TRX Corrective Exercises for Pitchers

You don’t run to get in shape, you get in shape so that you can run. Simply running every day will not improve your running ability. Cross training, improving muscle imbalances through corrective exercises, and strength training are all required in order to improve performance with running, and minimize the risk of overuse injuries.

You can take the same concept with any activity which requires repetitive motion, especially pitching. Simply throwing every day as hard as you can will only decrease performance and increase the likelihood of injury. There is a certain amount of core strength, rotator cuff stability, hip flexibility, and lower quarter stability that is required to optimize the movement of an overhead athlete. When an athlete has reached a certain level of strength and flexibility, I encourage using a TRX suspension strap to train these elements of pitching. My favorite TRX exercises for pitchers are listed below, but with a disclaimer: as healthcare professionals, we cannot simply prescribe exercises without a thorough examination of the athlete. These exercises should only be performed after an assessment and under the instruction of your healthcare specialist.

1) TRX Side Lunge

The stride phase of the pitch may be the most important phase of pitching. The stride length of a professional pitcher is approximately the length of the pitchers height, and the shoulder has to move towards end range of external rotation. Needless to say, in order to maintain proper mechanics the pitcher requires a certain amount of trunk control. Therefore, the TRX side lunge becomes a great exercise to work on adductor length of the stance leg (ensuring increased stride length) and trunk control during this motion.

2. TRX W Deltoid Fly

This exercise is named for the large deltoid muscle which assists with the abduction of the shoulder, but I like to use it to work the external rotators of the shoulder. This is also important for the stride phase of pitching, and requires a certain amount of instruction without the TRX before it can be done appropriately. After a pitcher learns appropriate joint centration of the glen0-humeral joint (to be discussed in a future blog) he can begin to train the rotator cuff to maintain the stability of the joint during pure external rotation. Again, all of this is being done while maintaining trunk control.

3. TRX T-Deltoid Fly

The cocking phase of the pitch requires scapula adduction and full external rotation of the gleno-humeral joint. At this phase of throwing, the middle trapezius operates at approximately 50% Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC) and the Infraspinatus works at 74% MVIC. This exercise places works on these muscles to place the scapula and glen-humeral joint in the appropriate position for this phase of throwing.

4. TRX Lunge

 

Of particular note, at this time all exercises have focused on  phases of pitching before the ball is released (showing the emphasis I place on the early phases of pitching). The most important component of the pitch after the ball is released is the follow through. Flexing through the hip and trunk can attenuate the force developed in prior phases from the shoulder. The TRX lunge can work on strengthening the gluteals and hinging from the hip to assist with this phase of throwing.

This form of training requires appropriate flexibility, strength, and supervision, but it can greatly improve your pitching mechanics. If you live in the Redlands area, a great spot for TRX training is at The Energy Lab. Check them out for their TRX classes and all fitness goals.

For rehabilitation, movement screenings, and to work towards your fitness goals, check out OMPT and email me at alan@optimalmovementpt.com

 

http://www.optimalmovementpt.com

World Physical Therapy Day!!!

World Physical Therapy Day is September 8, 2014!!!

World Physical Therapy Day is a day to recognize the profession and all the benefits a Physical Therapist provides to the community. Are you currently participating in therapy? Have you had therapy in the past? How has therapy helped you? How could therapy help you?

For most individuals who have participated in therapy they are aware of the importance of the Physical Therapist as well as the role a therapist can provide in improving movement and function. For those of you who are not aware, the benefit therapy can provide is different for every individual. Every person you encounter has their own concerns and fears. My profession gives me the time to really understand and empathize with concerns and fears, which opens a window into making a real change on the individual level.

Whether it’s running that extra mile, picking up a grandson, getting up the stairs at night, or simply making it through the work day, Physical Therapists help individuals meet their specific goals. A Physical Therapist is a specialist on movement and can help optimize performance, return from an injury, and prevent future injuries from occurring. Imagine the health benefits of having a Physical Therapist who knows you. Think about it, most individuals have their own personal Physician and Dentist. Why not having your own Physical Therapist who can screen and educate on proper movements to maintain optimal health.

Optimal Movement Physical Therapy provides these benefits to many resident in the Redlands area. If you need someone on your team, we would be happy to listen to your concerns. Check out our website here. If you would like to learn more about World PT day, check out the World Confederation for Physical Therapy website.

