fruits are a little bit different of a situation. Most people like fruit because it is sweet the problem is fitting it in regularly with meals. Vegetables seem to go nicely with most dinner entrées, but with fruit its not so easy. Here are a couple suggestions. Always include a piece of fruit in your lunch whether it is a traditional apple or orange, or maybe try things like slicing up melon or something interesting like passion fruit. Fruits also work great as a snack, there are some that take very little preparation and you will likely find that you can stock up on fruit for much cheaper than some of the snacks you currently have in the cabinet. Lastly, fruit can cleverly be incorporated into your deserts. My wife likes to make a little concoction of strawberries, blueberries and a little bit of whipping cream. Be creative and I know you can find ways to make sure you are getting those fruits and vegetables into your diet. The added benefit is you will satisfy your hunger and you won’t have to resort to less nutrient rich options.

How healthy are you? Part 2

2008-07-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

How much sleep do you get each night and is it consistent?
Lack of sleep can contribute to the onset and complication of diseases and conditions such as, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression. Less severe but maybe more problematic in our daily lives is that fact that when we’re tired we just feel bad. Being tired can make us irritable, lethargic and poor performers of our typical everyday tasks at work and at home. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. If you insist that you have too much to do and just can’t sleep that many hours then you need to remove some of those demands from your life. It is essential that you give your body the rest it requires. If you are having trouble sleeping at night, see my blog post on that topic for some helpful tips.

How much water do you drink each day?
Your body absolutely needs water to function. The exact amount needed varies by person so it is hard to say how much you should drink. My advice is to be mindful of how much you are drinking and not to let yourself get thirsty. So on a hot day, when you’re exercising or when you’re sick be sure to drink a couple more glasses of water. A basic estimate is to drink around 8 glasses of water a day (8 ounces in each glass). Any beverage is going to have some water in it but I recommend you don’t rely on drinks like coffee or soda to meet your body’s water needs.

What kind of exercise do you do each day?
This one is a little bit complicated. There are thousands of things you can do for exercise and it is hard to make a general recommendation that goes for everyone. You’re exercise needs to be personalized to your needs and your abilities. I recommend that you consult your doctor to find out if you have any conditions that need to be accounted for when exercising. Then you should find a fitness professional that can help you determine in what specific ways you would like to improve your health. Once you know what you want to do then this professional can help you develop an exercise program that will be beneficial for you. Any exercise is better than none, but there are some risks of injury involved so if you aren’t completely clear on what to do it is important that you get help. If you don’t know any fitness professionals please feel free to contact us through our website and we can help you out.

My next two posts will address the rest of the questions from the original “How healthy are you?” post. Check back soon.

How healthy are you?

2008-07-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

Some people think they're healthy and they aren't, others think they aren't but they really are, so how do we know if we're healthy or not? There is a lot of information out there regarding health and it is not uncommon to find conflicting information. We have thousands of research studies, some are scientific and some aren’t, we have doctors with different specialties giving different recommendations, television and the Internet are bombarding us with new diets and exercise techniques, pills and supplements are crowding our medicine cabinets; Take all that mixed with some cultural values and societal norms and we are at risk of being driven insane trying to figure out if we're healthy or not, and being insane is definitely not healthy.

I decided it would be nice for you to have a basic way to gauge how healthy your lifestyle is that will only take a couple minutes of your time. I’ve compiled a simple series of questions that you can answer about yourself. Now you may be tempted to lie when answering these questions but be aware you are only lying to yourself since no one else will see how you answer.

How much sleep do you get each night, and is it consistent?
How much water do you drink each day?
What kind of exercise are you doing each day?
How do you typically spend your free time?
How much fruit are you eating each day?
How much vegetables are you eating each day?
When you feel like a snack, what do you have?
Do you smoke?
How much alcohol do you consume on a weekly basis?
What do you do to relieve stress?

Each of these questions relate to core aspects of your health. In my next couple of posts I’ll address each of these questions and how it can be an indicator of your current level of health. After reading my upcoming posts you’ll be able to identify whether or not you are living a healthy lifestyle, and if you’re not, then you’ll understand what you can do to get there. Stay tuned!

