Lunges and plantar fasciitis

Lunges are a great exercise for leg, ankle, foot and core strength.  They are also good for balance and posture.  It is important with lunges to use good form and to build up the number of repetitions gradually.  Foot placement is also very important to avoid over-stretching the bottom of the foot, which could lead to plantar fasciitis.  If you are unsure how to do lunges or if they are a good exercise for you, check with a physical therapist or another professional trained in exercise prescription.

tight muscles

Tight muscles can cause all sorts of weird and sometimes scary feelings!  If you have some tight muscles, and I know you do, go to your doctor and see if you could benefit from physical therapy!  You might be amazed at what a difference it can make!

plantar fasciitis

A common, painful injury!  There is one way to help this in a hurry!  With plantar fasciitis, the soft tissues in the bottom of the foot (from the toes to the heel) are overworked, overstretched, inflamed, injured and sore!  Deep tissue massage parallel to the fibers of the fascia is the way to go!  Add some gentle stretching and ice afterward and you are well on your way to getting back on your feet!  Literally!

elbow pain

If you are having elbow pain that started with no obvious accident or trauma, you may be suffering from a repetitive stress, overuse injury.  There are many factors that come into play.  Which arm is your dominant arm?  How much do you use that arm and for what kind of activities?  Do you have a family history of joint pain?  Have you recently started a new activity or increased the amount or intensity of the activity?  Have you had any other recent changes in your health?  If you do have a repetitive stress/overuse type injury, there are many things you can do to help yourself.  As a health coach and physical therapist, I like to take a multi-faceted approach to treatment.  If there are actions involving your arms that you do frequently or that involve a lot of repetitive actions (i.e. typing), it is good to take breaks, to stretch, and to change the position of your arms, hands, wrists, shoulders, back, etc.  It may also be good to massage the areas around the joints that get sore.  Using cold packs on sore joints can also help.  Put a layer of a towel or a pillow case between the pack and your skin to avoid freezing your skin.  From a dietary standpoint, look for ways to cut down on inflammatory foods in your diet.  Sugar is a big one!  Fresh fruits and veggies, water, and whole grains are good.  Make sure to pick ones that you like and agree with your body!  Those are some good places to start.

Welcome!

Welcome!  All of the information presented in this blog is for your personal enjoyment only.  The articles are in no way a prescription for anyone who reads this.  If you are having any kind of problem that you think you may need physical therapy for, consult with your physician.