Dear Mom,

My list of thanks and gratitude for all that you have done and been for me is longer than the circumference of the earth. For all the times you tied my shoes, wiped my nose, kissed my tears, made me my favorite meals, sang with me, made castles in my turtle sandbox, taught me to draw, took me to church, smiled and nodded for each silly and outlandish dream I ever had, the gentle corrections in my behavior and attitude, and for all the times you said you loved me.  I honor the good times, the hard times, and all the wacky moments in between. I love you sweet mama of mine!

To All Moms,

Thank you for your commitment to your children, for your choice to sacrifice your own needs for those of your family, and for doing it with strength and grace.

May you all feel loved and appreciated this Mothers Day,

Elizabeth

To celebrate all of you mothers and mothers-to-be, Core Wellness is hosting 2 events this week!

May 15th TAPING FOR PREGNANCY

Join Dr. Elizabeth Polis, as she takes you through the various aches and pains expectant mothers go through during each trimester. Learn how self applied therapeutic taping techniques can minimize theses little bothers, and how they can facilitate preparation for delivery and post natal recovery. These techniques aren’t just for pain of course! They are also great for added stability and muscle recruitment in your favorite pre and post natal pilates and yoga class. Have you been to Mind The Mat? Visit them at their two convenient locations in Del Ray, and Arlington.

Sign Up : Here

May 17th WHOA BABY! I’M STRESSED.

- Learn how stress manifests within the body biologically, physiologically (e.g. “flight or fight” response) and emotionally

- Explore causes of stress, reactions to stress and heath effects of stress along with the benefits of stress reduction and the “relaxation response”

- Understand current scientific literature on prenatal stress, “tend and befriend”, and stress in children

- Identify coping strategies, time management skills, and quick stress reducers to manage acute stressful situations

- Learn relaxation techniques, long-term stress reduction techniques, and ways to adopt a healthy lifestyle

*Format of class will be half lecture and half experiential

Sign Up:  Here

For general physical therapy for pre and post natal needs , please call and as us all of your questions!

Thank You slowburnfitness.com for finding this somewhere in the wonderful world wide web

We had the pleasure of speaking with Rich Carr about our Paleo Consult offering, and how when incorporated with our wellness and therapy sessions can help you be an anti-inflammatory machine! Adopting this lifestyle can help you maintain steady blood sugar levels throughout the day, can help you manage your auto-immune condition, can promote weight loss, and best of all, it can positively reinforce your body’s natural functions…in all systems!

What Is Paleo?

Listen To The Broadcast Here

We would love to discuss any thoughts or questions you may have regarding Paleo living and our services. Call us at 571-403-2673 or email us

To Your Health,

Elizabeth

We are clearly having a very abnormal winter here in Northern Virginia this year. It went from 70-degree sun-filled days, down to 30 something  just the other day. With March ( Yay, Spring!) right around the corner our bodies may feel a bit sluggish with all the last minute colds, coughs, and allergy symptoms making the rounds. The temperature shifts and fluctuations in allergen density can really take a toll on our immune systems and our histamine reactions. For those of you who are in fact suffering from respiratory congestion, pressure and soreness due to coughing, heaving, or sneezing…I may have a tip for you.

I know what you might be thinking…why on earth is a physical therapist talking about this? Well…..

Treatment known as “percussion” has been used by respiratory therapist, D.O.’s, physical therapists and other practitioners for decades. It consists of the patient undergoing repetitive blows to various parts of their rib cage, in a variety of positions in order to loosen any sticky ewy gooey mucus and funk that has adhered to various branches of your lung tissue.

This procedure is most commonly associated with people diagnosed with cystic fibrosis-as their very ability to breathe effectively depends on regular treatments. Cystic fibrosis in a tiny nut shell, is an inherited disease that causes accumulation of mucus in the lungs and sometimes the digestive track. By loosening the mucus/”funk”, you permit the body to get adequate oxygen into the lungs and ultimately to replenish your blood supply with O2…which pumps and flows throughout your body so you can move, groove, and boogie whenever you darn well please.

