Be Strong and Limitless

June is when scoliosis gets the spotlight!

I want to take time to recognize the strength, knowledge and brilliance of what my patients have gained from scoliosis specific physical therapy.

Currently, I have patients ages 8-80 with scoliosis here at this clinic. It’s not a limiting diagnosis. I encourage my patients to continue their sport and activity and even try a different one once they have a firm understanding of their specific curve. Knowing the posture cues and incorporating Schroth breathing techniques are the keys to keeping your spine strong and pain free.

Many of my patients excel in volleyball, basketball, strength training, music, yoga,Pilates, running , swimming, gymnastics and karate. There are Olympians, musicians, actors, writers, and a multitude of professionals who have scoliosis and rise above and beyond their diagnosis.

So how is this different from traditional physical therapy?

Scoliosis-specific PT is a unique 3D treatment approach that helps to elongate, de-rotate and strengthen the scoliotic spine.

It goes beyond classic core exercises, as it is not a ‘one size fits all’ routine.

Which is why all of my patients get CUSTOMIZED exercises for their specific curve type that you can’t find while searching  the internet.

Here are the benefits of scoliosis specific physical therapy:

• Improved understanding of scoliosis prevention and curve progression
• Improved posture
• Reduced pain
• Increased strength and flexibility
• Improved body mechanics
• Improved breathing
• Improved endurance and tolerance to activities
• Enhanced cosmetic appearance
• Prevention (or delay) of surgery
• Empowerment and enhanced psychological outlook
• Improved bracing compliance/results
• Connection to others with scoliosis

Education and early detection are key to making positive and lasting changes in the scoliotic spine.

If you want to learn more about scoliosis then check out  Scoliosis Research Societyand find support in numerous Facebook groups, or at  Higgy Bears , Curvy Girls

Ever wonder what the sounds your joints make mean? 

Have you tried to sneak up, creep quietly about for a surprise or try to not wake anyone up? But then, ‘CRACK! POP!’ and the gig is up! That unsuspecting person is now FULLY aware that you are near since your creaking joints have given your whereabouts away…sigh.

Here’s a quick resource for joint sounds that are good, ok and bad based on the the article  Joint Sounds and How Ligaments Respond to Orthobiologics

Pops and Cracks: Generally, if the sounds come and go then these are GOOD sounds that a joint makes. As stated in the article above, ” pops and cracks are caused by nitrogen bubbles in joint fluid. ”

Crepitus: This sounds like ‘Rice Krispies’ being crushed and is an OK sign if you are pain free. Crepitus does indicate some level of arthritis is forming and that the joint cartilage is roughened or missing. This sound is most common at the knee cap.

What can you do to decrease this crepitus sound? DECREASE INFLAMMATION and start the healing process.

You can simply stop doing the activity that is causing the crepitus which is more than likely weight bearing. But if you can’t do that since it may be a job requirement, then you need to slow down the inflammatory process by wearing a brace, taking NSAIDS or Ibuprofen, Turmeric or tart cherry juice concentrate.

Clunk: This sound is a DEEP clunk and indicates joint instability which is BAD.

One reason this clunk sound may be happening is that a ligament or tendon is snapping over a joint. Done repetitively, the ligament or tendon will begin to shred and lose its strength.

Another reason for the clunk sound is that a bone is rotating off its axis on another bone. Imagine a tower of blocks and one of the blocks is askew or not lined up with the rest of the blocks. This can happen in the adult spine and is known as listhesis. Listhesis is a hyper mobile vertebrae in the spine most commonly seen in aged adult spines with scoliosis or spondylolisthesis.

What can you do to decrease or stop the clunk sound? STABILIZE the joint. Sometimes a brace can help or strength exercises. But if these don’t work, then it’s time to see your physical therapist and figure out a plan.

So there’s my quick guide to joint sounds: POP, CRACK, CREPITUS and CLUNK and what they may mean to you and your health.

Reach out via email, phone or schedule an appointment if you have any questions:

Contact Joy of Therapy with your questions

Flexible enough that you are pain free and functional.

