GOLF Posture Balance & Mobility, LLC
Titleist Performance Institute Certified(TPI)
Hit the ball farther
Play golf longer
Avoid injury
Welcome
to Our Blog
How about getting a Golf Fitness Screen?
A golf fitness screen uses the TPI model to measures your bodies strength, range of motion and balance. This screen can identify any deficits that could be blocking you from playing golf to the best of your ability.
Call me 267-467-1662
or
go to the contact page on this website and send me an email
Blog
3/5/24
Hip stretching can help you hit your golf ball farther.
Hip stretching will help you to hit your golf ball farther. The hips move from internal rotation to external rotation during a full golf swing. The more you can rotate your back hip into internal rotation during the back swing, the more you can generate club speed to hit your golf ball farther.
Call me for a TPI Golf Fitness Evaluation!
267-467-1662
Blog
3/19/23
Do you want to hit your ball farther?
Improve separating your upper body from your lower body.
Separating your lower body (hips/legs) from your upper body ( trunk/shoulders) requires that you have the coordination and flexibility in your body.
Try this exercise to improve:
1. Hold your golf club in front of you with the club head on the floor ( like standing with your 7 Iron).
2. Keep your upper body quiet/still.
3. Twist your hips right/left. Try not to let your feet move off the floor.
You can hold a golf club in front of you if it feels better.
2x10
Blog
2/10/2​3
|The Golf Putt
Which muscles do you use to make a good Putt?
Quadratus Lumborum, Internal Obliques, External Obliques, Erector Spinae, and abdominal muscles AKA your CORE.
Putting is one of the most important parts of the golf game and makes up 1/3 of your score. You must use your core muscles not your arms to make the accurate putt.
Start with your Quadratus Lumborum muscle for side bending
Quadratus Lumborum
Quadratus stretch
10 second each side x 3
Quadratus strength with stretch band
2x10 each side
Next the Obliques for a little rotation
LTR stretch
30 seconds each side x 1
Core strength w/stretch band
2x10 each side
Obliques strengthening
10 to each side
If you want to learn more then set up a TPI golf fitness screen below.
Blog
12/10/2022
TPI golf screen
What is a TPI golf screen?
A Titleist Pe​rformance Institute Certified profes​sional takes you through a full Golf Screen to find any physical imbalances in your body. These imbalances can cause injury, incorrect swings or hit the golf ball short.
The results of your Golf Screen are then emailed to you and/or your golf pro.
You also receive a FREE TPI golf app with a list of all the exercises that you can do to correct any of your imbalances. This app is called MyTPI. It has pictures and videos of how to do the exercises correctly.
Call me and get your Golf Screen!
267-467-1662​
Blog
10/25/2022
Total Knee replacement
When can I golf after my Total Knee Replacement?
Golf is a rotational sport and the knee is not a rotational joint. The knee is primarily built to bend and flex. So to get back to your golf game after getting a knee replacement you will need to work on the other areas of your body that rotate the golf club through the swing.
Here are 3 areas you can work on to protect your new knee
1. Your shoulders needs to rotate (external rotation) => 90 degrees
2. Your hips need to internally/externally rotate => 60 degrees
3. Your thoracic spine must be able to rotate =>45 degrees
*The lead leg will be take on more rotational pressure than the trail leg during the golf swing. So it might take you longer to get back to playing golf if you had your lead knee replaced.
Schedule a TPI evaluation and exercise plan with me to find out the correct exercises.
Contact me below for more info
Blog
10/21/22
Thoracic outlet
pic: en.wikipedia.org
Do you have hand/arm numbness after playing golf?
It could be TOS
TOS (thoracic outlet syndrome) is a compression of the nerves, arteries and/or veins in the upper neck, chest or clavicle area. TOS is common with athletes who participate in sports that require repetitive motions using their arms and shoulders. Golfers, baseball pitchers and swimmers tend to have this type of injury.
Symptoms: Weakness and/or numbness in your arms or hands. Pain in your neck, shoulders, arms, hands, mid back and/or upper chest. The same symptoms caused by angina (low oxygen to heart muscle). **** ALWAYS check with your doctor if you have these symptoms to be on the safe side!
Treatment: TOS is Physical Therapy, massage therapy, medication, ice, posture correction and a golf pro to learn correct golf posture and swing techniques.
Try these exercises to open up the TOS area
shoulder pinches
2 sets of 10 Pic: HEP2GO
Pec stretch
2 sets of 10 *HEP2GO
scalene stretch *hep2go
3 reps 10 second hold
Blog
9/20/22
Do you have shoulder pain after Playing Golf?
