So you want to be a runner? Go out, let the sun and breeze hit your face, and cruise down the path without a care in the world. Sounds nice. Maybe you have a race in mind. You’re going to run a local 5K/10K and have a nice after race beer. You’ll get your T-shirt, finisher’s medal, maybe even brunch with some friends on the way home. These are the ideal scenarios, but not always how things play out.

It’s no secret that running is one of the most popular forms of exercise around the globe. Every year, millions of people lace up their shoes and go run. The unfortunate reality however, is that the vast majority of those people wind up injured every year as well. What follows is often worse, those nagging injuries get ignored or trained around and lead to even more issues.

Let’s take a closer look at one of the more popular races, the marathon (26.2 miles).

– There are approximately 30 million regular runners in the US.

– There are over 1,100 marathons held each year in the US.

– ~90% of marathon runners sustain an injury during training.

– Each year, ~80% of runners sustain an injury that forces them to stop running.

– There is an inverse relationship between the cost of a running shoe (the US running shoe industry rakes in about $4 billion a year, by the way) and the likelihood of a runner getting injured. In other words, the more expensive your running shoe, the more likely you are to get hurt. “So which shoes should I buy?” you might ask… Well, that’s a topic for another day. My recommendation for now, just wear what is comfortable to you and don’t worry about the price, brand, features, or what your friend is wearing.

So now you might be wondering, how can you make sure you are able to run without being injured? Great question! Because let’s be honest, telling a runner to stop running is like telling them to stop breathing or telling a fish to stop living in water… That’s just crazy!

There actually is a way for you to run, enjoy it, get good at it and even stay healthy. Our running checklist below is a good place to start.

In this checklist we dive into the 12 essential areas that can impact your ability to run effectively. From head to toe, warm up to cool down, we’ve got you covered. To see our complete list click the link below!

Stay tuned for more running related posts as the weather continues to warm up!

Stay safe & stay healthy, 

Andrew

The post Running: Expectations vs. Reality appeared first on Physio Room.

COVID-19 Is changing the way we do business and is changing the space where you work from. If you’re “working from home“ for the first time, then you are not alone. With the new stress of working in a new environment comes new pains and aches that are preventable. Do yourself a favor and set it up properly from the beginning, claim your FREE “work from home” consult.  

If you have started slouching on the couch while working, overreaching at the kitchen table, or rounded forward with your head reaching towards the screen, then we should talk about your new “office” space.  Our desks were not made for us, they were made for anyone. Dr. Chris, owner of Physio Room, is here to show you how to make your desk adapt to you and not the other way around.

#1 Chair Set-Up

Most desks are set up at 30 inches and will be too tall or too short for some, and we need to adjust the chair height to accommodate. The first thing that you should set up is the chair height to your desk, this allows your elbows to be flexed at 90°. If you have to raise your chair up too high, then you may need a foot rest to keep your feet flat on the floor. Having your feet flat on a surface allows your knees and hips to maintain a 90° bend.  Knees and hips bent to 90° allows for a more natural position that will not overly stress your lumbar spine and help prevent low back pain. 

#2 Monitor Set-Up

We have all seen that coworker rounded forward like the hunchback of Notre Dame with their chin and head protruding forward getting sucked into their computer screen like a scene out of Poltergeist. Don’t do that. 

If you can set your monitor up at eye level and keep the monitor within an arms distance, then you will be able to maintain normal postural alignment. This will reduce the amount of repetitive strain on your neck muscles and allow you to avoid unnecessary headaches and neck pain.

If you are using a laptop, then it would be a good idea to use a kickstand to elevate the screen to eye level and have a remote keyboard to use. If your monitor is too low or too high, then this will put a kink in the spine and create a fulcrum point that will overly stress the cervical spine and create neck pain. This can lead to increased nerve irritation and numbness and tingling.

Dual monitors. If your work requires two monitors, then position yourself to be in the middle of both monitors so you can use your eyes to scan left and right and not have to turn your head significantly to one side or the other. When we see office workers in the PT clinic with neck pain that have dual monitors, we often see the mistake of keeping one monitor directly in front and having the other monitor offset resulting in a slight head turn consistently throughout the day.  That leads to a repetitive strain on those tissues and increased risk for irritation and injury.

