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STRETCH & REST CARE for the wellness warrior

3 Moves For A Strong Foot Core

2/16/2022

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I'm sure you've heard about how to exercise your core muscles in your trunk area but did you know you’ve got a foot core too?

We’ve got 4 layers of muscles in feet- i.e. the intrinsic muscles. 4 layers!!! Doesn’t seem like there is enough room, does it? 

Most of the time you only hear about the plantar fascia (connective tissue) as it gets all the attention when it’s flared up, i.e. plantar fasciitis.

They may not be as vocal when you’ve got a foot injury, but the foot intrinsic muscles are important too.  They make up your foot core and help provide stability of the arch and control toe movements. They play a huge role in functional movements and by helping with your balance and posture. 

It's very easy for them to be weak or even turned off due to tight spots in your calf and foot fascia. They LOVE to be lazy when you’re wearing cushy shoes (all that cushion in our shoes helps with impact on our joints but encourages our foot core to not work very hard).

So how about we give them some love in honor of Valentine’s day?

1. DO A FOOT CORE CHECKUP.

You probably know if you have a high arch, low arch or no arch but let’s see how your foot core muscles are doing.  This might be easiest to do in front of a mirror where you can see your foot vs trying to look down at your foot. Or you could video and look at it after you do the moves.

Stand on one leg. Hold onto a counter, wall or chair if needed to but with as little support as possible. Don’t lock out your knee- keep a soft knee.

What do you see going on in the foot your standing on?

Is there any flickering going on in the top of your foot tendons or any movement side to side from trying to keep from falling over?

Or is your foot like a flat pancake on the floor with no arch? Or maybe it’s like a dead fish- limp, no life?

Are your toes holding on for dear life to the floor, so you don’t fall over?

How does it feel?

Does it hurt to stand on one foot? 

Are you wondering where the floor is?

Is it hard to balance? Are your hips working hard moving side to side to keep you upright?

No judgment just look and feel what’s going on or not going on.

What happens if you bend your knee slightly?  Any changes?

Now check out the other foot.  Go through same questions and then compare to other foot.

Flat arches, no signs of muscle activity on top of your foot, difficulty balancing and/or your toes flexed and trying to grip on the floor are signs your foot core muscles need some attention. 

One foot core may be having more issues than the other one. It'll depend on which hand you are dominant and what kind of activities you do each day. Also if you've had any injuries on one side.  It doesn't matter, both sides probably need attention.
 
2. GIVE YOUR FOOT CORE SOME LOVE.

Massage your foot core:

Self-Massage on the bottom of your feet with your hands or massage tools will help release trigger points (tender spots). Keep it simple and use a tennis ball, racket ball or even dog toy if you don’t want to buy a massage tool. Roll back and forth from the ball of your foot to the heel or find tender spots to hold pressure on for a few breaths then move to another tender spot.

You can do foot massage in sitting or standing. Sitting is less intense than standing. Massage the bottom of your foot as described to get to the foot core muscles. You can gently massage the top of your foot with your hands but the top (dorsum) of your foot is more sensitive and more bony.

If your foot is flared up, you can do ice massage by rolling back and forth on the bottom of your with a frozen water bottle for several minutes.

An added bonus to massaging your feet is that the bottom of your foot has acupressure spots for every organ in your body. When you massage your foot, you’re sending calming signals to your whole body.
 
Stretch your foot core:

Stretching the tight spots in your toes, ankles, and calves in sitting or standing can help your foot core turn on. 
  • Toe stretches: bend/flex or straighten/extend them using the floor. Intensify the stretch by lifting your heel off the floor. Standing is more intense also.  If it’s too intense, just use your hand to stretch your toes.  Don’t over do it. Be gentle but add as much weight as you need to feel a stretch.
 
Strengthen your foot core:


Full body and barefoot workouts like Yoga or Pilates will help strengthen your foot core.
  • Form Check In’s: being mindful of having good form or balanced feet during standing activities and workouts will help your foot core muscles turn on.  Imagine a triangle on the bottom of your foot- place equal weight on ball of 1st toe and 5th toe and center of the heel.  Pay attention and check in regularly to your foot position anytime they have contact with the floor.
  • Toe lifts: In sitting, you can try to pick up with objects with your toes or keep foot on floor and try to scrunch a towel with your toes.
  • Arch lifts: Put your foot on floor with toes straight and spread as much as you can. Imagine a string attached to the middle of your foot as you try to lift your arch off the floor while your toes stay in contact with the floor. If that doesn’t make sense to you, place your hand on the table. Lift your palm off the table while your fingertips stay in contact with the table. Try the same move with your foot. Lift your arch off the floor while you keep your toes in contact with the floor.  You should feel a tightness or almost cramping in the arch if your foot muscles are working. Hold a few seconds. Repeat the move a few times.