Shoulder ER stretch *HEP2GO
Hold 10 seconds x 3
T-band ER strengthening *hep2go
2 sets 10 reps
Shoulder ER w/retraction *hep2go
2 sets of 10
The rotator cuff muscles keeps your shoulder joint in alignment. Try these exercises to strengthen your rotator cuff.
Blog
9/1/2022
Neck Rotation
*hep2go
Head rotation and your golf swing
Head rotation is important for keeping your eyes on your golf ball during the backswing. You need about 70 degrees of neck rotation on your backswing and keep your eyes on the golf ball. If you lack full neck range of motion then you might compensate by swaying your body, bending your elbows, taking your eyes off the golf ball and/or having a shorter backswing. All these compensations could lead to poor ball contact and less distance/accuracy.
You must work on your neck flexibility as part of having a good Golf routine if you want to hit your ball farther.
Test yourself: Swing your golf club back as far as you normally go. Hold that shoulder/arm/head position and then stand up straight. Notice where your head is positioned and if you have any pain.
Try this exercise to help with improving your neck range of motion.
Levator stretch by hep2go
Hold 10 seconds each side
Blog
8/15/2022
Thoracic stretch *HEP2go
The upper back needs stretching!
The Thoracic spine can get tight from sitting at the computer, watching TV, or driving. It is often hard to get a stretch that just targets specific joints along your spine called the Facet joints. Here is a great exercise to stretch the facet joints. These joints help you rotate and side bend during your golf swing.
Blog
8/1/2022
Being able to do a full push up could help you hit your golf ball farther.
Wall push up
Table push up
Modified floor push up
Push up
Push ups are a great way to strengthen you triceps, pecs and core trunk muscles so that you can hit your golf ball farther.
If you can not do a full push up then try some of the modified push ups. As you get stronger then you can retry a doing a full push up. If you can do a full push up then work on planks.
Blog
July 21, 2022
Three easy stretches to help hit your Golf ball farther!
Hip Flexor Stretch
Lats/back stretch
Piriformis stretch
Tight hip flexors can limit your power on the downswing by blocking the contraction of your gluteus maximus muscles. This could cause you to hit your ball short. Tight latissimus dorsi muscles can limit how far you raise your arms up on the backswing. Again, you could lose power on your drive.
Tight piriformis muscles may get restricted and cause sciatica like pain in your legs. This would inhibit the firing of your gluteus maximus muscles and decrease how far you drive your golf ball toward the tee.
Blog
July 7, 2022
How to play golf with stronger pecs and lats.
The key upper body muscles which swing your golf club are the Pectoralis Major (chest) and Latissimus Dorsi (back/arms). To strengthen these muscles try doing 2 sets of 10​ reps of each exercise as part of your workout. Make sure you do both sides of your body.
Exercise to improve your golf backswing
Blog
May 31, 2022
Sway
Do you sway when swinging your golf club?
Sway is excessive lower body lateral movement away from your target during your backswing.
This could result in less distance when you hit the golf ball.
Tight trail hip internal rotation
Inability to separate your upper body from lower body due to spine/trunk tightness
Weak core trunk muscles
Weak hip muscles (gluteus Medius)
Poor technique ( See a golf Pro )
Try the exercises below to help you with y​our sway.
Hold T-band still and rotate hips left
Blog
May 6, 2022
Are you swinging over the top?
Causes:
​Lack of understanding on how to swing= See a Golf Pro
Weak grip
Weak Core strength
Unable to separate your upper body from the lower
Try these exercises​
Blog
April 25, 2022
Are you casting the golf club?
Try the exercises below to help improve your golf game.
Wrist Flexor Stretch
Hold 20 sec x 3
Wrist Extensor Stretch
20 seconds x 3
Wrist Strengthen
2 sets of 10 reps
What is casting? When your wrists don't stay "set" long enough on your downswing.
What is wrist setting? It is putting your trail wrist in extension and the lead wrist in slight flexion while holding your golf club during backswing and downswing.
Some causes of casting:
1. Poor hip mobility
2. Poor ankle mobility
3. Poor core strength
4. Weak grip
5. Loss of wrist range of motion
Blog
April 2022
To generate more distance and speed when hitting your golf ball...
You must be able to independently separate your "lower body" from your "upper body" on the downswing in the correct sequence.
Core exercises to help with proper sequencing
Trunk Rotation
10 times SLOWLY
Seated weight ball diagonal
10 reps to each side
T-band seated Rotation
slowly 10 times each side
The best golf downswing sequence is to move your hips before your trunk.
Do you have upper crossed syndrome?
Blog: 4/10/22
Common signs:
1. Poor posture such as forward head position?
2. Pain and stiffness of neck, shoulder and upper back?
3. Spending long hours at a computer?
4. Find if difficult to get a comfortable pillow?
Well, you might have upper crossed syndrome.
