Sensory wake up

The last couple weeks have been a bit busy and stressful. On top of that I had a nasty head cold and then vertigo which doesn't seem to want to go away. I am truly blessed to be able to come to the lake and find some quiet to help return my calm.

Today I was determined to fully enjoy my walk around to the point and I was successful. I usually listen to music or podcasts on my walk. I always wear my sunglasses to shield my eyes. In the cold weather I bundle every thing up so as not to feel the cold on my face. Today I did non of the above and allowed my senses to really feel thru the walk. I returned feeling refreshed and relaxed. The stiffness in my back was gone. I only wish I had been able to do the walk barefoot so that my feet could have experienced some free sensation too. (I could have, but the mud and snow scared me off 😁

Being free from my ear buds and glasses really made the scenery pop too. I'm not sure I would have seen the random red trees or the mossy green thru the winter grey and snowy white. I especially loved seeing Heaven shining down as the skies started to change with the wind across my face.

There is something to be said to allowing ourselves to feel and experience life. If you're interested in learning more ways to open up your senses and really move better I recommend the book by Katy Bowman Move Your DNA. Better yet, buy it as a gift for someone you love and both of you can get moving together, while waking up all of your senses at the same time.

When rest in not an option but a requirement

Spoiler alert!! This post may be a bit of the show Pity Party: Table for One...

I have been struggling with a nasty cold this week. It started late Tuesday night with a little stuffy nose, and blew up on Wednesday and Thursday to full on can't breathe or swallow without feeling like I was drowning. I actually put myself to bed at 5 pm on Wednesday and didn't get up until Friday morning at 6 am. A full 37 hours in bed.  Although I felt significantly better on Friday, and was able to get through my day at work, I bailed on my weekend plans to help my dad and spend some time at my Camp. This is completely unheard of in my world.

I am always on the go. I rarely take a weekend off to hang around. There is always something to do. I feel like I am wasting precious time if I just hang out and chill on the couch. I don't like to sit still and when I have any sort of free time, I schedule it with something. I am not a work-a-holic by any means. I totally enjoy my play time. Probably more than most 50 year old's should. Unfortunately. not taking down time eventually catches up with you.

Rest and recovery is just as important as work and play when it comes to a healthy life. Taking the time regularly to do nothing, to stop running all over and just allowing yourself to chill will help you to stave off muscular aches and general malaise. It helps to rejuvenate your resolve to be successful and be able to still play like a kid.

I was able to clean off my kitchen table, do my dishes and bag up old magazines. I'm now exhausted and my cough is back. Seems some rest is still needed to get me back to level playing ground. Perhaps more regularly scheduled rest time would have allowed me to avoid this nasty cold and the required and forced quiet time.

I am anxious to get onto my list of things to do. I feel bad that I missed a visit with my dad and some play time at Camp, but until I feel better, rest has to be at the top of the list. When I do feel better, I think maybe it needs to be scheduled into the list on a regular basis. I mean, this munchkin makes it look easy. Maybe we can all take a cue from her and embrace the relaxation on occasion.

"Is it a miracle or the human spirit that raises us beyond our expectations."

"I knew I had to forgive in that moment because if I carry around that resentment, it would eat me alive."

In a world full of anger and hate, this story on Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist was a breath of fresh air. It's a great example of how letting go of anger and truly forgiving can help your body to heal faster. As the doctor in the story said, " I think forgiving was the key to his recovery."

What do you need to let go of today to help you move and live a better life?

Pain management

If you browse thru any magazine or even Facebook ads these days you will inevitably find an article about the over prescription of opioid medications for pain management. I have worked with people who have used them for years and still complain of unmanageable pain.

I frequently get questions regarding tension headaches. Chronic headaches can be really debilitating and stop us from really living life. These headaches may be common in relation to neck pain and stiffness, but exercise has been shown to relieve pain and stiffness Doing some gentle range of motion, learning to exhale and get your shoulders to relax can help to decrease the tension and pain.

Recent pain science is showing that education and mobility may actually be more effective at managing pain than medication alone. In this Ted Talk, Lorimer Mosely explains more clearly about why we feel pain. 

Did you know:

• Pain is a normal signal from the brain that lets us know something is wrong, but that once tissues heal (6-8 weeks) that signal should go away.
• How your brain processes pain effects how you experience that pain.
• Past experiences can influence how our brain perceives pain.
• Your body was designed to move in 3 planes of motion and the more we limit that motion, the more limited we get so when we try to move outside that motion our brain may perceive a threat and therefore signal pain and stop motion.
• People who believe they will get better actually have less chronic pain.

This stands to reason that if we can interrupt the signal from the brain we may be able to manage our pain a bit easier and therefore not need as much pain medication. 

Here are some ways to quiet your nervous system down: 

• Aerobic exercise...ideally 30 minutes per day but this can be broken into 10 minute chunks and can include anything that gets your heart rate elevated.
• Sleeping at least 6 hours/night. Yes, if pain limits sleep it can actually make the pain worse. Finding positions of comfort can help this.
• Manual therapy and progressive exercise 
• Yoga and meditation
• Positive Affirmations
• Balancing your activities and taking one task at a time, such as with doing laundry. If you have 3 loads of laundry to do, you may take 3 days to do it vs trying to get it all done at once.This may take you longer over all, but when our brain feels less threatened by laundry the signal will then go down
• Be patient with yourself and respect the healing process.
• Reconnect with your normal movement patterns and allow yourself to move through a variety of motions. Over time, your brain will recognize that motion is no longer a threat

As a physical therapist, I do not prescribe medication. My goal is to help you learn to manage your pain through movement, manual techniques and education. Pain happens. It's normal. If you are experiencing pain trying PT may help. If your MD recommends medication, also talk with them about the other options listed as well as working with a physical therapist or other manual therapy provider to your liking. Find a way to quiet your brain and lessen your pain and then get off that medication and get on with the fun in your life.