​Challenge your foot core:  

Pilates Reformer work, unstable surfaces (like Bosu ball or foam surfaces) and doing band work resistance exercises barefoot are some of my favorite ways to challenge the foot core.

Support your foot core: 

Good arch support will help keep your foot in good alignment which helps your foot core turn on properly. You might need some extra arch support if you have very flat feet or high arches, stand a lot each day, or do an impact sport like running.  It could be a simple over the counter foam insert to a custom orthotic.

Typically, the liner that comes in your shoe is crap.  You’re not looking for a huge build up under the arch. Just a little arch support so it’s not completely collapsed, and you aren’t getting pain in your feet or knees with activities. You can learn from a health professional how to use kinesiotape to calm down foot pain if you get flare ups and support your arch but it’s important to also strengthen your foot core to help avoid foot injuries.
 
3. DO A RECHECK.

If you try any of the above foot care tips, recheck to see how your foot core is doing. Stand again on one leg and see what’s going on down there. 

Do you see more activity on the top of your foot, have better balance and/or a little bit of arch activity where there is some space between your foot and the floor?

How does it feel? Hopefully you’ll feel more contact with the floor and more grounded or stable overall. 

Even though your feet are at the end of the line, they’re the first body part in contact with the ground which then causes a chain reaction up the leg and into your trunk muscles.  They need just as much love as the rest of your body. Just a few mini moves for the foot core make a big difference in your posture and balance.

Give your foot core some love each day!

Mollie

P.S.
Want more tips on how to check your form? Here's a Fit Blog that'll help.

Want more massage tools & stretch routines to support and challenge your foot core (and hip core) We’ll show you how in HIP Camp™.


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How To Do A Shoe Checkup

1/19/2022

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​How are your feet doing?  If they aren't feeling healthy & happy, it’s always good to check in on any shoes that you use regularly or that have foam soles.  Whether you wear them or not, the foam in your shoes gets more dense and compresses over time. 

Don’t wait until your feet hurt to do a shoe checkup.

Have they lived their best life?  Are the soles worn out?  Is the fabric stretched out?  Are your feet hurting at the end of the day or after workouts?  Do your knees or back hurt more lately? 

If so, they're all signs it might be time to get a new pair.
 
Before you pick out a pair because of the color or cuteness, here are some shoe shopping tips to consider that’ll help prevent injury and give your foot muscles the love they deserve.
 
COMFORT: 

What’s your first impression after putting on the shoes?  Don’t play mind games with yourself by telling yourself that you need to wear them in for that seam cutting into your pinky toe to go away. 

It doesn’t matter how cute they are, if anything feels uncomfortable or off when you first put them on... you need to move on.
 
If they pass the first impression test, move around in them to double check your foot and heel stay in place.  Stand on one leg. Jump. Walk or run a few steps. Turn and stop quickly.

Still feel good without any slipping or sliding going on?  You may have a keeper.
 
SUPPORT:

You're aiming for just enough support for your arch and the activity you will be doing.  The more impact your activity, the more cushion you will likely need from your shoe. 
 

Caution: Be careful with the barefoot or minimal arch shoe styles, especially if you run.  I love to workout barefoot to help turn on all my foot muscles but it’s super easy to injure yourself if you run or lift weights with shoes that have minimal arch support.  I’ve done it a few times and it can take months to heal foot injuries.  If you have a pair, you must wean into them and they aren’t meant to be worn all day. Change it up and/or take a break if you feel your foot muscles getting tired or cramping when using a minimal arch support style shoe.
 
TRACTION:

Make sure you’ve got the right tread on the bottom for what you’ll be doing.  Rocky terrain requires a different level of traction than smooth pavement. 
 