What causes upper crossed syndrome?
Tight: Pectoralis muscles, Upper Trapezius muscles and Levator Scapulae muscles.
Weak: Deep neck flexor muscles, Rhomboids muscles, and Lower Trapezius muscles.
Upper Crossed Syndrome can cause you to lose good posture when swinging your golf club.
Here are some good stretches that could help reverse this syndrome.
Levator Stretch
hold 10 seconds x 5
Pec/shoulder stretch
10 seconds x 5
Blog
3/18/22
Glute muscles are your POWER to hitting the golf ball further!
Strong Glutes (buttock muscles) stabilize your trunk so that you can generate power from the ground to your golf club. Weak Glutes can cause you to lose good golf posture, extend your trunk early on the swing or sway your body causing you not hit the ball solidly.
Bridge with T-band
2 sets of 10 reps
Bridge and hold 10 seconds
5 times each leg.
Blog
3/8/22
Tight hamstrings could decrease the speed and distance of golf swing when you hit the golf ball.
You must stay in good posture on the downswing to transfer the power from the ground to your golf club as it hits the ball.
Tight hamstrings could cause "C" posture in your upper back and standing up too early as you swing the club. This could cause thin shots, hooks or slices and no distance.
Here are a few exercises for hamstrings.
Blog
August 2021
Two​ workout exercises for your golf game
BodBot
Standing mid back stretch
by BodBot
spot me girl
Modified Deadlift
Caution: do not drop the weights below your knees AND keep your back straight.
by Spot Me Girl
Please feel free to contact me below if you have any questions about personal fitness coaching
Blog
July 7, 2020
Do you get knee pain running?
If you get inner knee pain when running, it could be a weakness in your quadriceps and/or gluteus medius muscles.
*Always talk to your doctor before exercising to address pain.
Try these two exercises for a few weeks​
Hip Abduction
This hip abduction exercise strengthens your gluteus medius muscle. If this muscle is weak, then your knee might go out of alignment. This could cause inner knee pain. Try to focus on strength with this exercise by adding heavy ankle weights to your top leg. It should be hard to do more than 10 repetitions.
Partial Squat by Muscle & Fitness
Single leg squats can strengthen gluteus medius and quadriceps muscles. These muscles control your knee movements when running. Use a chair in front of you for balance. DO NOT allow your lead knee to bend forward past your toes. Try 5-10 repetitions per side.
Please contact me if you would like to know more about running and knee pain.
Blog
June 19, 2020
Do you have back pain playing golf?
It could be tight hip internal rotators (IR).
Your lead hip needs flexibility to correctly finish your swing.
Try these exercises
Standing hip IR stretch
Hip IR stretch
When you follow through on your drive shot, the front hip must move into significant internal rotation or your low back will take on stress. If you have tight hip IR's then it could cause strain on muscle and joints of your low back. Always check with your doctor if you are having pain before doing new exercises.
Please email me if you find this blog helpful or have any questions.
BLOG
May 31, 2020
Exercises you must do 1-3 weeks after Total Knee Replacement
Feel free to email me with any questions using the form above
Please consult your surgeon before starting any exercise plan
Blog
03/03/2020
You can still workout
Each exercise interval time can be altered to work best for you
Intervals: 30 seconds all out effort
15 second rest
Blog
01/01/2020
Benefits of Jogging on​ Rebounder
Good for lymphatic system
Helps strengthen bones, muscles and joints
Great cardio effect on your heart and lungs
150 lb female can burn about 210 calories jogging for 30 minutes on rebounder
Use it in your home not matter what is the weather outside
Can be fun to feel the effects of bouncing
GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR HOME GYM!
Blog
9-23-19
What is Sarcopenia?
We lose muscle mass and strength as we age
It can start at 40 years of age
Gets significantly worse > 70 years of age
Exercise can help with Sarcopenia
Endocrine=hormonal changes
Calcium leaks into our muscle cells
Lack of enough protein in our diets
**Lack exercise on a regular basis
Cachexia=weak/wasting of body due to chronic illness
Research suggests that you can do something about Sarcopenia
Exercise
Eat more protein
Get yearly wellness check ups
Educate your friend about this process
YOU GOT THIS!
Saturday Workout
You can workout anywhere with a few pieces of of equipment
1. Yoga Mat
2. Buso ball
3. Climber
Blog
9-9-19
Forward Head Posture makes you...
Look Old!