Are you ok? You look stiff today

Did you ever notice that when Tom Brady is on fire the announcers say "Wow! He is so amazing still. Can you believe he's 40?" and when he isn't connecting (and his star receiver's are out) they say "Well, you know, he needs to be cautious because ..he IS 40".

I had a quick visit to my MD office today for a Ppd check. The first thing the administrative assistant asked me was “Are you okay, Laura? You look stiff today.” My reply was "actually I am kinda stiff today.. and yes I’m okay."

I then saw a patient who was concerned over ongoing morning stiffness one year after a total knee replacement. After reassessing the ROM, strength, swelling and recent change in activity we concluded that this was normal stiffness. The question after that was do I have to do mobility work forever?

As I get older I notice that my neck, back,shoulders and hips all have their moments of stiffness. This is particularly worse in the morning. If I’m consistent with doing my mobility work I can move easier and am less stiff by the time I make the coffee. If I'm not, I walk into the doctor's office 2 hours later looking stiff.

In the case of my patient, doing a routine of easy movement helps make the first steps to the bathroom more bearable.

Sadly, being sore and stiff in the morning is normal as we get older. It is part of the normal aging process for our vertebral discs to lose height. It is normal for the water in those discs to be reabsorbed through the night and to be disbursed through the body as we move throughout the day. It is normal for joints to be stiff from being in one position for a long period, especially if we've had surgery.

I am not one who believes that our every day activities need to stop as we age. I think issues occur because we stop moving for a period and things stiffen up. Then we decide we want to pick up where we left off, we jump back to where we were and we get hurt.

I have found that doing some easy moving of the major joints in all 3 planes of motion really helps to decrease the morning stiffness quicker. If I stretch after I do some heavy work, I'm not quite as sore later. If I build up my strength gradually, and keep at it consistently, I have less tweaks through the day.

We DO have to keep up our exercises, in addition to the yard work/vacuuming/power washing/any fun sports activity that isn't housework...etc. When we take a break for a while, we need to start over and progress gradually. We DO have to put the work in to be able to continue to do the fun (and not so fun housework) in order to keep doing.

As for Tom Brady...sometimes he is on, sometimes he is not. I know for sure he is consistent with his work ethic.  I don't think being 40 is slowing him down one bit. 

So you want to lift that heavy object...

We recently cut down a 50 year old tree at my camp. We all worked like busy little worker bees to get the debris cleaned up. The guys were able to chunk the big old trunk into manageable pieces but they are still quite heavy

I hear all the time people saying they "can't lift" something because they are afraid they will hurt their back. I also read and hear people give advice about lifting with their legs and not their back. While this is true, when I see people demonstrate how they lift, the mechanics are not quite right.

We are supposed to move. Our backs are supposed to bend. If we are strong enough we should be able to lift a heavy object without injuring ourselves...and yes, your back will bend a little.

Actually, it's more of a hip hinge than a 'back bend' but I tend to see people try to squat in fear of their back moving. Don't get me wrong, I think the squat pattern is an important one in life too and working to re-obtain the full ass to grass mobility we had as a toddler is great.  However, it isn't the most efficient way, from a basic physics standpoint, to lift something heavy. (Check out this Girls Gone Strong blog for ways to improve your squat).

Learning to hinge your hips, such as in a dead lifting pattern, can help you to maintain form and protect your back while lifting something heavy. In this video, Dr. Kathy Dooley demonstrates how to do a hip hinge and a way to practice it without weight. (PS..that kettle bell is 48 kg...or about 106 lbs.)

When in doubt, if you haven't been training, you haven't moved this way in a LONG time, and you can't push the object by yourself, grab a friend and get some help. Moving heavy stuff is always more fun when you have a workout partner 😃

The Law of Attraction

I have had a rough couple of weeks of feeling sad, lonely, anxious, scared and afraid. These are all very normal emotions. I was reminded today byThe Med School Insiders in the review of the book "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" by Mark Manson (which you can find here on Amazon), that if we don't embrace these negative feelings we are likely to have a hard time embracing the good. Life cannot be ALL good ALL the time.

I've also been studying the Law of Attraction (which it the basis for the movie,and book, The Secret ) lately and working really hard on my positive affirmations. Unfortunately, embracing the negative emotions goes against everything about this law and these last few weeks have felt like a spiral into negative outcomes.

The other downside of constant negative emotion is the toll it has on your body. Your cortisol levels can go up and can exacerbate the fight or flight response. Over time this could lead to pain and then a feedback loop to further negative emotions.

What I've been learning about this Law is that if we want to break out of a negative pattern, we need to remember the pleasurable feelings and express gratitude for what we already do have. I start and end every day now thanking God for all that I have. It really does help to make the angst be less. We can also change our state by surrounding ourselves with people who we want to be like and who encourage us. We can put on some happy music and dance our way out. We can do some cardio exercise (I really don't think it matters if it's steady state or HIIT in this case). We can take a walk in nature and appreciate our surroundings.

Today I had a study date with some amazing women who think movement like I do. They reminded me of why I am passionate about what I do. They reminded me of the positive I have already in my life and all that is yet to come. On my way home, I didn't listen to my usual podcast, but I put on some music that makes me want to dance. I came home and did what I love to do: dance in my kitchen, and create a healthy meal full of protein, veges and a little pasta (I mean, who doesn't need some comfort food every now and then?) And I felt the negative slip away. The feeling that I will succeed and continue to celebrate all that I have, returned.

I know I will continue to have my ups and downs. I also know that both are transient. To have one we must have the other. It's only when we get stuck in the negative that things spiral out of control. Take the time to allow yourself to feel the sh*t and then believe in yourself again and find your way back to peace.

Kettlebell Swinging safely and effectively

I frequently hear people questioning the benefits vs risks of doing kettle bell swings. While I am not yet a certified kettlebell instructor, as a physical therapist I am most definitely a swing enthusiast. When done correctly it is a great addition to your core and hip workouts. I myself use it for conditioning work. And although I don't consider it a primary shoulder exercise, it can help to promote scapula stability.