GREEN BRANDS:

If you’re committed to a green lifestyle, take the time to investigate where your shoe parts and packaging come from and whether the shipping does or does not support the planet. Here are two companies to consider:
  • ADIDAS has a commitment to making a line of shoes from plastic ocean waste.
  • VEJA is a Brazilian shoe company that makes all parts of the shoe from various recycled plastics and waste. Check out the product details on one of their shoes:

- Upper in Alveomesh (100% recycled plastic bottles). Alveomesh is a technical fabric made exclusively from recycled plastic bottles. It brings breathability, flexibility and lightness to the shoe.
- Pannels in suede & leather
- Side V Logo in Rubber and Rice Waste (23%)
- Organic cotton laces (100%)
- Midsole made from sugar cane (53%)
- Glued outsole made of Amazon rubber (12%) & rice waste (30%)
- Sugarcane insole, Amazon rubber, recycled E.V.A. & organic cotton
- Tech inner lining (100% recycled plastic bottles) developed to acquire a better resistance to friction and provide maximum comfort and flexibility thanks to its mesh structure.

 
It’s actually fun to see how creative these companies are getting with recycling and athletic gear. The Veja shoe listed above is super cute too.

OK, time to go check your shoes and get to shopping. 

To Happy, Healthy Feet!

Mollie

P.S. Ready to have a calm, strong, well-rested body?  Our online bodywork camps will not only help you Move With Ease but every camp sale supports an organization that improves the health & welfare of animals and wild life like the Beagle Freedom Project & Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
  • Mini Massage Camp™: How To Foam Roll & Stretch For More Freedom & Flow.  Reshape your day with 10 minutes of trigger point massage & stretching using your hands or the foam roller for more energy & mobility. Learn more.
  • HIP Camp™: Stretch & Rest Posture Tools.  Take the next step on your bodywork adventure to help you reshape your body:  Posture Work. HIP Camp™ routines are designed to help you release your most glued down stuck spots (whether they’re from chronic injuries or intense workouts) so you can move & perform pain-free. Learn more.
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Challenge Your Core With Pilates

10/13/2021

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How’s it going using the Head To Toe Posture Checklist to turn on your core during workouts?
 
Are you more aware of how to reset your posture during your day?
 
One way to feel and get your core stabilizer muscles working is to hold a small ball or towel roll between your inner thighs as you run through the posture checklist or during your core exercises like when doing a basic abdominal crunch, hip bridge, plank or pushup.
 
If you’re ready for more of a challenge to your core, then it’s time to practice doing these posture cues while doing a mind body workout like Pilates.
 
Pilates exercises are some of the most powerful for strengthening AND stretching your core to improve your posture and performance.

Done right, you’ll walk out of your Pilates session a different person than going in.  You’ll feel taller, calmer, centered... EMPOWERED.

Pilates is an art form like martial arts or dance.  Knowing the history and purpose behind the exercises will help you experience the full benefits of it. 

Just like dance, the more you practice Pilates, the more you perfect it and it becomes a lifestyle. 

The first step is learning the movement pattern for each exercise then you progress to focusing on your form from head to toe while executing each exercise. 

The goal is to eventually become your own coach.  You can’t do that without having a good instructor to help you learn how each exercise should feel in your body.
 
Here are some resources to help you make sure you are getting the most out of your Pilates workouts and not just going through the motions:
 
Getting started and the benefits of Pilates
 
How to find a great Pilates Studio & Instructor
 
How to pick your first class & understand the most common Pilates cues  
 
There is no better time than the present to introduce (or reintroduce) your body to the Pilates world. 

I love that Pilates can be modified to be more gentle or challenging depending on what your body needs.  I’ve used it with all ages and abilities. 

When you stick with it, it becomes a lifestyle.  It’s addictive 😊 but a healthy one.

Pilates Rocks!
Mollie
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3 Exercises To Prep For Better Core Workouts

5/19/2021

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Before you jump into your core workouts, try these moves to help turn on your core and maximize your results.

OPEN UP YOUR HIPS: tight hips can make it harder to contract the pelvic floor muscles (the base of your core). In fact, tight hips can pretty much turn off your pelvic floor.  Stretch the front and back of your hips with a  runner’s lunge and full squat to prep for a core workout.
 
WARM UP YOUR SPINE: The Baby Get Up is one of our favorites for warming up your spine and turning on your core before a workout.
 
CHECK YOUR FORM: Use this Head To Toe Posture Checklist to turn on your deep core stabilizer muscles and reset your posture during workouts.  Be mindful of these spots for better form and check in frequently from head to toe that you’ve got yourself lined up during your core workouts. 
 
