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Five simple steps to a healthier, happier you

Five simple steps to a healthier, happier you

(ProActive Sports Rehab offers a weekly column promoting health, fitness and physical therapy. Please be sure to check back each week for a new topic!)

Getting healthy can sometimes feel like an impossible feat, and you don’t always know where to start. It’s important to begin with simple steps that will become habits. Before you know it, they will be a part of your everyday routine and you’ll see benefits soon.

1. Keep hydrated. Drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day helps your body function properly. It keeps you hydrated and eliminates toxins. Take a reusable water bottle to work and keep it on your desk as a reminder to sip throughout the day.

2. Eat colorful food. The more colorful the foods you choose are, the more likely they’ll be packed with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. For example, adding one serving of vibrant yellow Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit to your daily diet provides all your vitamin C needs and as much potassium as a medium banana. Cut and scoop kiwis for a tropical sweet snack or pair them with other colorful foods for a nutritious meal.

3. Add exercise to your day. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to working out — some like yoga classes, others prefer visiting a gym, some like a long walk after dinner. Discover what works for you and add it to your day in the timeframe that suits your schedule. Remember, if it feels like a chore, it will be harder to build into your regular routine.

4. Rest up. Silence your phone and get a good night’s sleep. Getting seven to eight hours of sleep is proven to help your overall well-being. It is important for maintaining hormonal balance, increasing cognition and memory, and aiding in digestion.

5. Repeat. Repetition is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The more you incorporate healthy habits into your day, the easier it will become.
— News Canada

ProActive Sports Rehab, with offices in Hamburg and West Seneca, offers one-on-one physical therapy and rehabilitation services. For more information, please visit https://proactivesportsrehab.com or call 674-9600 (West Seneca office) or 648-8700 (Hamburg office). You can also follow ProActive Sports Rehab on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProActiveSportsRehab for frequent updates.

How to stay hydrated like a pro all summer

How to stay hydrated like a pro all summer

Many of us spend our summer soaking up the sun. Kids are out of school, outdoor sports are plenty and people are enjoying warm weather activities. However, spending a lot of time outside in the elements puts you at risk for dehydration-related concerns.

While most people know that water is critical for your health, what you may not know is that water makes up about 55 to 65 percent of your body. Many may be surprised to know that losing only 4 percent of your body weight — roughly the equivalent of riding a bike for three hours in extreme heat without rehydrating — may cause you to faint.

The following simple tips from Dr. Ralph Holsworth, a board-certified family medicine physician and head of clinical and scientific research for Essentia Water, will help you stay well hydrated this summer:

• Sip with purpose; don’t chug. When you drink too much water at once, it passes through your system too quickly, failing to go to the kidneys. This can lead to dehydration despite the amount of water you may be drinking. Drinking too much water can also cause cramping, as well as bloating and stomach pains, due to loss of electrolytes. Aim to take a sip of water every 15 to 20 minutes when you’re playing sports or when it’s hot outside and you should be right on track.

• Aim to drink three liters a day. The age-old eight-glasses-a-day rule doesn’t always suffice in the hot summer months. People should try to drink 12 glasses a day, especially if they are planning on working out, playing sports or spending excessive amounts of time in the sun. A good trick to know if you’re drinking enough water is to keep your urine the color of straw (or transparent yellow).

• Bring water with you. Spending more time out of the house often means less easy access to water. When you leave for a day at the beach, make sure you throw enough bottles of water in your beach bag to last throughout the day. Keeping a case of water in your car is another way to ensure you’ll always have water on hand.

• Limit sun exposure. Not shielding yourself properly in the sun causes you to sweat more, which can lead to quicker dehydration. Wearing cotton clothes that are breathable in the heat and a hat that covers your ears will help protect you from potentially dangerous health issues such as heat exhaustion.

