5 Tips to Safely Benefit From Walking for People With Arthritis
Walking is a safe, enjoyable, low-cost and low-impact physical activity enjoyed in all seasons and locales, individually or in a group. Those living with arthritis, an estimated 54 million American adults, can enjoy and benefit from improved strength and endurance from walking. The following are a few tips to help make a walking program safe and enjoyable for those with arthritis: 1.Talk before you walk. Have a conversation with your physical therapist to discuss if anything would prevent you from walking for routine exercise. How far or how long should you walk? What intensity or speed? Are...
Read MoreFive Tips to Manage Chronic Pain
1. Knowledge is power There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that understanding how pain works is a key strategy in managing it. Simply knowing the basics of how our brain and nerves work and their role in pain, can decrease your chance of developing chronic symptoms. 2. Keep moving (gradually and steadily) Living an active, healthy lifestyle not only improves our general well-being and health, but can also reduce our chances of developing chronic pain. Our body was built to move, and we need to understand that not all aches or soreness is cause for concern. 3. Spend time with a...
Read MoreFive Ways to Prepare Your Body for Pregnancy
Ensure that your body is ready to carry a baby by addressing before pregnancy any pain or problems associated with posture or weakness. Here are some physical therapist tips for helping to prepare your body for pregnancy and to guard against musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction during and after pregnancy. Strengthen your pelvic muscles. To strengthen your muscles, use pelvic floor contractions (commonly referred to as Kegels), which involve gently squeezing the sphincter muscles (rather than the buttocks and thighs). These tightening exercises help prevent leakage when a woman...
Read More5 Tips for Creating Good Habits While Toilet Training Your Child
Toilet Training Toilet training is an important developmental milestone for children and is one of the first steps to becoming more self-sufficient. However, toilet training can be challenging for both children and their families. The following tips will help your child create good, lasting habits and avoid future bowel and bladder problems. Wait for it! Bowel and bladder development occurs around 18 months of age. Starting toilet training too early can create frustration and lead to poor habits or avoidance of toilet training altogether. It can also lead to bowel and bladder problems such...
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