Mouse and phone position. Keeping the mouse and phone close to you so that you can rotate your arm with your elbow at your side and reach the phone and mouse without reaching from the shoulder. 

Proper phone use. If you were going to be on the phone frequently, then it is recommended that you purchase a quality headset. Otherwise, you should hold the phone in your non-dominant hand so that you are able to write information down with your dominant hand. This allows you to write down the information without having your shoulder shrug up into your ear and avoiding unnecessary stress and strain on the nerves and joints in your neck.

#3 Create A Movement Rich Environment

Every 10 to 15 minutes, you will slip back into a default posture no matter how perfect you set up your desk. There is actually no such thing as “good posture”.  A “good posture” is a constantly changing posture.  We were not designed to sit static for periods of time. 

Here are the top 4 desk exercises to perform throughout the day.

#1. Chin Tucks x15 reps and one 30 second hold

#2. Upper Trapezius Stretch – x 60 seconds each side

#3. Scapular Retraction – 15 reps

#4. Pelvic Tilt – x15 rep

#5.  Lastly and most importantly, get up, move around, go get a drink of water, and try to get in 10,000 steps per day.

#4 Set Your Desk Up Correctly Today!

As an ergonomic expert and a doctor of physical therapy, I would like to help you set that up. I would like to offer you an absolutely free consult to assess your current “work from home” set up during this Covid Crisis.  We can set up a zoom call and look at exactly where you are sitting/standing and provide our feedback on what you could improve.  

The post Ergonomics Expert Explains How To Set Up Your New Office Space. appeared first on Physio Room.

A highly effective method of applying a distraction force used to relieve neck pain for individuals suffering from arthritis, herniated and/or bulging discs, cervical muscle strains and spasms. 

What Does Traction Do For Your Neck?

Cervical traction equipment works by gently pulling the head away from the neck. By doing so: 

1. The muscles along the spinal cord begin to relax and gradually stretch, along with ligaments around the spine.
2. The intervertebral space of the spine expands, which brings blood flow, circulation, and nutrition to the areas which were being compressed.
3. Increased circulation helps to oxygenate muscles, nerves, tendons, and ligaments, which leads to decreased pain and increased mobility.

Pinched nerves are released. Herniated and bulging discs reduce. pressure is relieved. 

What Is a Cervical Traction Device and What Makes The Neck Hammock Different?

In the past, individuals could only receive traction at a physical therapist’s office. But these visits are often time consuming, inconvenient, and costly.   

Today, there are many at-home cervical traction devices, but most are complex, cumbersome, bulky, expensive, and potentially injurious.  

What is needed is an easy to use, compact, non-marring, effective traction device that minimizes discomfort and avoids potentially injurious stresses, while giving the patient ultimate relaxation and pain relief. 

And that’s how and why The Neck Hammock was created!

Can The Neck Hammock replace physical therapy?

While The Neck Hammock achieves many of the same benefits of physical and massage therapy, it is not meant to replace these modalities.

The Neck Hammock is meant to be a compliment to these therapies, which can be used every day to help relieve pain and protect against future injury. 

Can anyone use The Neck Hammock? 

The Neck Hammock is ideal for:

• Office workers
• Students
• Athletes
• Shift workers
• Laborers
• Drivers
• Bodyworkers 

Do not use The Neck Hammock if you have:

• Acute Cervical Injury 
• Spinal Instability 
• Spinal Hypermobility 
• Neck Tumors 
• Rheumatoid Arthritis 
• Osteomylelitis
• Under age of 16
  
  Consult with your Doctor or physical therapist to see if Cervical Traction equipment is right for you

What does neck traction help with and what are some of the symptoms that the Neck Hammock helps to improve?

The Neck Hammock is a non-surgical treatment option that uses uses cervical traction to provide fast neck pain relief, and a faster recovery from neck injuries, without the need for medications or surgery.  