To learn how to safely swing I recommend working with a certified instructor. You can find one near you here.  Having a coach to teach the mechanics is important to help learn the proper technique. Even though I'm not actively working out or at the Worcester Kettlebell Club, I still send Coach Evan Marcantonio videos to critique and for advice on progressions. Each time I learn something new.

Prerequisites that I look for to start to swing are good hip mobility and postural control. This video demonstrates some progressions which will help you learn how to swing correctly and get the most out of your workout with least chance of injury.

Using video can also help you to see where there are some corrections needed. For instance, at the top of the swing I am hyper-extending my back vs. completing the motion with hip extension and solid core. Brett Jones demonstrates a great drill that I will start to incorporate as well.

As you can see, the swing is a very safe and effective total body exercise when done correctly.

Physician Heal Thyself...Notorius-ly

I love riding my bike, but always struggle to find time to get out on it regularly through the week. Last weekend I had a great bike ride. I went further and a wee bit faster than my previous ride. I was psyched.

I also was clipping in and out of my pedals more than usual because of traffic. (I have issues with staying on the bike while stopped and still clipped in). An hour after my ride I felt the inside of my left knee starting to complain. It got progressively worse throughout the evening and the next day I opted out of my ride because I couldn't lift my knee without pain.

Being a fan of corrective movement, I started testing out what motions hurt and what felt better. I found flexing, abducting and externally rotating my hip didn't feel right. I started poking about my knee and finding that I was sore from the inside of my knee up to mid thigh. I could tell that there wasn't any structural injury from the positions that helped and hurt: worse when it was hanging free and mid stance(suspension) through to push off (propulsion) of the gait cycle.

Eventually with some massage and then some weight shifting in different phases of the gait cycle, I was able to walk more comfortably. When I got in my car Monday morning I realized my knee pain was gone completely.

I'm a PT and am always learning about ways the body moves and recovers. I know I tweaked my Sartorius ( muscle when coming out of my clipless pedals by flexing, abducting and externally rotating my hip while internally rotating my knee. I know that the lack of ankle mobility on that side, the fit of my bike shoes, and the fear of traffic fed into my knee pain. I am SO lucky that I can figure out movement deficiencies to help me move better.

In this video, Dr. Kathy Dooly, from Immaculate Dissection, talks more about the Sartorius (since meeting Kathy I now sing Notorius every time I say "Sartorius" :) ) and how to effect a change in medial knee pain.

I wish she had posted this last weekend...but then, I am always learning. Playing with my movement and palpating skills provided me with a whole lot of insight into my own body.

It is important to get assessed by a qualified professional if you have pain. It's also important to be aware of what aggrevates and what makes you feel better. It's important to know what doesn't feel right to touch, yet makes you feel better when it has been released. When something persists, find someone who uses movement to analyze where your pain is coming from. When you can make it feel better by working into those "good" pain motions, allowing yourself to move through those patterns, being aware of those painful vs non painful positions and allowing yourself to rest,  you just may note a decrease in pain and return to full mobility.

Tim Ferris- 4 hour Body at Google

I may be late to the rodeo (this book was released in 2010), but I am a huge Tim Ferris fan. His book the 4-Hour Work Week has given me motivation to put my energy where I really want to focus. If you haven't already started following him, check out the blog website for a ton of amazing tips on how to live your best life, or follow him on Twitter. Then seek out the information for the books.

I haven't read the 4-Hour Bodyyet, but I have read the Tools of Titans and The 4-Hour Work Week and am a huge fan. Right after I post this I am going to hit send on the 4-Hour Body and the 4-Hour Chef.

This video is a great synopsis of his 4 Hour Body Book. It touches on diet, cardio-vascular health, body fat, muscular gain, diabetes, and reproductive health among other topics. (Caution..listening encouraged me to hit send at Amazon. :))

I also like the reminder that a positive, encouraging, open and learning environment is out there. Kudos to you Google for encouraging learning, bringing in speakers and allowing your employees to gain from it vs punishing them for wanting to learn.

"Why not help one another along the way?"

As we celebrate our country's independence today take a moment to remember that because of our founding fathers, we have a choice. To believe in what we want. To chose our own goals in life. To be free and treat each other equally. To act as we choose ourselves.

What you put out you get back. Vibrate positivity and you get back positive. Hold onto to the anger, frustration and hate that is brewing in our country now and that is exactly what will continue to grow.

I choose to believe in a higher good. I choose to be of help to others. I choose to work hard and play hard and to enjoy my time here. I choose to see everyone as equal with a right to express their own beliefs. I choose to send light and love to those who seek to cause me (or the world) hate. I choose to be positive.

I hope everyone has a safe, happy 4th of July filled with laughter and hope. Eat, drink and be merry. Put on some favorite tunes and celebrate your freedom to choose how you see the world. I know I'll be chillen with some reggae later today.

As Bob Marley so eloquently puts it "Make way for the positive day".

Reboot

Today was a day when my patient's took care of me. When I arrived at her home my shoulders were in my ears, my breath was shallow, and I could barely make eye contact. Clearly trying to keep up with it all is starting to make itself visible in my posture, stability and overall function if the moment I arrived this patient told me to relax and let my shoulders out of my ears.

At one of my jobs we recently switched our medical records system. I am behind a bit in getting started and have had only 3 visits so far on the new system. I enjoy being on the cutting edge of technology and like the convenience of electronic medical records, but when I'm learning I tend to freak out a bit. Did I do it right? Did I miss something? Why am I not okay with holding a tablet thru the whole treatment when every other medical professional does too?

I am finding a rhythm as I learn the system which will make the whole process easier. That helps my brain for the long term, but not so much for the short term angst which my patient was seeing as I started her treatment. 

