The holiday season is a busy and exciting time of year, but it can also be quite stressful. Between shopping, parties, traveling, and visiting family, it’s easy for your regular exercise routine to fall by the wayside. Research has shown that physical activity levels tend to decrease the most after holidays.
That’s why it’s so important to make your health a priority this time of year. Regular exercise can actually help reduce holiday stress and keep you feeling your best.
Here are some of the key benefits of maintaining your fitness routine:
Stress Management
The holidays bring a lot of added demands on your time and energy. Exercise is a proven way to manage stress and improve your mood. When you work out, your body releases endorphins that can lift your spirits and help you better cope with the pressures of the season. Making time to be active, even just a little big each day, can go a long way in keeping you calm and centered.
Immune System Support
Cold and flu season tends to ramp up during the winter months. Staying active can help support your immune system and reduce your risk of getting sick. Keeping up with your workouts makes you less susceptible to holiday illnesses that could derail your plans.
Weight Management
The holidays are full of rich, indulgent foods that can pack on extra pounds if you’re not careful. Regular physical activity helps you maintain a healthy weight by burning calories and boosting your metabolism. It also gives you an outlet for all the extra energy you may have from eating richer foods.
If you’re having trouble sticking to your exercise routine, consider talking to your physical therapist. They can create a customized fitness plan to help you stay on track, even with a busy holiday schedule. Physical therapists can teach you exercises you can do at home and provide tips for fitting activity into your day.
Here are a few quick tips to help you stay active this holiday season:
- Schedule your workouts like any other important appointment and don’t cancel them.
- Find ways to be active with friends and family, like going for a walk after a meal.
- Keep home exercise equipment (like weights or a yoga mat) accessible and ready to use.
- Park further away from stores and buildings to get in extra steps.
Don’t let the hustle and bustle of the holidays derail your health and fitness goals. With a little planning and creativity, you can maintain your exercise routine and enjoy a happier, healthier holiday season.
Keep Reading…
Heat or Ice – Is one better than the other?
A very common question that patients ask during their physical therapy treatment is whether they should use heat or ice for pain relief. The main consideration before deciding which to use, is determining whether or not inflammation is present in the painful area.
What is inflammation?
SYRACUSE PHYSICAL THERAPIST JULIE BERUBE AWARDED ORTHOPAEDIC SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION
Julie Berube, PT, DPT, of Syracuse, New York, was awarded the professional designation of board-certified clinical specialist in orthopaedic physical therapy (OCS) by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
To obtain board certification, candidates must submit evidence of 2000 hours of clinical practice in one of nine specialty areas: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiology, Geriatrics, Neurology, Oncology, Orthopaedics, Pediatrics, Sports, and Women’s Health Physical Therapy. In addition, candidates must successfully complete a rigorous examination, demonstrating specialized knowledge and advanced clinical proficiency in a specialty area of physical therapist practice. As of 2016, approximately 5% of PT’s in the United States are board certified in orthopaedics, and Julie joins only 2.5% of physical therapists in New York State with an OCS certification.
Physical Therapist Expands Knowledge in Pelvic Floor Evaluation and Rehabilitation
On May 5, 2017 physical therapist Taryn Bader, PT, DPT of Onondaga Physical Therapy attended a full-day seminar in Syracuse, NY titled:
The Fundamentals of Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation
The course was six hours of educational material focused on
What is a diastasis recti?
Diastasis Recti is a condition that typically occurs following a pregnancy in which the two halves of your abdominal muscle splits. There may be a gap you can feel between the walls of the abdomen, usually around the belly button. Occasionally there may be a bulge present, depending on the size of the diastasis.
Can it be fixed?
What is a Physical Therapist Qualified to Treat?
Like most professions, physical therapy continues to evolve as a profession. It is now a 6 year doctorate program. Within that time, we learn to treat people with orthopedic conditions, neurological impairments, cardiac issues, amputations, vestibular issues and more. Physical therapists are trained to work with newborns to geriatrics and everyone in between. After graduation, we have to pass a national test to become licensed to practice. To keep our license active, we have to complete 36 hours of education every 3 years. This is where we can choose courses to better ourselves in our specific setting and learn the most modern techniques! Below is a general (but not inclusive) list of conditions we treat in outpatient physical therapy:
Why Do I feel Like I’m Spinning?
BPPV, or Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, is a common cause of vertigo, or a false sense of spinning. It is fairly common among adults, with increased incidence as you age. It usually comes on without an apparent reason, however can occur after a head trauma or after spending time in a head tipped back position (such as in a dentist chair). Usually you will first notice symptoms when turning over in bed or when sitting up from bed in the morning.
The spinning sensation occurs due to a mechanical problem in the peripheral vestibular system of the inner ear. This system has calcium crystals called otoconia that sit on a gel-like substance and are sensitive to gravity, as well as three semicircular canals filled with fluid that are oriented in three different planes. In a normal vestibular system, the fluid in the canals moves when your head moves. This displaces hair cells and sends a message to the brain to tell it that your head is moving. Sometimes the otoconia crystals become dislodged into the fluid and give your brain a false signal that your head is moving when it’s not. This results in a spinning sensation, or vertigo.
