Life Gets in the Way!

If I had a dime for every time I made this excuse . . .

I’d be rollin’ in dough!

A perfect example is vacation right?

We have a routine that keeps us doing t
he things
that keep us healthy ~ eating right, exercising, taking our vitamins, etc. Then we go on vacation! We relax, indulge, pamper, overdo (or under-do), and return home feeling like we need a vacation from our vacation before we return to work. Because we are tired and have lots of laundry or yard work to catch up on we skip returning to our regular routine until we realize we have been back for a month and still haven’t gotten to the gym or studio . . .

This can happen with the holidays, projects at work, illness, renovations or any number of other things that make it easy for the majority of us to set aside our commitments to our heath and wellbeing and focus on outside things.

Do you find yourself in these examples?

(I hope I am not alone~heeheehee)

I think of this because our family is currently on a college touring road trip. And I have 8 hours in the car . . . We have toured 5 campuses in 5 days, from Iowa to Pennsylvania! Driven 1,288 miles (not including the 1700+ it to get to the first campus ~ #roadtrip) and walked 21.8 miles!

It was good exercise but not complete exercise. We were all missing the flexibility component of our routine, as evidenced by our taking every opportunity to stretch ~ in line at the gas station, during the standing portions of the tours, and while in bed!  We are now done with the college tours and starting the family vacation portion of our road trip . . . so what did we do when we got to Mackinac Island?? Walked around a lot the first afternoon and rested from our college touring ~ its actually quite tiring! Yesterday we slept in and then rented bikes! We were so excited to not be walking that we road the entire island and then some! The circumference of the island is 8.2 miles, but we also wanted to see the interior and only had yesterday left (as I write we are traveling to Two Harbors, Minnesota to spend five days with family).  So . . . we biked around the island sightseeing, returned to the hotel to get our swim suits, biked to a place to swim in Lake Huron and back to the hotel again ~ A total of 20 miles (gasp). Needless to say the legs were jello, the joints were achy, the spirit was blessed and the mind was clear!

I know the rest of the week holds hiking and water activities, shopping and more. Of course there is the long drive home as well (sigh). So what will happen when I get home?

Back to the same routine of 3 day a week strength training, 3 days a week walking the dog, 10-15 minute of yoga and foam rolling, cooking healthy meals, taking my vitamins?

Or will I let life get in the way?

Stay tuned . . . I’ll give an update September 1st!

National Falls Awareness

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Isn’t it a funny coincidence that National Falls Prevention Awareness Day “falls” on the same day as the first day of fall?

But it is the perfect time to talk about improving balance in your life. Moving from summer to fall we experience a balancing of the sunlight and moonlight hours. There is a shift in the rhythm of our routines, maybe even a complete reorganization of them! As you balance your commitments this fall, consider adding physical balance to your routine.

The CDC reports that about one third of people aged 65 years and older will fall each year. This increases to 50% of people 80 years and older. Only 15% of these falls are unavoidable! The other 85% are due to combinations of the following risk factors:

• Strength, Balance and Mobility deficits

• Medication errors and mismanagement

• Vision, Inner ear, or Cognitive impairment

• Depression

• Effects of multiple medical conditions.1

A Physical Therapist can help you evaluate your risk of falling by examination and evaluation of your:

• Medical history – including nervous system disorders such as Stroke or Parkinsonism, history of fall, and more

• Current medications

• Vision and vestibular systems

• Vital signs

• Footwear and feet

• Strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, gait, posture

We also perform a home safety assessment and a quick screen of your cognitive abilities.2
If a concern is found a Physical Therapist can address limitations in:

• strength

• flexibilty

• coordination

• sensation

• balance

• gait

• visual tracking

• inner ear function

We also educate clients on how to reduce your fall risk and your fear of falling. Finally, we refer clients to the appropriate medical profession for consultation regarding medication, cognitive and medical issues as they are not within our scope of practice.3

After Physical Therapy, there are many wonderful community programs for balance training to help you maintain your balance!

Wishing you a Fall-Free Fall!