Of course, just as I was about to have her sign and close the note, I hit a wrong button and then couldn't back out of it. In a panic, I called my manager. At the end she suggested I reboot the tablet. We weren't sure if all I previously entered would be lost, but luckily everything transferred over and all was right again.

This amazing patient and I breathed a collective sigh and then realized that really all that to fix all that ails us we need to remember 2 major things. 1-Complete that exhale, and let your shoulders come out of your ears and 2- When all else fails, find a way to re-boot. What is important will be saved. What isn't will go away.

I felt much better leaving my patient than I did when I started. I was reminded (once again) how important it is to take a moment to catch my breath between the stressful points in everyday life. I was also reminded that sometimes chaos erupts but when you reach out and ask for help it is there. 

I was also reminded that sometimes all that is needed is a re-boot. Shut it down. Take 10 seconds. Re-start. Time away from any situation can put a new perspective on the angst and pain...and any frozen moment we encounter in life.

Laughter is the best medicine.

I am trying to take my own advice. I am bummed that I am not with my favorite guy, at my favorite spot, for my favorite holiday. Sometimes being a responsible grown up stinks.

I am reminding myself that I still have lots of summer left. Even though I'm exhausted from paying attention to more than just myself, I am grateful I had the time with my mom and my nephew this weekend. We laughed so hard sometimes that our bellies hurt and we almost peed our pants. The time we had together created a bond that will never be broken.

Today was really hard because I knew we had to leave to come home. Most of the weekend was rainy, and I wanted my mom and nephew to have as much fun as possible today. As a result, I was anxious, grumpy, and downright bitchy. On the way home, my nephew found a way to change my thoughts. Again we giggled deep belly laughs. We acknowledged all we are grateful for. We said I love you.

I get limited time with my nieces and nephews because they have their own schedules and lives to live. My time with mom is limited. I do not want to waste the time I have with them on being angry, sad, or bitchy.

I am much more calm now. My back is less sore and the anxiety I had thru the day is gone. Perhaps if we acknowledge the angst and find a way to let it go, some of our aches and pains will go away. Perhaps if we take a moment to give thanks for what we do have, and for the people in our lives, we will feel much better about changes in our routine. Perhaps if we listen to the wisdom of our babes we can let go of anger and instead use our abs and our diaphragm for the ultimate core stability exercise with a big huge belly laugh.

Life is what you make it

As I'm sure you can tell from my recent posts, my nephew recently had a spiral fracture of  his tibia. This happened about a month before school ended. He has been in a cast for about 5 weeks so far and the end is in sight. As a young kid though, he feels like it is forever and that this is the worst summer that ever was. 

Sometimes life hands us obstacles we must grow past. What is the absolute worst to one person one day will be the best thing for someone else another day. We can either look at the absolute worst in the situation or we can try to find the beauty in the misery. 

Having a broken leg is NOT fun, especially in the summer when your favorite thing to do is to play in the water. However, there is SO much you CAN do even though you have a physical disability. You just have to look at the situation differently.

It rained all day today, and most of yesterday. Tomorrow we head home. We're not sure we'll get to hang out again at our lake house this summer. From where I stand, hanging out with my nieces and nephews makes it the best summer ever. 

In addition, we have decided to look at all the fun we do have. With a cast on your lower leg you can swing; you can walk on the docks; you can sit on the boat; you can fish; you can laugh; you can have S'mores; you can be present with your family.

My nieces and nephews teach me so much. I only hope they take away the fact that life is just what you make it. Good times and not so good times.

Exercise Word of the Day

Diddly Squat

Definition: slang- the least amount.

So far this has been the word of our weekend. Mom says everyone knows it. My nephew says no one knows it. (I told him he now has the theme of his "what did you learn this summer" essay. Could be a generational thing. Or it could be that the young ones really don't know diddly squat.

Squats however may just be the smartest thing you can do to get your body strong. They help you stand up straight. They help you climb stairs. They help you get out of a chair. Contrary to some people's belief they also help to strengthen the muscles that support your knees when done correctly. As Coach Boyle says in the video above there are a lot of ways to help someone squat better.

When your ankle mobility and core stability improve you can work on  pistol squatting ,like Dr. Kathy Dooley,  which will help you get up and down from the ground, especially if you have a broken leg.

In any case, I've enjoyed watching my nephew explore his ability to single leg squat as he heals from his tibial fracture. It's amazing to watch kids learn new motor skills. Sometimes they fail, but the next time they nail it.

It will be a while before my nephew is able to learn an effective double leg squat. The key to squatting is to know how and not be one who only knows diddly squat.

Family

Faith
Ancestors 
Mend
Involved
Love
Yesterdays

The older I get the more I realize how important family is. We are there in good times and celebrations, and we're there when times get tough. We help each other remember that there is something bigger than ourselves that provides everything that we want. We are mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, son, niece, nephew, in-laws, cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles. We cherish the yesterdays yet support who we are today.We take care of each other and drop everything to mend what ails us. We listen. We love. We laugh. We cry.

This week my brother and sister in law needed help with my nephew. My sister and I jumped to be able to spend time with him. He lights up our world and the circle of listening to loving laughter is complete.

I have recently seen the intense bond between my sister in law's family and how they have rallied together to find the laughter while lovingly listening.  They are there without question to make sure her family is safe and happy.

We just had the most fun ride up to the lake. We sang songs that made us laugh and probably hurt a few dogs ears. Our stressed out and anxious mood from earlier in the day is gone.

This is what family does.

Sleeeeepppyyy.....

Today was one of the most mentally challenging days I've had in a while. As I sit here finishing up my work at 10 pm I find myself craving chocolate and wanting to snack. Then I yawned and realized that I also had less sleep last night, and minimal water today.

When you've just about had enough from the day, consider going to bed early and drinking a bit more water to stay hydrated. And sometimes a small bit of dark chocolate will also help to make the day better.

As I have none in my cupboard I am choosing to sleep and hydrate...tomorrow is another day after all. We must be rested and healthy to make the most of the day.

