"HowDo I KnowIf I'mMovingLike I Should?" CanYouDoThis?
Can you do these simple tests to see if your hips and legs are as flexible and strong as they should be? Try them for yourself and let us know how you did. Use caution and common sense when attempting these tests; do not continue if they cause pain or discomfort. Do not attempt if you have had a hip replacement. • From standing, can you touch your toes? This indicates hip and low back flexibility. • In sitting can you comfortably cross your legs so that your ankle is resting on the other knee? Does one knee go further down than the other? This indicates hip flexibility. If one hip is tighter than the other, it can wreck havoc with your walking and even cause knee pain. • Keeping your feet flat on the floor and holding onto something solid, how far can you squat down? You should be able to squat all the way down so your buttocks almost touch your heels. Don’t let your heels pop up! If you favor movement to one side, you probably have hip weakness on that side or limited motion in the hip joint. • Standing near a counter top put one foot in front of the other so that you are touching heel to toe. Without putting your hands down, see if you can balance for 10 seconds, keeping yourself steady. If you cannot, then you may have trouble with the coordination of your balance.
Restoring Normal Pain Free Motion Restoring normal motion is key to alleviating pain and allowing you to do the activities you love to do safely. Physical therapy is the key to restoring normal joint and muscle motion. Our medical experts pinpoint the key problem areas that you may not even be aware of and focus on a custom treatment plan that will restore your normal pain-free motion. Performing at Your Best Whether you are just out for a walk or an avid athlete, we can help you walk, run and play better. With our motion analysis, strength testing, coordination testing and more, we can spot your muscles and joints that need flexibility, strength or coordination. A
customized treatment plan tailored to meet your individualized needs and goals will be developed to help you optimize your body’s movement efficiency. At Virginia Center for Spine & Sports Therapy, it’s not just PHYSICAL THERAPY, it’s PERSONAL THERAPY! Service Spotlight FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT SCREENS
January31st isNational Hot ChocolateDay ENJOY A CUP OF HAPPINESS!
What is it about hot chocolate that makes us feel so good? Aside from its ability to elicit feelings of nostalgia of a warm hug, it is also good for you! Chocolate, and particularly dark chocolate, contains many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and biochemical compounds – all of which give our body a satisfying health boost.
It decreases risks of heart disease, lowers blood pressure, and increases themicrocirculation inyourskin(thuswarmingyou).Chemicalcompounds in chocolate trigger the brain to release endorphins and serotonin which induce feelings of calmness, and reduce pain and stress. But a good cup of cocoa also has a lot of calories so enjoy in moderation. Dark ChocolateHot Cocoa • 2 oz. quality dark chocolate (or to taste) • 1 C milk • 1 tsp brown sugar • 1 T heavy whipping cream • 1 pinch cinnamon Heat milk to just before boiling. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Stir in dark chocolate until melted. Stir in whipping cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a screening tool developed by a physical therapist to identify limitations in movementpatterns.TheFMS is intended forathletes, healthyactivepeopleandhealthy inactivepeoplewhowant tobecomemoreactive. It isa screen that identifiesaperson’squalityofmovement includingmotorcontrol,asymmetries, mobility and stability and discovers weak links in that person’s movement. This is important when starting an exercise program, increasing fitness level or participating in a sport because that weak link can be a predictor of future injury. Once the FMS is performed and scored, it will determine where the weak links are and corrective exercises can be prescribed by a physical therapist. This in turn will improve theefficiencyofaperson’smovementwithexercise/sportsanddecrease the riskof injury due to compensation and/or micro trauma from dysfunctional movement. Call us today to schedule!
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