In my last two blog posts, I explained how specialized physical therapy techniques like Redcord suspension exercise and GYROTONIC® have helped me and others with dysautonomia. Today I am highlighting another breakthrough movement system available at Activcore. This one is called Hypopressives. Hypopressive means low pressure. This technique introduces exercises that reduce the pressure in your core (i.e., the intra-abdominal pressure).

As a Board Certified Orthopedic Physical Therapist, I see a lot of patients with foot pain. It is sometimes not what they are even coming to see me for, but they mention it during the evaluation. In my experience, foot pain often plays a role in their knee, hip, or back pain. Our foot health is just as crucial to our structural health as our core strength, but it doesn’t get nearly the same level of attention.

The human body is an intricate web of connections between seemingly unrelated parts that often reveal fascinating insights into our overall health and well-being. One such intriguing link exists between your pelvic floor and your foot mechanics. Although the feet are not directly connected to the pelvic floor, they are closely connected via bone and ligamentous structures...

Although I am a physical therapist, I have also participated in PT to address my own dysautonomia and hypermobility. When I was first diagnosed in 2021, I was unable to perform simple tasks such as going from sit to stand, showering, or walk up stairs without dizziness and extreme fatigue. Not only did dysautonomia impact my physical health, but the brain fog and memory issues were also impacted.

Living with dysautonomia can be an emotional rollercoaster, as the condition's unpredictable nature constantly presents new challenges and obstacles to navigate. From the physical symptoms to the cognitive impairments and mood fluctuations, each day can bring a unique set of struggles. Coping with the uncertainty of how one will feel from moment to moment can lead to feelings of anxiety, frustration, and even depression.

Most people that first come into my physical therapy practice have a primary complaint of pain. And generally speaking, that pain creates some type of limitation in their daily life. While they don’t typically complain about their ability (or inability) to squat, this functional movement is something that I always screen for. That's because I get a ton of information from it.

When I first became a physical therapist, it seemed like all the rage in fitness and rehab was about strengthening one specific muscle or muscle group. For example, I would hear about the VMO (Vastus Medialis Oblique) muscle and how “vital” it was for proper tracking of the knee cap when squatting. Or how the glutes were “key” to an effective golf swing. Or how the rhomboids had to be “strong” for good posture. In some cases these theories proved to have some level of validity. But in many cases they became outdated theories and a sign of limited evidence.

In last week’s blog post about Balance from the Ground Up, we provided a simple exercise for opening up and providing proprioceptive input to the feet. This week, I am building on that foundation with a series of deceptively simple exercises that you can do to improve your proprioception while developing foot, ankle and calf strength.

Did you know that each of your feet has 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments? And you have more than SEVEN THOUSAND nerve endings in each foot? The foot provides both important structural support for our balance and a ton of subconscious information for our brain about where we are in space and how to organize our movement.

Balance is something often taken for granted until it is gone. Whether you suffer from a sudden physical injury or simply notice that things you used to do are getting harder over time, losing your balance can affect your quality of life. In some cases, it can even shorten your life.