The reason I bring this up is that you may elect to have your physical therapist or respiratory therapist aid in symptom management to help you breathe better, and possibly heal faster. In states where there is direct access, just make an appointment with your local therapist and come on in. He/she will prop you in multiple funny positions to optimize the angle of your lungs and the branch of the lung being treated. They will “play the bongo’s” on your ribs and chest and then give you a little shake and shimmy through the area to loosen any mucus that is “too clingy”. No one likes clingy, right? You will then more than likely have to cough, and the goal is for that cough to be productive…get that funk out of you and into the trash where it belongs. You may feel a bit sore following treatment, as this is an active treatment. Your therapist may also opt to mobilize your ribs to help improve your breathing pattern & depth (expansion and compression).

This is a fabulous way to make your therapist part of your wellness and holistic health team as well as to invite the opportunity to discuss ongoing aches and pains with a specialist.

I’m always listening, so please ask about any topics you would like me to address.

I believe that the foods you consume are the most important choices you make when it comes to disease prevention. When you look at your body as a chemistry set, or an engine, it becomes more transparent what kinds of foods you fuel up best with, and which jam things up. Figuring out the difference between foods that work with your individualized make up is priceless. We hope that this resource as well as our in house Paleo Consult, or a combination of the two, will empower you and keep you motivated.

To your health,
Elizabeth

Take it away, Amy!!

Spring Forward with our 2012 Spring Clean Eating Cleanses!
A guided 8-day or 21-day group food-based cleanse
Led by Mind the Mat Yoga Instructor and Certified Holistic Health & Nutrition Coach Amy Arnold

Lose Weight* Reduce & Eliminate Cravings* Gain Clarity* Reduce Anxiety & Stress* Reduce Allergies* Get Clearer, more Radiant Skin* Enjoy Restful Sleep*
Increase Overall Vitality*
*Reported by previous cleanse participants

About the Cleanse
Enjoy fresh and clean whole foods every day! Yummy fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, juices, soups, smoothies and even select animal protein if desired. This is not a diet and is not about starvation. You will eat until satiated. We simply remove foods and liquids that inflame and congest your body and fill it with nutrient-dense food that supports you.

Here’s What a Recent Cleanse Client Had To Say:

“My cleanse with Amy was amazing. Not only did it help me lose five pounds and kick my reliance on artificial sweeteners and diet soda, it helped me refocus during a time of great stress in my life. My greatest endorsement is that since going off the cleanse, I haven’t reverted back to my old way of eating. Throughout the process, Amy was my calm, yet steady guide always ready to answer my many questions. I highly recommend a cleanse with Amy to anyone struggling with a dependency or toxic influences in their life.”
KB – Mom & Wellness Professional in VA

We have two options for you this spring!
1) An 8-Day Group Cleanse to be held in-person (and teleconference) at Mind the Mat in Del Ray. Perfect for first-timers or those who prefer shorter cleansing periods.
2) A 21-Day Group Cleanse to be held via teleconference. Anyone can participate and all calls will be recorded. Perfect for anyone looking to not only cleanse, but make long-term shifts in their relationship to food and healthier eating habits.

8-DAY CLASS DATES:
Saturday, 4/21 – 1pm-2:30pm – Cleanse overview/kickoff
Saturday, 4/28 – 10am-11am – Cleanse begins upon awakening – optional guided tour of farmer’s market or Whole Foods (Amy will send out details as we get closer)
Tuesday, 5/2 – 7pm-7:20pm – Quick cleanse check-in via teleconference
Saturday, 5/5 – 1pm-2:30pm – Cleanse celebration class – discuss transition
Cleanse officially ends upon awakening on Sunday, 5/6

The 2012 8-DAY Spring Cleanse Class includes:
-15 Days of Professional Support
-Two in-person classes
-1 Teleclass
-One guided-tour at the Del Ray farmer’s market OR Alexandria Whole Foods pending seasonal status
-Customized Cleanse Guide *Updated & reformatted with new cleansing/alkalizing recipes
-Detoxifying Recipes
-Email Tips & Support
-Yoga, Meditation & Breathing
-Energetic echniques to Enhance Cleanse
-Journaling & Self Reflection
-Online Group Forum Support
-Green Smoothies e-book with 60+ recipes!

