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June/July 2021
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Jaw-Dropping Feats and Inspiring Athletes Why I’m Excited for the Olympics
dedication, determination, and perseverance as they push their bodies to the limit. It’s seriously jaw-dropping. Many of those athletes come as close to perfection as the human body can get. Plus, the announcers always tell great stories about their backgrounds and what they overcame to get to the Olympics. Sometimes those stories are tear-jerkers, but they’re always inspiring. Since I was born in Argentina, I’m a little biased toward the athletes on the Argentianian soccer team. I always like to see them succeed, but I also root for plenty of U.S. pros. I’m particularly drawn to watching the track and field and swimming events. Michael Phelps’ performance over the years has been just unreal (I’m not 100% sure the guy is human!), and both Usain Bolt and Carl Lewis blew me away on the tracks. I’ve done a few triathlons myself, so I have an idea of what it’s like to train for swimming and running events. Let me tell you, looking at the times I achieve and the times those Olympic athletes put up makes me wonder how the heck what they do is even possible! I think we can all agree that Olympians are very, very impressive. We hold them in high regard because of their work ethic and accomplishments. But they wind up
Here in South Orange County, we’re practically swimming in Olympic history. I think about this every time Games come on TV like they will at the end of this month. The Mission Viejo Nadadores Swim Academy, where Olympic gold medalist diver Greg Louganis trained, is only a few miles from my house. I also live just a couple blocks from Florence Joyner Olympiad Park. It was named for Flo-Jo, the famous track star from California who won three gold medals and one silver in the 1988 Olympics. She also took silver in the 200-meter dash in 1984, when the Summer Olympic Games were held practically outside my front door. According to my neighbors who have lived here in LA forever, some of the cycling events from the 1984 Olympics took place on the streets around my house. I wish I’d lived here in the ‘80s because it would have been amazing to see! One of my neighbors actually had that experience, and he told me about watching the racers flash past. Sometimes when I ride those bike paths, I think, “How amazing is it that Olympians have blown right through here?” I can’t wait for the Games to come back to LA in 2028. As you can probably tell, I’m a huge fan of Olympic athletes. My favorite part of watching the Games is seeing their
with injuries just like the rest of us and sometimes need PT to get them back on track (read more about that on Page 3). I’ve had the privilege of treating a few retired Olympians in the clinic over the years, including an awesome trampoline event competitor. Age catches up with all of us, even the world’s best athletes. We may not all perform at the Olympic level, but I think every single person who moves their body in any way is an athlete. That includes you and everyone who comes through the doors of Focus Physical Therapy. Like Olympians, my patients work hard and persevere to achieve their goals. It’s awesome to see, and I’m proud to help. If you’re going for a physical fitness goal right now, open up this newsletter to find out what my team will do to pitch in!
–Julian Manrique
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‘Too Old’ for Martial Arts? Tell It to Mr. Miyagi
in the process, despite Kreese being a much younger man.
Martial arts get added to the list of activities we can’t do as we age, right? Unless you’re doing tai chi or aikido, most people think there’s no place in contact sports for aging folks.
Mr. Miyagi is based on a “stock” character, or archetype, from traditional Asian martial arts culture. But there’s a grain of truth to it, whether you’re looking at real-life martial artists (Henry Plée comes to mind, who practiced well into his 80s) or fighting school founders in medieval Japan — who often viewed karate as integral to their understanding of Zen and other spiritual matters, and thus essential as they got older. Netflix’s “Cobra Kai” carries on the tradition, showing us a much-older LaRusso who takes on the Miyagi role, opposite his longtime “frenemy” Johnny Lawrence. LaRusso and Lawrence have both returned to karate in middle age, and even Kreese reappears, now in his 70s and as formidable as ever. Is that realistic? You bet! According to one study, the average karate practitioner is 55 years old, and the average martial
Except, as it turns out, there is.
From hip shows like “Cobra Kai” (and its basis, “The Karate Kid”) to centuries of tradition, older people and martial arts actually mix quite well — and they can be a great throughline for an active life. Martial arts took off in the United States back in the 1980s with the “Karate Kid” franchise, which continues today. The original movies showed us Pat Morita, an Okinawan expatriate and karate master who trains Ralph Macchio’s character, Daniel LaRusso. Morita’s Mr. Miyagi is no spring chicken, but he’s able to take LaRusso to new levels of karate expertise — and also beat down bad guy John Kreese
artist is 46. Many in both groups report regular sparring and contact practice.
If you’re a martial artist, you may have to make some adjustments as you get older, but you’ll never have to give up your discipline entirely. And if you’re new to the world of martial arts, it’s never too late to start — as long as you find the right teacher and school!
The biggest compliment you can give us is referring friends and family. Thank you for all your referrals, and keep them coming! We love our clients!
SUCCESS STORY
“This is by far the best physical therapy office you could ever go to! Julian is amazing! He has so much skill and knowledge to help you improve and make your quality of life better, not to mention he is funny! I first came to him five years ago in a wheelchair, and now I am walking completely on my own and have gained so much strength with his help. The whole rest of the staff is also great and very friendly!” - Lauren T.