Health and Fitness Questions?

2008-07-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to remind you, if you have any specific questions about nutrition, fitness or living a healthy lifestyle there is a way for you to ask us. Go to our website, www.brocktonpt.com and on the left hand side there is a link that says "contact us/questions", click there and it will take you to a page where you can submit a question. Either myself or one of our physical therapists will respond to you by email. If the questions raises a concern that we think other people might benefit from hearing the answer then we'll use it as a topic for the blog.

Ask away, we're here to help!

Can't Sleep?

2008-07-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been having trouble getting good quality sleep at night. Either I can’t fall asleep, or I find myself waking up a couple times during the night. I did a search on the Mayo Clinic’s website and found some better sleep tips, and I decided to share them with you.

- Go to bed and get up at the same times everyday, even on weekends. Sticking to a schedule will help program your body to know when to sleep and when to be awake.
- Don’t eat or drink large amounts before bedtime. This will help you avoid things like heartburn or trips to the bathroom interrupting your sleep.
- Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in the evening. These are all stimulants that can keep you awake. With caffeine it may be necessary to avoid it 8 hours prior to your bedtime in order to give your body time to eliminate the stimulant and its effects.
- Exercise regularly. Just don’t exercise right before bed, give yourself about 3 hours between your workout and bedtime.
- Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and comfortable. You shouldn’t have to battle your surroundings to fall asleep, setup the environment you need to be able to fall asleep.
- Limit naps. Daytime napping can cut into your nighttime sleep, so if you nap keep it to a half an hour.
- Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow. Make sure they are what is right for you.
- Start a relaxing bedtime routine and make it something you do every night as you prepare for bed. This may be things like a warm shower or bath, some reading, listen to some calm and soothing music, etc.
- Go to bed when you’re tired. If you don’t fall asleep in 15-20 minutes get up and do something. If you lay there agonizing about not falling asleep it will only make things worse. Occupy yourself and go back to bed when you feel tired.

If you are having sleep problems 3 nights a week or more you should see your doctor. You may have sleep disorder that your doctor can help you with. I hope these are some helpful tips, this is one blog posting that I actually hope will put you to sleep!

Do you pat down your pizza?

2008-06-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

I’m sure you’ve all seen some one pat down their pizza with a napkin to soak up some of the grease, or maybe you do this when you have pizza. I recently read an article about this “pizza pat down” so I thought I’d share the results with you. The article cited the Georgia Pacific Health Smart Institute’s study on this topic. The study reported that patting down greasy foods like pizza can absorb up to 14% of the total fat content. With the average slice of pepperoni pizza having about 10 grams of fat, the pat down technique can help get rid of 1.4 grams. When I eat pizza I’ll usually eat 3 slices. By doing the “pat down” I can reduce my fat intake by around 4.2 grams. That’s pretty good, especially because my pizza will still taste pretty much the same. So there seems to be some benefit to the “pat down” technique and really no harm in trying it. However, I would caution you not to start eating pizza everyday thinking you’re eating healthy just because you dabbed some of the grease off. There is still 86% of the total fat left so I recommend pizza be a once in a while meal.

Stretching, Why Not? Part 3-5

2008-06-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.

Today’s stretch is a core stretch primarily for the abs. This is a pretty simple one and you may find that after performing it you’ll want to lie down for a nice little nap. Abdominal tightness is really not that common, but this stretch can also help relieve some tension in the hip flexors which tend to be a common problem area for inflexibility. So without further ado…

Ab Stretch:
1. Lay flat on the floor on your stomach. Don’t start your nap just yet.
2. Place your hands about even with your chest like you are going to do a pushup.
3. Slowly push your upper body up keeping your hips and legs flat on the floor. As you raise you will start to feel a pull in your stomach area. When you feel it hold it for 20 seconds. Don’t push so far that you have trouble breathing or feel discomfort in your back.
4. Lower yourself back down slowly. Rest for 30 seconds, and then repeat.
5. After doing it twice you may now commence napping.

