November 2021
These are a few of my favorite things…
Fall is my favorite time of the year. It is this lovely calm before the holiday storm where school is back in session and my family has settled into a routine. The days are cooler but still so enjoyable. Nights are perfect for campfires and mugs of coffee. But that is not all. We have a collection of family birthdays in the fall, so it is a chance to celebrate (and eat dessert!) with some of my most favorite people. October is actually my favorite month of all because it includes MY birthday, National Physical Therapy month (it is our centennial year!!) and breast cancer awareness month! (This has taken on so much more significance to me after helping my awesome best friend through her journey with breast cancer).
So this fall, I encourage you to sit by the fire, drink coffee, eat cake, and do some exercise while I share with you some of my favorite therapy practices…
Breathing - We all know you have to breathe, but did you know that improving your breathing can decrease your stress level, increase your core strength, improve your digestion and help alleviate pelvic pain? This is one of the most fundamental skills we teach in pelvic therapy. I love talking about it!
Belting – As an immediate fix to a lot of pregnancy and post-partum low back and pelvic pain issues, a good sacroiliac stability belt can be worth its weight in gold! The Serola Sacroiliac Belt is my favorite!
Balance – You must have good core strength and awareness to be able to withstand balance challenges – so challenging your balance is my favorite fun way to improve core strength. Whether using a foam block, foam roller, BOSU, or simply standing on one leg, learning to manage the perturbations and instability that life (or your therapist) throws at you without falling is a great accomplishment!
Biofeedback – Sometimes we all need a little help understanding what our bodies are doing. Receiving information and cues regarding movement and posture via hands on or verbal cueing, mirrors, tactile input or surface EMG, can help your brain decipher what the muscles are doing and which signals to send to get the correct muscles to do the correct action at the correct time. That is Rehab at its finest!!