Neck exercises you can easily do in the car to help correct forward head posture
As we age our heads can move forward and cause neck, back and jaw pain
For every inch forward your head moves....add 10 lbs of weight to your neck and back muscles
Average head 15 lbs + 10 lbs (one inch fwd) = 25 lbs strain on your neck and back muscles
15 lbs + 20 lbs (Two inch forward head) = 35 lbs of strain on your muscles....etc
Here are easy neck exercises to do in your car to get your head back in alignment
Try to keep you head back when on you phone, watching TV and eating
Chin tuc : 5 repetitions with 3 second hold
Neck Press: Push the back of your head into the car headrest for 5 reps with 3 second hold
Make sure you keep your chin down when you push backward
Shoulder pinches: Move your shoulders back into the seat of your car for 5 reps with 3 second hold
You can do these exercises at a "Stop Light"
Blog
August 26, 2019
Which is better for YOU?
Home Gym
PROS: Freedom to exercise anytime
Don't need to drive to the gym
You can blast your favorite music
No waiting to get on the equipment
More privacy
You can wear whatever you want to wear
NO excuse: more likely stick to workout
Save monthly membership $
CONS: Initial cost "could" seem high
Could get lonely working by yourself
Takes up space in your home
Could get distracted by people/work in home
Gym Membership
PROS: Can work out with others (social)
More choice of fitness equipment
Exercise Group Class
Less distractions from home environment
Might have sauna and/or spa
CONS: Only 37% people use memberships
Cost average is $ 58/month, $696/yr
Crowds pre/post work
Might have to wait for a free machine
Must spend time driving and parking
Less likely to go if bad weather
BLOG
August 19, 2019
Do you remember when exercise WAS play?
It is my belief that if you can find the "moment" in your life when exercise STOPPED being fun then you can change how you feel about working out.
We make decisions based on emotions and feelings.
Emotions are more unconscious and coming from the brain pattern of chemical and neural responses to what we are experiencing around us.
Feelings arrive after emotions and are pleasant or unpleasant based on our past experiences of similar situations.
Without emotions/feelings it is almost impossible to make decisions.
To overcome resistance to exercise (unpleasant thoughts) then maybe we can look at our emotions and feeling about working out.
Can we make exercise more like play?
Think of your favorite activity on the playground as a child. Can you make your exercise program have some component of that fun built into it?
I loved kick ball therefore I may spending 10 minutes of my workout kicking a ball into the wall to bring that spirit of play back into my routine.
Play = Exercise
Blog
August 18, 2019
How about making your own gym?
This is one way I workout.
Most of the equipment is inexpensive.
I found stuff at yard sales and friends donations.
No excuses!
Blog
8-14-19
Try "Core" exercises at work
Isometric abdominal crunch
Place ball on your lap
Push down with both arms into ball
Pull in your belly button as you push down
Complete 10 reps
Lumbar stretch
Slowly, roll the ball out in front of you
Keep legs open to release the hip joints
Hold 10 seconds
Complete 3 reps
Oblique Crunch
Place ball on your lap
Push "ONE" arm down into ball and hold 3 seconds
Repeat with the opposite arm
Complete 10 reps on each arm
Core Reaching
Sit up so that your back is not leaning on back of chair
Pull in your belly button
Lift ball over your head
Must keep your belly in for entire exercise
Complete 10 reps
Isometric Hip Adduction
Pull in your belly button
Squeeze ball between your knees
Hold 3 seconds
Complete 10 reps
Hip Abduction
Wrap a belt or Thera Band around your knees
Pull in your belly button
Move knees apart
Hold 3 seconds
Complete 10 reps
Sitting at work all day can cause your core muscles to get fatigued.
This could lead to back and neck pain.
Why not take a break and care for yourself?
You can be more productive at work if your body is healthy!
Blog
August 5, 2019
Have you heard of a HIIT workout?
Definition: High Intensity Interval Training
Purpose: Burn more glucose (sugar) and fat in your workout. Increase fitness levels more rapidly than a general workout.
What is required to do a HIIT workout? High levels of motivation and tolerance for hard work.
How it works:
1. Warm up for a few minutes.
2. Perform a exercise such as jumping jacks for 45 seconds as fast and hard as you can do it.
3. Slow down and jog in place for 15 seconds.
4. Repeat another exercise such as push ups for 45 seconds as fast and hard as you can do it.
5. Slow down and jog in place for 15 seconds.
6. Continue with cycles until tired or 30 minutes
HIIT training can significantly lower insulin resistance
Improve fat oxidation (fat burning)
Can do a HIIT workout without equipment
Blog
8-1-19
Why does weight loss get harder as we age?
NIH research studies report an average adult American gains 30 lbs from age 20-50.
Why?
1. Studies in "Cell Metabolism" 2017 looked at an enzyme as the cause of weight gain as we age.
2. Our muscle mass naturally decreases as we age. It is called Sarcopenia. Less muscles burning calories we eat = wt gain.