Plus more surprises to be announced!
Just $89.00

21-DAY CLEANSE CLASS DATES:
Participate from anywhere via teleconference

Sunday, 4/22 – 7pm – 8:30pmET – Cleanse overview/kickoff
Saturday, 4/28 – 1p-1:30pmET – Cleanse begins upon awakening – check in call at 1pm-1:30pm
Wednesday, 5/2 – 7pm-7:30pmET – Cleanse check-in
Sunday, 5/6 – 7p-7:30pmET – Cleanse check-in
Sunday, 5/13 – 7p-7:30pmET – Cleanse check-in
Thursday, 5/17 – 7p-8:15pmET – Transition off the cleanse discussion

Cleanse officially ends upon awakening on Friday, 5/18

The 2012 Spring 21-Day Cleanse Class includes:
•28 Days of Professional Support
•6 Teleconferences
•Customized Cleanse Guide – *Updated & reformatted with new cleansing/alkalizing recipes
•Detoxifying Recipes
•Email Tips & Support
•Yoga, Meditation, Energy & Breathing techniques to Enhance Cleanse
•Journaling & Self Reflection
•Online Group Forum Support
•Green Smoothies e-book with 60+ recipes!

Plus more surprises to be announced!
Just $127.00 – sign up now!)

All classes will be recorded and available for playback if a class is missed. No make-ups or refunds.
As with all nutritional programs, it’s a good idea to consult with your doctor prior to beginning the cleanse.

What do you look forward to when you wake up in the morning? Is it the smell of coffee brewing? An energizing shower? Breakfast? Are these things different by mid-day? Do you look forward to a walk at lunch time? A gym session? Games with friends or family?

I encourage you to ponder these questions and consider what really revs your engine throughout the day. Once you have determined which activities are consistent from week to week, you can use this information to jump start or improve your wellness routine.

My patients typically have poor posture. You may be saying “well that is an awfully big generalization, Elizabeth!” But it is a fact none the less. Less than 10% of my patients are coming to see me because of a traumatic or post surgical event. Hence, most of them are in need of therapy but more importantly lifestyle modification. Simply having a professional complete an assessment of your body, how it moves, how stable and strong it is, and how the summation of parts either limits or helps paint the big picture. Something as simple as practicing good posture daily when you eat meals, or standing up straight and doing stability exercises while waiting in line or for the popcorn to pop MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Subtle modifications in your day to day activities can have a significant impact on you being able to DO all the things that really excite you.

If mobility and pain are limiting factors in your day, I would highly encourage you to reach out to a professional in your area. Find out your ailment can be successfully treated or managed with that type of care (if not get a referral, or try a different specialty) and start doing all the things you want to do.

Nothing pains me more as a therapist than folks saying they can’t do this that or the other thing because they are out of shape, or too heavy, or no time etc. I have heard it all before…the thing to take away is that, there are always things we can modify and adapt to make a difference. A “full life shuffle” doesn’t have to turn your world upside down and doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Just take the first step and ask for some help and direction. There are plenty of people who would love to share their knowledge and experience with you.

Thanks to global warming, planes, trains, and automobiles, golf is a year round sport. For this reason, many golfers develop and play through injuries that over time become chronic issues. Unlike other sports and pastimes, golfers often do not have an off-season to rest and restore their bodies.  We do know, however, that those who adopt a prevention focused practice, will be playing the game into old age and with fewer injuries than their pals who decided to push through the pain.

The Most Common Injuries For Golfers

 Low back pain

Golfers elbow

Knee pain

Shoulder pain

Golf is a great workout. It integrates strength, power, stability, control and endurance. One might think with all of these aspects of fitness being addressed every time you hit the course, that your overall health and relative injuries should be unremarkable.  This is not the case.  50% of golfers develop chronic problems that lead to chronic conditions that force them to give up the game or live with pain, not to mention their suffering score.

