Thrive Physical Therapy in Richmond

Physical Therapy and Fast Pain Relief

Our MOST Important IQ Where DO YOU Stack UP?

Arguably Our MOST Critical IQ is Less Frequently Talked About!

Of the three major IQ’s what’s the most important?

I would argue is the one that doesn’t get talked about a whole lot!

It is your movement IQ! What the heck is that?

That is how well can you do the things that you have to do;

sitting, standing, walking, going up & down stairs, carrying groceries, etc. during your normal daily activities

Or the things you love to do, like biking, hiking, participating in a sport activity.

Can you do those things easily?

Or do you pay for them after the fact? Do you get hurt when you do them?

Are you sore for a week after or do they feel good?

This is a good way to measure it!

Do the activities feel Easy or do you “Pay For IT” with a lot of residual?

Chances are,

If you feel good your “Movement IQ” is probably pretty high!

I would argue this is he most important of our  IQ’s because is supports all of your systems and everything around life.

Research has shown that moving regularly & exercising is critical

It helps us to be more physically capable as we get older. Help us to connect with others.

It boost our mental state and those who exercise tend to take better care of themselves.

They tend to be healthier and more physically capable as time passes and their life satisfaction ratings are higher.

As time we naturally drift towards being less mobile, more stiff, and strength declines

But this doesn’t have to happen!

You Can GET better & Remain Physically Capable with the passing of time!

Where would you put yourself on that scale?

Would you give yourself an A, B, would you give yourself a C, or maybe even a D!

If you’re in these, there’s these grades that you don’t want it to be?

We can, we can help guide you just mention this post!

We will be happy to guide you towards bringing your grades up.

If you want another good way to evaluate your “Movement IQ” as really good functional test is the following.

The getting up and down from the floor TEST

From standing attempt to lie down on the floor and then stand back without using your hands.

If you can do the test, research shows you will live longer and that you are mor likely to remain physically capable as time passes

This test takes a fair amount of mobility, balance, and strength to be able to pull it off without using your hands.

It is a good basic “Movement IQ” test to determine where you are. Give it a try.

There are many other good ones some of which are more difficult!

So where do you stack up?

If it is easy, great job and keep up the good work!

It not work towards improving it!

It just takes practice and a little sweat equity!

Thanks for listening everyone and keep on THRIVING!

f you want to improve your Health and Physical Capabilities in 2023 we can help you get there ?

If an Injury is Your Concern:

Thrive Physical Therapy

If Fitness is Your Concern:

The Fit to Thrive program

is designed to help people prevent injuries and to provide the foundation needed to feel their best and maintain their health long-term.

Winter Program Starts on 2/27/23 Sign Up NOW!

 

 

Fall Prevention Training that WORKS!

 

Unfortunately, there is a high incidence of falls that can result in significant injuries later in life.

Here are some startling statistics regarding Falls:

  • When an elderly person falls, their hospital stays are almost twice longer than those of elderly patients who are admitted for any other reason.
  • The risk of falling increases with age and is greater for women than men.
  • Annually, falls are reported by one-third of all people over the age of 65.
  • Two-thirds of those who fall will do so again within six months.
  • Falls are the leading cause of death from injury among people 65 and older.
  • Approximately 9,500 deaths in older Americans are associated with falls each year.
  • More than half of all fatal falls involve people 75 or over.
  • Among people aged 65 to 69, one out of every 200 falls results in a hip fracture. That number increases to one out of every 10 for those aged 85 and older.
  • One-fourth of seniors who fracture a hip from a fall will die within six months of the injury.
  • The most profound effect of falling is the loss of functioning associated with independent living

Fortunately there is much that can be done to prevent them!
In this video Clarke talks about some of his favorite ways to how to improve you balance and to gain the physical attributes needed to reduce your chance of experiencing a Fall!

Learn to stop a fall as it happens and training methods that WORK!

Check Out This Video on How to Prevent Falls HERE..

If you have experienced and injury from a fall or would like to prevent one we can help!

We have a talented clinical staff who can get you headed in the right direction!

As well as comprehensive Fitness programs designed to help you improve your balance and to build the physical attributes needed to prevent falls and stay healthy!

Give us call at 804 320-2220 or you can schedule an appointment to speak with a Therapist at this link.

Or if you have interest in a Fitness Program designed to improve your balance, what you are capable of physically, and to reduce your chances of falling you can learn more here..

to your health & success

Clarke and your Thrive Team

Living with an Unwanted “New Normal”?


Learn How to Get PAST It!

Certainly there are circumstances that cannot be changed, but many things people accept as a “Normal” can absolutely be changed!

This is particularly true with physical issues, declining physical capability with the passing of time, and when tolerating feeling less than our best!

Don’t Accept Anything without taking this approach! Clarke discusses how to move past it in the this video.  Learn more here..

Looking for a comprehensive program that can help you get rid of an unwanted “New Normal”?

Here is a link to our most complete program designed to help you be Healthy, Fit, & Successful!

Transformation Academy learn more here..

Four Questions We Answered at Thrive Movement Lab

Thanks for coming to Thrive Movement Lab last night everyone!  Enjoyed working with you and attempting to improve your recognition of mobility issues and how they can effect your health.  Here were the questions we were trying to help each participant to answer.

  1. How do you know what you personal mobility issues are?
  2. How do you know if your mobility deficits are adversely effecting how you move?
  3. How do you know if your problem is caused from being tight or weakness?
  4. How can you address your individual issues effectively?