Additional resources you may find helpful

http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Falls/index.html

https://www.ncoa.org/healthy-aging/falls-prevention/

My Resources

1. http://www.ptnow.org/ClinicalSummaries/QuickDetail.aspx?cid=8616b838-1be2-499c-b56a-fc901d149f61

2. http://www.moveforwardpt.com/symptomsconditionsdetail.aspx?cid=85726fb6-14c4-4c16-9a4c-3736dceac9f0#.VgM6N3vJAt8

3. http://www.moveforwardpt.com/symptomsconditionsdetail.aspx?cid=1bb9c784-a874-43b1-976f-d0de03c19f99#.VgM6NXvJAt9

Life Lessons . . . Sarcopenia

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I’ve been absent from blogging for about a month. We went to Germany for vacation. Upon returning home it took a week to adjust, as usual. We had multiple appointments and the kids started school. I mention all this not as an excuse but because it has helped me to learn a life lesson. The kind of life lesson that you embrace in your head (because you teach it to others) but have never truly embraced in your heart, as a way of life.

In Germany we walked an average of 8 miles a day, touring the cities and towns. For the first few days I was stiff and sore ~ yoga (und bier) helped. My knee (plagued with 30 years of patellofemoral tracking issues) was killing me for a day or so. By the third or fourth day I woke feeling young, strong, vibrant ~ 18 years old again!! No achy joints, no struggling to get up from a chair, no jolting of my frame when running across the street!

 The life lesson I learned in Germany. . .

 . . . Exercise Keeps You Young.

 Related to this topic is Sarcopenia or muscle loss that occurs with aging. In our 30’s we begin to lose muscle mass and thus muscle function, which equates to strength and coordination. Those of us who are physically inactive (think desk job or long commutes)  can lose as much as 3-5% per decade in our 30’s and 40’s, 10-20% in our 50’s and up to 30% in our 60’s.  Another life lesson . . . Use it or Lose it!

 The treatment for Sarcopenia? Resistance Training! Unsure of where to start? Development of a strength training program is easily done by your Physical Therapist. He or she will help you select the best exercises and dose them based on scientific evidence, identify your movement patterns and teach you correct form to decrease your risk of injury.

 Final Life Lesson for today . . .

. . . Practice What You Preach!

As for me, I am putting these lessons into practice by

• Committing to walk my dog at least 1 mile daily.

• Doing at least 15 minutes of yoga daily save for my hour session once a week.

• Doing Pilates once a week.

• Creating a plan to incorporate consistent strength training.

I invite you to join me.

Be Well!  Roxi

Annual Exams

How many of us have annual exams by our physicians, ophthalmologist, dentists? Most of us are so busy that these appointments rarely top the priority list but does that mean they are not important? Absolutely not! I am embarrassed to admit that altho I work in the healthcare profession I see my dentist for a cleaning yearly (although it should be every six months), my internist every year to year and a half for a wellness exam and I can’t recall the last time I saw an ophthalmologist – but it is on the top of my list currently!!

The other person we should be seeing for regular exams is our Physical Therapist. Physical Therapists are your movement specialists. We are the experts in normal and abnormal body mechanics, re-education of normal movement and functional movement training. The Vision of our professional association states PT’s are  “Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.” http://www.apta.org/Vision/

Reasons to see a physical therapist include:

• Injury including muscle or tendon strain, ligament sprain, fractured bones, pain, and many more.

• Post surgery including ligament reconstruction, tendon repair, joint replacement and many more.

• Chronic or recurring injury or disease that limits your ability to function or move the way you want.

But have you ever thought about seeing a PT for:

• A fitness consultation

  • Improving flexibility, strength, endurance

  • Improving balance, coordination

• Enhancing sports performance

• Injury prevention

• A postural consultation

“Physical therapists have the education, experience, and expertise necessary to provide a broad health screening to allow tracking the patient’s health status over time.” www.apta.org/AnnualCheckup/

 The goal of ZPT is to be your PT for life! You have a medical doctor, a dentist and an eye doctor. Why not have a doctor of physical therapy?

Click here to inquire about annual exams!

Be Well! Roxi