• Neck, head or shoulder pain 
• Tension headaches
• Poor posture
• “Upper back Hump” aka Dowager’s Hump 
• Herniated, compressed or bulged discs 
• Pinched nerves 
• Cervical neck and muscle spasms
• Osteoarthritis 
• Physical and Mental Stress
• Muscle tightness
• Decreased range of motion and mobility of the neck
• Poor sleep due to anxiety and restless thinking before bed.
• And others

If the Neck Hammock treatment works on my symptoms, will I have to use it forever?

The analogy that we like to use relates to stretching. If you have tight hamstrings and stretch them once, you are going to get immediate relief. But if you don’t continue some sort of a maintenance stretching program, your hamstrings will become tight again. The Neck Hammock works similarly in that it’s a fantastic maintenance tool that helps promote spinal hygiene and joint mobility. This is what makes it an effective long-term solution to your neck pain and tension headaches. The frequency and duration of use truly depends on the person. As you become more mobile, you will need to use less and less.

What is the Neck Hammock made of?

Fabric Composition: 80% polyester, 20% spandex

How far should the top of your head be from the wall/door that the Neck Hammock is attached to? 

There is no exact number as the objective is to feel a comfortable, gradual stretch and much of it depends on how it feels for you. Ideally, we recommend that the base/pad of the Neck Hammock be approximately 2-4 inches off the ground when assembled, however, as for the distance between the hammock and the y-axis (e.g. wall or door), it will also depend as to which angle feels relaxing and comfortable for you.

1. If you are seeking a more aggressive stretch, scoot away from the wall or door. Start more conservatively and see how your body responds after 1 session.
2. If the stretch is too much, move back towards the wall or door.
3. Your body is very smart, it knows what it likes and doesn’t like. If the stretch feels too strong, then it probably is. Adjust the tension based on Your needs.

You can also check out the instructional video on our how to use page to help you set and adjust the Neck Hammock: Click Here

Should you start off with 15 minutes 3 times per day, or start slowly, e.g. 5 minutes at a time?

It mainly depends on the person using the device. We recommend starting at 10 minutes at one instance and working your way up from there. If your neck is in a bad shape, you may need to use it 2 – 3x per day up to 15 minutes (allow at least an interval of 4 hours in between sessions and a strict maximum of 15 minutes per session) at a time but as your range improves and the pain or discomfort subsides, then you can also decrease the frequency and duration of the stretch. However, should the 15-minute duration give you either a headache, or feeling of dizziness/nausea, or back pain, then you may need to decrease the time and place the pad more towards the middle of your neck.

We like to compare this in improving hamstring flexibility. If you have REALLY tight hamstrings, then you are probably going to need to stretch them 2 – 3x a day for a few weeks to see significant physical change. If you have relatively flexible hamstrings, then you probably only need to stretch them 3 – 4x per week.

Should the back pad inside the Neck Hammock go against the middle of your neck or at the top of your neck cradling the skull

This depends on your body as your neck will have a preferred position. We recommend trying both (placing the pad at the back of the head/base of the skull OR at the middle of the neck) and do what feels best and most comfortable for you.

For example, if you know that you text a lot or usually do things that keep your head in a downward position for extended periods of time, your neck probably needs to restore its natural “C-curve” so moving the pad to the middle of your neck will help restore that natural curve.

On the other hand, if you have a desk job, travel a lot, or sit all day, you can probably benefit from the neck hammock most by having the pad under the base of your skull for general neck traction.

The post Why the Neck Hammock? appeared first on Physio Room.

Physio Room opened doors a little over one year ago and we are excited to be growing our dedicated team. We currently staff 2 PTs, a front office manager and a marketing/social media director. We are looking to hire an additional PT to help continue to grow and manage the Highlands Ranch location. 

PTs working with our clinic are passionate about fitness and about providing our unique brand of individualized care. PTs are asked to teach workshops on a monthly basis and hold a high degree of active community involvement. We are looking for an enthusiastic go-getter who wants to work with the owner to build this unique business, not someone only interested in working within the business and for the owner. An ideal candidate wants to work for a high-energy and innovative company, has a strength/conditioning/performance background, strong manual therapy skills and is looking for an amazing opportunity to learn and grow personally and professionally alongside our team. 