1 lb of muscle burns 3 x more calories than 1 lb of fat!​
3. We can become more sedentary as the children leave, we retire and slow down the pace of our lives.
4. Hormonal changes can effect the way we burn energy. Example: decline of insulin regulating hormones.
So what can we do to lose weight?
*Make sure you add weight lifting to your workout routine to build muscle.
*Be aware of how much you sit during the day. Get up and move around whenever you can do it. Find creative little ways to add more movement to your daily life.
*Shift your diet to eating foods that build muscle and eat LESS simple sugars.
*Develop good sleeping habits. If you are tired then you tend to make poor food choices.
*Drink less alcohol and sugary drinks.
Blog
July 29, 2019
"Use exercise to solve a problem"
Its true! You can use exercise to induce the "Incubation Effect".
English psychologist, Graham Wallas had a theory in 1926 that if you try "NOT" to think about your problem, then you will get the answer to your problem.
By exercising, you let your brain rest while your body works. For some reason, the brain can then come up with a solution to your problem and/or increase your creativity.
So take a walk, a swim or a bike ride and let your brain relax!
Then wait for the magic to work
EXERCISE = CREATIVITY
Try it some time
Blog
July 25, 2019
Is Diet more important than exercise to loss weight?
In my opinion, YES!
Exercise for 1 hour = about 400 calories
Eat a meal in 1 hour = about 700 calories
DO the MATH
80% wt loss is diet
20% is exercise
You can do it!
Blog
July 22, 2019
Why don't I want to exercise?
No Energy
Have Pain
Do not like exercise
"whether you believe you can or can't, you are right" Henry Ford
Have you heard of the "self - efficacy (self - confidence) theory?
In a Nutshell:
A. If you never struggled to master a physical skill.... then you lack the self confidence to stay with your exercise.
B. If you don't have a hero (past/present) that works out....you are less likely to exercise.
C. If you don't have someone close to you that supports and cheers you on....you are less likely to stay with your exercise.
D. If you are under significant STRESS....you are less likely to exercise at all.
E. If you can not imagine your self working out....then you are less likely to start to exercise.
Blog
July 18, 2019
Can you get up from the couch?
Which muscle can you exercise to get up?
Abdominals
Hip flexors
Blog
July 16, 2019
Do you ever get knee pain?
Are your knee joints tight or "out" of alignment?
Studies of people walking with "tight" knee joints can have the following results:
1. Strain on the ligaments in your knee = pain
2. Bone injury and/or arthritis = pain
3. Muscle weakness due to imbalance = pain
4. Back, foot and/or ankle misalignment = pain
5. Poor balance
Here are good exercises
What is Lower Crossed Syndrome?
July 13, 2019
Signs/Symptoms
Hip pain
Low back pain
Knee pain
Sway back posture
Increased humping middle back
Definition: imbalance of muscles of your lower trunk and hips.
Tight
Hip flexors muscles
Lower back muscles
Weak
Abdominal/core muscles
Buttock/hip muscle
These exercises could help
Double knees to chest
Bridge with T-band abduction
The Thomas stretch
Always check with your doctor before doing exercise!
What is Posterior Tibial Tendonitis
Pain in arch of the foot/heel!
July 11, 2019
PPT (Posterior Tibial Tendon)
Defined: part of the posterior tibial muscle.
Both the tendon & muscle move your foot down & inward
This helps to create your foot arch, too.
The posterior tibial muscle is the "baby" second cousin, once removed, to your calf muscle. It starts behind your lower leg then wraps around your inner ankle as a "TENDON" that attaches to your foot bone.
Signs:
Pain and/or burning inner arch of your foot
You can not rise up on tip toes due pain
You can not walk far due pain in arch of the foot
The arch of foot drops down toward floor more than the other foot
Causes:
Have flat feet (over pronation)
Twist your ankle to cause injury
> 40 year old
Women > men
Prone to Gout or rheumatoid arthritis
Over exercise or incorrect training
Tight calf muscles
Weak foot muscles
If you think you have posterior tibial tendonitis...
Call your doctor and get an examination
IF your doctor approves then try these exercises
This injury "can" take longer to rehab!
Don't give up!!! You can heal!!!
kimdeeckpt.com​
Another cause of heel pain
Achilles Tendonitis
July 10, 2019
The Achilles tendon is a tough band of fibrous tissue that connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. The calf muscle hastwo parts; 1. gastrocnemius muscle & 2. soleus muscle. Both muscle meet up together to form a tendon that connects to your heel bone.
The gastrocnemius crossed twojoints of your body. (1. knee joint & 2. ankle joint) So the gastrocnemius points your foot down (push gas pedal) or bends your knee. The soleus muscle just points your foot down to move your ankle joint.