And when we're stressed out it's always good to remember that tomorrow is another day, just as Annie sings.

Good night!

Belief

According to Merriam Webster the definition of a belief is 1-a state of mind in which confidence is placed in a thing; 2-something that is thought of as true; 3-conviction of the truth, reality or phenomenon especially when based on evidence.

What we believe can greatly impact our reality.

Believe you have the ability to fly like Mary Poppins and you will take flight, even if you're a non flying penguin.

You have a choice to either hold onto all old hurts and make excuses of why you will never progress. Or you can set you sites on the big adventure, start believing that others can and want to help you succeed and see your self in a new space without dysfunction.

What I know for sure is that by holding onto all of the old hurt, you definitely will not improve. 

A world of love

Every day we have a choice of how we want to see the world.

Only when we actually travel to other lands can we realize how amazing this world (and the people who inhabit it) really is.

Choices

This weekend in June is one that I  traditionally spend at the Perform Better Summit or as a teaching assistant at a Neurokinetic Therapy Course. It is very odd to me that I am not with my colleagues at either course.

I chose not to do either event because Billy just returned home and I really wanted to have time to hang out with him.

Sometimes in life we need to make choices. I do miss being at the Summit and TA'ing the level one course. I also am much less stressed and am happy hanging out with my husband.

I hope you take some time to appreciate the choices we have and embrace them as you go.

Word of the day Friday

Today's word of the day: Rubbernecking

"To twist one's neck and stare with intense curiosity." 

I might suggest that rubbernecking can lead to a whole host of problems. From a 'kink' in the neck from whipping your head to watch with curiosity to what I like to call "stress neck"...caused by paying too much attention to other people, and not taking care of yourself first.

Avoid this!

My advice: avoid the rubberneck and just worry about what you can control in yourself. Easier said than done, I know, but you'll be happy in the end.

Summer Love

Image from Pinterest

The time between June 20 and August 5 is my absolute favorite in the year. It's the time the weather is the best (in the Northeast at least) and even on a stressful day life just seems a bit easier. We walk  more. We laugh more. We cook out almost every night. We enjoy the stars and the crickets from our deck.

This is a really great time to get moving. Try a new activity. Play outside with your kids. Chill out and let your body rest in a hammock. Get enough Vitamin D, but then wear some sunscreen. Laugh with your family and friends while playing a game of Baggo. Take a stroll on a beach. Celebrate the ebb n flow of the ocean while walking barefoot in the sand. Allow your feet to breathe from the oppression of shoes and allow them to feel the Earth below them a bit.

Summer is a time for rejuvenation. It prepares us for those long winter nights stuck inside watching the fire in the fireplace and catching up on Netflix.

Whatever your feeling about the hot weather, I hope you can embrace the happy feel of summer and know that the circle of seasons is just around the corner. 

Focus

Do you ever feel like you are running in circles trying to catch your own tail, but just can't quite get there? I have...and moments when it is so out of control I feel like every inch of hair is on end and I am like a mad woman.

LT...Mad Woman 

I am the queen of doing this. If I have a moment of down time I quickly fill it.

I am not good at sitting down and doing just one task. I frequently have my laptop open while checking an email and also get on my phone to scroll through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. When I ride to my lake house with someone else driving I don't sit and enjoy the ride, but I either hop around radio stations or listen to multiple books/podcasts.

My morning motivations have been guiding me to be more focused. This stresses me out a bit because I don't know what to cut out to help me focus more. I like the recommendations about stopping scrolling, though it is a challenge for sure. Meditation is supposed to help quiet the mind and help with focus. I still struggle with letting my thoughts stop, but I can now go 10 seconds..so that is an improvement. 

I spent last weekend with my mom. Although we ran around a bit, we spent a good 19 hours just chilling out at our lake house. We sat on our deck and played cards. We read. I wrote a bit. I still checked all my social media, but I wasn't scrolling thru my feeds as much. I always feel like life slows down when we're at the lake and that helps me stay focused through the week.

Love my lake

There are a lot of suggestions out there to help us live a better quality life. Getting focused is one I am going to continue to work on. As with all of life, it is work in progress. For now, I will take one task at a time. I will find time for quiet. I will schedule one major task per day. I will aim my focus on what makes me happy and calm.

 If it helps me to be better at making others feel better or to spend more quality time with my loved ones, I am all for it.

Today's gratitude

I promised myself that I would write 50 blogs in the 50 days til I turn 50. I am 4 days in and have no idea what to write about. I wonder where those amazing blog writers get their ideas. To stay committed to my promise, I'm going to send today out with my gratitude list for today.

Every day I am thankful for my life, my home, food on my table, my work, my cousins, my friends, the ability to travel the world, sleeping late, waking early.

 I am so lucky and grateful to have the family I have. My mom and dad. My sister and brother. My mother in law.  My nieces and nephews. My sister and brother in laws. My step mom and step siblings.

I am so grateful to for this guy, the 27 years we've been together, and the life that we have. Most of all, I'm so very grateful he will return home from his bike trip to Scotland tomorrow. I can't wait to hear all about his adventures...and to start planning when we'll make the trek together :)

Connecting the puzzling dots

People often question why I take a long time getting your history, or why I have you move your neck when you came in for your knee. Listening to your complaints, watching your whole body move, and learning where your compensations are help me connect the dots and help you solve the puzzle.

My philosophy and style of treatment revolves around these beliefs.

