What is Arthritis and What Can I Do About It?
May is National Arthritis Awareness Month. But what exactly is arthritis? What causes the pain and how can I fix it? Arthritis refers to the degradation of a joint surface causing inflammation within the joint. Athletico Physical Therapy is proud to support Arthritis Awareness Month as a proud partner of the Arthritis Foundation. (more…)
Stretch of the Week: High Lunge with Psoas Emphasis
Week 3 of May might look a little familiar to you if you’ve been with the stretch of the week blog from the beginning. It’s called High Lunge. In this variation we are focusing on getting a deeper stretch through the psoas though. So it’s different I promise! 🙂
You will need two yoga blocks or something similar, and a wall for this stretch. (more…)
High Heels: Great for Fashion, Bad for Your Body
Every lady loves the way her legs look in a killer pair of high heels. But what most women don’t know is that habitual use of those great shoes can have severe effects on joint health. High heels change foot posture, which then in turn changes the alignment of the entire lower body and the direction of the pull of gravity in relationship to those joints, thus stresses muscles in an abnormal fashion. (more…)
Stretch of the Week: Upward Facing Dog
Week two of May is a bit of a deeper psoas stretch. It doesn’t have a name but I guess we can call it a variation on the yoga pose upward facing dog. In this variation we are focusing on the front of the hip where the psoas resides. (more…)
Stretch of the Week: Psoas Opener
During the month of May we will be focusing on a crucial muscle involved in low back pain, our psoas muscle. Back in December we addressed our quads and hip flexors (please feel free to check back through our Stretch of the Week archive for those stretches!), which did get into the psoas a little, but this month we will try to isolate it. For the first week we will start with a gentle psoas opener, it’s a variation of what’s called a Bridge in the exercise world. (more…)
10 Tips and Tools for Gardening with Arthritis or Other Physical Limitations
Gardening has a multitude of health benefits. Since most people find enjoyment in gardening, they do it regularly without any coaxing or aiding in cardiovascular health, strength, and flexibility. One’s immunity is also boosted as skin soaks in vitamin D from the sun and healthy bacteria and microbes from the soil. Gardens are full of a variety of textures, smells, sights, and sounds which have been known to reduce stress and promote relaxation as it stimulates the brain and aids in better mental health. Lastly, we cannot forget nutrition and all the amazing vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are provided to us when we consume all the fresh produce we harvest. It’s no wonder that gardening appeals to the young, the old, and everyone in between. (more…)
Stretch of the Week: Goddess Squat With a Side Stretch
The last week of April brings us to goddess squat with a side stretch. This one will give you some strengthening in the legs as well as a stretch in the sides and core, bonus! If you have severe knee problems, please use a chair. Otherwise you won’t need anything for this stretch! (more…)
Stretch of the Week: The Triangle Stretch
It’s the third week of April, I can’t believe it! How are you doing? Do you feel more limber in the ribs, the spine, and the obliques? I hope so! This week is a favorite of mine called the Triangle Stretch. This is a good stretch for strengthening the legs too! 🙂 There are no major contraindications for this because we will be using the wall to support ourselves. Please listen and feel what your body is telling you, and only go as far as you comfortably can. (more…)