What can cause Achilles tendonitis?
Flat feet
Tight calf msc and/or weak calf muscles
Working out with old or the wrong shoes
Men > Women
Increase your exercise training to fast
Do the same exercise every day
Medical issues such as high blood pressure or having psoriasis
Taking certain antibiotics
How can you prevent getting achilles tendonitis?
Stretch your calf muscles
Wear proper fitting shoes
Slowly increase your training intensity
Cross train (do different types of workouts each day)
Strengthen your calf muscles
Have you ever had pain on the bottom of your heel?
You might have Plantar Fasciitis.
July 9, 2019
Ankle ROM
Normal DF is 15 -20degrees
Normal PF is 40-50 degrees​
This is the Plantar Fascia
This is also a good stretch to do before you stand up in the mornings.
A great way to stretch the Plantar Fascia in standing.
Some signs/symptoms/causes:
*heel & arch pain that is worse in the AM
*Tight calf muscles
*Being between the ages of 40-70 years old
*Decreased ankle ROM
*Having a job that has you on your feet all day
What is Plantar Fascia?
It is a thick rubber band of tissue that covers the bottom of your foot. It puts "a spring in your step"! That is right, the fascia ia a thick collagen tissue connected to muscle of your toes. When you put all your weight on the foot the plantar fascia stretches to support your arch. It helps to stabilize your foot and you push forward in space when walking.
Plantar Fasciitis is an inflammation and/or injury of this band of tissue.
Try the exercises above to help if you have heel pain or want to prevent it.
Stay tone to other reasons for foot and ankle pain.
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Strengthening exercises for Upper Crossed Syndrome?
GOOD Luck!
You can do this!
Come back to see exercises to strengthen the weak muscles that cause upper crossed syndrome.
Can stretching a neck muscle help your shoulder pain?
YES!
The levator scapulae muscle connects your neck vertebra to your scapula (wing bone of shoulder). We have one on right and one on the left side of our body. Usually, you have more pain on the dominant side of your body.
The levator scapulae helps to move your neck, arm and shoulder. If it is tight, the levator scapulae can cause pin in your neck, upper back and posterior shoulder.
Here is one way to stretch the Levator Scapulae. I call it "check for deodorant stretch".
Shoulder stretching to improve joint health
July 1, 2019
The health of your shoulder can decline with age.
Injury could cause pain with sleep, difficulty drying your hair and/or reaching in a cabinet for a coffee cup.
Tightness in your shoulder joint often comes from your pectoralis major, minors and joint capsule (series of ligaments that surround and stabilize your joint).
Poor shoulder posture can cause injuries such as impingement, bursitis and/our frozen shoulder.
It is also important to keep your rotator cuff strong so that your shoulder joint posture is at it's best.
Next blog: how neck muscle tightness effects the shoulders
Exercises to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles
The rotator cuff muscles hold your shoulder joint in alignment as you use it .
The rotator cuff is comprised of 4 muscles;
subscapularis, infraspinatus, teres minor and supraspinatus.
"Next blog will show exercises to increase shoulder range of motion"
Joint Health
Ways to keep your joints Healthy
Maintain normal shoulder joint range of motion (ROM). Example: normal ROM shoulder flexion =>160 degrees.
Maintain normal strength in your joints. Example: strengthen your rotator cuffs to improve your shoulder joint health.
Make sure you eat foods that support your joints. Example: foods high in Vitamin D and Calcium.
If you have any joint injuries then be careful which exercise you chose to workout. Example: focus on more low impact exercise.
Next post : improve your shoulder joint health with rotator cuff exercises.
Try these exercises to improve your balance when walking
Stand on one foot for 10 seconds. Repeat on the opposite leg. Try 3 times on each leg/day
Stand on one foot and extend the other leg sideways and hold 10 seconds. Try 3 times on each leg/day
Stand on one foot and extend the other leg back and hold for 10 seconds. Try 3 times each leg/day
Stand with one foot directly in front of the other and hold 10 seconds. Try 3 times each foot.
**Slowly remove your hold on the chair once your balance improves.
Always..Always..Always go slow and be careful!
kimdeeckpt.com​
Our Blog
Muscles used to get up from the floor (June 2019)
As we age, we spend less time getting up/down from the floor. We spend more time sitting and getting weaker. Fear of falling can limit our ability to leave the house to socialize, shop and travel.
Would you like to know which muscle need strengthening to successfully get up/down from the floor?
Would you be willing to do a few simple exercises in your home to improve your strength to get up/down from the floor?
Some of the main muscles we use to get off the floor are
1. Abdominal
2. Gluteus maximus
3. Quadriceps of legs
4. Triceps of the arms
Here are a few simple exercises to strengthen these muscles in your home.
