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Focus Physical Therapy Bi-Monthly
June/July 2026
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949.709.8770
The Body’s Hidden Conversation Happening in Every Stride Rethink the Way We Run
Global Running Day always reminds me how running is a rare activity that is beautifully simple and endlessly complicated. Lace up shoes, head out the door, and go. At least, that is how it looks from the outside. Running can be freeing and deeply rewarding, but it also has a way of exposing the smallest biomechanical habits you didn’t even know you had. I’ve always enjoyed running. Give me 30 minutes and a decent pair of shoes, and I can get a full-body workout that challenges not just my legs, but my lungs, posture, and even my mindset. That simplicity is part of what makes it so powerful, and also what makes it easy to underestimate. As a physical therapist, I spend a lot of time thinking about biomechanics, but like most runners, I’ve had my moments of thinking, “That won’t happen to me.” One of those moments came when I decided I wanted to get faster for a half-marathon. So, I did what many runners instinctively do: I lengthened my stride. At first, it worked. My pace improved, my times dropped, and I felt like I had cracked some secret code. Then, almost as quickly, my right knee started to disagree, specifically, the outside of it. The pain crept in subtly, then stubbornly stayed. Like many relentless runners, I finished the race anyway, slightly limping, definitely questioning my life choices, and then finally did what I should have done sooner: I analyzed the problem. My physical therapist brain finally caught up with my runner brain. When I broke it down, the culprit became clear. By overextending my stride, I was placing extra tension on my hamstring, which was working overtime to decelerate my leg before each foot strike. That tension traveled down to its attachment near the fibular head, and my knee paid the price. The fix wasn’t dramatic, but it was effective. Instead of taking longer strides, I focused on shorter, quicker steps while maintaining a more natural stride. Within a few weeks, the pain eased, then disappeared. Even better, my speed improved again, this time without the side of regret. That experience reinforced something I now tell my patients all the time: Running isn’t one-size-fits-all. The shoes that work for your
My son running his first marathon.
friend might not work for you. The stride that feels powerful for one runner might be problematic for another. We’re all built differently, and our movement patterns reflect that. What matters is finding what works for your body, not chasing every new trend or technique. That is where physical therapy can make a real difference. We look for energy leaks in the foot and ankle, the hip, and the thoracic spine, because inefficiency in one place often shows up as pain somewhere else. A stiff foot can change knee mechanics. Limited hip motion can alter your stride. A rigid thoracic spine can steal rotation and force other areas to compensate. Runners are wonderfully resilient, but they are also infamous for ignoring the early warning signs. My job is to help catch those signs before they sideline you. Running really can be one of the most efficient workouts out there. In 20 or 30 minutes, you can get a full-body challenge, a mental reset, and a surprising amount of joy. My advice on Global Running Day is simple: keep the love of the sport, but listen closely to the body that carries it. The smartest runners are not the ones who never get hurt. They are the ones who know when to adjust before the body has to shout.
–Julian Manrique
Focus Physical Therapy • Call 949.709.8770 • 1
Train Your Brain With ‘Worry Time’
A Simple Habit to Calm Stress
You know that feeling when your brain starts planning for every worst- case scenario before you’ve even finished breakfast? Or when you lie down at night and your thoughts suddenly remember every bill, test, and “what if” all at once? If so, you aren’t alone, but there’s a counterintuitive trick that may help with that kind of mental spinning. Therapists suggest that people schedule “worry time.” The approach comes from cognitive-behavioral therapy and is used as a practical way to keep stress from running the show. The idea is straightforward: Once a day, for a short block of time, you sit down and let your mind bring up the stuff you keep circling. During the rest of the day, instead of wrestling with every new “what if,” you write a note about your worries and set it aside for later. Little by little, your worries start showing up more during that set time and less when you are trying to work, relax, or sleep. To get started, pick a block of time, about 15–30 minutes. It could be right before dinner or before you watch a show, but early evenings are often best. Scheduling the block then gives you enough time to accumulate your worries during the day, but also leaves you with time afterward to decompress and relax. It’s also helpful to set a timer and pick an uncomfortable spot to sit so you aren’t tempted to stay longer than the allotted time.
When worry time starts, go through every item on your list and ask yourself, “Is there anything I can actually do about this?” If the answer is yes, write down what it is and how you can work toward it. Otherwise, practice letting the worry go and move on to the next one. The goal of all this isn’t to ignore real problems. It’s ultimately about freeing mental space so you can be more present and productive during the day and less likely to experience the harmful effects of stress.
WHAT OUR PATIENTS ARE SAYING ...
The biggest compliment you can give us is referring friends and family. Thank you for all of your referrals and keep them coming! We love our clients!
“I broke my foot and needed PT to return to walking without pain. Jan and the rest of the team were absolutely fantastic and helped me heal and accomplish my goal of no pain. Thank you so very much!” –J. McCloskey
“Thank you so much for helping me recover from my injury. I always felt welcomed, the staff here were always so kind to me. I hope to get back to sports soon, and have Hayley and Fred to thank!” –Sean P.