There you have it. This series of blog posts has left you with the knowledge of why stretching is valuable, how to overcome your reluctance to start doing it, and a set of basic stretches to get you on the path toward greater flexibility. I hope these are helpful for you and I hope you commit to giving this stretching thing a try, remember, you won’t be disappointed with the results if you stick with it. For those of you that would like some more advanced stretching or some more detailed instructions on getting started please come see us at our clinic.

Stretching, Why Not? Part 3-4

2008-06-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

We’ve been working our way down the body with these stretches so continuing down from the hamstrings we hit the calfs (the back of your lower leg). Tight calf muscles can cause issues in the knee and down in the ankle and foot. As you become more active your calf muscles will likely experience soreness if they lack flexibility and that soreness can be very uncomfortable. These stretches will help increase flexibility and relieve soreness.

Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.

Calf Stretch:
1. Stand arms length from a wall, make sure the wall is one that you can lean against and will support your body weight.
2. Take a large step forward toward the wall with your left foot, keep your right foot planted with your heal flat on the floor.
3. Place your hands on the wall to brace yourself. Then slowly bend your left knee toward the wall leaning in toward to wall, but keep that right foot planted.
4. You will start to feel a pull in your right calf. When you feel a slight pull hold it there for 20 seconds.
5. Slowly straighten your knee and step back to your starting position. Then switch to stretch the left calf. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.

Modified Calf Stretch: This modification follows the same steps but with a small variation to stretch lower down the calf muscle closer to the ankle.
1. Follow steps 1-3. As you lean forward when you just barely start to feel the stretch, stop.
2. Make sure your hands are bracing you against the wall, then slowly and just very slightly bend your right knee. You will feel the stretch move down your calf into the back of your ankle.
3. Hold for 20 seconds then switch. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.

There is a temptation when stretching to push further and further once you feel the stretch. The temptation is telling us, “just push harder, why progress slowly when you can just hit that higher intensity right now and speed up the benefit.” DON”T LISTEN TO THE TEMPTATION!!! When you start to feel the stretch it is an indication that you are reaching the limits of your flexibility. Think of a rubber band, when as you stretch it further the resistance increases, stretch it to far and SNAP! Similarly your body will start to resist as you stretch, if you push past that resistance what do you think is going to happen? Be careful stretching, injuring yourself is a very real possibility and all it will do is foil any progress you’ve made.

Stretching, Why Not? Part 3-3

2008-06-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

Today’s stretch will focus on the back of your upper leg, the hamstring.

Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.

Hamstring Stretch: When people have tightness in their legs it can frequently be felt as low back pain and stiffness throughout the lower body. The legs our obviously essential for our mobility and even if we don’t feel tightness down there its important to make sure the legs remain flexible. In physical therapy we regularly see injuries to ankles, knees, hips and groins. Stretching to protect these joints is not only for people who are participating in physical activity, a simple stumble in the parking lot can wreak havoc on a nonflexible person.
1. Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you.
2. Spread your legs apart as far as you can without it being uncomfortable.
3. Sit up straight and then slowly slide both hands down your right leg toward your ankle. When you feel the tension in the back of your leg, hold it for 20 seconds. Make sure your leg stays flat; your knee may want to rise up but try to keep it down on the floor.
4. Slowly slide back up to your starting sitting position.
5. Switch and go to the left side. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.

Groin Stretch: You can get a slight groin stretch from the same position so I’ll describe that for you as well.
1. From the same sitting position with your legs spread and sitting up straight.
2. Slowly slide both hands straightforward on the ground so that you are leaning forward between your legs. You will start to feel tension either in the back of your legs, the inside of your thighs, or in your groin. When you feel it in any of those places hold it for 20 seconds.
3. Repeat twice allowing about 30 seconds in between.

