physical therapists

EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN THE POSTURE & BACK MUSCLES

October 17, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

Desiree McKenzie from Livestrong shows us exercises to help with your posture and back muscles. IF you sit at a desk all day, these exercises may be especially beneficial for you!

Healthy back muscles leads to healthy posture.

Exercises that strengthen the back muscles lead to better posture. A slumped posture not only limits the function of breathing, but also can lead to back, neck, shoulder and other muscle problems. Yoga incorporates strength-building exercises that target the back. Healthy back muscles provide support to the entire body and aid the alignment of the head, shoulders, hips, knees and feet. When the body system is inline, the system works in balance and leads to improved posture. Want to get in great shape? Learn more about LIVESTRONG.COM’s nutrition and fitness program!

LIE ON YOUR BELLY
Locust Pose is a basic backward bend prone (lying face down) posture that engages the back, gluteus maximus (buttocks), hamstrings and calve muscles. The exercise strengthens the spine and back muscles and stretches the shoulders, chest and thighs. Lie on your stomach with your forehead on the ground. Extend the arms alongside the torso with the palms facing up and keep the legs straight, hip distance apart. Roll the big toes toward each other to rotate your thighs inward. Root the pelvis, lower ribs and belly into the ground and lift the legs, upper torso and head. Bring your gaze slightly in front of you. Hold the posture for 10 seconds and release. Repeat three times. The spine and back muscles are completely strengthened and the shoulders, chest and thigh stretching improves your posture.

ACTIVELY SIT TALL
Staff Pose is a basic seated spinal extension that strengthens the back muscles, stretches the shoulders and chest and improves your overall posture. Sit with the legs extended in front of you and flex the feet. Bring the arms alongside the hips with the fingertips facing the feet. Press the palms down. Ground the tailbone and legs and elongate the spine with the crown on the head extending toward the ceiling. Stay actively in the pose for 8 seconds.

WORK YOUR CORE
The lower back is part of the body core, and a strong core aids in stabilizing the spine, curbs back pain and promotes healthy posture. An exercise to strengthen your core is done on your back with the knees drawn into your chest. Interlace the fingers behind your head and raise the shoulders. Switch (or bicycle) the left and right leg with one knee bent and the other leg straight. Bring the opposite elbow to the bent knee. For example, straighten the left leg, bend the right leg bent, and bring the left elbow to the right knee.

REFERENCES
Yoga Anatomy; Leslie Kaminoff; 2007
Article reviewed by James Dryden Last updated on: Apr 13, 2010

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/105539-exercises-strengthen-posture-back/#ixzz2hQkVI2U9

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: abs, activity, back, body, core, exercise, fitness, flexibility, health, help, mobility, movement, muscles, nutrition, physical, physical activity, physical exercise, physical therapist, physical therapists, physical therapy, san diego, strength, strong, training, weight

PEDIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPY ACTIVITIES

October 3, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

Has your child experienced an injuries recently? Pediatric Physical therapy may be a good option for you and your child! Stephanie Romo from Livestrong shares how physical therapy is beneficial.

Physical therapy may help pediatric patients gain functional independence.

Pediatric physical therapy can be beneficial for children with injuries or other physical limitations. This type of therapy encourages children to engage in play and activities of daily living to promote balance, coordination, and fine and gross motor skills. The goal of these therapeutic activities is to encourage improvement in development and greater functional independence. Want to improve your health? Learn more about LIVESTRONG.COM’s nutrition and fitness program!

DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES
One important goal of pediatric physical therapy is to improve development, and there are a number of activities that encourage developmental milestones to occur. Children typically learn best through playing, and many pediatric physical therapists recommend therapeutic activities that involve play. Activities such as crawling, walking, skipping, running, and utilizing playground equipment are all examples of therapeutic activities involving play. These types of activities help to encourage children to coordinate the use of large muscle groups to move about independently.