Bonus if interested in women’s health/pelvic floor physical therapy as this would be a big asset to our company.

Please send your resume with attached cover letter and references to Chris Robl: chris@physioroomco.com

We look forward to you joining the team!

The post We Are Growing! Are You our Next Physical Therapist? appeared first on Physio Room.

Shoulder pain can be debilitating. It can keep you from doing the things that you love like working out, golfing, cycling, crossfit, the list goes on and on. The pain can be challenging to manage. You may find yourself asking: Should I ice it? Can I move it? How did this happen? When will the pain go away? These are some of the most common questions that come up when we have an injury. Shoulders are no exception to the injury bug.

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. More movement – or range of motion – comes from the shoulder joint than any other spot in our bodies. Due to the amount of movement that the shoulder has it can be more prone to injuries than other areas of our body. Some of the most common ways to injure the shoulder include overhead sports, overhead lifting, and poor body mechanics. What can we do to avoid these injuries?

In order to prevent the onset of shoulder injuries we need to take a multi-faceted approach. Our bodies must move well. Think of our muscles as working as a system. Each part of the system must function well in order for the whole thing to be successful. If one or multiple parts are not moving well, then inevitably we will see a decrease in the system’s performance. The system must be strong as well. If one part is working much harder than the rest, it will more likely fail first. A system that is strong, and moves well – is mobile – must also be stable. When one of these components fails, we may begin to experience pain.

When one of the pieces of the shoulder system is not working well it is advantageous to address these issues quickly. Below you will find a few different mobility drills that aid in improving the quality of your shoulder movement. Please feel free to watch the videos below.

For more information about the shoulder Physio Room will be hosting a workshop on Shoulder Pain on Tuesday November 19, at 7pm, located at : 8925 S Ridgeline Blvd #102, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129.

Click here for details and to sign up: https://signup.physioroomco.com/shoulderseminar

Shoulder Mobility for Overhead Movements

Super Front Rack

Shoulder Openers with Resistance Band

Pec Opener with Resistance Band

The post Are You Living With Shoulder Pain…? appeared first on Physio Room.

Golf is an intricate sport and your swing is the most important piece of the puzzle. Ensuring you are making the most of your swing will not only improve your game but also help protect your body as you play.

So, how can we make improvements cost-free and on your own time? The proper warmups can help along with a couple of quick mobility drills. Check out these instructional videos – try them out and let us know if you notice a difference!

Pre-Game Warmup

Prayer Stretch

Pelvis Mobility

Thoracic Mobility

The post Want To Improve Your Golf Swing? Tips and Tricks… appeared first on Physio Room.

Of course, there are many treatments we can provide for you here in the clinic that will ease, help correct and begin to heal your aching knees. Dry Needling, soft tissue mobilization, deep tissue laser session and corrective exercise are all tools in our tool box our doctors can use to get you the relief you are after.

There are several things you can be doing on your own, however, that will offer you relief without having to come in and see us. Dr. Chris will walk us through several postures, tips on safe and proper form, stretches and exercise that will keep you and your knees moving forward, pain-free.

Dead Lifting and Squat

Glute Activation

Glute Activation Cont’d

Ice Skaters

Activation Drill

Hip Extension

Reverse Hyper Extension

Lower Body Foam Rolling

The post Bulletproof Your Knees appeared first on Physio Room.

However, no matter the age, body type, sport or motivation, there is one thing that all athletes have in common; they all want to feel good and succeed. It is in this light that sports physical therapist and performance based PT has received a considerable amount of attention in recent years. Much of this awareness has developed over the past decade, due to an increased participation by individuals in recreational activities, the government’s role in encouraging physical fitness and an increase in the publicity given to professional athletes and their injuries. Most importantly, performance, recovery, and physical therapy clinics have been developing at a considerable pace, because Physio Room is keeping athletes at the top of their game through pain relief, accelerated recovery and performance enhancement.

Physio Room is keeping abreast of the latest advances in the field, most recently with the use of deep tissue laser therapy, a technique that has been shown to benefit non-professional and elite athletes alike.