Here was the outline of what we covered.

Self Exploration Movement Lab

  1. Forward and backward bending
    1. Standing alignment and hip flexor/hamstring balance
    2. Mobility deficit versus weakness
  2. Standing Rotation
    1. Thoracic and lower extremity combined 110 dgs. (60 hips and lower extremities and 50 thoracic)-should be able to perform with isolated thoracic and hip motion without movement of the other segment
  3. Single leg stand Single Knee to Chest
    1. Requires hip flexion/ankle dorsiflexion (swing side), balance, hip/trunk stability and hip extension (on stance side)
  4. Standing squat
    1. Requires lumbar flexion, hip flexion, ankle dorsiflexion, ability to control body alignment and accommodate load through hips, knees, and ankles
    2. Must have in order to prevent back stress when lifting from the floor
  • Standing wall lunge test-should be able to touch wall with you knee with foot 4 inches from wall while maintaining proper alignment
  1. Supine Single Knee to Chest (Thomas Test)
    1. Should be able to stay on table/bed with knee bent almost 90 dgs.
    2. Commonly glutes and core are weak which contributes to overuse of hip flexors to stabilize spine (solution is to address hip and core weakness and ability of glute to contract from under to behind the hip)
  2. Solutions for Common Problems
    1. Remember do not have mobility unless there is sufficient body control and stability to perform upright against gravity and with load
    2. Hamstring tightness in habitual pelvic shearer-correct standing alignment and learn how to load hips properly.  Standing alignment correction
    3. Feeling of hip flexor tightness in habitual pelvic shearer-correct standing alignment and build core  core hip flexor strength (most effective rolling and crawling)
    4. Hip flexor tightness-supine hip flexor stretch/glute reeducation and build core/glute strength (multiple possibilities but like side lying ball hip extension in early stages)
    5. Hip flexion deficit-supine single knee to chest and or mountain climbers
    6. Ankle dorsiflexion
      1. Mobility deficit sustained calf stretch or wedge while maintaining alignment of knee over 2-3rd toe
      2. Load deficit-crouching walk for dorsiflexion
    7. Thoracic mobility deficit-side lying trunk rotation or arm circles

If you are suffering from pain, injury, or weakness why suffer a moment further give us a call now at 804 320-2220

How Yoga Can Wreck your body!?

This is an interesting article written by William Broad that brings up many great points. See more…http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/magazine/how-yoga-can-wreck-your-body.html  He mentions a a variety of injuries that have happened to students and yoga practitioners. He quotes statements from a well know yoga practitioner named Glenn Black in regards to how injuries occur and how yoga can be practiced safely.  Here are a few that illustrate great points.  Black said, Not just students but celebrated teachers injure themselves in droves because most have underlying physical weaknesses or problems that make serious injury all but inevitable. Instead of doing yoga, “they need to be doing a specific range of motions for articulation, for organ condition,” he said, to strengthen weak parts of the body. “Yoga is for people in good physical condition. Or it can be used therapeutically. It’s controversial to say, but it really shouldn’t be used for a general class.”  “Today many schools of yoga are just about pushing people,” Black said. “You can’t believe what’s going on — teachers jumping on people, pushing and pulling and saying, ‘You should be able to do this by now.’ It has to do with their egos.”  When yoga teachers come to him for bodywork after suffering major traumas, Black tells them, “Don’t do yoga.” “The whole point of yoga is to get rid of ego.”

I believe the principles brought up in this article apply to not just Yoga but multiple activities including Cross Fit, running, Pilates, and even physical therapy.  Exercise and movement is a good thing and is something we all need on a regular basis for physical and mental health.  I would argue the benefits far outweigh the risks.  That having been said the key elements to being successful, is first being aware of what is a good choice for your body.  If you are naturally very mobile then Yoga may not be your best fit, but rather, something that will improve your strength such as Pilates or weight training.  Exercise done at too high of intensity, too long, with poor form/technique, and or performed at a level that is beyond your current level of fitness will increase your risk of an injury.  When your body is functioning well in regards to mobility, strength, endurance, coordination, and balance the more enjoyable the activity will be and your chance of being hurt reduced.

My advice is to first know your body in regards to how it is currently functioning.  Physical Therapy can help in this aim.  Find out what your particular variables are in regards strengths and weakness, then work to improve them.  Second, with the help of your therapist pick an activity that is a good choice for you.  Third, take time to learn the basics and focus on developing good form from the onset.  This will pay big dividends later!  Lastly, start out at a level that is appropriate for your current level of function and degree of fitness, then progress slowly.  Knowing your body, making good choices, leaving your ego at home, and progressing slowly are all keys to getting the most out of fitness program and thriving in life!

If you want to find out how your body is currently functioning and what might be a good exercise choice for you we can help!  Give us a call today at 804 320-2220.

 

THRIVE PT is a specialized manually based orthopedic, spine, and sports physical therapy practice that provides individualized care to its patients. All of our therapists have specialty training, advanced certifications in orthopedic manual therapy, and extensive post graduate course work, and are highly qualified to help you reach your therapy goals. Our methods include hands-on corrective treatment, movement training, dry needling, and therapeutic exercise provided exclusively by your therapist. Our objective is to teach you how to move efficiently and painlessly and to educate you on how to stay healthy. We can help you achieve your goals to lead a healthy, active life--in a word, THRIVE!

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