The Most Common Mechanisms of Injury Amongst Golfers

1. Poor Body Mechanics: This means that your body’s ability to transfer and shift force, range of motion, and fluidity of movement from start, to swing, and follow through are un-ideal.
2. Overuse Injuries: If you are golfing regularly, or are participating in repetitive movements without ample time for the tissue to heal you may be incurring overuse syndromes like tendonitis.
3. Lack of Cross-Training: Cross training is when you participate in a variety of activities that support healthy development of all structures and systems of your body. For example: weight training for strength,; agility and plyometric exercises for coordination, speed and power; cardiovascular training for endurance, heart and respiratory health; yoga for balance & flexibility as well as improved mind body integration; Pilates for core control and spinal stability.

Some other causes that are less commonly discussed but important as they impact the aforementioned causes are:

1. Poor Club Fitting: ultimately if you don’t have the correct size club, overtime you are doing more harm than good.  Take the time to have a proper fitting at your pro-shop; you may have been playing for years and know what “feels” good, but trust an expert and you will notice a difference.
2. Poor Nutrition & Dehydration: On and off the course, you should make healthy food choices that promote tissue repair and reduce inflammation. The bulk of your plate should contain vegetables, lean organic meats and fish, fruits. If you don’t put good fuel in the tank, you can’t expect your engine to purr and perform.

So What? What Can I Do About It?

The best thing you can do for your long-term health and the longevity of your golf game is to work with a professional.  Physical therapists are the biomechanics experts. We will discuss with you, your symptoms, daily habits, routines, and your goals moving forward. Our examination assesses your range of motion, strength, muscle length, flexibility, stability, coordination, balance and more, in order to synthesize why you are having mechanical or pathology related pain. That information is valuable for us to develop a plan of care including hands on manual techniques to improve your biomechanics, formulate a progressive exercise and lifestyle modifications to keep you on the course while your body heals, and your  pain fades into the distance.

It All Comes Down To Kinematics

Kinematics is best understood by thinking about a car engine. An engine running smoothly depends greatly on the integrity of the structures that it is composed of and how well those parts work together to result in a cyclical pattern of movement and thus a running engine…and a running car. Lets think of your body in the same way. If your parts are broken-the machine won’t run properly. If a part is slightly out of place-the machine won’t run properly. If there isn’t enough lube, the parts are going to stick and the machine wont run properly. You see, whether you are having pain now, or not, if your body is out of alignment you are more than likely going to develop pain, degenerative conditions, overuse syndromes, etc in the future.

Our body is systematically organized so that as we look at each joint the demand of that joint alternates between stability and flexibility. Lets start and the top and work our way down-feel free to hum the head bone is connected to the neck bone and so on as we go.  To function optimally:

Your Head and Neck NEED Stability

Your Thoracic Spine/Upper Back NEED Flexibility

Your Lumbar Spine/Low Back NEED Stability

Your Hips NEED Flexibility

Your Knees NEED Stability

Your Ankle NEED Flexibility

Your Feet NEED Stability

Now don’t get any ideas, and think that you need to rush off to get a brace or a new pair of shoes to “fix” yourself. It is critical that you take the time to have a pair of experienced eyes check you out, and skilled hands see how things “are really moving” before you go and self-prescribe. Notice how each joint alternates in need, and how when you think of movement, imagine your body as a chain of events; sequencing and depending on the quality of the quality of what happened at the joint before.

To support areas that need flexibility and stability, we use a variety of modalities to get your body back to optimal mechanical function. Some of these include

In order to support the changes in your body that are brought about by the manual therapy, we use active exercises to maintain them. For golfers, by far, reformer based Pilates is the best means of retraining the body, and increasing stability throughout. Regardless of the severity of your symptoms and your presentation to your provider, your exercise program will be personalized to reflect your individual needs and goals.

In the meantime, make the following simple changes to improve your golf game and reduce injury:

1. Skip The Cart & Walk The Course: It will reduce your blood pressure, strengthen your heart & lungs, relieve varicose veins, strengthen muscles, reduce colon cancer, maintain healthy cartilage, reduce stress and many more. Email me and I will gladly send you my full list of 100 reasons to walk.
2. Stretch It Out: Take the 5 minutes after each game to do a few basic stretches. Focus on your hamstrings, hip flexors, chest, and low back to start. You should be holding each stretch 20-30 seconds and hitting on each area at least twice. Your PT exam will allow for you to know what stretches you need vs. what you don’t.
3. Spice Up Your Routine: Add some Pilates, yoga, cycling, weight training, archery, billiards, or salsa dancing to your weekly activities. The more diverse the better.