Here is the Head To Toe Posture Checklist and posture cues to become familiar with and the video to walk you through the following spots. 
  • Feet balanced- find the 3 points of triangle
  • Knee’s over 2nd toes as you bend them
  • Inner thighs turned on and pulling toward each other
  • Sits bones pulling together
  • Pelvic Floor Lifted (Do Your Kegel)
  • Belly scooped up and in
  • Arm Pits to Hips
  • Ribs pulled down and in
  • Sternum lifted
  • Shoulder blades pulled down and in (toward back pocket)
  • Chin tucked in with neck long
  • Spine elongated reaching through top of your head
 
HEAD TO TOE POSTURE CHECKLIST VIDEO

Becoming mindful of these key spots from head to toe during your core, Pilates or Yoga workouts will help you improve your posture overtime.  Using good form during your workouts WILL carry over into your day. 

You can take these posture cues out of the gym or off the mat to help reset your posture anytime during your day. 

Better posture equals more confidence, better performance, and decreased risk for injury.  You’ll walk, run, bike, row, and move better.

Prep, Reset, Reshape!
Mollie

P.S. Download the Head To Toe Posture Checklist Video to reset your posture during your day.

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Get Rid Of Pelvic Floor Pain

4/23/2021

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Exciting news!  Mini Massage Camp™ is ready to roll.  You'll find details below.  But first, let's talk about pain down there.

This is Part 3 of the Pelvic Floor Series to help you have a strong, healthy pelvic floor for better core workouts, posture and performance.

We've addressed how to do a proper Kegel exercise
(part 1) and how to trouble shoot the more common mistakes of the Kegel (part 2). 

Now let's talk about what you can do to address pain or injuries to the pelvic floor muscles.

Pain anywhere in your body can turn off the muscle that is inflamed or hurting.

Your pelvic floor muscles can be injured just like any muscle resulting in painful scars and trigger points, weakness, or soft tissue restrictions. 

Damage to these muscles can occur due to:


  • back or hip injuries
  • trauma from childbirth and abdominal surgeries
  • sports injuries from jumping/jarring (cheerleading or gymnastics) or prolonged pressure to the area (cycling)

Injuries to the pelvic floor muscles can lead to pain or decreased sensation with sex, incontinence (leaking of urine or bowel), or organ prolapse (bladder, uterus or rectum drops lower). Fortunately there are treatment options to help rehab the pelvic floor after injury:
  • manual therapy for trigger points
  • stretching exercises for tightness
  • strengthening exercises for weakness
  • biofeedback training (using auditory or visual feedback by placing an electrode on the muscle you are contracting; this helps you hear or see the muscle to help you feel it as it contracts)
  • neuromuscular electrical stimulation (using electrodes on the muscle and stimulating with an electrical signal to help strengthen and contract the muscle)
  • scar massage

All of these rehab techniques can be done externally (in the pelvic, lower abdominal and back region) or internally (through the vagina or anus).  Let’s break this down more.

External Pelvic Floor Rehab addresses pain from an outside approach.  A Physical Therapist, especially one experienced with manual therapy and Pilates Rehab, will have the skills to provide exercise and treatment to stretch, strengthen, and release adhesions in the muscles around the hips, pelvis, and core.


Pilates Rehab with pelvic floor retraining is how I healed from a back injury that almost caused me to retire from PT in my 20's. I still use the exercises along with fascial bodywork tools to help my pelvic floor and core stay healthy and pain-free.  These are the techniques I have taught my clients for years, many who had pelvic floor dysfunction or back pain, and now teach in my online camps.

Internal Pelvic Floor Rehab addresses pain from an inside approach.  These specialists are certified to work internally on the pelvic floor muscles to stretch, strengthen and relax muscles in the lower pelvis. They're usually Physical Therapists or Nurse Practitioners with advanced training in this area.  They can do manual therapy internally to release restrictions, biofeedback training to help strengthen, guide vaginal weight training for prolapse (i.e. vaginal pessary training), and design an exercise program to address your specific needs.


If you've had an injury to your pelvic floor muscles that has resulted in pain, scarring or incontinence (leaking of urine or bowel), reach out to your OB/GYN, Urologist, or Midwife for a referral to a Pelvic Floor Specialist in your area. 

Internal pelvic floor rehab is a treatment to consider for decreased sensation or pain during sex as well.
If you experience painful orgasms (dysorgasmia), this Mind Body Green article has 17 treatment and tips that you might find helpful.

If these more conservative approaches listed here don't help, there are medications and surgical options available.  In addition, acupuncture or lifestyle changes for weight loss may be beneficial. 

These issues can be debilitating but are treatable. Don’t give up. Keep searching for someone to help you with your issue. 