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• Focus Physical Therapy • Call 949.709.8770
Stop Fighting Your Posture and Start Understanding It THE SURPRISING LINK BETWEEN YOUR BRAIN AND STANDING UP STRAIGHT
begins to accept that position as your “new normal.” That’s why so many people say they feel like they’re constantly fighting their posture. It’s your body compensating based on what it’s learned over time. If those neural patterns aren’t addressed, the problem tends to stick around. SITTING SHAPES YOUR BODY (AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY) Whether you’re working remotely or commuting to a desk job, sitting for long stretches puts your body in a position it simply wasn’t designed to hold all day. Your hip flexors stay in a shortened, tight position. Your thoracic spine (mid-back) rounds forward, which can leave your upper back muscles feeling stretched, weak, and fatigued. Meanwhile, your feet often rest in a slightly pointed position, shortening your calves and Achilles over time. And then there are your glutes, one of the most powerful muscle groups in your
body. When you sit, they’re essentially compressed, like a sponge being pressed down. Over time, that reduces blood flow and limits their ability to “turn on” when you need them. So when you finally stand up and go for a walk or workout, those muscles aren’t ready to do their job efficiently. SMALL CHANGES, BIG DIFFERENCE You don’t need a complete lifestyle overhaul to start improving your posture. Movement is your best tool. Even small breaks throughout the day can make a big impact. Stand up, stretch, reach overhead, or take a quick walk. If you have a smartwatch that reminds you to move, listen to it. These little resets help your body break out of those prolonged positions and retrain your system over time. If you feel like you’ve been “fighting” your posture for a while, a physical therapy assessment can help uncover what your body really needs to move and feel better.
July is National Posture Month, and if you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “Why can’t I just sit or stand up straight?” you’re not alone. One of the biggest misconceptions we see in the clinic is that posture is only about muscle strength or willpower. In reality, posture has a strong connection to your nervous system, and that piece often gets overlooked. When you spend hours at a computer or looking down at your phone, your body starts to adapt. Muscles can shorten, joints can stiffen, and your nervous system
BLT Chopped Salad
HAVE A LAUGH
Ingredients
Salad • 8 slices thick-cut bacon (about 9 oz) • 1/2 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil) • Hot water • 8 cups chopped kale, stems removed • 1/4 tsp kosher salt • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved • 1 1/2 cup sweet corn • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese • 1/4 cup finely chopped green or red onion Dressing • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 3/4 tsp smoked paprika • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Directions
1. Bake bacon at 400 F until crisp, then pat dry, cool, and chop. 2. Submerge sun-dried tomatoes in very hot water for a few minutes, then drain and pat dry. 3. Place kale in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, and massage until darker and tender (about 2 minutes). 4. Add sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, corn, bacon, feta, and onion. 5. Combine all dressing ingredients, mix well, then drizzle over salad and toss. 6. Chill 15 minutes if desired, or serve right away.
Focus Physical Therapy • Call 949.709.8770 • 3
30212 Tomas, Ste. 120 Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688, USA
949.709.8770 Focuspt.net
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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
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Running Smarter Starts With Listening Closer
A Smart Ritual for Overthinking Minds
What Our Patients Are Saying
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Break Free From the Cycle of Poor Posture
BLT Chopped Salad
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Step Back in Time on Mackinac Island
Hiking, Historic Forts, and Legendary Fudge MACKINAC ISLAND IS WHERE TIME STANDS STILL AND CHOCOLATE RULES
Step into a place where time slows, and charm takes the lead: Welcome to Mackinac Island, Michigan. Forget about cars because they’ve been banned since 1898. After a 20-minute ferry ride from the mainland, you can slow down and soak in the clicking of horse hooves, the breeze off Lake Huron, and the irresistible scent of fresh fudge drifting through town. Explore at your own leisurely pace, because on Mackinac Island, there’s no reason to rush. Here, history comes alive around every corner. Fort Mackinac, Michigan’s oldest standing structure, lets you see into the past with costumed interpreters, cannon firings, and tales of French fur traders and British soldiers. For jaw-dropping views, climb to Fort Holmes, perched at the island’s highest point, or snap a photo with the iconic cannon at British Landing, a key site in 1812. And don’t forget the island’s quirky “firsts”:
Michigan’s oldest golf course and grocery store both call Mackinac home. Nature lovers, prepare to be amazed. Over 80 percent of the island is a state park, filled with forests, limestone cliffs, and glimmering shoreline. Arch Rock is a must as this natural limestone arch perfectly frames Lake Huron. Trails like Tranquil Bluff,
Arch Rock, and Fort Holmes reward hikers with panoramic views, while hidden spots like Skull Cave and Devil’s Kitchen beg for exploration. Stop to inhale the lilac blooms or marvel at hundreds of butterflies at the Wings of Mackinac Butterfly Conservancy. And yes, the fudge is legendary. With 14 candy shops whipping up creamy, chocolatey delights, Mackinac has earned its title as America’s Fudge Capital. Watch the magic happen at Murdick’s, Joann’s, or Ryba’s, or plan a visit during the annual Fudge Festival in August. After a day of sightseeing, unwind at Mission Point Resort or the iconic Grand Hotel, where the front porch stretches over 200 yards, making it the longest in the world. Whether you’re cycling, hiking, or indulging in fudge, Mackinac Island is a magical escape that turns every visit into a storybook adventure.
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