Baseline Measures of Health | Heather Lane PT – Physical Therapist in Denver, CO

Baseline Measures of Health | Heather Lane PT – Physical Therapist in Denver, CO

Health content
 What's your baseline activity level? Are you getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week? How about the two days of multiple segment strength training? A quarter of adults and eight percent of older adults achieve the recommended dose of exercise per week. Well, if not, you're not alone. Only a quarter of adults and eight percent of older adults achieve the recommended dose of exercise per week. Today we are going to hone in not just on overall fitness or activity level, but the importance of baseline measures. We're going to look at one test: the 30-second sit-to-stand test. Sit to Stand Test This test captures important information on: Lower body strength, Static balance, Quad endurance, Spinal posture, Hip strength, And joint motion. This test is commonly used…
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Seek Physical Therapy Before Lower Back Pain Becomes Chronic

Seek Physical Therapy Before Lower Back Pain Becomes Chronic

back, Health content, Pain, Treatment
If you're one of the 8 in every 10 people who experi­ence lower back pain severe enough to think you should probably seek treatment, be assured that it's probably not due to a serious problem. You may connect your low back problem to: A lot of sitting, including sitting to drive. Improper stance when bending or lifting. Poor overall physical condition. Aging. As we age, our muscles weaken and we may experience stiff joints. These both can cause pain in the low back area. Easy solutions to lower back pain You may not consider good nutrition an important tool in keeping your back healthy, but eating well benefits your whole body. Specifically, vegetables with anti-inflammatory properties have been shown to ease this pain. Sleep is another general health aid. It…
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New Year’s Resolution: Manage Your Chronic Condition Without Meds

New Year’s Resolution: Manage Your Chronic Condition Without Meds

Pain
If you have any sort of chronic pain or condition, try putting this at the top of your list of resolutions for the New Year: "Ask my doctor how I can get off my meds!" What many people achieve through medication often can be even better accomplished through lifestyle. Dietary changes Food is the ultimate medicine. If you eat according to what you need, you may not need to supplement your diet at all. Let's look at iron as an example. Most of us ingest iron naturally through foods we eat. Your body likes the iron in dark chocolate as much as you like the taste of it! Spinach, bread and lentils also are good suppliers of iron. But as we grow older, our bodies become less adept at absorbing…
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