In celebration of World PT Day we’re holding a contest! If your life has been significantly impacted by a Physical Therapist, let us know in the comments for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to one of our favorite stores that encourages movement – REI! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for additional entries! Please leave individual comments letting us know where you’re following us! Giveaway ends Monday, September 15th at noon PST. Winner will be chosen by random draw and will be posted Monday evening!

Disclaimer: we are not affiliated with REI in any way. We just really like them and what they stand for!

http://www.OptimalMovementPT.com

A winner has been chosen for World PT Day contest. Thomas has been selected via the website random.org. Please email me at alan@optimalmovementpt.com.

Screening and Preventing ACL Injuries

This may be my favorite time of the year. Fall in Redlands is beautiful, and we finally move away from the heat of Summer into to crisp air of Fall. Cyclists and runners no longer have to get their workouts in early to beat the heat, and we get to look forward to playoff baseball. The aspect of Fall which I enjoy the most is the return of Football and Soccer. These sports showcase some incredible athletes performing at a high intensity level during nearly every play. The unfortunate side effect of this level of play is a multitude of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. So far in the NFL preseason alone (3 weeks of games) there have been 16 ACL tears: the most notable being Sam Bradford’s second tear. The average lost wage per NFL player who has suffered an ACL injury is 1.6 million dollars!

So what if some professional football players have had an injury? After all it should be expected for athletes in a heavy contact sport, especially in a league with the biggest and fastest athletes in the world, right? Well, are you aware that there are approximately 300,000 ACL injuries per year? Further, according to the Sports Surgery Clinic (SSC) in Dublin, 70% of ACL injuries occur during non contact injuries. Per the last stat from the SSC, female athletes are up to 8 times more likely to have an ACL injury than their male counterparts. This coupled with an average soccer player making approximately 726 cutting maneuvers in a game results in women’s soccer being the sport in which an ACL injury is most likely to occur.

70% of injuries occur without contact. This means that a tear occurs because of a biomechanical stress an athlete places on their ACL during cutting and/or running. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could screen for and prevent such a horrible injury from occurring?

The truth is, we can.

1) We know the population that typically has a non contact ACL injury. It will happen to young female athletes between the ages of 15 and 20. Every year, one in ten female collegiate athletes will have an ACL injury. Further, soccer and football athletes are most likely to have the injury given the demands they place on their knee.

2) We know the mechanism of injury. The injury occurs during periods of cutting or changing directions. Typically the knee is slightly bent, and there is a large valgus force placed on the knee.

Since we know these two facts, we can effectively screen for these injuries. We simply have to analyze the movements of the at risk population. With video analysis, we can determine if an athlete places a high amount of valgus stress at the knee during cutting and jumping drills. With a simple quick screen, athletes who are at a risk for an ACL injury can be identified.

So then what? A study performed by Mandelbaum et al in 2005 showed that athletes invoked in a Prevent injury and Enhance Performance program (PEP) were approximately 80% less likely to have an ACL injury. This program is made up of exercises focusing on flexibility and proximal hip stability.

So, a short screen of athletes, followed by prescription of individualized strengthening exercises can prevent 80% of the 300,000 ACL injuries that occur each year.

One more blurb on ACL injuries. A shift in the rehabilitation after an injury has been occurring of late. No longer are physical therapists following a set protocol. Instead, rehab is being progressed based on biomechanical testing. Biomechanical testing is now being done to clear athletes to return to sport in order to prevent the 12% chance of a re-injury. Given that we are screening athletes who have had an ACL injury before they return to sport, doesn’t it make sense that we begin using biomechanical testing to avoid injuries in the first place?

At Optimal Movement Physical Therapy, we focus on screening and preventing injuries. The video analysis and screening for ACL injuries, as well as ACL rehabilitation and return to sport are all services provided. Call us today to schedule your free consultation at 909-335-7402!

http://www.optimalmovementpt.com

Analogies and Pain

What type of client is the most difficult to treat successfully? I think the answer is universal among healthcare professionals. The patient who is suffering from chronic pain can certainly be the most challenging. I know that this is the type of patient I had the most difficulty with when I was fresh out of school. But, through the teachings of more experienced mentors and the research from Lorimer Moseley, David Butler and other folks at Bodies in Mind, I have learned an abundance of strategies to help these folks.

The single most powerful piece of information is knowing that chronic pain can stem in large part from emotions. One emotion that can cause a pain experience is fear. Fear of the unknown, for example “Why do I have this pain?” can be enough to cause a pain stimuli. Thus you can see how a vicious cycle of pain can develop.

