Author name: Elevate PT & Fitness

Based on the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), the Elevate team shares three easy ways to stop your neck or back pain by reversing your rounded sitting posture and improving your spinal health. The McKenzie Method (MDT) most commonly uses repeated motions to assess spine pain, develop a treatment, and reduce the likelihood of re-injury.  MDT is heavily researched, and studies show that for low back or neck pain, receiving MDT within the first 14 days following injury can help resolve symptoms in the first 3 to 5 treatments, and greatly reduce the need for more expensive and invasive treatments, and diagnostic imaging such as X-ray and MRI. TRY THIS: Repeat these 3 exercises for 10 reps, 2x per day Seated Cervical Retraction (Chin Tuck):  – Make sure you sit in an upright seated posture. – Keep your chin level and look straight ahead as you slowly move your head backwards as far as you can manage, aligning your ears over your shoulders. – Place your hand on your chin and gently push the head further backward. Repeated Thoracic Extension:  – Find a seat with a low and rigid back (or use a foam roller!) – Sit all the way back in your seat with your feet flat on the floor. – Reach hands behind your head and extend upper back, using the backrest as a fulcrum. Repeated Lumbar Extension (Press Up): -Begin flat on your stomach on the floor with your hands under shoulders. Keeping your hips on the ground, lift your chest up trying to straighten your elbows (trying to go further each time). *Keep glutes and abs RELAXED during each set! As a general rule, the closer towards the center of your neck or back the pain travels, the better (even if it is more intense), and the further away from the middle of your spine (i.e., glutes, leg, shoulder), the worse. *Avoid pain with the exercises. Reps and frequency are given as a general recommendation. In the clinic, actual exercise dosages are patient-dependent based on your PT’s assessment and mechanical diagnosis. Contact us for a full evaluation and individualized care for your neck or back pain.

Elevate Co-Founder, Dr. Meredith Soelberg PT, DPT, MBA, explains a common cause of shoulder pain and exercises to help. https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=PhpuqG3znnM Shoulder pain can affect up to 47% of people in a year’s time, and 40% of those affected will still have pain after 1 year.  Shoulder pain with reaching that comes on without trauma can be caused by “impingement” of sensitive structures in a small space in the shoulder called the subacromial space, and is often referred to as “subacromial impingement syndrome.” The impingement of these sensitive structures (such as the rotator cuff tendons and bursa) is often caused by poor posture and faulty shoulder blade mechanics. TRY THIS:  Here’s a series of exercises to improve muscle activation and coordination of the shoulder blade & rotator cuff muscles, and better position the shoulder to avoid impingement and pain with reaching. Level 2 video pictured.  Level 1 video click here.  Level 1 – Table series Try each exercise 5 times, for a 30 second hold each time. For sidelying exercise, try 10-15x, 2 sets.   Level 2 – Standing series with band Try each exercise 10-15x. For Level 1 & 2 exercises, focus on rolling the shoulders back, squeezing the shoulder blades together toward the spine and away from your ears. Maintain this “squeeze,” even when the shoulder moves. *Avoid pain with the exercises. Contact us for a full evaluation and individualized care for your shoulder pain.

You might need this for St. Patty’s! As healthcare practitioners, it’s important for us to stress (especially on “drinking holidays”) that alcohol is a known carcinogen, with a variety of side effects and we want to promote living a lifestyle that is as healthy as possible. We’ve had a lot of questions lately on what to drink without derailing your hard work. Well, first and foremost, it’s best to lay off the sauce altogether, but if you plan to partake, here’s a quick guide of things to consider over the weekend: If you’re watching total calories:  Because ethanol (alcohol) is quite calorie-dense, the lowest overall calorie choices are drinks that have both a lower alcohol content and low sugar from mixers. But let’s be real: If you’re not aiming for low alcohol drinks, you can still keep your “high alcohol drinks” low-cal by adding only low sugar mixers like club soda, ice cubes, muddled herbs, coconut water, coffee, or freshly squeezed juice (like lemon, lime, or grapefruit) If you’re limiting sugar: The lowest carb options for drinks in general are pure distilled liquors like whiskey, gin, vodka (bonus points for gluten-free potato vodka), and tequila. Things to Avoid:  Mixed drinks (like piña coladas, mudslides, and margaritas), wine coolers, most beers, liquers, sodas, and syrups, and driving! If you forgot and went a little overboard: Sweat it out!  The best thing you can do is drink extra water, make sure to eat, and work out! Happy St. Patty’s!