Funny as it is, the sad reality is that this may be more exercise than most folks get in a day.

Tip O’The Day: Take a walk around the building you work in throughout the day, to decompress, to breathe, to get exercise, to listen to the sounds of nature (or cars and trucks if you are in Northern VA with me…). Make each day count, and take the small steps. It DOES make a difference. The responsibility is YOURS alone.

The short answer is that Paleo is short for Paleolithic and refers to a lifestyle and eating plan similar to that of our pre-agricultural ancestors.  No, this isn’t an historical re-enactment, this is a way of living that gets back to eating good, whole foods that are gluten, grain and legume free with little or no dairy.

Here is how Robb Wolf, one of the leading Paleo proponents explains it: “In simple terms the Paleo diet is built from modern foods that (to the best of our ability) emulate the foods available to our pre-agricultural ancestors: Meat, fish, fowl, vegetables, fruits, roots, tubers and nuts. On the flip-side we see an omission of grains, legumes and dairy. As this is directed to folks new to the Paleo diet idea we need to address the “What Abouts.” This is the seemingly endless list of ingredients that folks ask: “What about artificial sweeteners, agave nectar, red wine…” In simple terms, if it’s not meat, fish, fowl, vegetables, fruits, roots tubers or nuts…it’s a “no-go.” At least initially. I like to see people go after Paleo strictly in the beginning so we get the best possible results.”

After studying Paleo extensively and following the recommendations for nearly a year now (with great results), Ann is excited to offer a new service to Core Wellness and Physical Therapy’s clients – The Paleo Consultation. This consultation involves 1 hour of one on one attention to discuss your past medical history, current eating/exercise/lifestyle plan, and goals. Ann will provide information and resources, as well as make individualized recommendations for you. You will leave the consultation with ideas about how to implement these changes in your life immediately. This service is provided for $100.00. Follow up sessions and Q & A via email are options that you may add on after your consultation for an additional charge.

Ann will be presenting on The Effects of a Paleo Diet on Type 1 Diabetes at The Ancestral Health Symposium at Harvard University in August 2012. This lifestyle is helpful for our patients with:

Type 1 Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis and other Autoimmune Illnesses such as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Fibromyalgia

Chronic pain

Weight gain/obesity

Call 571-527-9192 to schedule your consultation today!

Common non-traumatic cycling injuries

1) Anterior Knee

a) Patellar tendonitis: Inflammation of the patella tendon originating from the tibia, usually due to overuse. With repeated irritation thus inflammation scarring and tearing can occur. Pain is usually centered on the lower tip (inferior pole) where it connects to the tendon. If the tendonitis is severe you may get localized swelling – bump or lump just below your knee. Pain is felt in the front of the knee below the patella, when you pedal or walk upstairs, but it will probably be worse descending the stairs. It will also hurt when you press on the tendon itself.¹

b) Patellafemoral syndrome / Chondromalacia patella: Irritation of the cartilage behind the patella. Pain is often felt in the front of the knee when the knee joint is bent or flexed. It can often be caused by mal-tracking patella, poor foot mechanics or musculature problems.¹

Generally caused by pushing big gears- cadence to low, saddle too low or too far forward, foot to far forward on pedal, crank arms too long¹

2) Hamstrings / Calf strain

Possibly caused by saddle being too high or too far back, too much pedal float, leg length discrepancy. Can lead to excessive tension and tightness in the muscles.¹

3) Inside of the knee (Medial collateral ligaments or medial meniscus)

Possibly caused by the cleat position being too wide so the foot is held externally rotated, excessive knee frontal plane motion or too little pedal float. Can lead to repetitive strain to cartilage and ligaments.¹

4) Outside of the knee (Iliotibial band, Lateral collateral ligaments, Lateral meniscus)

Possibly caused by cleat position too narrow- foot is held inwards, too little pedal float.¹

5) Ulnar neuropathy- Symptoms include: pins and needles or numbness in the little finger, the little finger side of the ring finger and the outside border of the hand. Pain on activity that involves the little finger muscles working hard e.g. pinch grip, climbing, playing the piano. A feeling that the hand is clumsy.