It's never too late!
Mollie

P.S. Ready to have more freedom & flow in less than 10 minutes a day? You’ll want to check out Mini Massage Camp™!  Learn
more. 
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How To Avoid The Most Common Kegel Mistakes

3/17/2021

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It's time for more Kegel talk. A simple movement that can turn complicated quickly. 

In Part 2 of this series, we’ll be troubleshooting some of the more common Kegel mistakes to help you have a strong, healthy pelvic floor for better core workouts, posture, and performance.

Quick review:

One of the most neglected areas of the body and least talked about until you’ve got an issue down there, is how to have a healthy pelvic floor (PF). 

The pelvic floor muscles are important for all ages but can need more attention as you age. They form the base of your core and support all your organs.

The Kegel exercise is the basic way to strengthen them.  We reviewed how to do a proper Kegel in this blog post.

Here’s the challenge of the Kegel...

A proper Kegel is done when you can contract the PF without the rest of your body tensing up.

Easier said than done, especially when you start moving your body while you Kegel.

Let’s do some troubleshooting on how to avoid the more common mistakes when you Kegel.

Do a check in while you Kegel.  Are you? 
  • Holding your breath
  • Tightening your upper traps and neck muscles (tensing your shoulders up near your ears)
  • Bearing down (pushing out)
  • Tightening your gluts (butt muscles)
These are all signs you're not staying relaxed or maximizing your Kegel.

Here are some tips to prep for the Kegel and take the tension out of your body:
  • CHANGE THE POSITION- instead of sitting, try the Kegel laying on your back with knees bent and feet on floor in line with your hips. Support your head with a pillow. If that doesn’t help, try lying on your side with your knees and hips bent and slightly in front of you. These positions help decrease how much your pelvic floor has to fight gravity. You would exercise in these positions and move into sitting then standing as you get stronger over time.
  • STRETCH YOUR HIPS FIRST- tight hips can make it harder to contract the pelvic floor muscles. In fact, tight hips can pretty much turn off your pelvic floor. Prep for your Kegels by doing stretches that open up the hips like the Half Pigeon Pose (see photo below) before you Kegel.
  • MASSAGE YOUR TENDER SPOTS- Learn how to do trigger point self- massage to release your tight and tender spots (or scars) around your hips and low back before you Kegel- we teach you how in our online camps.
Picture of Yoga Half Pigeon Pose

 OTHER AREAS TO ADDRESS FOR A HEALTHY PELVIC FLOOR

A few other issues you’ll want to pay attention to as you improve the overall health of your Pelvic Floor Muscles:

Pelvic Floor & Constipation

Constipation and doing the Valsalva maneuver (holding breath and bearing down when lifting or pooping) can over stretch the PF muscles.  Improving the health of your gut can take pressure off your PF muscles that have the job of holding up your organs.

Do you have any GI issues?  1 in 4 Americans do.  You could have up to 15 # of mucus from inflammation in your gut.  Signs are painful joints, bulging belly, bloating.  All that puts load on your PF muscles.


You can decrease inflammation through clean eating with lots of green veggies, eliminating foods that irritate (dairy, refined sugar, gluten), staying well hydrated, doing a quarterly detox/cleanse, taking probiotics and exercising regularly.

You might also want to check out The Squatty Potty™, a toilet stool that puts your body in the best posture for pooping to take pressure off your PF.

Pelvic Floor & Hormones


If you identify as female and still bleed monthly, you might notice that it’s easier to do Kegels during the middle of your cycle and more difficult at the beginning of it due to hormone changes.  Just keep at it but be mindful of your cycle and plan your more intense workouts toward the middle of it when your pelvic floor muscles might be at their best.

Pelvic Floor & Fatigue

The pelvic floor muscles can fluctuate in endurance just like any muscle.  Sometimes you can turn them on but not keep them on because of fatigue.  Or you may notice you can turn them on with bladder empty but not with weight of full bladder (or when constipated).  The weight of your organs may challenge the PF when tired.  That’s OK – you just need to build your strength and endurance like you would any other muscle. 

For strengthening, use the weight of gravity to challenge your PF.  Example: going from laying down to sitting to standing to moving your body as you Kegel.  Each position has to deal with more and more gravity.

For endurance, add reps throughout the day to challenge your PF.  Once you can do a proper Kegel in sitting, you can practice anytime throughout the day to build endurance- while driving, watching TV, standing in line.  The more complicated the activity you are doing, the more challenging it will be to hold the Kegel and breathe. 