Whether you’re an athlete, a weekend warrior or just want to take better care of yourself, staying hydrated is essential to a healthy body, especially during the hot summer months. For more information about Essentia Water, visit www.essentiawater.com.
— NewsUSA

ProActive Sports Rehab, with offices in Hamburg and West Seneca, offers one-on-one physical therapy and rehabilitation services. For more information, please call 674-9600 (West Seneca office) or 648-8700 (Hamburg office). You can also follow ProActive Sports Rehab on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProActiveSportsRehab for frequent updates.

Ten ways exercise helps during cancer treatment

Exercise supervised by a physical therapist can help anyone undergoing cancer treatment exercise safely and comfortably during treatment, and remain physically active. It also may relieve many of the side effects of cancer treatment.

With a physical therapist’s help, exercise during cancer treatment can:


1. Reduce fatigue: Exercise helps boost energy and endurance during cancer treatment.


2. Maintain muscle strength. Safe exercise can help keep your muscles strong.


3. Reduce stress. Exercising during cancer treatment can help ward off anxiety, fear and depression.


4. Prevent or reduce lymphedema and swelling. Special physical therapy treatments address lymphedema and swelling.


5. Reduce pain. Safe and comfortable exercise is proven to be effective in reducing pain.


6. Prevent and reduce weight gain. Staying physically active can help you maintain a healthy weight.


7. Reduce brain fog. Exercise has an immediate and long-lasting effect in reducing brain fog.


8. Reduce bone density loss. Certain exercises done while standing and moving can stimulate your bones to stay healthy and strong, helping to avoid fractures.


9. Improve the survival rate. Research studies have suggested that consistent exercise during cancer treatment may have beneficial effects that improve the outcome of that treatment.


10. Assist athletes to continue sports training. Athletes undergoing cancer treatment may not have to give up their sport. A physical therapist can help design a special exercise plan that includes an athlete’s chosen sport, a modified version or aspects of it.
— American Physical Therapy Association; Andrea Avruskin, PT, DPT

ProActive Sports Rehab, with offices in Hamburg and West Seneca, offers one-on-one physical therapy and rehabilitation services. For more information, please call 674-9600 (West Seneca office) or 648-8700 (Hamburg office). You can also follow ProActive Sports Rehab on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProActiveSportsRehab for frequent updates.


Too much screen time? Sit up straight to avoid painful ‘tech neck’

A modern affliction has osteopathic physicians prescribing the selfie stance to patients checking their devices: Keep your head up and hold the phone straight out.

Tilting the head forward 60 degrees can put up to 60 pounds of pressure on the neck, according to Stacey Pierce-Talsma, DO, chair of osteopathic manipulative medicine at Touro University California. “Tech neck,” a disorder that changes the curvature of the spine, can cause severe muscle strain and mobility loss.


The painful condition results primarily from the use of cell phones, tablets and other small screen technology, which users tend to hold below eye level. It’s a progressive issue, which may lead to disc degeneration and nerve complications, according to Dr. Pierce-Talsma, who’s seen a rise in the number of patients reporting neck stiffness, shoulder tightness or a general ache in the upper body.


"Improper posture adds tension and compression to structures that weren’t meant to bear that weight," she explained. "These stresses and strains build up over time and wear down bones, joints and ligaments, even changing the way muscles fire."


Posture, a reflection of how the musculoskeletal system is functioning as a whole, influences the biomechanical efficiency of the body. Good posture places the least amount of strain on our muscles, bones and ligaments as we move, walk and lie down, says Dr. Pierce-Talsma. Poor posture leads to fatigue and pain.


An osteopathic physician and a registered yoga instructor, Dr. Pierce-Talsma looks at patients holistically to understand what postural, muscular and neurological issues may be contributing to their health concerns. Treatment for tech neck starts with simple lifestyle modifications.


"I often tell my patients to sit as tall as they can — military posture — and then relax a bit. Good posture shouldn’t be painful," says Dr. Pierce-Talsma. "It takes some concentration and, if you’ve had poor posture for a while, strength building.”