It should therefore be no surprise that the focus of treatment for individuals suffering from chronic pain is education. I am of course simplifying the treatment of a complex condition, but, without education on the condition, all following treatments will be useless. Understanding your pain and why you have it is the first gate on a pathway to improved function and pain relief.

Easier said than done. For some individuals, the education on their condition is short and simple. Typically these are clients with an acute condition, who likely already understood the condition. I propose, that these individuals will likely improve with or without skilled intervention. These individuals are simply guided through the healing process to make sure they don’t fall into the world of misunderstanding.

For other individuals, the education is not so easy. Some individuals have had pain for years seemingly for no reason or cause. Some individuals have spent hours, days, weeks, months, and years perseverating on the pain trying to figure out why or what the cause is. Some individuals have seen doctors, chiropractors, trainers, therapists, acupuncturists, and body healers seeking answers. These individuals may have a more challenging time understanding their pain.

Lorimer Moseley, a chronic pain expert performing research out of Australia has suggested stories to portray key concepts of pain to individuals. I highly recommend checking out his ted talk, reading “Explain Pain” and “Painful Yarns”. I also recommend all therapists learn to explain pain to help with patients understanding.

I use Analogies. Analogies bridge the gap between something new and complex with the more familiar. The following are my favorite analogies I use to help patients understand the cause of their pain, and therefore decrease the fear associated with their pain, thus interrupting the pain/fear cycle.

1. Treating a sensitive nerve is like treating allergies. When pain has become chronic in nature, there is usually at least some amount of neurogenic source to the pain. Nerve pain can be difficult to understand. It behaves differently from every other source of pain. You don’t treat it with rest (rather you treat it by moving), the pain can be local but it can also radiate, and it can cause a vast array of symptoms. Treating it can be even more confusing as the idea is to actually cause some amount of stimuli through movement, even if that stimulus is an increase in symptoms. In order to help a client understand why they want to move it until their symptoms flare up, I use this analogy with the following education; When an allergist treats a person for an allergy, they actually expose the person to the allergen with the expectation that a small allergic reaction ensues. The client then comes back after a few days and is exposed to a larger amount of the allergen. Over time, the body becomes less sensitive to the allergen and are no longer allergic to the small amounts they may be exposed to in the environment. A nerve can be quite sensitive and cause pain much in the same was the body can be quite sensitive to an allergy, therefore making the treatment quite similar.

2. An entrapped nerve is like a person receiving an indefinite bear hug. After some education on nerves, a common question is; “why is my nerve causing so much pain?” The analogy here, especially after finding an entrapment spot, is that nerves get compressed from nearby structures. Much like how a person feels when they get a bear hug, the nerve actually is deprived from oxygen and can begin a pain stimulus.

3. Working with a nerve is much like working with an irritable co-worker. When working with an irritable co-worker, they may be quite angry at the beginning of the day. Throughout the day (if you want to maintain a relationship) you continually peek your head in and the anger and yelling slowly dissipates as the co-worker has been able to cool off. When treating a nerve, movement exercises can be quite painful at first. As the nerve gets less sensitive, the movement will be less painful and you will be able to perform tasks for longer durations before pain starts.

4.The bodies alignment is like a huge skyscraper, any point of instability can effect the whole thing. This is generally the education given when ones posture is playing a large role in their pain. At times, pointing at posture can seem like a scapegoat to a client, but pointing out that skyscrapers have to be strong at the base and in the middle in order to support the whole structure can be quite beneficial. This is an especially important analogy when the source of pain is caused by weakness or instability at a location seemingly far away (think abdominal stability for clients with chronic neck pain).

5. Muscles work together like a sports team has to work together to be successful. If a player on a team does all the work while the other players sit back and watch, then that team is not going to be winning much at all. In fact, eventually, the hard working player is going to get tired and irritated. This is quite similar to persons suffering from overuse injuries. An upper trap strain can occur in large part because the synergist muscles (middle and lower trap) are not pulling their weight. This is a great analogy to help patients understand the importance of strengthening synergist muscles.

At the end of the day, clients who understand their pain and understand their role and power in the rehab of their pain are the ones who improve. Empower one by providing some insight and answers. For some individuals this may take time, which is why, as healthcare providers we need to give individuals the time they need. More on that in another post…

If you’re interested in any of the information on this subject I have provided links to several readings used for this blog; Explain Pain, Painful Yarns, and Sensitive Nervous System.

