Aerobic exercise has long been established as an effective intervention for improving cardiovascular or heart health markers such as blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin sensitivity, and aerobic capacity (VO2 max). It was provided a significant head start among researchers studying the impact of exercise on measurements of health. Resistance or strength training was initially studied on...
The current public health environment, including social distancing, has placed more barriers to exercise including public transportation, gym access, and equipment. In times like this it is helpful to leverage what we do have available including additional time each day and the resources around us and inside of our homes. Many of us are continuing...
Consumption of protein rich foods and drinks is common place in our athletes and recreational gym participants due to its’ association with lean muscle tissue, recovery from strenuous workouts, and strength gains. In addition to muscle and bone benefits, plant or animal sources of protein are essential to other body systems for optimal health. At...
Shoulder pain is one of the most common reasons patients seek the care of a primary care physician and Physical Therapist. Shoulder impingement or the compression of soft tissue structures, including the rotator cuff tendons, between the bones and ligaments of the shoulder remains the most common diagnosis behind these symptoms. Physical Therapy is the...
If we had to pick only one strength training exercise it would be hard to beat a squat variation due to its’ ability to recruit a large percentage of the lower quarter musculature. To be fair, drawbacks of the squat would have to include the significant learning curve to learn the correct exercise movement, as...
By the year 2030 it is estimated that 1 in every 5 Americans will be of retirement age. This stat is stunning and will have a large impact on our country’s economic future as we look to care for these aging adults. Much has been written on our medical system’s ability to extend the lifespan...
The negative effects of aging on the musculoskeletal system are well known and include a loss of bone density, as well as, muscle strength and mass. These effects begin in your 30s, but the speed of this loss is largely dependent on your health and activity level. More active adults who participate in both weekly...
The average adult carves out a 30-60 minute block of time to exercise 2-3 times per week and tries to protect it against infringement from family, work, and life responsibilities. The health benefits of exercise, including strength training, are overwhelmingly in favor of the trained over the sedentary adult. Despite the benefits of exercise life...
Previously it was thought Physical Therapists should withhold strength training from endurance athletes or have athletes perform exercises with high reps (>15) and low weights (30-45% 1 rep max). These incorrect guidelines and prescriptions created insufficient training loads in endurance athletes and even worse led many endurance coaches and athletes to avoid weight training all...
Many high level and recreational runners avoid weight training due to fear of building muscle or bulk which may be detrimental to their performance. On the surface this argument makes sense because a larger runner would have to expend more resources (fuel, oxygen) at at given speed and distance. One of the first flaws in...