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CAMPUS COMMONS
GATOR CHOMPING TO VICTORY
HOW MY PASSION FOR FOOTBALL PEAKED
I have loved football ever since I was a kid growing up in Northern California. At that time, I watched plenty of professional football and had the choice of being an Oakland Raiders fan or a San Francisco 49ers fan. I chose to root for the Niners. I played football throughout my youth and even continued to play when I went to college at UC Davis. When I graduated from college and decided to attend graduate school in Florida, my passion for college football really took off. In the Deep South, football is more than a sport — it’s almost like a religion. People eat, breathe, and sleep football, which I learned pretty quickly after moving to the Sunshine State. Everywhere you looked, people had Florida State, University of Florida, or University of Miami logos attached to their cars. There was also no shortage of team flags waving from the windows of cars during the season. I made some good friends with people in my graduate school who attended the University of Florida, so I decided to root for the Gators alongside them. My excitement for college football spiked when I attended a game between the University of Florida and the University of Tennessee. I remember being blown away by the tailgating experience, as it was absolutely massive. The parking lot was filled with RVs and tents where people were hosting cookouts and gatherings. It was a crazy party environment, but everyone got along really well. Everyone I went with was decked out in Florida blue and orange, but the president of our grad program was actually a Tennessee alumnus, so he was wearing bright Tennessee orange. We went to his tailgate, and there was some light ribbing but no real animosity. Everyone was just there to enjoy a great football game.
Nobody sat down for the first 10 minutes of the game. Everyone was standing, cheering, and doing the gator chomp motion regardless of age. Once halftime rolled around, over 70% of the crowd returned to the tailgates or to the row of bars and restaurants across from the stadium. They continued to party outside the stadium until the half resumed. We saw the giant rush of people return to the stadium so they could open the second half with roars of applause while doing the gator chomp for another 10 minutes. It was an atmosphere unlike anything else. Thankfully, the Gators won and I enjoyed the experience so much that we actually went up to Knoxville, Tennessee, to see the rematch the following year. “I GET TOGETHER WITH MY FAMILY TO WATCH EVERY GAME AND THAT’S THE REAL JOY OF FOOTBALL. IT BRINGS TOGETHER COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES.” I am still a 49ers and Gators fan to this day. I get together with my family to watch every game, and that’s the real joy of football. It brings together communities and families. I have to say that it’s much more enjoyable to root for a particular team every year rather than jump on the bandwagon of whoever is doing the best. There’s nothing quite like seeing your favorite team have a great season. I hope you all get a chance to enjoy some football this season!
Walking into the stadium was an intense sight. The stands were packed with Florida colors except for one small section of Tennessee orange.
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5 Exercises to Improve Balance FIND YOUR BALANCE Though we may not always think about it, balance is essential to just about everything we do in our daily routines. From simply getting out of bed, leaning over to tie our shoes, or even walking to the mailbox, we need good balance to keep ourselves steady while performing normal tasks. KNOW WHY BALANCE IS IMPORTANT. Balance is the ability to control your body’s position, whether stationary or moving. It is a key component of fitness that many people neglect while developing their fitness regimen. Balance training is a great way to help your body recognize where it is and control movements in a given space. When the body knows where its limbs are in space — known as proprioception — it is able to produce smooth, controlled movements with fewer risks of injuries. Reaction time and agility are also improved with balance training. The body learns how to quickly correct itself but not overcompensate and has the ability to quickly change direction effectively and efficiently. Though balance training is important for everyone, it is especially important for those who have problems due to illness, weakness, or dizziness. It allows them to overcome stiffness or unsteadiness and to develop an awareness of body segments and how to align them.
THESE EXERCISES HELP WITH BALANCE. Balance training involves exercises to strengthen the muscles that help keep you upright and improve stability. These types of exercises can be done as often as you like or even every day.
Consider trying the following exercises:
• Standing with your weight on one leg and raising the other leg to the side or behind you. • Putting one heel right in front of the other foot, as if you were walking a tightrope. • Standing up and sitting down from a chair without using your hands. • Walking while alternating knee lifts with each step. • Stretching and gentle movement as part of yoga or tai chi. Balance is essential to living a healthy, functional life. It’s important to incorporate balance training into your fitness regimen. That way you can decrease the risk of injuries and help move freely and confidently.
Can Physical Therapy Help With Whiplash Symptoms?
experience whiplash after falling from a tall height, playing contact sports, or even riding a high-speed roller coaster. While many people associate neck pain as the main symptom of whiplash, there are various other symptoms that may appear hours or even days after the traumatic incident. You may notice that your range of motion for your neck and shoulders has decreased. You may also begin experiencing headaches that last longer and are more frequent as well as increases in fatigue and dizziness. While not as common, some people may also experience ringing in their ears, blurred vision, memory loss, and irritability. Whiplash often heals itself after a few weeks, but it’s possible to continue experiencing symptoms for months or even years. Thankfully, there are things we can do as physical therapists to help relieve some of the pain and discomfort stemming from a whiplash injury.