Low Back Pain Paradigm Shift

Ten years ago, if you had low back pain and saw a Physical Therapist, you would most likely be prescribed “core strengthening” exercises. In fact, even today, you will most likely be given some exercises for the muscle group which provides stability at the low back. It’s not a bad idea, it works and there is a lot of research to support this paradigm. It’s become so commonplace that the argument is no longer whether you should train the abdominals, but more on how you should strengthen this muscle group. Brace or hollow? Sit-up or plank? There is multitude of articles and blogs on which exercises are best for persons with low back pain, and professionals often prescribe them without a second thought.

But, what happens when getting stronger doesn’t work? What are we missing?

The truth is, nobody has a “strong” core. It’s something we all have to work on. That’s why we can get away with prescribing it to everyone, because it always tests weak. Sure, some people have a stronger core than others, but in relation to the stiffness of the hip or shoulder, the trunk is often less stiff. Further, some people with a strong core still have back pain. So, again, what do we do when simply getting stronger doesn’t work?

That’s when it’s time to look at the movement. Look at the person’s function. Which movements are they required to do? What are their preferred movement patterns? Are they using the strength they already have?

Case in point: This client complained of low back pain and sciatica for the past 6 months. We began looking at abdominal strength as part of our objective exam only to find that she had great strength. When pointing this out to her, she noted that she is quite active. She hikes, does yoga, runs, stand up paddle boards, does pull-ups and planks. How could she have back pain?

Standing posture with measurements showing mild swayback posture.

The examination did not show many treatable impairments. When a client has a fairly clean strength and mobility examination, we get to move on to function. This client is very active, but the activity she does the most is holding her one year old son who weighs nearly twenty pounds. So, it’s time to check out her function.

Increased swayback posture when standing with twenty pound load (aka her son).

As you can see, the standing posture changes dramatically. The shoulders are no longer lined up with the hip, but they have shifted posteriorly. This client has shifted into extension when she holds her child. This excessive extension is just enough stress through her low back to cause some discomfort.

So, if she has enough strength, then, what is the treatment?

There is no exercise that will magically cure this shift. The only exercise or treatment for her is awareness. After a few small corrections, we are able to prescribe her only “exercise”.

Improved standing posture with 20 pound weight.

No rehab exercises needed. In fact, she is already doing more than I ask most patients to do anyways. She just needs to use what she already has and contract her abdominals while holding her son. She has all the moving parts to perform this movement optimally, and her rehab sessions have been cut from several to one.

This client is a great example of a client with low back pain who will not respond to abdominal exercises. The paradigm has shifted. It’s time to look at function. It’s time to look at movement. At Optimal Movement Physical Therapy, we assess, diagnose, and treat movement.

www.optimalmovementpt.com

Rebecca is the owner of be. Her mission is to inspire and educate people to live healthier and happier lives by spreading knowledge about the importance of nourishing their bodies with the best food. Check out her site at http://www.benourishedbehealthy.com.

Pitching Biomechanics

There are 39 major league pitchers who have had or are scheduled to have Tommy John elbow reconstruction this year. THIRTY NINE! This includes some big name pitchers (and therefore big money pitchers) including Matt Harvey, Jose Fernandez, Matt Moore, and Patrick Corbin to name a few. The combined salary of these four players is over 2.5 million dollars in 2014 alone. The high amount of elbow injuries has become MLB’s “number one research priority” at this time. There have been several hypotheses regarding pitchers being overworked, pitchers focusing only on one sport starting in their youth and losing out on cross training, to even a varying amount of humeral torsion leading to a higher likelihood of elbow injury.

But what about their movement?

Not all pitchers throw the same. They all have varying amounts of biomechanics, some of which place excessive loads on the elbow.

Determining differences in pitching biomechanics becomes quite obvious when looking at the late cocking phase of throwing. At this phase of throwing and pitching, a pitcher should have maximum external rotation of the throwing arm. 

Take a look at Roger Clemens in the late cocking phase of throwing. His shoulder is at maximum external rotation and he is prepared to move into the acceleration phase of the pitch. Note: Clemens had a long career without much history of shoulder or elbow trouble.

 

Take it a step further and look at Greg Maddux at this phase of throwing. Another long career without a history of injury. His shoulder is also in external rotation when his lead foot makes contact with the ground.

Let’s compare the shoulder position of Maddux and Clemens with the shoulder position of some pitchers with a history of Tommy John. First, Mark Prior. Prior was an up an coming pitcher who along with Kerry Wood was meant to bring the Cubs back to the World Series. His career was shortened due to injury.

You can see that Prior actually has his shoulder in full internal rotation just before his foot hits the ground (showing the ball to the first baseman rather than second or third base).

