Health & Wellness , Aches & Pains , Blog , Physical Therapy

Putting Yourself First Isn’t Selfish!

Written by Natalie Krug Wierda, PT, DPT

Stress, anxiety, depression & other mental health issues have no doubt been hot topics over the last year in our Covid-19 world. There is overwhelming evidence that exercise can help to overcome some of those feelings. Most people already know this but still fail to put themselves first in lots of areas of their lives, not just with exercise. Our society is built on an idea of being gracious and putting others needs before ourselves. I’m here to say that putting yourself first isn’t selfish!

Stress Impacts Health

In physical therapy, I frequently see patients that are overwhelmed with the circumstances of their everyday lives. They come to therapy with an injury but also present with additional family stress, work stress, financial stress-the list goes on and on.

This in turn impacts their overall health, ability to heal from injury and also puts strain on their personal relationships.

One of the most common mistakes I see is the failed ability of a patient to put themself first! This only heightens the negative feelings and stress felt from day to day. It’s important to put ourselves first sometimes. It doesn’t matter how you do that and it doesn’t have to be in the form of exercise (let’s be honest, I know a lot of people don’t like to exercise!).

You can find joy and release from stress and anxiety in the simplest of ways!

So what can you do to help?

Make a list. Make a list of the things you like doing with your time and set aside time to actually do them! It can be simple things like: looking through old photos and reminiscing on happy times, taking a bubble bath, spending time with children or grandchildren, baking or cooking your favorite recipe-again there are no rules here! It can be any activity that you enjoy!
Take a break from social media. Research shows social media increases feelings of inadequacy & dissatisfaction. This in turn makes us feel more depressed and more anxiety ridden and less able to focus on ourselves and our relationships.
Focus on the things that mean the most to you. For me, it’s spending quality time with my family. When I’m happy they are happy. Putting my focus on them eases my stress and eases feelings of negativity.
Take a break, period. Sometimes life gets you to a point of burnout and that’s ok! It’s ok to take a break, it’s ok to take a step back, it’s ok to say I need to make a change,
it’s ok to ask for help from those around you. The ones who love you want you to be happy and want to see you be your best!

It’s not tough to understand these concepts but it has to be a choice you make to put yourself first! If you can accomplish even some of these tasks, I promise you that you’re going to improve yourself, your overall health and your relationships!

Health & Wellness , Blog , Physical Therapy

Why You Need to Start a Resistance Training Program Now (regardless of age, gender, or exercise experience)

Written by Amanda Edwards, PT, DPT, CSCS

There are many health and psychological benefits in participating in a resistance training program. You can also do it with little to no equipment in your own home if you are not comfortable going to a gym right now.

Here’s The Why

Prevent Age Related Muscle and Bone Loss

Did you know we lose 3-5% of our muscle mass each decade after we reach our 30s?

Along with loss of muscle mass, we also lose bone density which increases our risk of developing osteoporosis. This is more prominent in women, but research has shown that individuals can reduce the decline in bone mineral density by performing weight-bearing exercises and resistance training.

Important for Preadolescents

There are many myths that state that preadolescent individuals should not participate in strength training because it can “stunt their growth”. This has been proven false by many studies and avoiding resistance training can actually be detrimental to those young athletes.

Studies have shown that this is an important time period to start participating in weight-bearing activities and strengthening in order to improve bone mineral density and reduce future risk of injury. Those who participate in strength and conditioning programs or sports or activities that include weight-bearing movements and plyometric activity tend to have less bone-related injuries in the future.

Improves Mood

Exercise increases blood flow and oxygen to our brain, which results in the release of endorphins and therefore may improve our mood. Working out with a friend or family member is more likely to hold you accountable and is more fun as well!

Decrease risk of injuries

Along with decreasing muscle mass, our metabolism, reaction times and aerobic capacity also start to decrease. This is slightly depressing, but the good news is studies have shown we can significantly slow that progression if we dedicate a little bit of time at least twice a week to a resistance training program!

Participating in a resistance training program can also improve your balance and prevent falls.
As far as injuries go, strengthening can help improve neuromuscular deficiency and improve our biomechanics. Did you know female athletes are 6X more likely to tear their ACL compared to male athletes? There are hormonal and anatomical factors that can contribute to this increase in injury rate but participating in a strength training program has shown to improve neuromuscular deficiency and improve poor biomechanics, therefore decreasing risk of injuries.

You can do it from the comfort of your own home without fancy equipment

Using simple objects around the home such as soup cans to add weight can be helpful. There are many simple body weight exercises that you can do to get a great workout in such as push-ups, squats, lunges, and step-ups!

It is especially important for women

Some women may avoid strengthening and gyms due to social stigmas, but women are capable to tolerating and adapting to stress or resistance exercises just as well as men. Women have about 2/3 of absolute strength compared to men, but they can increase their strength at the same rate as men.

Why it’s important for older adults

The population of those over the age of 65 is growing. The loss of bone density and muscle mass as we age can make activities of daily life difficult. This can increase our risk of falling, cause fractures, and decrease quality of life.
As mentioned above, resistance training can decrease the risk of developing osteoporosis and osteopenia. One of the highest risk factors for developing osteoporosis is physical inactivity.

