Arm/Hand

Who Do You Want On Your Healthcare All-Star Team?

You all know the mantra “Look out for #1!” And in today’s healthcare world, it could not be more confusing. Every day you are faced with having to make decision after decision on a multitude of daily activities…what to wear, what to eat, when to exercise, work priorities…and the list goes on. Is it any wonder why you often forego making the important decisions, like the ones involving your health. Most of you have done it at some point in time…neglecting your own health, thinking “it’s not too bad” (yet!)…”I’ll give it another week” (after 6 months already)…”I don’t have time to deal with it now”…Have you ever thought about having a team of knowledgable medical professionals that you could go to or contact at any time with any issue who you could count on to help you to make the best possible healthcare decision for you while eliminating any guesswork? read more

7 Ways A Discovery Session Can Change Your Life

Would you like to make better, more educated, and more informed decisions regarding your health? Are you tired of relying on pain pills, have been told you would benefit from painful injections, or worse, been told that surgery is your only option? Are you looking for a permanent solution to eliminate your pain so you can live better and get back to normal? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions then I have great news for you, and it’s absolutely free!!. read more

Is Pain All In Your Head?

We can’t avoid it. At some time or another, most of us will experience pain of some sort that could potentially be debilitating. Some individuals tolerate pain much better than others. But why is this so? And where is the pain originating? Can it be that it is all in our head?

What is pain?

Pain is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage,” according to The International Association for the Study of Pain. So based on this definition, pain can arise from actual injury to a tissue (i.e., muscle, tendon, bone) or the potential for injury to a tissue. Regardless of whether the damage is actual or potential, one thing is certain–individuals will perceive pain as real! read more

Kettlebells vs Dumbbells…How Do I Choose Which Is Best For Me?

When it came to weight training, there used to be two choices…barbells (plates attached to a bar for bench presses or curls, e.g.) or dumbbells. Now, we have a third choice…kettlebells. So let’s focus on barbells and kettlebells and, specifically, the benefits of each. Is one of these better than the other for getting results? Let’s take a look…

If you’re looking to perform basic movements, then dumbbells would be more advantageous, since they are great for a little bit of everything. Start with the very basics…chest press, shoulder press, rows, or squats, holding the dumbbells at the shoulders. Since you are not swinging the weight around (as you would do in a swing or snatch), it makes the movement a little more straightforward. read more

9 More Reasons Why You Should Be Strength Training (Part 2)

In Part 1, I listed 9 Reasons Why You Should Be Strength Training. In case you missed it, you can check it out here. Still not convinced of the benefits and think that by simply performing cardio you’re maximizing your health and welfare? Well, here are 9 additional reasons why you should be strength training.

1) Improve self-esteem–Strength training can certainly help to improve an individual’s perceived body image. Think about tracking your progress so you can see your strength gains from week to week. read more

9 Reasons Why You Should Be Strength Training (Part 1)

Maybe you wanted to lose some weight. Maybe you just wanted to tone up. And just maybe you wanted to be able to go for long runs . So you went to the gym and spent an hour or more on the treadmill…and/or the elliptical…and/or the stepper. And you’re proud of yourself because you’ve been sticking to your healthy meal plan. But all is not right…the weight’s just not dropping like you thought, or you’re having trouble completing your running because of nagging injuries. And you rack your brain, maybe blame your genetics for having “slow” metabolism. But truth be told, maybe you’re missing something critical…like strength training. read more

Cardio or Strength Training…Which Should You Do First?

You go to the gym and you know you have less than an hour to get your workout in…you know you need to work your major muscle groups…annnnnd you need to work in some cardio as well. So what do you do first? Unfortunately there is no clear cut answer. Your priority in the gym all depends on your personal goals. So, if you want to lose weight, for example, then you should not be working out the same as someone who is training to run a marathon. To decide whether to work on strength training or cardio first, I’ve compiled a list of common workout goals and accompanying recommendations. read more

The 10 Biggest Myths When It Comes To Stretching

In my previous post I stated the benefits of dynamic stretching before working out and static stretching after exercising. So are we really getting the best benefits from stretching? Are we even stretching out correctly? It turns out that we just may be stretching out the wrong way for the wrong reasons. So let’s debunk some common myths when it comes to stretching so we can stretch the right way.

Myth #1: Static stretching should come first. Again, go back to my previous post that explains that static stretching before a workout when the body is at rest can be detrimental, since muscles may actually tighten up in the process. Now static stretching after a workout is typically beneficial, since it helps the warmed-up muscles to relax. Truth: Do static stretching after a workout–not before. read more

Wilderman Physical Therapy

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