The more mindful you can be of your form while holding your Kegel, will help guide you on when to challenge yourself with more gravity or moving your body. 

When you can’t hold the Kegel without tensing up in a position, you may have pushed too fast or done too many reps in that position. Listen to your body.  It’ll guide you.  You'll know when you need a rest break or it's time to slow down.

You've got this!
Mollie

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3 Stretches For Healthy Hips

1/13/2021

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Got tight hips? No problem, we've got 3 moves to help you not only open up your hips where we trap a lot of our emotions (especially women or those who identify as female) but challenge your stability and balance: The Warrior Moves Daily Hip Routine.
How to Modify: modify the routine by holding onto a counter, wall or chair.
 
How to Intensify: make the routine more challenging by holding the positions longer than in the video or by going through the routine more than once.
 
To Healthy Hips!
​Mollie


P.S. Ready to have a calm, strong, well-rested body?  Our online bodywork camps will not only help you Move With Ease but every camp sale supports an organization that improves the health & welfare of animals and wild life like the Beagle Freedom Project & Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Learn more.
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Get Out Of Neck Pain With Ease

12/16/2020

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It’s about that time of year.  The time when we get lots of questions about how to get rid of neck pain.  Maybe it’s all the online shopping? 

Here is what we recommend to let the healing begin. 

As always, anytime you have pain you want to calm things down. 

First step is to decrease the inflammation.

Next CHECK IN on these 3 areas:

Hip Check In- stiff muscles or tightness causing pain in your neck can be a sign that you’ve got some underlying weakness in your core and postural muscles. 
 
Why check your hips when you’ve got neck pain? All movement begins at the hips which are the base of your core. Your hips don’t lie. Imbalances in strength and mobility of your hips will cause issues all throughout the body.
 
Wait what? Yes it's true and because everything’s connected to everything through your fascia (connective tissue). If your hips are tight and pelvic floor muscles are weak, then your neck may be working overtime to hold you up against gravity.

Posture Check In- it’s important to check that you aren’t straining your neck with your positioning in bed and wherever you sit for long periods (i.e. office chair, sofa, car seat). 
 
Bed Tips: How many pillows do you sleep with?  You want to find just the right amount of support particularly in your neck area so that you aren’t too flexed or too flat.  You’ll need to take into consideration if you sleep on your back, side or belly.  They make pillows for all types of sleepers now.  Find one that fits you just right.
 
If your neck is flared up, you might need some extra support in the curve of your neck just below the base of your skull. You can roll up a towel and place it in the bottom of your pillowcase for some extra support.
 
If you’re a belly sleeper, a good goal would be to try and become a side sleeper. You could even get a body pillow and sleep halfway between your side and belly sleeping for less stress on your neck.

Chair Tips:  ideally you want to sit in a position with good low back support that encourages you to sit with your shoulders over your hips and head in line with your spine.  Try to have your elbows supported to take tension out of your shoulders and put any screen at eye level to avoid slumping over and flexing your neck too much.  Standing desks work for some folks also to break up their sitting time.

It’s impossible to have perfect posture all day long but you can become more mindful of how you sit and take frequent movement breaks to reset your posture and help your tissue stay hydrated throughout the day. 

Stress Check In- most of us are aware that when we are stressed, we hold tension in our necks.  Taking simple relaxation breaks from 3 reps to 3 minutes throughout the day will help you calm your nervous system and help you feel more ease each day.

Now that you’ve checked in, which of these areas needs some attention?  Keep that in mind as you work on the next step: moving without pain.

NECK BASIC MOBILITY WORK

Here are a few gentle movements to help relieve neck tension or pain.

Relaxing your face-  There are 2 simple moves that can help you relax your face and put less tension on your neck.  Smiling and putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth while you breathe.  I know it seems too simple but try it while you are working on the computer or working out to see if it helps keep tension out of your neck.

Relaxing your shoulders-  Good form is important not only in sitting but when you are lifting weights or doing arm movements during Pilates or Yoga exercises.  Check in and make sure your shoulders are not pulled up toward your ears (elevated) when you are sitting, cooking, driving, working out, talking on the phone.  Instead keep your shoulder blades pulled down toward your hips and think arm pits to hips as you move and go through your day.

Chin Tuck Exercise-  Sit up tall, shoulders over hips, arm pits to hips and gently move your chin back toward your spine like you’re making a double chin.  Think about lengthening the back of your neck.  Repeat 10 times as long as this doesn’t increase your pain.  Rule of thumb: if a movement makes your pain worse, don’t do it or modify it.