•Abdominal Crunch
•Bridging
•Mini Kneel
•Chair dips
Start with 10 repetitions every day
Next blog is how to improve your balance
kimdeeckpt.com
What can cause you to fall
Throw rugs
Lamp/TV chords
Poor lighting​
Clutter
Weak legs
Poor vision
Poor hearing
Taking more than 4 medication
Our Blog
An ongoing series of informational entries
Our Latest Blog Entry
Novermber 2019
Surprising Health Risks from Poor Posture
The cell phone has changed our lives and our postures. Have you ever been told to sit up straight and stop slouching? Did it annoyed you to hear it? Did you think it was a ridiculous command? Well, it turns out not to be so ridiculous.
Poor posture can lead to Heartburn and Indigestion. Yes, slouched sitting posture can cause pressure on the digestive system that redirects the digestive acids up into the esophagus instead of down into the stomach. This can cause pain and potential cancer.
Poor posture can cause Incontinence. Slouched sitting posture can increase pressure on your bladder. This can promote stress incontinence by decreasing the pelvic floor muscle activation. We laugh or cough and urine leaks out of our body.
Poor posture can cause Constipation by partially closing the anus while defecating. It might close down parts of the large intestines as the waste is moving through our body. It can put the stomach muscle in a weaker position and less able to move the waste in our intestines.
Poor posture can cause neck pain. When we sit in good posture our head can weighs 10-12 lbs. As we bend our head forward to look at the cell phone or computer the weight on the neck muscles and joint can get stressed. Leaning your head forward 30 degrees to read can add 30 lbs to your neck muscles and joints. Imagine holding a 30 lb weight in an outstretched arm for hours. Now you can see why you have a pain in your neck after being on your phone or computer.
You might wonder..... how am I suppose to live my life not looking down? You need to be aware of your posture. Take breaks from sitting, working on the computer or reading a book. Be proactive and do posture exercises during the day to improve the endurance of your posture muscle. There are many exercises you can do to keep yourself in good alignment and healthy. See my home program page for good exercise ideas.
Kim Deeck, PT
267-467-1662
Information on this blog come from Harvard Medical School 2018 (Meghan Markowski)
Ou​r Latest Blog Entry
July 17, 2018
Normal life after Total Hip Replacement (THR)
By Kim Deeck, Post Rehab Trainer
In recent years, the surgical technique for total hip replacements has changed from posterior to anterior approach. WHAT??? That means the surgeon makes an incision in the front of your thigh not the back. Why would they change the surgical procedure? Well, by changing their surgical approach they do NOT have to cut any hip muscles. That means your recovery time after hip replacement is much quicker than it was years ago.
So now you had the surgery and physical therapy. It has been > 3 months and you are back to work, household chores and exercise. What you might not realize is that there could be hidden muscle weaknesses and imbalances lurking in the shadows. Maybe you have more hip pain after yard work or a walk with the neighbor. Maybe you find that your hip is still very stiff in the mornings. Or maybe, a family member asks you why you are still limping. Funny, you don’t feel like you are limping and/or having leg weakness.
Research studies have shown that it can take up to a year to fully recover all your muscle power and strength after a hip replacement. It often depends on how sever your old hip joint was before the surgery and if you have other health issues. You can try more physical therapy. You can try doing your home exercises. You can try working with a very skilled personal trainer to help you find your weaknesses and correct your alignment. But you do need to correct your body alignment to adjust to your NEW hip if you wish to fully recover.
The main weaknesses can come from the gluteus, quadriceps and hamstring muscles. If you can’t stand on your injured leg for 10 seconds without loss of balance it could be hip weakness. If you can’t easily go up/down steps it could be hip weakness. A good exercise is lying on your side and lifting your hip that was replace up to ceiling 20 times. See picture at top article for example of hip abduction.
Kim Deeck, PT
267-467-1662
Our Latest Blog Entry
July 2, 2018
Stretching Before & After Exercise
Does it help?
In 2005, the Journal of Athletic Training did a research study on post exercise soreness and risk of injury. Their research was looking at articles in MEDLINE 1966-2000 to see if there were any benefits to stretching. The results did not strongly support the benefit to stretching to improve performance or decrease injury. Mayo Clinic did research on benefits of stretching and stated that the benefits of stretching were mixed. They reported stretching could help improve the joint range of motion to normal ranges, thereby allowing for better exercise performance.
There are different types of stretching:
•Static – Stretching a muscle to the point of mild discomfort and then holding it for 10 seconds or longer
•Dynamic – gentle repetitive movements such as leg swings to gradually increase joint range of motion
•PNF – (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) which is taking a muscle to stretch then contracting and relaxing that same muscle.