BALANCE AND COORDINATION
Balance and coordination are two important components of physical independence that can be improved through physical therapy. Hand-eye coordination is something that children can learn by playing catch, rolling a ball or drawing a picture. For babies and young toddlers, learning to feed themselves with utensils is a great way to encourage hand-eye coordination. Balance can be improved through activities that involve the vestibular system, such as walking on a balance beam or learning to ride a bicycle.
FINE AND GROSS MOTOR SKILLS
Fine motor skills involve the usage of small muscles, particularly those in the hands, fingers, feet and toes. Activities that encourage these types of skills include sorting small objects, painting and molding clay. Gross motor skills include activities that encourage larger muscle groups, such as swimming, riding a bike and jumping on a trampoline. Range of motion is an important part of gross motor development, and pediatric physical therapy will usually include stretches to encourage joint and muscle mobility.
ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING
When your child is participating in a physical therapy program, most of the activities and learning take place in the child’s natural environment, such as home or school. Encouraging your child to participate in normal daily activities can help her reach milestones, improve self-esteem and gain independence. Try involving your child in meal preparation, ask for her help with cleaning the house and let her assist at the grocery store. Each of these tasks involves physical and cognitive elements, which will help children improve both functional and mental ability.

REFERENCES
American Physical Therapy Association: The ABCs of Pediatric Physical Therapy
Article reviewed by Matt Olberding Last updated on: Sep 2, 2011

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/532184-pediatric-physical-therapy-activities/#ixzz2g6z1APKA

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Physical Therapy Exercises for the Upper Arm

October 1, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

You put your arms through a lot. Maybe it’s time to give back to them with a little therapy. Kenneth Hutto has some good physical therapy exercises for you to try! If you have any questions, see us at San Diego Sports Physical Therapy today!

Rotator cuff injuries account for over half of the total reported shoulder problems in the US.

According to AAOS, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 7.5 million people saw their doctor for a shoulder problem in 2006. AAOS points out that upper extremity problems can be caused by anything from playing sports to simply doing household tasks like washing walls. If you report shoulder pain to your doctor, you are likely to be referred to a physical therapist for treatment. Want to improve your health? Learn more about LIVESTRONG.COM’s nutrition and fitness program!

ASSISTED EXERCISE
If you are experiencing pain, a physical therapist will often prescribe assisted exercises for your arms first. The exercise is “assisted” because you will use the one arm to move the other through a comfortable range of motion. This allows your shoulder to move freely without stressing your muscles, tendons or ligaments. To go through assisted shoulder flexion, find a dowel that is roughly three feet long and hold it in your right hand at one end; with your other hand, grasp the dowel in the center. Relax your right shoulder and allow your left arm to push it straight in front of your body through a pain-free range of motion. Repeat for the opposite arm.

ISOMETRIC EXERCISE
Isometric exercises are used by physical therapists to begin strengthening the muscles of your upper arm. During an isometric exercise you will contract the muscle you are targeting without moving any joints. According to the “Journal of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy,” strength in the external rotators of your shoulders is extremely important in the rehabilitation of upper arm injuries. To strengthen your external rotators, stand so your shoulder and the length of your arm are touching a wall. Bend your elbow to 90 degrees while keeping the arm against the wall. Press into the wall with the back your hand — concentrate on your shoulder acting as a hinge so the pressure is on your hand, not your elbow. Hold the contraction for five seconds, rest and repeat 10 times on each arm.
ACTIVE EXERCISE
Active exercises involve contracting your muscles to move joints through a range of motion. Weak elbow flexors in your upper arm could lead to shoulder injury. To strengthen your elbow flexors actively, sit or stand with your elbows straight and your palms facing forward. Lift your hands up to your shoulders and slowly lower them to your sides. If this motion is easy, hold a light dumbbell in each hand. You can lift both arms at the same time or one at a time. Begin with three sets of 10.
STRETCH
Stretching muscles in addition to strengthening them is very important for the function of your upper extremities. To stretch your elbow flexors, sit on the floor or on top of a mat with your arms behind you — your palms should be touching the floor with your fingers pointing away from your body. Scoot your hips forward so they are further away from your hands; you should feel a stretch in your biceps. When you feel a light stretch, hold the position for 30 seconds, rest and repeat three times.

REFERENCES
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Common Shoulder Injuries Brigham and Women’s: Total Shoulder Arthroplasty / Hemiarthroplasty Protocol Journal of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy: Concentric Isokinetic Shoulder Internal and External Rotation Baseball Pitchers American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Shoulder Surgery Exercise Guide Sloan-Kettering: Upper Extremity Exercise Program
Article reviewed by Manisha Parmar Last updated on: Sep 10, 2013

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/365909-physical-therapy-exercises-for-the-upper-arm/#ixzz2g6xRM3C8

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: arm, assisted, flexion, household, isometric exercises, joints, ligaments, move, movement, moving joints, muscle, muscles, physical therapists, physical therapy, rotator cuff, san diego, shoulder pain, target, tendons, treatment, upper arm, use

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EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN THE POSTURE & BACK MUSCLES

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