Nose Circles Exercise-  Sit up tall with good posture and move your nose in a circle like you are drawing a circle the size of an orange.  Repeat 5-10 times then reverse directions and repeat circles 5-10 more times.
 
Modifications: If you’re super flared-up, you might want to do the Chin Tucks and Nose Circles laying on your back with a supportive pillow or towel roll.  Bend your knees with feet flat on floor to take even more tension off your spine.  You can do these several times a day especially at the end of your day.  When someone has a recent injury, you typically have them do 10 reps every hour to help calm the area and get out of the pain cycle.

Remember we want to calm the body when it’s in pain. 

As things calm down and you’re able to move better without pain, the next step is to turn on your postural muscles with stability exercises.

POSTURE WORK FOR NECK PAIN

Even though you are dealing with a neck issue, you want to start with stability exercises aimed at strengthening your hips and pelvic floor muscles to help improve your posture and take tension off your neck.  You can literally reshape your body with a few minutes of daily fascial body work. 

We show you how to improve the mobility and stability of your hips and spine using fascial stretching, massage and stability work in our online program, HIP Camp™: Stretch & Rest Care Tools To Reshape Your Body.  Learn more here.

WHEN TO SEEK HELP WITH PAIN

If you have sharp or constant pain or start to lose sensation or control of any muscles, it’s time to call your doctor.  Seek medical help immediately when you have an acute (new) injury.

If you’ve been diagnosed with a herniated disc or have numbness/tingling into your arm, you will need a health care professional to guide you with your recovery.  You’ll want to find someone that has strong manual therapy skills and training with myofascial tools like cupping, kinesiotaping or dry needling.  You may benefit from traction techniques also.  Your provider should also give you a home exercise program to do between sessions.  

Don’t forget you are still fragile as you are healing.  Go slow as you get back to normal activities even when you start to feel better or have less pain. 

Heal Well!
Mollie
 
P.S. Ho. Ho. Ho. It’s time to Roll.  Our favorite foam roller is 30% off this month. It’s like having a PT, Chiro, Massage Therapist in one and the closest we can get to sending our hands home with you.  You can find it here*.

In our online program, HIP Camp™, we show you how to use the foam roller & more to help you reshape your body for better energy, mobility and posture.  Learn more here.

For more stress management tips, download this Daily Planner to help you add 1-3 minute rest & relaxation breaks into your day.

DIY Self Care Book Resource for Neck Pain: McKenzie Method- Treat Your Own Neck.  Available in English and Spanish.  You can find it on Amazon or here.

For more for tips on having good form during workouts, refer to this Fit Blog.

For suggestions on how to build your rehab team, refer to this Fit Blog.
 

*denotes affiliate link
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6 Strategies To Decrease Inflammation

10/7/2020

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Would you agree that time is our most precious resource?  One thing that can rob you of time is being in pain.

You only have so much energy (i.e. brain power) in a day and painful joints or muscle soreness takes up brain space.

If you’re in pain and not able to move well, what are you missing out on in life?  Is it time with loved ones, your favorite sport or hobby, planning your dream trip?

What’s pain costing you?  At work? At home?

It's never too late to learn simple strategies to help you get out of pain and calm things down.

So, let’s do an inflammation checkup.

Are you in pain?  Does your body feel, sore, tight, or stiff?

Inflammation and soreness are signs of over-training or over-use. 

Healthy tissue doesn’t hurt. It’s not tender to touch.  It doesn’t hurt when you move.

Pain is telling you something is not right. It’s a protective mechanism.  It’s locking up to guard.

Your body is like “Hey, over here. Pay attention to me. You better stop that. I need a break NOW!”

It’s talking to you all day. We get hunger signals. Thirst signals. Fatigue signals. All of them are like the warning lights on your car. Alerts before you break down.

Most of us wait until our body is screaming at us all day or we can’t move before we pay attention.

The good news is you can learn to calm it down if you missed the warning signals.