The basic science behind deep tissue laser therapy is compelling. Cells absorb the light and undergo significant positive changes. Studies have shown that impaired cells have a stronger response than healthy cells. So, the light seems to produce the most benefit where it is most needed.

Lasers work by impacting cellular function. Damaged cells will absorb and become energized by photonic energy; this has been well documented with over 2,000 clinical studies stretching back 30 years. Stimulated cells increase adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, and dramatically reduce inflammation, pain and swelling. This modality may be considered a “healing” process, as it quickly corrects compromised cellular function, allowing the body to heal itself.

Physio Room prepares our athletes for the challenges ahead and keeps them healthy on multiple levels and with the addition of deep tissue laser therapy, sports chiropractors can also offer a variety of patients a new tool for reducing pain and accelerating their recovery to get them back on the field more quickly.

Conditions which have shown significant improvements using this form of therapy without the use of drugs or surgery include, but are not limited to, medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow), lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow), patellar tendinitis, muscle strains (quadriceps, hamstrings, forearm, shoulder, oblique), joint sprains (ankle and knee mainly), carpal tunnel
syndrome, neck pain and low back pain. Whether your patient is a professional, college, high school or amateur athlete, they may benefit from laser therapy, getting individuals back into their game, whatever it may be, at the “speed of light.”

FREE DEEP TISSUE LASER SESSION WITH ANY INITIAL EVALUATION IF YOU MENTION THIS POST!

CALL 720-316-9974 TO SCHEDULE TODAY!

The post Deep Tissue Laser: Relief for Lifestyle Related Pain and Dysfunction appeared first on Physio Room.

Today we are in the clinic talking about overuse injuries. What is an overuse injury? This usually occurs when we do too MUCH, too SOON. What happens, then, is we create a micro-trauma state within the muscles being used. In other words, you are breaking down that muscle tissue more than what your body may be used to.

Let’s look at an example of this. It’s spring, it’s getting nice out and you may want to get out there and swing that golf club a little more than you had been over the winter months. Maybe you get out there and end up hitting 100+ balls when your body is accustomed to hitting no more than 60. This can start to create that micro-trauma state, causing your muscles to become aggravated and inflamed.

What we would like to see you do in this circumstance is to back off (but not stop!) that activity a little bit. Let’s bring it back down to what your body is more accustomed to and keep your increases smaller with a little bit more time in between.

Even more beneficial in treating this overuse is a Deep Tissue Laser Treatment, offered here in the Physio Room clinic. The laser will increase your cellular energy level through increased ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production. Additionally it reduces the inflammation you are experiencing and this is key to getting back to what we want to be doing more quickly.

If you think you may be suffering from an overuse injury, we want to hear from you. Comment “overuse” on this post and let us help! And, as always, if you have learned something, SHARE!

The post Overuse Injury appeared first on Physio Room.

Text Neck and Computer Neck occur when our head is being pushed too far forward as we spend lengths of time gazing down toward our computer screens or looking down into our phones. We typically see this problem start to arise at the office while we are sitting at a work station. Then, as the day goes on, our bodies become more fatigued and therefore our posture becomes more and more forward, father and farther out of alignment. By the end of the day, and especially by the end of the week, you may find you are experiencing an increase in pain in the back of the neck and, soon, all the surrounding areas can begin to ache.

I am going to show you two quick things you can do that will help you with this at home or at the office.

First, let’s do some chin tucks. You will want to use your hand to push your chin back, almost like you are trying to give yourself a double chin. Let go. Repeat.

Doing several of these chin tucks will help build up the muscles in your neck and remind your body where your chin is naturally meant to rest. This will help address the fatigue happening over the course of your day or your week.

Second, we would like to see you doing some isometric exercises. This also aids in strengthening the muscles in your neck. Bring your hand to your forehead and push your head forward, pressing into your hand. Hold for about 5 seconds. Next, bring your hand to the left side of your head, push against your hand for another 5 seconds. Repeat this with your hand on the right side and, finally, repeat with your hand on the back of your head.