6) Carpal tunnel syndrome- the main symptom is pins and needles and/ or numbness in the area of the hand that the median nerve supplies i.e. the thumb, 1st, 2nd and thumb side of the third finger on the palm side of the hand. Shooting pain may sometimes be felt going up the course of the nerve i.e. shooting up the forearm. Symptoms are often worse at night and during the day when lifting or griping something.

7) Neck and back injuries

Neck pain usually relates to the prolonged time that cyclists spend in an extended position. Neck extension with shoulders in a depressed (downwards) position increases neural tension, which can be exacerbated if your handlebars are set too low or you fail to keep your elbows slightly bent. Excessive or prolonged stretching of the nerves can result in pain, numbness or tingling in the nerve distribution down the neck and arms.²

Muscle fatigue, chronic tension to vertebral ligaments and prolonged compression to intervertebral discs can all be responsible for ongoing backache.²

**External Iliac Arteriopathy- an uncommon but serious cause of leg pain, burning or numbness and loss of leg power during cycling. Caused by repetitive hip flexion with high blood flow volumes. The repetitive stress on the artery by the hip flexor muscles creates a fibrosis in the artery.

Recovery

Compression garments- possible benefits:

• enhancing blood circulation to peripheral limbs
• reducing blood lactate concentration during maximal exercise bouts
• enhancing warm-up via increases in skin temperature
• increasing vertical jump height
• improving repetitive jump power
• reducing muscle oscillation upon ground contact
• increasing torque generated about joints, improving performance and reducing the risk of injury, for example, assisting the eccentric action of the hamstring at the end of the swing phase in running
• enhancing recovery following strenuous exercise by aiding in the removal of blood lactate and improving subsequent exercise performance
• reducing the effects of delayed onset muscle soreness in the days following strenuous exercise
• increased feelings of positive leg sensations both during and following strenuous exercise.

Glucose/carbohydrate intake

After exhaustive exercise, muscle glycogen stores are depleted. The 60-minute post exercise window is the best opportunity to replace these stores with carbohydrates and protein.

Stretch

Stretching after exercise helps keep the muscles loose and the light contractions help move blood and waste products the help the body recovery. See attached exercise sheet for the top recommended stretches for cyclists.

Massage

This can be done by a professional or you can use self-massage. If you are using self-massage, lay on the floor with your legs up on the wall so they are at a 90 degree angle to your body. Knead the muscles you can reach for 15 minutes. Having your legs up helps drain waste products from the legs, so when you sit up, fresh blood full of nutrients flood the legs speeding up the healing process.³

Sleep

Don’t stand when you can sit down, don’t sit when you can lie down. When not training, get off your feet. Take a nap if you can. Make sure to get a good night’s sleep each night. One bad night of sleep can mess up your training week as it is hard to make up for lost sleep.³

Recovery rides

Recovery rides are important both after an event and on rest days. When you have finished an event, stay on the bike spinning very lightly for 20 minutes to flush out the legs. You don’t want to stop and have the waste products produced during the ride just pool in the legs. On days after hard rides or races, 20-40 minutes of super easy spinning will let you recover quicker than complete rest. The increased blood flow to the legs helps get important nutrients to the muscles and flush out waste products without being so hard as to need recovery.³

References:

1)     http://EzineArticles.com/6344597)

2)     2) http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/cycling-injury-choose-the-right-bike-to-avoid-injury-33612

3)     http://EzineArticles.com/3658900

4)     De Glanville KM and Hamlin MJ. Positive Effect of Lower Body Compression Garments on Subsequent 40-km Cycling Time Trial Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2012 Jan 10 (abstract).

