Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011
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We should definitely be stretching everyday to prevent injury and maintain flexibility. But when is the best time? As a physical therapist I’ve always told my clients to do a gentle 5 minute warm-up, then stretch, if they’re playing a sport or doing any vigorous physical activity. A new study claims stretching has no effect on injury for runners. You can read it here. more »
Tags: 5 minutes to fitness+, 5 minutes to fitness+ TV, fit friends' revolution, injury, Peter K, Physical Therapy, prevention, stretching, web md
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Friday, February 11th, 2011
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Some of my clients complain of heel and arch pain regardless if they’re training or walking in heels. This is a quick overview of one of the causes of heel and arch pain. However, your best option is to call your physical therapist or sports medicine doctor.
Tightness of the achilles tendon and plantar fascia (see above) can cause pain in the heel and arch of the foot called “plantar fasciitis”. The achilles tendon attaches to the calf muscles. Stretching these structures will decrease the pressure to the heel and have less pull on the arch. Here’s a good stretching guide from the mayo clinic. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times per day and after training. Do the stretches everyday. If your symptoms worsen, stop and call your health care professional.
Tags: 5 minutes to fitness+, 5 minutes to fitness+ TV, fit friends' revolution, foot pain, heal pain, Peter K, Physical Therapy, plantar fasciitis, stretching
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Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
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As a physical therapist people ask me how to stretch their backs all the time. Then they show me how they stretch. 95% of the time they’re doing the wrong stretches.
The picture above is the “good” stretch for people who sit for long periods, have stiffness in their back and generally speaking, are younger than 55. If you are over 55 send me an email for an appropriate stretch
Here’s how to do it:
- Sit tall with your butt touching the back of the chair
- Feet should be flat on floor
- Clasp hands behind your back and arch your back over the chair
- You should not feel pain, just a gentle stretch
- Hold this position for 5 seconds and repeat 3 times. Repeat throughout the day
*If this stretch hurts your back, stop and consult a health care professional you trust. Physical therapists and chiropractors are great resources.
Tags: 5 minutes to fitness+, 5 minutes to fitness+ TV, back pain, fit friends' revolution, Peter K, Physical Therapy, stretching
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Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
5 Minutes to Fitness+ Club coming soon!
Recently a client came to see me for shin splints (shin pain) right before a triathlon. Here’s why they might occur:
- Too much exercise (activity) too soon
- Not stretching daily
- Tight achilles tendon (calf)
- Worn sneakers or improper footwear (think flip flops)
What to do:
- Do the stretch above daily and especially before and after exercise
- Stretch your calves
- Hold all stretches for 30 sec (if your knees are pain free)
- Cut back on the exercise that’s causing the pain for 1 week
- If you’re running try biking or swimming intermittently
- If it doesn’t get better see a physical therapist and of course you can email me with your physical therapy question
Tags: 5 minutes to fitness+, calf pain, exercise, Fitness, Health, Peter K, shin splints, stretching
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Thursday, March 4th, 2010
www.peterkfitness.com for more…..
Many people do this to stretch their hamstrings and back. Don’t, because:
- it over-stretches the low back (can lead to injury)
- It doesn’t isolate the hamstrings enough to make it effective
- the average person doesn’t need to stretch their back forward
Try this safe stretch for your back instead
Tags: 5 minutes to fitness+, back pain, hamstring stretch, low back pain stretch, Peter K, Physical Therapy, safe stretches, stretching
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Monday, February 15th, 2010
I remember early in my physical therapy career, I saw a young man who had chronic foot pain and numbness. He had seen doctors, chiropractors and therapists who treated his foot without any results. I took him through a thorough evaluation and asked key questions like:
- Where are your symptoms?
- When are they worse?
- Does any position or activity give help to lessen your symptoms or make them worse?
more »
Tags: 5 minutes to fitness+, foot pain, low back pain, Peter K, Physical Therapy, stretching
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Monday, February 8th, 2010
Every week I meet people who have hurt themselves on the Wii Fit. I do think it’s a fun way to get more active. The problem is people do too much too soon. Among the injuries I hear about are tennis elbow, strained knee with lunges and back pain. Remember this when starting any fitness program:
- start slowly
- don’t try to perform new movements without practice
- stretch before and after
- eat great!
- have fun
Tags: 5 minutes to fitness+, Fitness, knee pain, Peter K, stretching, weight loss, wii fit
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Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
First: find a compelling reason to do it. Don’t run to lose weight. A better reason is to do a 5K charity run, or be a great mentor to your kids
Second: start slow. Walk/run first. Example- walk 2 minutes, run 1 minute. Repeat this for 5 minutes for the first week. If this is too easy then repeat this for 10 to 20 minutes. Stretch when you are done.
Third: smile and enjoy yourself. More to come. Stay tuned
Tags: 5 minutes to fitness+, Fitness, jogging, runnning, stretching, weight loss
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Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
My client just asked what could she do about the leg cramps that have been keeping her awake the last 3 nights. Let’s explore the causes. Problem- no one is really sure of the cause. Some explanations are:
- not enough vitamins and minerals in diet
- not enough fluid
- too much exercise too soon
- adverse reactions to some medications (ie. cholesterol meds)
Here’s what to do: more »
Tags: cramps, Fitness, sleeping, stretching
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