1. I am not quiet because I don't know what you're talking about. I am quiet because I am listening to you and processing how to respond in a way that you will hear.
2. I won't tell you that I can fix you. You aren't broken. You only need to remember how to move better.
3. I don't prescribe treatments based on your x-rays/MRI's or other tests. I listen to your history. I watch you move. I work with you to find your best movement. 
4. I don't follow a strict protocol per your medical diagnosis. No 2 people are the same. Individual people need individual movement assessments. One person's back pain may be related to sitting for hours in a car, another because their hamstrings are working over time for their core, and yet another may have an oncological problem that needs more than physical therapy.
5. I don't think any exercise is bad for you. I think there are ways to modify everything. 
6. I think it's important for you to keep moving thru your treatment. That means doing work with your uninvolved side or your upper body/lower body etc. while you are rehabilitating your involved side.
7. I know my strengths. I don't always vocalize them. I'm learning I need to be better at that, yet I also know that I am always listening to you, and make adaptations per your needs.
8. I don't think I can fix everything. If I can't help you, I will refer you to someone to get another opinion.
9. I think pain that is due to a mobility dysfunction occurs because of compensation. Sometimes surgery is needed but until you correct the why behind the compensation you will not relieve the pain.
10. I believe the body is connected from head to toe. You may come in with knee dysfunction, but this may be caused by altered mechanics in your core or even your upper extremity. I love connecting the dots to find the why behind your injury.

Just Because

Everything in my world is reminding me that we need to be authentic in order to live the life we want. So here it is. My attempt at authenticity.

Just because..

I'm quiet, doesn't mean I'm shy.

Just because...

I like to be at the party, doesn't mean I don't like to be alone.

Just because..

I drink alcohol, doesn't mean I don't think healthy eating and exercise aren't important.

Just because..
I preach healthy movement and exercise, doesn't mean I'm perfect in doing it myself.

Just because...

I think before I speak, doesn't mean I am nervous about speaking my mind.

Just because...
I argue my point of view, doesn't mean I won't listen to yours.

Just because..
I like to be in comfy clothes, doesn't mean I don't also enjoy getting glammed up.

Just because...
I'm simple, doesn't mean I'm easy.

Just because ...
I enjoy relaxing, doesn't mean I won't work hard.

Just because...
I like the Red Sox, doesn't mean I don't like the Yankees ;-)

Life lessons from the wife of a cyclist

 On June 3, 2007, I had the honor of volunteering at the Ken Herrod Memorial Road Race in Harvard. I am a member of the Minuteman Road Club, who along with the Harvard Firefighters, hosted the race. It was a beautiful day. I was psyched to see so many females in the race. I am in awe of how fit these athletes are, and how tenacious they are at going after their goals.

MRC Cat 4-5 Women at the start

My husband, Bill, is an avid cyclist. He trains through the winter, when it rains, on the road, in the woods, on a fat bike, road bike, mountain bike....and a dirt bike. If it has 2 wheels he is happy. I don't really consider myself a cyclist although I do enjoy riding and try to get out on my road bike at least weekly when the weather is nice.

Bill, 1st on the podium, Mt Snow.

A few years back we were at a mountain bike 24 hour race. I joined a women's beginner group and the lead rider really helped me to appreciate the joy in riding. This past weekend as I was out on my (very late in the season) first ride, I found myself fully enjoying the process and truly appreciate how the events of the road can translate into everyday life.

The following are my "life lessons" that while observed on my bike, can be carried over into any aspect of health, wellness, and fitness.

Great Sacandaga Lake, Northville, NY

1. Be present. While riding your bike or performing any task, pay attention to what you're doing. Observe the scenery. Listen to the birds. Smell the fresh air. Feel the breeze between the heat. I worked with a woman in my PT practice last week who was doing her exercises. I asked how many reps she had done, expecting 10-12. Her response was "I don't know. I just kept going. I was doing my shopping list, and figuring out my kids schedule while doing the exercise." If we can't focus on the task at hand, how can we be expected to make progress? If we can't take the time to focus on ourselves for just 5 minutes, how can we expect to improve our pain or mobility? Riding my bike teaches me that. I have to pay attention to the cars, the potholes, and especially the nature that is around me. Riding my bike gives me time to actually 'be present' in my life. I frequently stop to take in the beautiful views along the way. It doesn't matter how far or how fast you go, only that you go. Start today. Whatever your goal, take action. Show up and truly enjoy the process. 
2. Breathe. When I struggle to ride up a hill I hold my breath. The same happens when I struggle at work or with my daily life. Taking the time to focus on your breathing can not only save you from passing out, but it will engage your core and give you better stability while making your way through tough times. I cue my patients to breathe through their nose and in for 3 out for 6. I try to Crocodile breathe whenever I am stressed because it helps to quiet my nervous system down. Less stress equals better output on the bike AND my life.

   

   Crocodile breathing: breathe way down to your lower back and let your sides expand

3. Change positions frequently. Sometimes I get tingling in my hands as I'm riding. It's common. It goes away. When I change positions I can decrease it. This is true in every day life as well. We get caught up at our desks, on the computer, in a meeting, or watching TV. If we can do a little movement through the day it will save us some stiffness and pain later. Simply fidgeting your whole body can help dramatically. Cogs-like the cogs of a chain ring- can be done in any position and are a great exercise to restore normal movement. In the video below I demo a way that could easily translate to riding.  I learned to call them Cogs from Gary Ward of Anatomy in Motion and the author of "What the Foot?"which you can find here.  

   

   Quadruped Cogs: easy to do while on the bike

4. Warm up/Cool Down. We do it when we lift. Why don't we do it when we ride? Or even when we wake up? I was 3 minutes into my ride when my hips started to talk to me. Luckily they were just squawking at the new activity and chilled out after 10 minutes.  After I got off the bike I realized how tight everything was. This is a quick and easy active warm up which targets the muscles used during bike riding and will prep you for the ride. They also work as a cool down but the first thing I like to do after a ride is to lie on my stomach, get out of a flexed position and catch my breath...so my go to is the Crocodile breathing shown above.
   

   

   Hip flexor/Hamstring active mobility followed by single leg bridge glue activation.