6 Strategies To Calm Down Inflammation

  1. Fascial Body Work: Our favorite way to deal with inflammation or flare-ups is with fascial stretching and trigger point self-massage.   Sore muscles after workouts is common.  Soreness that lasts several days is a sign you over did it and might be pushing too hard without having a good recovery program in place.  HIP Camp™ shows you how to use bodywork recovery tools for flare-ups and chronic pain so you can get stronger and recover faster after workouts. Learn more here.
  2. Lymph Care: we shared 4 tips to start a daily lymph care practice in the last FIT BLOG that’ll help decrease inflammation in your body.  You can find them here.
  3. Sleep Care: 7-9 hours of consistent sleep that’s also good quality helps your body renew and heal itself.  Do you wake up feeling refreshed?  If you’re exercising and eating well but not getting enough or quality sleep, you’re actually aging yourself faster and lowering your immune system.  Here’s a 5 minute rest meditation to help you prep your body for sleep.
  4. Clean Eating: eating an anti-inflammatory diet full of anti-oxidants and whole foods can help decrease inflammation in your body.  Aim to eliminate or avoid artificial foods, dyes, sweeteners and GMO’s as well as highly processed foods from your diet. Here are some simple recipes to help you get started.
  5. Treatment strategies:  a physical therapist can show you how to use ice packs, compression garments, kinesiotape and/or cupping to help manage flare-ups and chronic pain.
  6. Acupuncture: one form of traditional Chinese medicine where the practitioner inserts needles into specific points on the body to alleviate pain and to treat various physical, mental, and emotional conditions.  Studies suggest it can help relieve chronic low back pain, dental pain, migraine headaches, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis.  It has also been used to treat addiction, anxiety, depression, digestive complaints, and neurological problems. 

THE MORE YOU:
  • sit for your job (computer work) or sport (cycling)
  • have adhesions from chronic injuries (neck/back/knee injuries)
  • play a contact sport (running/tennis/basketball/football)
 
The more you'll benefit from supporting your body with daily practices to decrease inflammation.

Which one are you going to test out first?

It's never too late to feel, move, and perform better!  Here's to taking it one day or one step at a time.

Happy Healing!

Mollie

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P.S. Want to have better mobility, posture, and energy?

Check out HIP Camp™.


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Get Rid Of Toxins (& Bloating)

9/15/2020

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Have you made any fun (or crazy) purchases during the pandemic?

I’m having fun with the mini tramp I got back in April when my allergies and left foot plantar fasciitis flared up.

I think a lot of people had the same idea because it wasn’t easy to find one in stock when I ordered it online.

It’s been great to spice up my workouts and beat the heat this summer, but also for my daily lymph care.

Your lymphatic system is part of your circulatory and immune system. It helps your body flush out waste and toxins.

Here are some simple and gentle ways to support your lymph system that'll also help boost your immune system. 

4 TIPS FOR YOUR DAILY LYMPH CARE

  1. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate.  Ideally with water and especially after stretching, massage and/or breath work which can stir up toxins held in your tissue. Squeezing fresh lemon into a glass of water first thing in the morning will support your lymph system also.
  2. Dry Brushing.  You can find a dry brush at any grocery store or online.  Use it before you shower by brushing your whole body except your face (this is done directly on your skin). Always brush toward your heart and in circular motions (about the size of an apple) with light pressure. Start with each arm from fingers to shoulder.  Next brush from your hips to your collar bones/shoulders on all sides. And finally, from your toes to your hips. The whole body only takes a few minutes. You’ll love how soft your skin feels. Remember not to get the brush wet.
  3. Take an Epsom Salt Bath.  Soaking for 20 minutes in a warm Epsom Salt Bath will help pull the toxins out through your skin (another one of your major detox organs) as a back up support for your lymph system. ALWAYS do Epsom Salt Baths every few days when you are doing a diet detox.  The goal of a detox is cleaning out your gut which then helps your lymph system pull even more toxins that are stored in your fat cells (woo hoo). The Epsom salt bath helps pull toxins out through your skin.  It’s like soaking in the ocean but at home. 
  4. Shake it out.  Stand and bounce gently through your arms/elbows and knees like you are standing on a trampoline (or get a mini tramp, like me, to do this). Keep your heels grounded while you bounce for a few minutes.  This gentle “bouncing” motion helps your lymph system flow better.  This also makes for a great mini moves break from screen time to help you refocus, re-energize, and get your blood flowing.

Start with one of these tips and keep adding on as you listen to how your body feels.  Your lymph system is always working hard for you.  These tips will help make its job so much easier. They also help me feel less bloated.  It's a win win.

Shake it out!
Mollie
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P.S. Want Better Sleep?

Download this free 5 minute rest meditation to take a quick time out, prep for a nap or to relax your body before sleep


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    Mollie, Ender, Ty & Teddie

    Mollie Miller, PT
    Ender Serrano, LMT

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