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3 Amazing Olympians push their bodies to the limit, and sometimes they push too far. Injuries are inevitable when you’re training and competing at the Olympic level. Luckily, star athletes have teams of physical therapists, physicians, chiropractors, and other professionals on hand to help them get back to the top of their game. Here are just three of those amazing recovery stories, starring Olympians who got a leg up from PT! Bradie Tennell: From a Back Brace to Bronze In 2015, figure skater Bradie Tennel won the Junior title at the U.S. Championships — then, she fractured her spine in two places. She wore a back brace for three months, and she later learned she had a third fracture no one caught the first time! Still, with the help of a physical therapist Olympians Need PTs, Too!
Olympic Athlete Recovery Stories
and Pilates, she got back on the ice. She went on to win a bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. J.R. Celski: Beating the Odds on the Ice During the Olympic trials for the 2010 Winter Games, short track speed skater J.R. Celski tumbled on the ice. “I fell in the corner and put the front 6 inches of my blade straight into my quad … I completely severed the VMO ‘tear drop muscle’ and luckily barely missed the femoral artery, which might’ve been the end,” he told SBNation. Most viewers thought Celski was headed for retirement, but after emergency surgery, 60 stitches, and five months of rehabilitation, he was back. Incredibly, he won two bronze medals at the 2010 Games and a silver in 2014.
Hannah Kearney: The Gold Medalist Who Almost Wasn’t Freestyle skier Hannah Kearney has overcome so many injuries that she inspires other injured Olympians to keep grinding. The laundry list of injuries includes a concussion, broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a lacerated liver. In 2007, she needed reconstructive surgery on the ACL in her knee. But she came out of her rehabilitation stronger than ever! In 2010, she won an Olympic gold skiing on her reconstructed knee.
EASY TUNA POKE BOWL This protein-packed recipe is the perfect dinner for two on a hot summer night when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
HAVE A LAUGH
Ingredients
• • • • • •
2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped 1 scallion, finely chopped 1 cup rice, cooked and cooled
• • • •
2 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 2 tbsp orange juice
1/4 cup avocado, cubed
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tbsp sesame seeds
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10 oz canned tuna, drained
Directions
1. First, make the dressing. In a jar, add soy sauce, sesame oil, orange juice, and ginger. Secure the lid and shake until emulsified. 2. In a small bowl, empty the drained tuna and pour the dressing over top. Add the cilantro and scallions and stir until well coated. 3. Divide rice between two serving bowls. Top with the dressed tuna, avocado, tomatoes, and sesame seeds.
Inspired by TheKitchn.com
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SPECIALIZING IN: LOWER BACK PAIN • SCIATICA • NECK PAIN AND HEADACHES HIP PROBLEMS • SHOULDER PAIN, BURSITIS, AND TENDINITIS SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPY • GOLF PERFORMANCE KNEE PAIN • PLANTAR FASCIITIS • DIZZINESS AND VERTIGO AQUATIC PHYSICAL THERAPY • AND OTHER CONDITIONS
Julian’s Life in Olympics Land 1 2 2 3 3 4 INSIDE THIS ISSUE ‘Too Old’ for Martial Arts? Success Story 3 Amazing Olympic Athlete Recovery Stories Easy Tuna Poke Bowl Have You Explored a National Forest?
Explore a National Forest for Free On National Get Outdoors Day
While parking and day-use fees to access national forests tend to be relatively modest, fee-free days open up the opportunity to all visitors. The U.S. Forest Service has a great interactive map tool that prospective park- goers can use to learn more about the forests in their area, amenities and activities, and accessibility. Visit FS.fed.us/ivm to access the map and see what’s near your hometown! If you’re dreaming up travel plans beyond your state’s border, consider visiting these notable U.S. national forests. • El Yunque National Forest: Located in Puerto Rico, El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the United States. • Tongass National Forest: Spanning 16.7 million acres and several islands across Southeast Alaska, the Tongass is the country’s largest national forest.
Many people in the U.S. and across the world have a national park trip on their travel bucket list. While Zion, Yellowstone, and the Great Smoky Mountains are all awesome locales, outdoor enthusiasts often overlook a resource that is less busy, less expensive, and usually right in their backyard: national forests. All but 10 states have a national forest (or more than one!), so if your home state doesn’t have one, it’s very likely a neighboring state does! And there’s no better time to hike, bike, forage for mushrooms or berries, or camp at a nearby national forest than this month. The tree-filled landscape will provide shade and help you beat the summer heat, and to further incentivize visitors, the U.S. Forest Service (the organization that oversees the national forests) is offering a fee-free day on Saturday, June 12, in honor of National Get Outdoors Day!
• Salmon-Challis National Forest: This Idaho forest is the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 and contains the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. • Cibola National Forest and Grassland: Spread across north-central New Mexico, west Texas, and Oklahoma, this forest and grassland area is notable for its diverse ecosystems and wildlife. The Sky Islands portion of the park is also home to over 200 rare plant and animal species.
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