How Healthcare Can Teach Us About Exercise Adherence
Perhaps laziness is the reason people don’t exercise in some cases, but that should not be the overarching assumption. Ironically, chalking the answer up to laziness and calling it a day is, well, lazy. It remains a tempting line of reasoning, however, as you will be hard-pressed to find many people who don't have some level of understanding that exercise is good for you.
Read full storyStress Is Harming Your Health and Exercise Effectiveness
We are nearing the two-year mark of a global pandemic and while there is a light at the end of the tunnel, it is faint. Countries are still contemplating lockdowns, vaccine rates remain below desired levels, and masks are still the norm.
Read full storyContrary to Popular Belief, Getting Stronger Doesn't Take Very Long
This is a popular phrase in the rehab and fitness spaces and it rings true in regards to health and wellness. Strength is one of the most important markers of health. Research suggests quad strength and grip strength are primary predictors of mortality. Another study showed hip flexor strength was the primary determinant in the progression of functional capacity decline. Furthermore, low muscle strength and power, but not low muscle mass, are more strongly associated with falls, fractures, and mortality.
Read full storyDo You Need to Stretch to Become Flexible?
Do you ever wonder how gymnasts and ballet dancers become so flexible and mobile? It’s not from a robust stretching routine. They don’t spend hours a day, reaching for their toes and pulling the arms across their bodies. They may throw the occasional stretch into a warm-up or cool down but that is not the key to their mobility prowess.
Read full storyHow Often Should Elderly People Strength Train?
One of the most important markers of health as people age is their strength. Studies have shown quadriceps and grip strength are directly related to all-cause mortality. While strength can be improved without adding more muscle to your body, the amount of muscle you have raises the floor and ceiling of strength potential.
Read full storyIs Training to Failure the Best Exercise Option?
How hard should you push yourself in the gym? Should you train until exhaustion, squeezing out every drop of performance your body has to give?. According to some trainers, coaches, instagurus, and athletes, the answer is absolutely. If you have read my articles before, you know anecdotal experience won’t satisfy my thirst for answers.
Read full storyHow Many Sets of Exercise Should You Do? It's Never One-Size-Fits-All
How do you decide how long you should work out? How many sets of exercises should you perform?. For some, it’s a matter of feel, electing to exercise until a fatigue point in which they are satisfied with the amount of exercise performed. For others, time is the restricting factor, completing as many sets as possible within a 30 or 60-minute window, provided rest breaks are sufficient.
Read full storyGetting Stronger May Not Be The Answer to Treating Pain
Have you ever been told you have pain or were injured because “x” muscle was weak?. “Your knees hurt because your gluteals are weak”. The fear-mongering persists and continues to spread throughout social media. Our biases and previous education blockade our willingness to consider new, credible information. I know, as I experienced the same biases and refused to accept current pain research for the first two years of my practice.
Read full storySleep Shaming Is Not The Answer to Improving Sleep Habits
I’m going to present the same case scenarios I present to all of my orthopedic residents when I introduce the topic of pain. If you were to provide recommendations for lifestyle habits, including sleep, nutrition, and physical activity, would they be the same or different for the following two people?
Read full storyIf Someone Says Squats Are Bad For Knees, They Are Ignoring the Research
Whether it is while I am speaking with patients or perusing social media, I often come across the belief that squatting is dangerous and harmful to the knees. I would like to challenge those beliefs.
Read full storyThe Hip Flexors May Be a Vital Muscle for the Elderly
What are the most important physical markers of health as we age?. Researchers and doctors often ask this question. I have to consider it daily in the clinic as a physical therapist.
Read full storyUnderstanding Complicated Relationship Between Running and Your Knees
If you have ever seen a doctor for knee pain, chances are you were told to stop doing two things: running and squatting. Both are nonsense, but I will focus on running for now.
Read full storyNew Research Helps Us Better Understand the Complexity of Pain
I often wished that more people understood the invisible side of things. Even the people who seemed to understand, didn’t really.”. Our minds are powerful. Our thoughts and expectations shape our future experiences. As we learn more about pain, we have come to understand the experience of pain is complex.
Read full storyPosture Is Not The Cause of Back Pain
The posture nonsense is getting out of control. While preparing for a residency lecture this week, I came across an article on posture written by a physician. It was hard to contain my frustration.
Read full storyUsing Research to Improve Focus
In my profession, all actions should be backed by science. The term ‘Evidence-Based Practice’ (Evidence-Based Medicine is used in healthcare as well) refers to the integration of best available research, clinician experience and expertise, and patient goals, values, and perspective. This framework can be applied to creators as well.
Read full storyNew Research Show Both Interval and Continuous Training Can Help You Lose Fat
There is no such thing as a universal best exercise routine. Period. Ok, now that that is out of the way, let’s use research to help answer the question in the title. What intensity should you train at if you want to maximize fat loss? When losing fat, the goal is to retain muscle. If you want to maximize your results, you have to choose one. You can shed fat mass while bulking up. You can do a little bit of each — the amount depends on your starting point — but if you want to maximize fat loss, adding muscle needs to wait.
Read full storyThe Angels Lose a Key Bat In the Lineup
The Los Angeles Angels are still fighting for a playoff spot but recent events are slimming the chances of success. Sitting five games behind Oakland for the second Wild Card spot, Los Angeles needs a strong final two months of the season to overcome the deficit. They also need to leapfrog Cleaveland, Toronto, New York, and Seattle - a tall order.
Read full storyThe Marlins Lose a Potential Trade Chip to Injury
As expected, the Miami Marlins are trade deadline sellers. They have already shipped their top trade chips, outfielder Starling Marte and closer Yimi Garia. The Miami front office is looking to maximize this deadline by dealing away all expiring contracts with value. First baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper was on that list after slashing .284/.380/.465, good for a wRC+ of 136 (36% better than league average). With only the remainder of his $1.8 million one-year deal left, he is a bargain. A recent injury has erased that value.
Read full storyFlaherty Nears His Return. Will it Affect the Cardinals' Deadline Plans?
We are only three days away from the Major League Baseball trade deadline. Teams are already dealing but a few clubs have yet to reveal if they will be buyers or sellers. The St. Louis Cardinals are among those teams straddling the line.
Read full storyWhat Is Next For Stephen Strasburg?
Washington Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg is out for the remainder of the season. It's not the feared ulnar collateral ligament tear, which often results in Tommy John surgery, but something equally devasting to pitchers. Strasburg underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.
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