That’s really what matters for day-to-day living.

Muscles, tendons, ligaments and skin all have collagen which is a major connective tissue that provides elasticity. Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body and aids in strengthening your tissues. Before the age of 30, collagen is plentiful and in some cases, too much, as in joint hyper mobility.

But as we age the “amount of collagen in your body decreases over time… 1-2% per year. This reduction is the body’s response to the aging process and is a natural part of what happens as we age. The protein structures within our bodies begin to reduce flexibility and are more likely to break or be degraded over time.”- Visit blog on AbsoluteCollagen.com 

So what can you do to maintain your flexibility? Stretch and move everyday is the best medicine. Perhaps try collagen supplements available over the counter . These products help minimally for the musculoskeletal system but can be helpful for gut issues. Please consult your physician if you have any questions about supplements. Visit Healthline.com to learn more.

The ‘other side of the coin’ is to be hyperflexbile or Hypermobile.

This has its advantages for many sports and hobbies, but be cautious so as to not over stretch your joints as they can dislocate or move too much causing pain. Hyperflexibility is common in people diagnosed with scoliosis.

It can also be a symptom of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which is a connective tissue disorder that is “characterized by joint hypermobility (joints that stretch further than normal), skin hyperextensibility (skin that can be stretched further than normal), and tissue fragility.” Several criterion must be met to be diagnosed with EDS as it is a complex diagnosis. You can discuss this further with your doctor and read more at Science Direct .

The Beighton Scale is one of the  clinical tools used to assess widespread hypermobility and multiple factors are assessed.

• One point if, while standing and bending forward, the individual can place their palms on the ground with the legs straight
• One point for each elbow that extends more than 10degrees
• One point for each knee that extends more than 10 degrees
• One point for each thumb that, with the wrist flexed and arm straight, can be manipulated to touch the forearm.
•  One point for each fifth finger that extends beyond 90 degrees

You have generalized joint hypermobility if you scored:  6 or more for children and adolescents 5 or more for men and women up to age 50 4 or more for men and women over the age of 50 Download this PDF to get more information if you think you have joint hyper mobility and contact your doctor if you think this describes you.

The ultimate goal is BALANCE of the connective tissues in your body to help you live a pain free and highly functional lifestyle!

Here’s another quick quiz that evaluates certain areas of your body for flexibility:

Modified from “These Tests Will Measure Your Flexibility from Head to Toe” by Samantha LeFave 1/14/2020

1. Hamstring test: Bend forward from an upright position and reach for the ground with your hands • Both hands completely touch the ground = 2 • Both hands touch your ankles or lower shins = 1 • Both hands touch at mid shins or above your knees or your hands touch unevenly to your shins or above knees = 0
2. Hip Rotator Test: Lie on your back, with the left foot on the ground and right ankle resting gently on top of the left knee. Lift the left leg up off the ground and try to reach for your hamstring or shin, bringing it in closer to your chest or into a Figure 4 position. Repeat on other side. • You are able to bring both legs close to your chest and easily grab the shins = 2 • You are able to grab behind your thigh and lift both legs so that the knees are in line with the hips = 1 • You cannot reach the back of your leg and/or lift it off of the ground 1-2 inches or one leg lifts higher than the other = 0
3. Spine Test: Lie on your back and bring both knees into the chest.Then, keeping your upper body flat on the ground—it may help to stretch your arms out to each side—slowly rotate both knees to one side, getting as close to the ground as possible. • You can rotate easily from side to side while keeping your back and buttocks on the ground = 2 • You can rotate your legs from side to side but your pelvis/ buttocks lift off of the ground = 1 • You can rotate your legs unevenly side to side and/or less than 45 degrees either side =0
4. Shoulder test: Start standing with feet together and arms down by your side. Bring your hands behind your back and aim to grab the opposite forearm. • You are able to reach to the opposite elbow or above the elbow = 2 • You are able to reach to the opposite forearm between the elbow and wrist = 1 • You are able to reach to the opposite wrist or hand = 0
5. Neck test: From a seated cross-legged position, slowly rotate your head to one side and look behind you. • You can easily look over your shoulder without lifting your chin up or down = 2 • You can turn your head to nearly your shoulder = 1 • You can turn your head in line with your collar bone or less and/or with pain = 0