Adam Wainright is another pitcher with a history of Tommy John. Just like Prior, you can see the internal rotation of his shoulder in late cocking.

Both of these pitchers are very talented, but their pitching biomechanics set them up for injury. Essentially, the legs are moving through the mechanics faster than their shoulder is, creating the need for the shoulder to “catch up” to their legs. The reason for pitching like Prior and Wainright is that the delay between the lower quarter and upper quarter creates more torque at the shoulder. More torque results in a higher velocity pitch as well as more break on the pitch. However, more torque on the shoulder can also lead to more shearing stress at the shoulder and tensile stretch at the elbow.

If trying to eliminate elbow injuries in pitchers, pitch count, appropriate rest, flexibility, and strength are all vital components. After all, Maddux and Clemens had to work at maintaining their long healthy careers. That being said, the biomechanics of the pitcher should also be taken into consideration.

 

Running Assessment

This is why I wanted to be a Physical Therapist…

I just completed my first running evaluation at Optimal Movement Physical Therapy. My client, marathon runner, John Hackney, has been having some knee pain of late during his runs. I think even more frustrating is the recurrence of a hamstring strain during his marathon competitions. Seeking a biomechanical evaluation with his insurance and scouring the internet for some information yielded little results. I was very happy to be able to provide some answers.

Running is hard to analyze. The movements occur so fast that it becomes very hard to see the movement faults. One second you think you see something important, but the next second it has disappeared. The best way to break down a runner is with video analysis, but the problem with this technique is that it requires more time than most therapists have with their patients. I have come to realize through several of Chris Powers’ lectures and discussions, that the only way to provide a meaningful assessment to high level athletes is by giving them the time they need to be thoroughly assessed. In fact, pain and movement can be so confusing, that the majority of clients need more time than most therapists can give in order to clear up the confusion (but more on that subject in a later blog…).

Seeing the majority of clients (especially high level athletes) leave a clinic without a thorough understanding of their problem is part of the reason I started Optimal Movement Physical Therapy. Within John’s first session, we were able to analyze not only his running, but several other functional tasks including squats, step downs, and single leg stance. Further, the video analysis provided by Simi provided specific metrics on all functional movements. The measurements taken of body angles during running and step downs will allow a post treatment comparison after John has completed some corrective exercises. After analyzing all of the functional movements, I still had time to measure John’s strength and flexibility (decreased hamstring length, decreased gluteal activation, and quad dominant movements – no surprise there). Lastly, John and I had time to discuss the problem, strategize how he can reach his goals, and determine the most appropriate corrective exercises for him (again, more on specific corrective exercises of individuals in a later post).

Motion analysis of marathon runner in saggital view.

In my opinion, this is the way physical therapy evaluations should be. Full of information on the individual’s specific movement with measurements and goals to attain. Oftentimes, a client is left to simply trust a therapist’s or healthcare professional’s word. When given specific measurements, a client can better understand the problem and is more motivated to correct the problem. At first glance, John does not have a lot of faulty movements or impairments, but after 26.2 miles every impairment is magnified. In order to identify and measure these impairments, skilled physical therapists need only spend a little more time with their patients.

Higher Quality Physical Therapy and How We Are Able To Provide It

“Why don’t you take insurance for the services you provide?”

I get this question a lot.

It is a fair question. Most people expect that they can use their insurance for Physical Therapy (and you probably still can – we touch on that a bit later). But, let me provide some insight into the difference between a therapist that relies on insurance and one that doesn’t.

It used to be that healthcare was an individual physician who provided a service to a community. Individuals requiring healthcare paid a fee to the physician, received the necessary care, and the provider turned a small profit allowing them to practice.

Then, came the 3rd party payer (insurance). Somehow, someway, a 3rd group realized that they could make a profit from the service being provided. The simple pay for service became much more complex. Rather than paying for what you needed, when you needed, a 3rd group began saying when, how and where one could receive healthcare. Why is this important? The goals of this 3rd group is not to ensure the best patient results, or to maximize patient outcomes. Their goal is simply to make money.

So what happens when your insurance gets involved? Quality of care goes down. This occurs via a variety of strategies, rules, and regulations set in place by the insurance company, but typically in the Physical Therapy world, it goes something like this:

The Physical Therapist and the insurance company enter a contract. The Physical Therapist treats a patient with a specific insurance. The Physical Therapist then submits a claim for reimbursement for services the patient received. The insurance company requires the therapist to submit documentation that follows several rules and regulations. Lengthy documentation that takes extensive time to prepare and submit. Oftentimes, even with appropriate documentation, the insurance companies will deny payment. The therapist realizes that in order to keep up with the denials, proper documentation, and time required to dot the “I’s” and cross the “T’s” that he or she will need to hire “help” to ensure proper payment. This of course is all coupled with the insurance companies’ limitation on reimbursement (i.e. – paying only a fraction of actual billed services).