Remember your body needs to be loose and limber while stretching to get the most benefit. Holding your breath and forcing your body into stretches is not going to get the results you want. Never hold your breath, if you can’t breath steadily then you are pushing too hard. Try to clear your head while you hold the stretches, your stretching time can be a nice way to relax and relieve the stress of the day.

Stretching, Why Not? Part 3-2

2008-06-09T14:01:00.000-07:00

Today’s stretches are for the shoulders and chest.

Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.

Shoulder Stretch: Our shoulders can frequently get sore because we are constantly using are arms. Poor posture and improper lifting techniques can also add to pain in the shoulders. Before doing this stretch do some slow rotations of your arms to get your shoulders loosened up a little bit.
1. Place your left palm on your right elbow.
2. With your right palm facing toward you, slowly reach your right arm across your body bringing you right elbow toward your left shoulder.
3. When you feel a slight pull in the back of your shoulder hold your arm in position there for 20 seconds.
4. Relax and then switch to stretch the left shoulder. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.

Chest stretch: Tightness in the upper chest where our shoulder muscles connect to the chest muscles may not be something you commonly feel. But it is important to maintain flexibility in that area to help us feel comfortable standing upright with good posture.
1. Find a door way and stand with your right shoulder lined up with the edge of the door.
2. Place your palm and forearm flat against the wall (the part of the wall where you would typically find the light switches) and make sure your elbow is forming a 90-degree angle. So you are now standing with your right arm against the wall and you are looking through the doorway.
3. Make sure you are standing up nice and straight and slowly take a small step with your right foot through the doorway keeping your hand and forearm against the wall. As you move forward you will feel a slight pull in your chest and the front of your shoulder. When you feel this stretch hold it for 20 seconds.
4. Relax and then switch sides to stretch the left side of your chest and your left shoulder. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.

Remember take it slowly with these stretches. You may find that you don’t really feel a whole lot but that’s ok. It may be that you already have some flexibility in these areas and that’s great. It may also take some time for you to get used to how your body responds to stretching, as you do it you will get a feel for how best to push yourself. There is no quick fix when it comes to flexibility, it takes regularity and time to produce results so don’t try to rush it.

Stretching, Why Not? Part 3

2008-06-06T14:27:00.000-07:00

Now you’re ready. You know the value of stretching and have eliminated all obstacles keeping you from doing it so now you just have to get started. In the next 5 posts I will give you instructions on some basic stretches (one per day) that will get you on your way toward improved flexibility.

Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.

Neck Stretch: The neck is not necessarily thought of as a strong muscular part of the body, but it has to keep your heavy head up all day so it can get tired and sore.
1. Sit up straight and tall with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Keeping your face forward gently tilt your left ear toward your left shoulder. Relax and let the weight of your head stretch the side of your neck. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds then switch to the other side.
3. Repeat each side 2 times.
4. For a little bit more intense stretch you can gently place your hand on your head (use the hand on the side you are tilting your head to). You will feel the added strain on your neck so you do not need to apply any real force with your hand.

Part 2: This next part will stretch the back of the neck.
1. Sit up straight and tall with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Turn your head so that your nose is pointing at your left armpit. Relax and let your head lower toward that armpit to stretch the back of the neck.
3. Hold for 20 seconds then switch to the other side. Repeat 2 times for each side.
4. For a little more intensity again gently place your hand on the top of your head and let that added weight increase the stretch (use the hand on the side you are tilting your head to). There is no need to pull or push your head with your hand, just let it rest there.

Remember, these stretches should be relaxing and comfortable, don’t tear your own head off trying to make your neck flexible.

Check back on Monday for the next stretch as we work our way down the body.

Stretching, Why Not? Part 2

2008-05-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

Regardless of the many benefits we’ve pointed out people still are reluctant to make stretching a regular part of their life. In this post I will address the primary reasons given for not stretching and I’ll provide you with some solutions to overcome these obstacles.