5. Downshift and up shift. It has taken me 6 years to start to understand how to effectively use my gears. I tend to grind it out and then fatigue at the top too spent to go any further. I was taught in a workshop that I should pay attention to how my legs are feeling vs what the hills look like ahead. On this ride I finally felt it. I didn't look and stress about what gear I was in. I paid attention to how I was feeling and when it was difficult I downshifted. When it was easy I up shifted. Imagine if we did this in our life. Sometimes we're going to have major hill climbs. We can stress about it, struggle and fight our way to get to the top. OR we can allow ourselves to down shift a bit, dig in, keep pedaling and breathing and know that the struggle will only last for a bit. When we come over the top, we can coast for a bit, but if we keep the steady pace we can handle anything that comes up. 

Life can be a struggle at times. Finding an outlet like biking to help you let go of the struggle can do wonders at restoring health and balance. Finding the joy in exercise as well as life and learning to ride those rolling hills makes it so much more enjoyable.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there!!

Mom's really are the core of our existence, aren't they?

My mom is one of the strongest, most amazing people I know. Not only was she diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis the year after I was born, but she defied all the doctors and had 2 more children after me. I myself was delivered by emergency C-section. My siblings were both planned C-sections. (In those days once you had one C-section any other births had to be the same way.) When I was 13 she had to have a hysterectomy and had a 4^th incision through that first scar. (We have loads of cancer in our family…thank God she did not and does not and this was just normal procedure for a Peri-menopausal woman in 1980)

Way back when in 1967 the C-Section scars were vertical and cut straight down the middle of the abdominal wall. As you can imagine, this would wreak havoc on the strongest of core musculature.

Mom has only had real trouble walking and standing upright in the last 10 years. She never in my life complained of pain…until recently. In the last month she has been complaining of low back pain. After going through a comprehensive evaluation, we performed manual muscle testing and found her Multifidus and her Gluteus Maximus dysfunctional.  

The Multifidus runs along the back of your body and helps to extend, rotate and side bend your trunk. The Gluteus Maximus extends, laterally rotates and abducts the hip. In order to stand fully erect, your abdominal muscles, your back extensor muscles and your hip muscles all need to be working at their best.

Given her history, and current complain of pain, I wanted to test that C-Section scar. We found one part of the scar working hard for another part. 

I did Myo-fascial Release to the overworking area and then activated the under-working area of the scar. When I retested her Multifidus and Gluteus Maximus they were working just fine, her back pain was less and she was able to stand more upright. She will need to do some ongoing work with some home exercises, but for the moment she was feeling and moving better. 

                                                          

Never underestimate your history of scars and how they can affect your mobility and pain even if the scar occurred a long time ago.

Most of all, if you’re a child of a Mom who had a C-Section, give her some extra love for the strength she has to keep moving and hold you up throughout her life.

Connecting the dots

Pain with movement is what you've got.

Relief from pain and return to the good life is what you sought.

At Move Better PT we work together to connect the dots.

How awesome your movement life is, when you release those knots!

I have had a bunch of clients recently with neck and hip pain. They are usually referred to me for either one or the other, but rarely do they realize that the sites are connected.  When I hear their history I immediately wanted to connect the dots for them.

In the fitness and movement world, we are accustomed to connecting one body part to another. We understand facial chains and gait patterns. It is no surprise to us that the front of one hip may effect the back of the opposite shoulder or neck. For most people I work with, they are surprised how this connection comes about. After we talk about general body movement they usually have a more clear understanding for why they have pain and difficulty with basic mobility.

In the picture below you can visually see how the left shoulder is connected to the right hip.

Do you have multiple sites of pain? Ask your movement professional to connect the dots for you like we do at Move Better. You'll be amazed when you start to un-kink those knots.

Goals

I have been working toward the Strong First Certification (SFG) for a long time. Due to limited shoulder mobility, my progress has been slow. So slow that I actually put the SFG out of my thoughts. This year for the first time in a long time, I decided that I wasn't going to set yearly goals for myself. I was frustrated about my training, and I figured why add the pressure. Turns out, that was a poor decision on my end. Without have direct, objective goals I have completely lost my focus on any training and have felt the difference. My clothes don't fit. I'm sluggish. Even my eating habits have followed suit.

Today I read a good reminder by Dan Sullivan and Catherine Nomura in their book The Laws of Lifetime Growth Always Make Your Future Bigger Than Your Past. They state that it really doesn't matter whether you achieve the goal, but that we set goals to give us something to grow toward.

After my reading I wrote out some goals to achieve by my birthday. I figure turning 50 is the biggest reason to set some goals after all. I will be able to run 5.0 miles, ride 50 miles, and swim .5 miles. Not all at once. I'm motivated and still realistic. I made my workout happen today even though I was running from job to job. I can make these happen even when I am busy.

The SFG is still my goal. I'll keep plugging away at my skills. Strength training is important to do all that endurance work after all.  I'll keep working on my shoulder mobility. In the process, I will challenge myself and will continue to grow.

If you are struggling with motivation to start moving and hopefully moving better, consider setting some goals. They don't have to be huge. Just something to keep you going forward.

One small step for cheerleading, one giant leap for female's in sports

Yesterday in the Boston Globe's sport section there was an article regarding the progress cheerleading is making on becoming an Olympic sport. Check it out here.

The Globe makes a great point that all female athletes would benefit from an increase in participation at the Olympics. Many sports do not offer the same distances or intensity as their male counterparts. If cheerleading does become an Olympic sport it will not only increase awareness of what we actually do on the competition mat, but increase the number of female participants...although, I might argue that cheerleading is not just a female sport...but that's a topic for another day.

Let's Go Cheer!

A challenge for all

It has been said in the health and fitness world that to correct a movement pattern, we may need to correct a negative behavior in order to find positive results. In this article,  (number 33), physical therapist and author, Gray Cook, is quoted by strength coach Brett Contreras, that before we add something to a routine we first may need to remove a negative.  Sometimes removing one thing may allow space for many things to improve . My challenge to all today is to try this in your daily lives. 

No matter what side you are on, we are all anxious and uptight about the state of affairs in the USA and maybe the world these days. My "liberal" beliefs most likely aggravate my "conservative" colleague belief system just as much as his does mine.