Some of the most common knee pain and injuries that occur and that we treat here at Elevate are patellofemoral pain (“runner’s knee”), IT Band Syndrome, and patellar tendinitis (“jumper’s knee”), as well as the less common and more catastrophic injury called an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear. Nearly 70% of ACL tears are non-contact injuries and occur during movements like cutting, twisting, decelerating, and landing from a jump in sports like soccer, basketball, lacrosse, football and volleyball. These knee injuries are often caused by weakness and poor control of the trunk, pelvis, hips and knees, and poor body alignment during movement. The good news is, a couple of simple tests can easily detect key risk factors associated with knee pain and injuries, including the devastating ACL tear. The top box jump in the video demonstrates “dynamic valgus” (inward collapse of the knees) and it is a movement pattern associated with knee pain and injuries.  Dynamic valgus, combined with poor shock absorption and poor trunk control during cutting, twisting or landing can overload the ACL in a split second.  Wear and tear from dynamic valgus during daily activities and sports is also associated with the more common knee injuries mentioned. The bottom box jump in the video shows proper landing technique with good shock absorption and the knees tracking over the toes without collapsing inward.  Great landing and movement mechanics stem from proper glute, knee and trunk strength, so exercises to address these areas should be a pillar of any athletes’ training regimen. TEST YOURSELF: Have a friend or family member take a video of you jumping down from a box as shown, OR performing a tuck jump 10 times.  Use slo-mo if you have it! Here’s an example of a dynamic valgus collapse in a tuck jump test: If your legs are wiggling around like a baby giraffe, then it’s time to add some corrective strength and movement training to your program.   

Winter is wrapping up, New Years resolutions are still holding on for dear life, and the summer body is in full throttle. During this time of year, thousands of men and women hit the road in order to prepare for the LA Marathon. Running is the easiest, cheapest and most efficient way to build cardiovascular endurance. But is running safe for muscles, tendons, bones and joints? It’s a popular belief that running is detrimental to cartilage health, and can lead to arthritis. In fact, research shows quite the opposite. A 2011 systematic review from the American College of Sports Medicine found that physical activity, including running, did not increase the risk of arthritis. Within that same review, a study from Sweden actually showed improvements in cartilage composition in runners! This is encouraging news for both avid, experienced runners, as well as the novice who is just trying to test the pavement. Here are some helpful tips from Elevate to help you minimize injuries as you hit the open road: 1) “Everything is Good in Moderation” While running has its benefits, doing too much too quickly can result in pain and injury. If you are a novice runner, start with shorter distances at a moderate pace (10-12 min miles), and consider a walk/run approach. The common rule of thumb is to increase your distance by 10% each week (If you are starting with 5 miles per week, the following week can be increased to 5.5 miles). Researchers found that a person who runs at a moderate pace for 30-45 mins, 3-4 times per week does not run a significant risk of cartilage damage or osteoarthritis. Moderation is the name of the game. 2) “Be Fit to Run, Don’t Run to Be Fit” More than 70% of all runners will experience an injury that limits their function. Most of these injuries occur due to a poor foundation of strength and conditioning. Common injuries that runners experience include Iliotibial band syndrome, patellofemoral pain, patellar tendinitis, shin splints, or Achilles tendinitis. A big reason for these injuries is a lack of strength to meet the high demands of running. Common areas of weakness include the gluteal muscles, calves, and arch stabilizers of the foot. Here are a few exercises from the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy to help prepare you for the road or trail. We will focus on some foundational hip extensor and abductor activation with the following 3 exercises. Be sure to use proper form, and feel your posterior hip muscles turn on. Add resistance bands at the thigh if necessary. 3) “Consider Your Shoes and Surface” Footwear plays an important role in how the body absorbs shock. Make sure you wear a shoe that is conducive to your walking and running style. The number one variable should be comfort. If you don’t like the feel, you will hate it more when you run. Another variable is how your feet hit the ground. 75% of runners are heel strikers, 25% are mid foot or forefoot strikers. One pattern is not necessarily better than another. If you are serious about running, see a PT with experience helping runners. Knowing your strike pattern will provide insight into how you absorb force from the ground, and what is the best shoe for you. At Elevate, we utilize high-speed cameras and movement analysis software to uncover and correct faulty running mechanics leading to pain. Surface needs to be taken into consideration as well. Harder surfaces create a large ground reaction force, which may place a higher load or stress through your joints and muscles. Start with running on softer surfaces, such as a flat grass field, or rubber track to decrease loading forces. Also consider that asphalt roads are harder than cement side walks. Trail running has is own perils due to the uneven terrain. This would be recommended for the most seasoned runner, as the incidence of ankle sprains rises significantly. 4) “Consider Your Current Fitness Status, and Injury History.” Being overweight should not deter you from running, but here are a few things to consider: According to a journal from the Computational Biomechanics of Medicine, with someone who is moderately overweight, there is around 40% greater pressure on the knees, hips and ankles during walking. With that in mind, during running, there can be anywhere from 2.5-8x a person’s body weight placed through the joint. If you are someone who is looking to begin a weight loss program, consider shorter distances at slower speeds or the run/walk method, and allow ample recovery time (1-2 days in between runs). You can also consider other low impact exercises, like biking and swimming, to begin. As your body adapts, you will be able to increase both pace and mileage while minimizing injury risk. The principles of moderation and strength building should be a top priority in order to run safely. If you are unsure about whether you should be running, come in to Elevate PT for a full movement evaluation, to help you get fit to run! Neighmond, P. Put Those Shoes On: Running Won’t Kill Your Knees. National Public Radio: Your Health. Mar 28, 2011. Urquhart DM, et al. What is the effect of physical activity on the knee joint? A systematic review. Med Sci in Sports Med. 2011: 432-442. Hinterwimmer S, et al. The effect of a six month training program followed by a marathon run on knee joint cartilage volume and thickness in marathon beginners. Knee Surg Sports Trauma Arthr. 2014; 22:1353-1359. Ramskov D, et al. High eccentric hip abduction strength reduces the risk of developing patellofemoral pain among novice runners initiating a self-structured running program: A 1-year observational study. J Ortho Sports Phys Ther. 2015; 45: 153-161. Sanford BA, et al. Hip, knee, and ankle joint forces in healthy, overweight, and obese individuals during walking. Comp Biomech for Med. 2014; 101-111.