Obstacle 1: “I don’t need to stretch.”
If you have never experienced either the benefits of flexibility or the problems associated with a lack of flexibility then this may be what you’re thinking. This mentality is often due to a lack of understanding of what flexibility truly is.
Solution: Flexibility is ultimately an issue of range of motion in your body’s joints. It may very well be that currently you are not pushing your body in such a way that tests your range of motion therefore you don’t feel your lack of flexibility. However, as you age and continue not stretching your range of motion will gradually diminish likely resulting in severely limited mobility, muscle aches and joint pain. I would urge you to give stretching a try and see what kind of benefits you experience. Give it a few weeks of regular stretching and you won’t be disappointed.

Obstacle 2: “I don’t know how to stretch.”
Stretching is not very difficult but it does take some know how. A lot of people think they know how to stretch but they are really doing more harm to their body than good.
Solution: Ask some one to show you. Look for some one who has some training in stretching like a personal trainer or a therapist. They can quickly show you a handful of stretches that will be easy for you to start with. If you don’t know some one who can teach you, come see us at our clinic, we’re happy to help.

Obstacle 3: “I don’t have time.”
I know you can’t possibly miss out on watching American Idol or reading about what Brad and Angelina did last week but I think you can find 5 minutes somewhere in your day.
Solution: If you do 10 stretches holding them each for 30 seconds that is 5 minutes. Cram it in when you finish exercising, while you watch TV, just before bed or after your morning shower. It’s a little pathetic if you can’t set aside 5 minutes and if that truly is the case you might have some bigger problems than a lack of flexibility.

Obstacle 4: “It hurts to stretch.”
That’s because you’re not flexible! All the more reason to stretch! This could also be because you are not doing the stretches properly.
Solution: Stretching should not be painful, but there will be a little bit of discomfort. You are pushing your muscles and joints to go farther than they are comfortable with so of course they will want to resist you. When you reach that point where you can really feel the tension and it is slightly uncomfortable don’t push any further. Find some one who is experienced with stretching to help make sure you are using proper techniques.

Obstacle 5: “Stretching is boring.”
We do live in a time where every other person seems to have some sort of ADD so people bore easily.
Solution: Talk to some one while you stretch. Watch TV. Listen to music. Do some controlled breathing and take advantage of a chance to relax. Lastly, It’s only 5 minutes!!!

All benefits have been stated and obstacles have been overcome. Now all that remains is to start stretching. Don’t worry you’re not on your own for this. My next post will describe some basic stretches to get started with. Stay tuned!

Stretching, Why Not? Part 1

2008-05-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

I considered calling this blog entry “The secret to the healthy body you’ve always wanted!” or “Miracle cure for aches, pains and soreness!” I figured a title like that would either get me millions of readers because everyone is always interested in the quick fix, or no readers because those titles have already been used a couple thousand times only to disappoint people.

I’m sure you’ve heard the benefits of being flexible many times but for some reason they haven’t sunk in enough for you to make stretching a part of your daily life. So I will tell them to you again. As you read these consider how each benefit would impact your life:

- Less muscle soreness after exercise
- Faster recovery from exertion
- Ability to exercise at higher intensity for greater benefits
- Improve balance
- Improve coordination
- Improve range of motion
- Improve blood circulation
- Improve Posture
- Relieve stress
- Prevent injuries
- Less issues associated with aging
- Relieve muscle pain, soreness and aches
- Everyone will love you*

* While there is no evidence to support this benefit of stretching there is also none to refute it.

Only a crazy person would not appreciate all these benefits!

In my next posting I will address the primary reasons people don’t incorporate stretching into their daily routine. It can be challenging but don’t fret; I will include solutions that will help you overcome the obstacles that are standing in your way. Stay Tuned!

Welcome!

2008-04-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to the Brockton PT blog. Our blog is a place where you can learn about improving your health ultimately reducing your risk of numerous health problems. Our goal is to provide you with information in 4 primary areas: Fitness, Nutrition, Health Conditions, and Lifestyle. The information we provide is meant to be educational as well as practical. If you ever have questions regarding anything you read in our blog please feel free to post them and we will be sure to address them.

Thank you very much for visiting our blog, we hope you enjoy it!