Key Takeaways: The diaphragm muscle plays a central role in breathing as well as stabilizing the trunk, contributing to efficient posture and movement, and triggering our relaxation response. If you have poor use of your diaphragm you may experience less efficient breathing, rib and chest discomfort with movement*, impaired core coordination, and pelvic floor dysfunction**. Diaphragm muscle control is about coordination, not force. Daily practice will make a signif

Key Takeaways: 1. Youth sports are becoming more competitive, more expensive, and more time-consuming, which excludes many children from participating. 2. A predominant model of youth sports that provides moderate to vigorous activity a few days per week at low cost may allow youth and teens to gain the benefits of sports while maintaining balance with school and other hobbies.

If you’ve been living with pain for months or even years, you’ve probably heard things like: “Your imaging looks normal.” “Maybe you just have to live with it.” “Try this miracle supplement.” “This device will fix your pain in just two weeks!” Living with chronic pain can be frustrating, exhausting, and isolating. The good news is that modern pain science has transformed how we understand chronic pain—and that means there is hope. As physical therapists, we know that pain is

Why Lactate Threshold Matters Even More as You Age As athletes get older, one of the biggest challenges isn’t motivation—it’s physiology. Beginning in midlife, several systems that support endurance performance start to decline: • mitochondrial efficiency • insulin sensitivity • muscle oxidative capacity • aerobic fitness But one type of training can help slow many of these changes: improving lactate threshold and lactate clearance . Lactate: A Key Part of Your Body’s Energy

Key Takeaways: 1. Leg braces, orthoses, can be helpful to assist with mobility, correct a deformity, or prevent pain and injury. 2. Different trims and components are available to tailor braces to the need of the user, best determined with the assistance of a Physical Therapist, Orthotist, and/or Physiatrist. 3. There are many brace-friendly shoe options to make brace wear easier and more convenient.

Key Takeaways Weight lifting helps build bone mass, which is essential for optimizing bone density in youth and maintaining bone density as we age. Women experience a larger drop in bone density due to menopause. Falls and fractures are significant cause of morbidity (disability) and mortality (death) in older age, especially among older women.

Key Takeaways: 1. Aerobic and strength training exercise help boost brain performance. 2. Exercise has both immediate and long term effects on the brain including memory, attention, and "executive function" (including critical thinking).

Key Takeaways: 1. Strengthening core muscles improves posture, prevents injury, improves breathing, maintains pelvic floor function (bowel and bladder control), and reduces pain. 2. Core muscles include the transverse abdominis (deep abdominal muscles), diaphragm (breathing muscle), pelvic floor muscles, multifidus & back muscles in addition to the well-known rectus abdominis (6-pack). 3. Core strength exercises include: "bird dog," planks, and diaphragmatic breath

Key Takeaways 1. Aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular & respiratory fitness as well as metabolic, immune, cognitive, and mental health. 2. Strength training exercise improves bone & joint health in addition to benefits of aerobic exercise. 3. Aerobic exercise should be done at least 150 minutes per week at moderate intensity. Strength training should be done at least 2 days per week with 8-10 exercises per session.

Key Takeaways: 1. Exercise boosts your immune system in the short term by up-regulating key immune cells. 2. Regular moderate exercise reduces likelihood of infection, severity of symptoms, and length of illness in the long term. 3. Overtraining without rest can impair your immune system.

Key Takeaways: 1. Strengthen muscles surrounding joints and ensure proper mechanics. 2. Maintain a healthy body weight and eat a healthy anti-inflammatory diet. 3. Use supports when necessary to keep joints in good alignment.