Oct. 20, 2016 Maria Masters / Health.com@goodhealth There comes a point in almost every fitness lover’s life when they consider throwing in the towel after a workout—both figuratively and literally. Blame it on your looming work deadlines, or the stubborn needle on the scale, or even just plain old boredom. That’s normal. But here’s why you shouldn’t follow through on the temptation to just quit: There are plenty of benefits to exercise, but they’re not permanent. In fact, many of those hard-earned gains will start to disappear in as little as two weeks, says Farah Hameed, MD, a sports medicine physician with Columbia Doctors. Here’s exactly what you can expect to happen to your body if you give up exercise: Within 10 days: Your brain might start to change For years, researchers have suspected that exercise is good for your brain, too—according to one 2013 review, it might be able to help offset age-related memory loss. Now, a new study in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience found that even a short vacation from your workout might cause changes to the brain. In the study, when a group of long-term endurance runners took a 10-day exercise hiatus, their subsequent MRIs showed a reduction in blood flow to the hippocampus, the part of the brain that’s associated with memory and emotion. The researchers point out that although the runners didn’t experience any cognitive changes over the period, more long-term studies are needed. Within two weeks: Your endurance will plummet and your vitals may spike After just 14 days, you might have a harder time climbing a flight of stairs or keeping up with your colleagues during the monthly kickball game. The reason you’re so winded? Skipping sweat sessions causes a drop in yourVO2 max, or the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use. It can dip by about 10% after two weeks, says Dr. Hameed. It only gets worse from there: After four weeks, your VO2 max can drop by about 15%, and after three months, it can fall about 20%—“and those are conservative estimates,” Dr. Hameed notes. Staying even slightly active can help: One 2009 study found that male kayakers who took a five-week break from their training saw an 11.3% drop on average in their VO2 max, while those who worked in a handful of exercise sessions during each week only saw a 5.6% drop. Health.com: 11 Fitness Foods to Help You Get in Shape Faster Even if you don’t notice a change in your speed or strength, you might experience a sharp rise in your blood pressure and blood glucose levels—something that could be more serious for people with diabetes or high blood pressure, says Dr. Hameed. Researchers from South Africa found that a two-week exercise break was enough to offset the blood pressure benefits of two weeks of high-intensity interval training; another 2015 study in the Journal of Applied Physiologyfound that people who did an eight-month bout of resistance and aerobic exercise saw an improvement in the blood glucose levels, but lost almost half of these benefits after 14 days of inactivity. Within four weeks: Your strength will start slipping Dr. Hameed estimates that some people will notice their strength declining after about two weeks of inactivity, while others will begin to see a difference after about four weeks. The silver lining: Our strength probably diminishes at a slower rate than our endurance, and one 2011 study in theJournal of Strength and Conditioning found that when one group of men stopped doing resistance training, they still had some of their strength gains up to 24 weeks later. Within eight weeks: You might gain fat Dr. Hameed estimates that people will start to notice a physical change—either by looking in the mirror, or at the number on the scale—after about six weeks. Even elite athletes aren’t immune to the rebound. A 2012 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that competitive swimmers who took a five-week break from their training experienced a 12% increase in their levels of body fat, and saw a boost in their body weight and waist circumference. (We should also point out that these athletes weren’t totally sedentary—they still did some light and moderate exercise.) And a 2016 study found that elite Taekwondo athletes who took an eight-week hiatus from exercise experienced an increase in their levels of body fat and a decrease in muscle mass, too. Health.com: 10 Reasons Your Belly Fat Isn’t Going Away That said, there’s a difference between breaking up with exercise for good and taking a well-intentioned rest. The distinction: “You need to do some type of activity [every day],” says Dr. Hameed. For example, maybe you just ran the Chicago Marathon and can’t run another 16 miles, let alone 26—in that case, says Dr. Hameed, you should do some cross-training. (Think: cycling, using the elliptical, or even light walking.) Just don’t quit moving altogether—your body, brain, and waistline will thank you.