I hope you find these tips helpful! If you find yourself with either Text Neck or Computer neck and want to learn more, tag us in our post with any questions. We would love to help you out.

The post Text Neck / Computer Neck appeared first on Physio Room.

Hi, everyone! Dr. Chris Robl here with Physio Room and we have my wife, Courtney, and our youngest, Zachary, in the clinic today to talk to you a little bit about what Mom Shoulder (or Mom Posture) is and ways to treat this and prevent it from coming back.

Mom shoulder basically happens when we’re repetitively holding a baby or nursing a baby and your shoulders get ‘stuck’ in a forward or rounded posture. As your shoulder is constantly being rounded forward your rotator cuff then becomes stretched out. This leads to shoulder instability and we find that you will then start incorporating your upper trap for stability instead. In turn, we start seeing the persistent neck and shoulder pain, stiffness and strain.

So, let’s talk about a couple of drills to help you get out of this Mom Shoulder posture. You want to take a band in the hand of whichever side your irritation is on. You will want your elbow bent at 90 degrees and down to your side, shoulder blade down and set. We then want you to rotate our hand (holding the band) in an outward motion – you will go from elbow in, hand facing forward to elbow in, hand facing out from your side. You want to continue this motion until you start to get a nice little burn in the back side of your shoulder. Let’s go 3 sets of 10 reps to start and work our way up to 30 reps.

In addition to that strengthening exercise, we also want to be thinking about stretching these tight muscles out of their ‘stuck’ posture. Again, starting on the side that feels more irritated, begin by holding your arm long and straight down to your side, pulling those shoulder blades down into your back so that we’re not resting in this forward position. Use your remaining hand to slowly pull your head away from your shoulder. By doing this we are going to get a nice gentle stretch through the trap and the neck, relieving any pain and tightness caused by your Mom Posture.

If you have any questions about what we have talked about today please give us a call and, as always, if you have learned anything from today’s video, please like and share. We appreciate the support, thank you very much for everything you do for us here at Physio Room. Have a great day!

The post Mom Posture appeared first on Physio Room.

This patient had been experiencing some acute knee pain for 6 months when she walked through our door and was, understandably, very frustrated with her lack of progress over those 6 months. The first question I asked her was why now? Why did it take her so long to get her in here to address this pain? Her answer was not too uncommon. Our client said that she had slowly become depressed – she had always enjoyed skiing, wanted to find enjoyment in cycling again, but was unable to participate in the things she enjoys because the pain always interfered. She was fearful of what all this meant.

This is where the pain snowball tends to begin. She began experiencing symptoms of depression because she simply couldn’t do the things she desired due to the knee pain. Those depressive symptoms then create a state of irritability. Overall she had become very stressed and, above all else, she felt anxious as she didn’t have any idea what this persistent problem meant for her. Her anxiousness and uncertainty centered around whether or not this pain was going to last forever, whether she would just have to give up skiing or quit cycling entirely or, and this is one of the most common anxieties or uncertainties we see in the clinic, would she require major surgery to regain her quality of life?

As her provider, I began her treatment program by first explaining to her that fear is nothing but false expectation, or an appearance that something is real. You think a particular outcome of all this pain is likely, you worry that some particular problem is causing it and you build it up into something you feel very anxious and fearful about. However, when you make the move to come in to see us, we can concretely measure the specifics of your pain, investigate the potential causes of your pain and talk with you about how your pain is interfering with your lifestyle. This often helps to decrease that fear, decrease those feelings of anxiety or depression.

Our client began our knee pain program and remained dedicated to sticking with the treatment plan through the end. By doing this she was able to regain so much of the happiness she had been lacking! Slowly becoming able to participate in the activities she was missing out on due to pain eased all of the fear she had created for herself.

So, if this sounds like you or someone you know, a person who may be on a path to a very negative mind space or beginning to feel depressed or anxious due to pain, PLEASE give Physio Room a call. We can help you sort through your fears and come up with a program that will get you back to skiing and cycling, or whatever it is that you want to do.

Thank you very much and have a good day!

The post Reasons Never to Put Off Knee Pain… appeared first on Physio Room.