Those over 65 that participate in a progressive resistance program can show significant improvements in muscular strength, power, and mass, as well as bone density and even gait speed.

Not sure how to get started?

If you are new to starting an exercise program, you should seek advice from a professional, such as a licensed physical therapist or certified personal trainer. Making sure you are performing exercises with correct technique is critical in order to avoid injuries. Contact Merge Performance Institute at 563-588-3891 to get in touch with a personal trainer. If you have medical issues, be sure to consult with your primary care provider as well.
Always perform a warm-up and cool-down for at least 5-10 minutes.

Start easy and simple! Functional exercises, such as squats, lunges, step-ups, and push-ups with no weight are a great way to start.
Rest and good nutrition is important too! Resting at least 48-72 hours between sessions is recommended for beginners.
Make sure you are performing your exercises pain-free. Muscle soreness is normal, but having pain is not.

Health & Wellness , Blog , Physical Therapy

Make it Stick – New Year’s Resolutions

Written by: Brad Kruse, PT, DPT, EDD, SCS, ATC, CSCS

Many things about this past year were far from normal. As we turn the page on 2020, one thing that remains is the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions.

The 3 most common New Year’s resolutions are to: exercise more, eat better and to lose weight.

There is a reason that Planet Fitness is the sponsor of the ABC Times Square New Year’s celebration. As you turn on your television, or log into your favorite digital platform, you will see numerous advertisements related to exercise and health. Although intentions are good, 80% of people will fail to achieve at least some of their New Year’s resolutions.

Be among the 20%

A myriad of obstacles to success in achieving your New Year’s resolution exist. When it comes to exercise and living a healthy lifestyle, most of those obstacles are things largely under our control. Exercise, along with other health related activities or choices, is 20% knowledge and 80% behavior. Accept that behavior change is HARD and takes TIME, but be confident that you can meet your goals.

Ask yourself “Why am I doing this?”

The “why” must be present in your goal(s). To boost success, set goals that are:

Meaningful: You must have a fairly strong, personal reason to make a change

Measurable: Be specific. It’s easier to measure success when you “walk 3x/week” compared to “walk more”.

Achievable: Be lofty, but identify smaller goals along the way that will be indicators of progress.

For example: “I will walk 3 miles, 3 times per week to help control my blood pressure” is a goal that may take time to achieve. Depending upon your current level of activity, it may be necessary to start with walking 3 blocks and advance from there.

A failure to plan is a plan to fail

Once you have established the “why” regarding the change you want to make, the next step is to make a plan. It is far too easy to say “I’ll exercise later today”. Later today easily becomes tomorrow or next week. Planned activities should change over time as you meet the smaller goals you previously have set for yourself. Research shows that you are more likely to adhere to an exercise plan if you specifically plan:

WHAT you are going to do?

What type of exercise might you enjoy?

As the saying goes, you must walk before you run.

Perform body weight exercise before you go to the weight room.

WHERE you are going to do it?

You don’t always have to go to a gym to exercise. Exercise equipment may be nice, but it is often not necessary.

It will not always be nice enough to go outside. Gyms are not always open.

WHEN the activity will be performed?

Consider your schedule and commitments, then find a place in your schedule where you can include exercise.

The best exercise…

When it comes to exercise (or weight loss etc.), there are a lot of opinions out there. From television to social media, there is no shortage of people who say they have the answer and are willing to sell you their product or gimmick.

Truth is, the best exercise is the one you will do and enjoy.

Pick a mode of exercise that fits you, your exercise history, and your current state of health.
If you hate the idea of running, then the likelihood that you will stick with a plan that includes running is pretty low.
If you don’t know where to start, seek advice from someone such as the exercise professionals at Merge Performance Institute or Dubuque Physical Therapy.

Motivation

Motivation is difficult to sustain over time. Motivation trends up and down in relation to various situations in our lives. Sometimes we fail to see progress, or we have a setback that makes us want to quit. Understand that this is normal. Here are a few things that can help boost motivation and help you sustain activities that can lead to the positive changes you seek.

Write it down: Simply write your goal(s) on a piece of paper and sticking it somewhere you will see it daily.
Identify a partner or support system: Pursuing a goal with someone else can keep you both accountable. Resist the tendency to compare yourself to others. Just do your best.
Anticipate barriers: Things will come up that hinder progress. If you think about what will likely come up, you can plan around them. When you get off track, forgive yourself and start again.
Record your activity: Keeping a log of your exercise or food intake etc. helps you see progress, and it will also show you when you are off your chosen path.
Reward yourself along the way: When you meet one of your smaller goals, have a reward in mind.
There’s an App for that: Many Apps have been developed that can record your activity, and most provide some sort of reminder and motivational feedback.

“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can”. – Arthur Ashe

This quote from the late Arthur Ashe sums up a great strategy for joining the 20% of people who are successful in keeping their New Year’s resolutions. Regardless of the nature of your goals, success starts with believing in yourself. Changing behavior so that you can work toward your goals hinges on choices you make each day.

Regardless of your success or failure in the past, today is a new day, a new opportunity. Make the most of it.