The positive impact of exercise on our mental health diseases and outcomes continues to be discovered. Research has moved from correlational studies showing active individuals have improved health outcomes to cause and effect trials. These randomized controlled trials have documented the impact of exercise on both healthy individuals and those with mental health diagnoses (Alzheimer’s,...
Time remains one the most precious resources and is often sighted as the biggest barrier to exercising consistently. When we devote time to working out we need to ensure the time spent is effective for our health and fitness goals. One area we notice people waste time on is using the incorrect weight for their...
Technology’s impact on our lives continues to grow each year. In the exercise industry we have seen a significant impact ranging from wearable technologies tracking fitness data to numerous apps and online programs for any number of fitness and health goals. Two of the main limitations of these technologies include a lack of direct supervision...
By: John Crawley, PT, DPT, OCS A recent study by M. Erickson et. al. looked at how patterns of rest and activity, like when we’re active and when we sleep, relate to our overall physical health as we get older. Researchers studied nearly 800 older adults, most of them in their mid-70s, and used wearable...
By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS If you’ve ever tried stretching or foam rolling only to still feel stiff, limited, or “stuck,” there’s a reason. While those tools can be helpful, they often miss a key piece of the puzzle: the joint capsule. That’s where banded joint mobilizations come in. Using a thick resistance band...
By: Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS If you’ve been doing all the right glute focused exercises but still feel like your glutes just aren’t firing, you’re not alone. Many people struggle to feel their glutes working during common exercises such as squats, lunges, and deadlifts. But there’s good news: a recent study found that static...
By: Dr. Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS If you caught my Instagram Reel “Top 3 Things I’m NOT Falling For Anymore”, you already know it’s time to challenge outdated beliefs holding women back especially when it comes to strength training. But for young female athletes, pregnant women, postpartum warriors, and anyone dealing with pelvic floor...
Strength training is an essential part of any exercise program. In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we commonly utilize strength training to rehabilitate injured tissues and restore lost function due to injury. Intensity, measured by weight lifted, is one of the most important parameters to dial in on a strength training prescription. ...
By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS For years, the absence of robust research led to a cautious approach toward heavy resistance training during pregnancy. As more research is being done on the pregnant population the evidence is becoming clear that activity, including heavy weight lifting, does not increase risk to mom or baby, but rather...
By: Ian Nay, PT, DPT, OCS Increasing the ability to move through a full range of motion in the thoracic spine is extremely important for many types of people that we treat at MEND including overhead athletes, CrossFitters/weightlifters, climbers, cyclists, golfers, and those who spend a good amount of time on the computer. The thoracic...