One of the best ways that we can reduce pain and restore range of motion throughout your neck and shoulders is with a deep tissue massage. We will apply pressure and friction to the affected area to release the tension in your ligaments, tendons, and muscles. You can also help relieve the symptoms by icing the area to reduce inflammation before alternating between ice and heat. Additionally, you can do some exercises to help relieve some of the symptoms. Each case of whiplash is different, so the exercises to relieve symptoms vary from case to case. It’s best to check with your physical therapist to determine which exercises could help you if you’re experiencing symptoms of whiplash. Whiplash can be severe, so if you’re struggling with whiplash symptoms, give us a call and we will do what we can to help.
www.campuscommonsphysicaltherapy.com 2 Every year, more than 2 million Americans experience whiplash, a neck injury that occurs when your head and neck forcefully move forward and backward. While it most commonly happens during a car accident, you can also
PREVENTING STRESS-RELATED HEADACHES
THROUGH EXERCISE
IMPROVE YOUR POSTURE. Do you sit for most of your day staring at a computer? Do you maintain your posture throughout the day? People generally struggle with correcting their posture, and poor posture actually compresses muscles and nerves, which can trigger headaches. You need to be conscious
Headaches are one of the most common pain conditions people experience. Nearly 75% of the world population has experienced a headache at some point during the last year. This leads us to lie down, rush for pain relievers, or do everything else in our power to get rid of the pain. If your headaches are stress-related, you can do exercises to lessen the frequency and severity of them. Here, you will find three causes of stress-related headaches with ways to make them less frequent.
of your posture throughout the day and make adjustments to your workspace to promote comfortable posture. It won’t take long for your headaches to become less frequent if you improve your posture.
STRENGTHEN YOUR MUSCLES. Depending on your profession, you may do a lot of heavy lifting throughout your day. You may do even more at home while taking care of housework. All that lifting can leave your body feeling overworked, especially if your muscles aren’t strong enough. This can quickly lead to intense, stress-related headaches. You can strengthen your neck muscles by pressing your chin into your chest. You can also utilize free weights and resistance bands to strengthen your shoulder and back muscles.
BECOME MORE FLEXIBLE. When you move your neck and shoulders
throughout the day, you put less pressure on your muscle groups. Take some time to stretch every morning and every night. Work on improving your flexibility so your muscles loosen up. With stretching as part of your daily routine, your headaches will likely become less severe or disappear altogether.
TAKE A BREAK
Green Bean and Eggplant Stir-Fry
Inspired by ThePlantBasedWok.com
In just 30 minutes, turn a pile of summer veggies into a Chinese-inspired dish.
INGREDIENTS • 2 Chinese eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch strips • Salt, to taste
• 1/2-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced • 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced • 2 tbsp soy sauce • 1 tbsp vegan stir-fry sauce (like Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian) • 1/8 tsp pepper
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided • 6 oz green beans, trimmed • 6 cloves garlic, minced
DIRECTIONS 1. In a large bowl, add the eggplant and coat with salt. Cover the eggplant with water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. 2. In a wok over medium heat, warm 2 tbsp of oil. Add the eggplant and fry for 4–5 minutes. Remove and set aside. 3. Add the remaining oil and green beans to the wok. Fry for 5 minutes, then remove and set aside. 4. Add garlic, ginger, and chili before stir-frying for 1 minute. Return the green beans and eggplant to the wok and add the soy sauce, vegan stir-fry sauce, and pepper. Toss to coat, then serve over rice!
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INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
Remembering the Game That Fueled My Passion for Football
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Balance Training Key to Quality Movement
Physical Therapy and Whiplash
How Exercise Can Reduce Your Headache Frequency
Green Bean and Eggplant Stir-Fry
DIY Fall Scavenger Hunt for the Family
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As the leaves begin to fall and the air becomes cooler, it is a sure sign that summer is slowly coming to an end. Though we will miss the pool parties and backyard barbecues, there is still lots to look forward to during fall. Autumn is known as the season of change, and getting the kids outside allows them to understand and explore the changes going on in the world around them. Creating a fall scavenger hunt is a great way for kids to practice their reading and observation skills, all while still enjoying the outdoors.
4. Changes among people’s apparel (such as jackets, hats, and scarves) 5. Animals hibernating or migrating
FALL COLOR WHEEL The best way to explore autumn’s colors is by creating a fall color wheel hunt! Since the leaves are the surest signs of fall, kids can compare and contrast the different colors of each leaf they find, making this a fun hands-on activity.
You can either download a color wheel template from the internet or make one yourself! All you need is a piece of paper that’s big enough for kids to tape the leaves onto and different areas for the colors red, yellow, orange, and brown. This will help kids see the different kinds of leaves as well as their visual changes during the season. The weather is getting colder, but it doesn’t mean you have to hibernate too! Bundle up with a cozy sweater and beanie, and encourage the family to get outside to explore all of the wonderful changes autumn has to offer.
SIGNS OF FALL Creating a specific scavenger hunt for signs of autumn is a great way to enhance your child’s observation skills.
Consider the following for your signs of fall hunt:
1. Leaves that have changed colors 2. Tree seeds or pine cones that have fallen to the ground 3. Items from a fall harvest (like pumpkins, sunflowers, or hay bales)
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