In an effort for us all to take a collective breath that will improve everyone's life I encourage you to remove just one negative item from your life today. 
Some ideas may be:

• Turn off the song with negative connotations
• Switch off a violent TV show or movie
• Put on a funny show vs watching the late night news before bed
• Bite your tongue once when you want to lash out at someone
• Stop criticizing yourself for  something that didn't go right
• If your spouse didn't get the paper or do the dishes as you hoped they would, let it go
• Don't complain about the weather just for today
• Instead of flipping someone off because they are tailgating you and flashing their high beams, just let them go past and don't look at them
• Instead of criticizing your child because they are late/lazy/slow/annoying....hold back and remember they are your child who you love
• Instead of obsessing because you cannot get it all done, remind yourself that you will get done what you can and it will be ok
• When your daily mode of transportation gets snarled up (traffic jams, delayed flights, crowded public transportation) be thankful you have transportation and remember you will arrive when you do

These are some of my buttons that I am working on shutting off. I'm sure you can name a few of your own. They don't have to be complicated. By removing one negative behavior can make a world of difference in your health and will make life just a little more happy.

I'd love to hear some of your ways you are removing the negative if you wish to share. If that is one of your buttons, embrace that you do not have to share, and make that your negating negative action for the day. 

In every way, I wish you all PEACE

Tidd-bit of the day: A bit of MY beliefs.

I don't think it matters who won the Presidency. People marched against President Obama too. I wasn't happy when G.W. Bush was elected. I didn't know what Bill Clinton would do when he took office. The world is populated with people of very different views. THAT is what makes America great. WE are allowed to have our differences and speak up about them.

I wasn't there today. I didn't see any of the news or reports. I don't like any of the new President's words because they are derogatory and crass across the board, but he certainly has made his mark and I hope in the end something good will come of it.

All I heard from friends who were in Boston today were words of positive support for one another. I think it's safe to say that vulgar words are now the norm in the media and on TV. Are you all really that shocked that Madonna spoke up or swore? She's been shocking people since the 80's and became an household name and changed the face of women in music. I have been a huge Madonna fan since I was 17. She was the first person I admired who broke the rules and had a voice. President Trump is doing the same thing. Shocking a lot of us with his words by calling America "a place of carnage" and saying he is the only one to fix it. News flash folks! Every administration blames the one before it. Some people like the change that occurs and some people don't. We are so lucky that every four years we get to decide if the change was worth the angst.

I tried to listen to the inaugural address while driving for work. I felt the need to hear some positive words from the man who will lead the country I call home for the next 4 years. "We are one nation -- and their pain is our pain." When I heard this I shut it off with tears in my eyes.

I had to look up the whole speech. It's not fair that I complain and can't back it up. I don't think his persona has the capacity to deliver his true message, which is what I admired so much about President Obama. I am the first to admit however when I see the entire speech in writing it is a bit more hopeful than I thought. If I read beyond the defensive, antagonizing opening, there is a message about promoting America while keeping our friendships with other countries. There is talk about uniting the world. There are words of being able to speak our thoughts while creating solidarity. There are words of encouragement, peace and especially hope.

I have a great life. I hope it will continue. He has had nothing to do with it. He may have some great ideas to help some people move forward, but he has no idea what it is like to struggle to pay your bills. I work hard, and struggle sometimes to pay my bills. He was born into wealth and has no idea what the people who weren't go through. He has no idea what it is like to want to take care of your parents in the way they cared for you, but healthcare and social security benefits just don't make it possible. This is what makes me angry. I am worried that his wealthy ways will adversely affect my parents and worry for what will happen when I reach "retirement age".

I worry that the President's actions will create a world war and the end of the world as we know it. If I'm truthful though, I've had the same fears since Ronald Reagan was elected and I started realizing there were elections. In reality over the 50 years that I've been on this plane, the financial, health and spiritual status of the world has continued to be like a sine wave. In the USA, we've had a few blips, but really only had ONE major disaster on our soil in 243+ years. That is incredible and tells me that through the ups and downs in the "sine" of life, we can ride the wave.

My friend commented that she admires women like Kellyanne Conway who are able to rise to the top of their field while raising a family. I think it's amazing that she was the first woman to successfully run a presidential campaign. While I don't agree with all that she says, I do think Kellyanne is well spoken and is able to make President Trump's verbal barrage sound ok. I just wish President Trump didn't have to refer to her as " 'MY Kellyanne' " like a wife or child, and then say "thank you baby" like a wife or child after he shook her hand. I have not heard him say the same thing after shaking VP Pence's hand. I know there are a lot of men who act and speak that way. I have friends who say "thank you darlin" to waitresses or comment on a female's body sometimes. I don't like it and I try to call them out for it. I don't think the First Lady will do much to curtail that but time will tell.
One woman I used to coach posted that it was important to dress like the First Lady so that as women we can continue to get interviews and prove our worth as women. Melania did look beautiful. It was a gorgeous outfit.

I would rather to see a well spoken woman earning her keep because of her actions and her brain vs the clothes she wears or the silence she keeps. That statement about Melania's outfits, which I saw posted by multiple women, made me realize that we women are no better off than we were in 1960 in the eyes of the business world. Unless we continue to express ourselves in thoughtful,respectful and sometimes outspoken ways, all the work that smart, proactive and vocal women (like Michelle Obama, Jane Fonda, Sheryl Sandberg, Madonna and Hillary Clinton) have done for us all will be for naught.

My friend who inspired this post suggested that we need to take action and not just march to make our point that the world needs to listen and communicate. I plan to start sending donations to areas that I think will need support in the upcoming years like education, Planned Parenthood, environmental protection, and assistance for the elderly.

This is new ground for me. I have to figure out what is out there beyond my own bubble. Today's marches--around the world-- made that clear. President Trump...I hope you stand by your oath that all of our voices matter. That we are but one world. That you will listen to all of us because....Everyone is listening to you now.

Peace.