A plant has a beauty to it that draws you to it. Whether a great old oak or even a weed, when you sit with a plant, it has a quality to it, an awareness that can’t be ignored. That same awareness can be felt with the oils they produce. This awareness, this beauty, […]
Education
A Healthful Response to Managing Chronic Pain
Chronic Pain A chronic pain diagnosis can be shocking and stressful. With a healthful coping strategy you can reduce your stress, manage your symptoms and face your situation head-on. Stress Reduction Receiving difficult health news can leave you feeling overwhelmed and it is natural to struggle in response. Healthy coping skills can help […]
The Other Glute Max
Buns of Steel: The Other Glute Max Everyone knows that a strong glute max adds quality of life. Buns of Steel did not become a popular workout video for nothing. Not only that, but those who study exercise physiology know that strong glutes provide much more than aesthetics. Biomechanically they can help improve posture, activate […]
Natural Preservatives: Do they exist?
Natural Preservatives for Essential Oils: What are they really? As essential oils become more and more popular, many people start making their own products. This is exciting, but unfortunately, misinformation can lead to some unsafe practices. One unsafe practice I see frequently is people using essential oils in water-based products, then they use the product […]
Posture: How to Stand
Benefits of posture in a sitting world Good posture has many health benefits. When using correct posture you can prevent injuries, increase energy levels, improve mood, and enhance overall well-being. Physical therapists, personal trainers, coaches, and yoga instructors have probably told you in the past to keep your shoulders back or squeeze your glutes to […]
Squat Sitting
The New Standing Desk is a Squat: Squat Sitting While many people know of the benefits of walking and standing during the workday, few are aware that squat sitting is another beneficial posture to add into the repertoire. People from other cultures often spend most of their day in the squatting position. For instance, in […]
Let Your Children Fall
The Many Benefits of Children Falling Children Fall off the Beam During some of my first years working as a pediatric physical therapist, sometimes a student or observer would come watch me work. One of these students saw me working with kids on a balance beam. As they walked across the balance beam, often times, […]
Electrical Postural Devices: A Physical Therapist’s Perspective
A New Market Businesses have started selling many new and innovative electrical postural devices. These developers used good concepts and theories behind the product’s development. However, as someone who has studied posture and movement extensively, I have concerns. Before I get started, I want to say that there is no to little research on these […]
The Gift of Autism
As a pediatric physical therapist, I spent many years working with children with autism. These children each possess their own personalities, I cannot make generalizations about them. One thing I noticed without almost all my patients with autism, though, was what they taught me. When I first started working with kids, I remember seeing some […]
Pain Part II: The Curious Inconsistencies of Pain
What are pain and the inconsistencies of pain? Pain is a curious thing. For years, we analyzed tissues: muscles, nerves, and bones, trying to understand what causes pain. Unfortunately, the more we learn, the more confused we become. With a million techniques, thought processes, and tools out there to relieve pain, what does the research […]