•Ballistic – bouncing into and out of a slightly stretched muscle
So what do we do? Stretch? Not stretch? Well, it feels good to me to stretch but I also don’t want to spend too much time doing it. Much of the newer articles recommend a sport specific warm up instead of stretching. For example, if you were going to play tennis it would be best to do some casual volleys to bring up your body temperature and heart rate. Maybe a light jog up and back from the net before playing your game.
It might also be helpful to look for the joints in your own body that seem tight and start to work on increasing them to normal limits to prevent injury. For example, many people have tight calf muscles. This blocks normal ankle range of motion. That could cause Achilles tendinitis if not corrected. So maybe stretching your ankles with runners stretch on a regular basis thought out the day to bring it back to normal ranges would be a good reason to stretch.
Kim Deeck, PT
267-467-1662
Our Latest Blog Entry
Jun 18, 2018
Do you have good balance?
How do you know?
Can falls be prevented?
What causes loss of balance for some people?
•Poor vision (cataracts, glaucoma, bifocals)
•Hearing problems
•Decreased exercise (muscle weakness)
•Recent surgery and/or illness
•Medications (usually > 4)
•Natural aging
•Health complications such has high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease or COPD
How do you know if you are at a to fall risk?
•If you are grabbing counters, walls, sink to steady yourself
•If you cannot easily get out of a chair, bed, car
•If you have a fear of falling
•If you get dizzy and/or fall
•Take more than 4 prescription medications
•Do not exercise regularly
Statistics
Research reveals that 1/3 of people over 65 years of age will fall each year. Many times the falls lead to hip fractures, wrist fractures and head trauma. Falls are the #1 cause of seniors losing independence in their own home. 95% of hip fractures are caused by fall. Usually the falls are sideways, such as when you turn to look to the right and then you fall to the left.
GOOD NEWS!
•Falls can often be prevented with simple exercise
•The population is aging better and healthier than previous generations
•There are so many more resources to help you discover why you are falling and prevent future falls
•Many exercises for balance can easily be done in your home
Why not start today?
•FIRST consult your doctor if you feel unsteady or fell
•Have your eyes and hearing checked once a year
•Test yourself with some simple exercises: Note do the test with a friend and support each other to prevent a fall
Test
Standing on one foot
Normal = 10 seconds
Sit to Stand x 10 reps in row
Normal < 28 seconds to complete 10 reps
What can I do if I failed the test?
•Speak with your doctor about your balance
•Do a safety check in your home to remove loose rugs, add lighting in dark hallways, put grab bars in the bathroom
•Have your eyes and ears checked once a year
•Get more exercise if your doctor feels that is safe
•Call me to help you with a home exercise program
Kim Deeck (post rehab fitness trainer) @ 267-467-1662
Resources: Free Guide by National Institute of Aging by US Department of Health and Human Services
CDC- Center for Disease Control and prevention
Our Latest Blog Entry
June 1, 2018
What is causing my back pain?
Herniated disk or SI joint?
How do you know which exercises are helpful to prevent your recurring low back pain? Often you will see your healthcare provider for low back pain and they will tell you it is likely coming from your lumbar spine (disk or joints). But what if it is coming from your sacroiliac joints (SI joint)? Both injuries have similar patterns of pain. But the exercises for SI joint are often different the for lumbar disk pain.
Here are some frequent signs of sacroiliac joint (SI joint) injury:
•Increased pain in the lower back and lightly out to either side of upper buttock, in the hamstrings, hips and/or groin.
•Pain gets worse with prolong sitting, standing and/or walking
•Pain is worse when getting up/down from a chair, bending over, and/or walking up a hill
•Pain gets worse with too much activity and better with resting
•Pain DECREASES if you frequently change positions, a gentle walk, and/or lying on your side with pillow between your knees
What does your sacroiliac do? It transfers the weight of your upper body onto your legs. How can you injury it? A slip and fall on your buttock, lifting something heavy while twisting, pregnancy, or standing on one leg for long periods of time.
What exercises should I AVOID?
•Running, jogging, stair climbing, twisting, standing on one leg, prolong sitting and heavy weight lifting
What exercises can I DO? First see your doctor to make sure nothing is seriously wrong that is causing your back pain. If you get the OK from your doctor to exercise then work on core training exercises such as
•Pelvic Tilts, stomach and pelvic floor strengthening.
Kim Deeck, Post Rehab Fitness Trainer
267-467-1662
BLOG: 11/13/23
Upper/Middle Trapezius muscles produce over 50% of work in the golf back swing.
Try stretching your Upper and Middle Trapezius muscles before playing golf. About 52% of your upper traps and 37% middle traps are used on your golf back swing.