———————-Great Stretches for Cyclists——————

Adductor stretch

Seated hamstring stretch

Calf stretch

IT Band stretch

Low back stretch

Thoracic extension stretch

Chest stretch

Hip flexor stretch

Piriformis stretch

Modified quadriceps stretch

Chest and back stretch

THE 5 Minute Core Routine  (Better than 6 Minute Abs!!)

Hold 30" working your way up to 1'

Alternate 10 times. Modify by placing an exercise ball beneath your stomach

Side Plank: On your Straight Arm or Forearm. Hold for 30" building up to 1' per side

Roll up into a bridge. Tighten your abdomen and maintain a level pelvis while you straighten one leg out, then switch. 10x both sides.

Perform with upper body lifted or down. Straighten alternating legs as low as you can while maintaining contact between your low back and the floor. Repeat 10x

On all fours, extend opposite arm and leg outward then bring them together as you perform a crunch. Replace both onto the floor and change to the other side. 10x each

Go ahead and do this routine once a day! Your form, quality of movement and sustained hold for some should improve very quickly. Your increase in core strength will only help you make gains in your sport performance and reduce injury.

Have fun!

In the first trimester, women most often experience low back pain. This can easily be remedied by some instruction in body mechanics, positioning, and some exercises to help increase stability through your low back and pelvis. As you know, as your pregnancy progresses and on into breastfeeding, your body releases hormones that allow for increased mobility and flexibility. Without this change, there is no way little Timmy or Sweet Susie are going to come out of your body naturally. When these changes begin to take place, it is valuable to check in with a physical therapist to see if you need to use a sacroiliac belt ( to help keep your pelvis a bit snugger) and reduce too much movement. Truth is gals, once the low back pain kicks up…its more than likely gonna stay slightly obnoxious for the remainder of your baby baking time.

In the second trimester, we add diastasis recti to the mix. This is where your abdominal muscle (rectus abdominus) begins to separate and move laterally across your belly. Because your babe needs more room to dance, sleep and practice baby kung-fu; this is totally natural. It is not always aesthetically pleasing to mommies, and from a PT perspective can be part of why your low back pain progresses. There is not much as practitioners we can do for it in the prenatal stages, however postnatal physical therapy is fabulous for getting your abs to heal and you bikini ready..and getting your anatomy more biomechanically sound of course.

The third trimester is when things really get into full swing. In addition to the low back pain and diasasis, we include frequent urination, leg edema, fatigue, shortness of breath and constipation. Pelvic floor strengthening can help not only with frequent urination, it will also condition your body for delivery and incontinence prevention. Leg edema can be relieved with some lymph drainage and positioning instruction. Shortness of breath is due to the baby blocking the descent of the diaphram and by your third trimester can limit by as much as 4 cm. The elevation of the diaphram can make shortness of breath worse when you exert yourself. There is hope: with positioning, postural exercise and breath work we can get you comfy again. Constipation is another opportunity to use breath work, positioning, and some hands on stimulation to help things move on out.

Baby Is Here. Im Pooped, and You Want Me To Come To THERAPY?

YES! All women should follow up with a physical therapist after delivery of their baby. Beyond aiding in pain resolution and educating you on mommy and baby mechanics you will receive treatment for the following:

-Low Back Pain

-Diastasis Recti

-Scarring

-C-section, episiotomy or perineal tear

-Pelvic Floor Weakness

-Prolapse of your organs: vaginally or rectally

-Urinary or Fecal Incontinence

-Pelvic Pain

Treatment for these and other concerns often includes :

-Soft tissue mobilization

-Myofascial Release

-Deep Tissue Work

-Pilates Based Exercise/ Including Reformer

-Postural Exercise

-Lifting & Mechanics Techniques.

-Kegels- We will show you how to do these CORRECTLY! Great for restoring your body, reducing symptoms, and even improving your libido and sexual satisfaction.

We know that you have a lot on your plate with your new addition. We know that when baby sleeps you should be sleeping and frankly that doenst leave you with much time. We strive to do what we need to do in one 30-60 minute session a week. The more you can do your personalized exercise program the less you need us….so the sooner you get yours the better.

Please call us with questions about how to deal with aches and pains of your pregnancy and how to efficiently work through some of the lasting bodily changes.