Let’s see your score by adding up the numbers:

8-10 points: You are very flexible! Your exercises need to include stability and strength and not to push your joints to hyper mobility or laxity. Be cautious not to dislocate your joints. 5-7 points : You have good flexibility! You need to maintain an even exercise routine of flexibility, strengthening and stability. 0-4 points: You are tight! You need to stretch often and with longer holds.

Got more questions or concerns about your flexibility? Contact Joy of Therapy  and get to work on either stretching or stabilizing your body today!

Stand Up. Stand Out. Stand Tall.

I often get asked, “my kid/parent/spouse’s posture seems to be worsening. What can be done to help?”

First, it’s up to that person to want to make the change.

Second, you can model it yourself with a simple formula that can be done without anyone being the wiser for it!

Drooping or rounded shoulders, a forward leaning head, or rounded upper back is of concern due to the awesome power of gravity and life stressors. But that can all be countered with daily posture corrections in a few easy steps.

So what does ‘good posture’ even mean?!

I prefer to say ‘strong posture’, as that is what it takes to maintain a solid upright position for a long period of time such as when driving, watching TV, working on a computer or eating. The strength must come from your core and thankfully that doesn’t require loads of sit-ups or burpees!

A strong posture can be achieved through the power of your breath and that is something all of us can do easily with just a few key points.

Here’s my formula for a strong posture:

1. Create a base of support by pushing down through your feet if you are standing or through your seat/buttocks if you are sitting
2. Add  a line of pull from the top of your head to the ceiling/ sky to create a lengthening or elongation of your spine 
3. Relax your shoulders and rib cage down and broaden through your shoulders
4. Now it’s time to add the strength by breathing .  You want to think of expanding your chest by breathing forward and out.

Once you get the hang of this, it will become quick and effortless and may even help you gain that extra bit of height that you thought you lost !

Check out the video below with the arrows to help visual these tips.

If you’ve been diagnosed with Schuermann’s or Scoliosis, then a good place to start is to work with a physical therapist who is trained in the Schroth Method. A thorough evaluation is key to determine exactly what will be best to achieve that strong and effortless posture.#tallahasseephysicaltherapy #joyoftherapypt #scoliosis #schrothmethod #posture #scoliosistrength #scoliosispt #spine #Schroththerapy #postureexercises

Inquire here about how to get a strong posture

Core Strengthening in Sitting

In posture and especially scoliosis treatments, you need to work on the endurance of postural muscles, and then hold positions for a looooooonger period of time.

Here’s P doing a seated core strengthening exercise using the wall bars to help create resistance.

By knowing her postural cues, P is able to do sustained, controlled breathing and then can add resistance through her arms to build up core strength and stability.

This is just one of many positions that we do to train and strengthen the postural muscles along the spine.

The key is to then do some of these exercises EVERY DAY to make real, lasting changes in the spine!

Contact the clinic today if you or someone you know could benefit from learning how to strengthen their spine.

Submit your online inquiry here..

Backpack Check

As we skid into the final quarter of the school year, I would venture to guess that most of us aren’t checking our kid’s backpacks for fear of what actually may be in there! Most likely old food, crumpled up important notes, progress reports left unsigned, acorns, leaves, rocks or even slime in some cases.

Regardless of what is inside their backpack, take a moment to lift it up and check to see how heavy it has become over the school year. Books, notebooks and folders tend to accumulate, and then when you add a lunch, water bottle or a musical instrument, it can get quite heavy!

So what is too heavy for a backpack?

