You would think that, having practiced as a full-time physical therapist for twenty-two years, perhaps I might have taken a few yoga classes for educational purposes? You underestimate both my stubbornness and my aversion to trying new things. Last weekend I was finally convinced to make the five-minute trip down the mountain to the unofficial […]
A Ballet Class en Flat in Pointe Shoes
Most people can only imagine how difficult a ballet class is. Then they start to think of ballerinas that they see on the main stage dancing on the tips of their toes in pointe shoes. They start to imagine what type of loopholes these people could have possibly found in Newton’s laws of physics to […]
What Is the Topple Test for Dancers?
In rehabilitation there are many clinical tests that can help determine the type of injury a person may have. In dance, there are functional tests that help show readiness for some activities. The test that is being discussed today is the topple test. The topple test sees if a dancer can complete a clean single […]
BOSU Training for Dancers
Dancers’ requirements vary so much. It is asked of them to be strong, agile, flexible, and balanced all while maintaining some level of artistry and making things look easy. Dancers train in a similar way as other conventional athletes to attain the previously mentioned goals. It may just not look the same. Similar tools are […]
What is Cupping and Does It Work?
In 2016 everybody saw Michael Phelps and the polka dots on his shoulder at the Rio Olympics. And just like that, cupping became the topic of conversation just as kinesiology tape did after seeing athletes compete in the 2008 Olympic games with various colorful strips of tape all over their body. Kinesiology tape, which at […]
The Rowing Machine Challenge
Personally, the most horrifying workout that I have experienced is the 2000 meter sprint using the Concept II indoor rowing machine. Even my friends who are Crossfit acolytes would rather do other grueling workouts than face the rower for a dreaded sprint trial. The gold standard for an adult male being crowned an absolute “badass” […]
Why Do I Have a Patella?
The patella (commonly referred to as the kneecap) may at first seem like a vestigial structure that too many of us errantly smack into tables and otherwise traumatize with random activities. Do we even need to have a patella to perform our day-to-day tasks? I do actually know somebody who had his patella removed due […]
Why ACL Tears Happen
In the season of The World Cup, I thought it may be good to discuss one of the most common soccer injuries, the ever-present ACL tear. Even more, it’s the Women’s World Cup, and females are more likely to get this injury compared to their male counterparts. Let’s discuss why this is the case. The […]
Tandem Stance: Try It!
Do we ever give any thought about “balance” as we age? Given that upwards of one-third of individuals over the age of sixty-five will have a fall in any given year, it may be a good idea to be proactive about doing some balance training. Let’s use tandem stance as a great example of an […]
Reacquaint Yourself With “Straight Leg Raises”
The straight leg raise is the most commonly prescribed exercise in physical therapy for patients with knee pain. Unfortunately, it is probably the exercise that is most frequently performed incorrectly!! How can something that looks so simple be done incorrectly? The answer lies in successful recruitment of that pesky portion of the quadriceps known as […]