Medications alleviate inflammation and reduce pain, but correcting posture addresses the root cause of the problem. Patients may be referred to yoga classes or physical therapy to address muscular issues and Dr. Pierce-Talsma sometimes recommends an ergonomic evaluation to assess if their workspace is properly configured.


"As osteopathic physicians, we home in on the musculoskeletal system when patients present with pain. Non-pharmaceutical approaches, including the use of manipulative treatment, can improve symptoms while patients address underlying causes of their pain," says Dr. Pierce-Talsma.
— PRNewswire, American Osteopathic Association


ProActive Sports Rehab, with offices in Hamburg and West Seneca, offers one-on-one physical therapy and rehabilitation services. For more information, please call 674-9600 (West Seneca office) or 648-8700 (Hamburg office). You can also follow ProActive Sports Rehab on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProActiveSportsRehab for frequent updates.


Summer break related to weight gain in kids

Summer break related to weight gain in kids

Summer is associated with children at play, but a recent study suggests it’s also a time when kids are gaining weight at an increased rate compared with during the school year.

The Harvard University systematic review, published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention journal Preventing Chronic Disease (Accelerated Weight Gain Among Children During Summer Versus School Year and Related Racial/Ethnic Disparities: A Systematic Review), analyzed seven studies and found that all but one demonstrated evidence of a faster rate of weight gain among some children during the summer months compared with the school year.

The accelerated weight gain was most pronounced among children who were already overweight.

Potential solutions suggested by the authors included “greater access to summer camps and parks and recreation programs” and “increased use of summer food programs, which provide meals outside of the school year.”
— American Physical Therapy Association

ProActive Sports Rehab, with offices in Hamburg and West Seneca, offers one-on-one physical therapy and rehabilitation services. For more information, please call 674-9600 (West Seneca office) or 648-8700 (Hamburg office). You can also follow ProActive Sports Rehab on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProActiveSportsRehab for frequent updates.

Top tips for incorporating fitness into your routine

Top tips for incorporating fitness into your routine

Rethink your commute. Leave the car keys at home and lace up your sneakers instead. Commuting to work by bike is a great way to bookend the work day with some aerobic activity.

Take a walk. Even the most adventurous weekend warriors are sometimes required to sit or stand in place for long stretches in the workplace. If your job keeps you sedentary, break up the day with a brisk walk outdoors during lunch. Throughout the day, stretch your legs with a loop around your work station. It sounds counter-intuitive, but a short break spent being physically active can help boost your overall productivity.

Get out of town. Skip the gym and plan a day or weekend trip dedicated to physical fitness. Whether it’s hiking a nearby trail, kayaking a local river or doing yoga in the park, there’s nothing like getting your exercise fix in nature.

Gear up. New tech gear is helping support people’s efforts to get outdoors and stay fit, so consider gearing up before your next adventure. For example, Casio’s Pro Trek WSD-F20 Smart Outdoor Watch is water-resistant and equipped with GPS capabilities and a full-color map display. Users can download maps in advance to continue getting navigation guidance even when they are offline or out of range. Vital information, such as travel speed, elapsed time and distance, is close at hand without checking your smartphone, making it a good choice for cyclists. Other tools include a compass, altimeter and barometer.

Try something new. Change up your fitness routine from time to time to avoid hitting a plateau. This will keep things mentally interesting so you don’t lose interest in exercise. What’s more, a new class or activity may “surprise” your body by working different muscles in a new way.

With a few simple strategies and the right tools, incorporating fitness into your life can be fun and easy!
— StatePoint Media

ProActive Sports Rehab, with offices in Hamburg and West Seneca, offers one-on-one physical therapy and rehabilitation services. For more information, please call 674-9600 (West Seneca office) or 648-8700 (Hamburg office). You can also follow ProActive Sports Rehab on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProActiveSportsRehab for frequent updates.