Good news is that has already been figured out for you! The research is here and published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapy:

PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION| Read VOLUME 25, P174-182, JANUARY 01, 2021

A study in India observed 20 boys aged 9-14 years old and analyzed how they walked while increasing the load in their backpacks in respect to their weight.

What they found was this: as the load in the backpack increased, they noted marked movement changes “in the child’s ankle, knee and hip joints. These changes were evident when the backpack load increased beyond 15% of their body weight.”

“Carrying heavy backpacks may result in cumulative trauma later in life due to biomechanical adaptations during gait.”

Bottom Line:

The ideal weight to carry a backpack WITHOUT having it alter their posture was LESS THAN 15% OF THEIR BODY WEIGHT.

Here’s a table to help you figure this out:

Get out the scale or just take a tug on the backpack and see if it falls into the range that fits for maintaining good posture.

Call, email or schedule your complimentary 20 minute posture consultation today. Schedule online here. 

Cupping is EXCELLENT to ease muscle strains and aches 

It’s one of my favorite ‘tools in the toolbox’ to help your muscles recover from aches and pain, and it’s something that you can do in the comfort of your own home in just 5 easy steps.

Why should you try cupping? It’s very helpful for anyone with hip, knee, low back, upper back and shoulder pain. And, with the magical combination of physical therapy and cupping, you, too, can get rid of muscle strains and perform better than ever.

Did you know that Michael Phelps, the amazing Olympic gold medalist swimmer, had cupping done on his body before he plunged into the pool for the Summer 2016 Olympics in Rio? It definitely helped his muscles reach their optimal potential and grab those gold medals!

A physical therapist uses cupping similar to how a musician tunes an instrument: the musician first needs to make sure that his/her instrument is in tune before setting out to play a song. Cupping is like ‘tuning’ the human body before it goes out to perform in the Olympics or simply to take a walk outside.

Cupping is an ancient Eastern medicine modality that has been around since 1500BC. This form of cupping involves heating cups made of glass, silicone or bamboo, and then placing it on the skin and leaving it there for 15 minutes. The redness is caused by tiny blood vessels ‘breaking’, but no worries, as the redness disappears within hours.

In the clinic here, a modified form of cupping is done by using silicone cups or a small sink plunger, and no heat.

The key difference with this form of cupping in physical therapy is that movement is used while the cups are on the skin.

By moving the body while cupping, it releases restrictions in soft tissue (skin, muscle, fat, ligament or tendon) instead of it being a passive modality (meaning that you don’t move).

All soft tissues in your body need to glide on one another like sheets of paper that can easily move between themselves. When there is a restriction or a ‘stickiness’, the tissues cannot move freely and get bound together. When that ‘stickiness’ or binding between tissues is unable to release by itself, it can cause a decrease in movement. Over time, true tissue restrictions occur limiting movement and causing muscle strain and pain. By freeing up the soft tissues off of one another, there is less pain and the muscles have the freedom to do whatever function is needed.

You can give cupping a try at home on yourself with just 5 simple steps:

1- Purchase a cupping set ( Highly recommend the Lure brand , economically priced below $30) see image with link to purchase

2- Apply vasoline oil or lotion to the rim

3- Squeeze the closed end of the cup and place the open end on the area of your body that needs it ( safest to use on large muscles or the knee cap ) . You may also use multiple cups along a muscle such as on the outer thigh for IT band pain.

 

4- While the cup is on, do a movement that helps to stretch the tissue under the cup (example: if the cup is on your upper back, then raise your hand up and down as if asking a question in class)

5- Remove the cup after 30 seconds or up to 1 minute and wipe the skin clean.

Now you’re ready to go toss a ball, swing a golf club, reach overhead to a shelf or swim for the Olympic gold medal!

Click on the image or link below to get your cupping set today and get rid of those annoying muscle aches and pains. https://www.amazon.com/Cupping-Therapy-Massage-Cellulite-Professional/dp/B00P86S3IM/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3VOB1LLIVDVH1&dchild=1&keywords=lure+cupping+therapy+sets&qid=1600976245&sprefix=lure%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-8