PRESS RELEASE ELEVATE PT & Fitness 1505 11th Street Santa Monica, CA 90401 424-322-8585 concierge@elevateptfit.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: BASEBALL GREATS TO APPEAR AT SANTA MONICA SYMPOSIUM TO SHARE SECRETS ON HOW TO MAKE IT SAFELY TO THE BIG LEAGUES ELEVATE PHYSICAL THERAPY & FITNESS HOSTS HEAVY HITTERS TO GIVE PARENTS, COACHES AND PLAYERS VALUABLE GUIDANCE SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 2, 2016) —Legendary Major League Baseball (MLB) players Tommy John and Tom House along with sports writer & author Jeff Passan, Dr. Kristofer Jones MD, and Dr. Anthony Ware DPT, join Kansas City Royals Director of Pro Scouting Gene Watson on Tuesday June 7, 2016 from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at ELEVATE Physical Therapy & Fitness in Santa Monica. This baseball gold-star industry panel—together for the first time—will share tips and personal insights to guide parents and young players on how to avoid injury; how to stay competitive when injured; how to find rehabilitation strategies that work—as well as how to stand out to scouts for scholarships and tickets to ‘The Big Show’. A question and answer period will follow the panel discussion. Appetizers and refreshments will also be offered. “We’re beyond excited to have this all-star baseball panel here! As former college athletes and physical therapists, not to mention moms to our own youth athletes, we are particularly passionate about injuries to this population. These injuries often come at a critical juncture in these kids’ lives—dashing their hard-fought dreams of becoming college and professional players,” says Meredith Soelberg, PT, DPT, MBA owner of ELEVATE Physical Therapy & Fitness. “We’re thrilled to be able to give back to our community. Our hope is to have parents, players and coaches take away critical insights into raising healthy players, and glean baseball secrets of success from the best in the business,” Drs. Soelberg added. Tickets are $20 each. For questions, or to reserve your spot for this amazing event that is open for the whole family, call 424-322-8585 or email concierge@elevateptfit.com. ### Meet our Expert Panel: Dr. Kristofer Jones, MD, UCLA Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery Also a former college athlete, Dr. Jones is a board certified, fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeon at UCLA who specializes in sports-related musculoskeletal injuries of the shoulder, elbow and knee. He understands the unique demands and concerns faced by athletes at all levels of participation, and has a special interest in minimally invasive, joint preservation procedures. THE Tommy John, Former MLB Pitcher A former pitcher in Major League Baseball, his 288 career victories rank as the seventh highest total among left-handers in major league history. He is also known for the revolutionary “Tommy John Surgery,” which was performed on a damaged ligament in his pitching arm. Despite his injury, well over half of John’s career wins came after his surgery. He will be joined by his son, Dr. Tommy John. Their mission is to help reduce the number of namesake surgeries and preserve young athletes’ arms. Gene Watson, Kansas City Royals Pro Scouting Now the Director of Pro Scouting for the Kansas City Royals, Gene is in his 10th full season with the Royals. He has over 20 years of experience scouting Major League Baseball, the minor leagues, and the Dominican, Venezuelan and Mexican leagues. He is a major contributor to the Play Ball Initiative, which provides resources on best practices for baseball related health and safety for the youth player. Dr. Anthony Ware, DPT and Detroit Tigers Player A former player for the Detroit Tigers, Dr. Anthony Ware is a physical therapist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center’s Performance Therapy, where he specializes in both orthopedics and sports physical therapy. Tom House, Former MLB Pitcher, Author, and USC Pitching Coach Considered by many to be the “Father of Modern Pitching Mechanics,” Tom has been an MLB player, a pitching coach, and has dedicated the last 15 years of his life to performing research on all aspects of pitching. He is also the founder of the National Pitching Association and a motivational force for many young pitchers today. Jeff Passan, Author of NY Times Bestseller, “The Arm” Author of New York Times Bestseller “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports,” an exposé on the incredible value of pitchers and the elbow ligament injuries that are sending teenagers and major leaguers alike to undergo surgery. He explores the injury crisis and what can be done. ###