A result of hiring extra staff means the Physical Therapist needs to treat more patients per day. Treating more patients per day results in less one on one time per patient. Further, a Physical Therapist actually gets paid more for amount of visits a patient makes, not for the quality of service provided. When factoring in all of this, it only makes sense that a PT practice that accepts insurance will likely recommend a high amount of visits, while providing little to no results, and spend a fraction of the time with each patient during those many visits.

When eliminating insurance companies, the Physical Therapist and the patient are allowed to collaborate and establish appropriate goals in order to relieve pain and optimize movement. The patient only pays for the value provided by the therapist and will no longer attend “extra” visits that provide little to no value. The Physical Therapist and patient are held accountable for outcomes. This results in higher care delivered, less overall visits to receive the higher care, and a longer duration of one on one time with your therapist.

So, wait, what about my insurance? Most of my clients utilize their insurance for reimbursement. The difference is that rather than my clinic utilizing a staff to provide the billing, we provide documents and instruction to the patient to submit to his or her insurance company for reimbursement. This maintains the high quality of care while still providing a low-cost option for healthcare. Further, HSA and FSA accounts are often provided by employers allowing employees to spend healthcare dollars on the services they deem necessary. This essentially acts as cash and is, of course, a hassle free option at Optimal Movement Physical Therapy.

Optimal Movement Physical Therapy has been established to offer a difference; offering what Physical Therapy can and should be to the Redlands community. We maintain high quality care by ensuring at least one hour of one on one time with your therapist in order to identify appropriate goals and plan of care. Hold your Physical Therapist and yourself accountable and achieve Optimal Movement and pain-free functioning.

This is only the beginning.

Welcome to Optimal Movement Physical Therapy!

I am so happy to announce the establishment of Optimal Movement Physical Therapy (OMPT), a private practice focused on improving the life, function, and movement of Redlands residents. This has been a dream of mine for a long time and it is finally happening thanks in large part to all my friends and family (aka all my current blog, Instagram, Twitter, and FaceBook followers).

I need to especially thank Jordan Cathey at Noteworthy Letterpress for creating the logo for the company. Not only is it an awesome logo, but it is also the first “real” step I took toward opening the clinic. After the logo, everything else began falling into place.

Further, my wife, Bonni, has been a huge help in the development of the company. Assisting with the website and groundwork the past several months has been a huge help, especially while our beautiful daughter, Maya, has been growing up.

My father-in-law, Rob, has been a tremendous help. He not only has the valuable knowhow on marketing and business startup, but his excitement with assisting with startup has always given that extra motivation whenever I was doubting myself.

I have been going to a great place in Redlands since December. At first I went to learn about a piece of exercise equipment I was not familiar with, but it turned into a much more valuable resource. The Energy Lab in Redlands focuses on training mentally, physically, and spiritually. I not only learned about the TRX at this studio, but I trained (and continue to train) my body with their physically challenging classes. I have learned a lot from Jill’s blog and other valuable resources and have been inspired to do something I have always wanted to do: start my own private practice!!! 

Setting out on a new venture can be scary, but I’ve had plenty of motivation over the past several months to continue the forward push. At the end of the day, when you believe in something you have to take a step out on a limb and test the waters. In Kelly McGonigal’s TED Talk, she states “One thing we know for certain, is that chasing meaning is better for your health than trying to avoid discomfort. Go after what it is that creates meaning in your life, and trust yourself to handle the stress that follows”. Providing Physical Therapy services the way they are meant to be provided creates meaning in my life…

I created Optimal Movement Physical Therapy to give Redlands a choice for better healthcare and better treatments. I believe that the majority of therapy focuses on the source of pain and not the cause. I believe that chronic pain occurs due to faulty movements repetitively performed over time. I believe that athletes can improve their performance by identifying inefficient movements. OMPT focuses on individuals and individual movement to educate, train, and attain optimal movement.

OMPT is joining a great community with other individuals and groups doing great things. I’ve been inspired by the community and I am excited to join it and add to its healthcare options. This blog is not only a medium to discuss Physical Therapy services, but also to raise awareness of high quality health care delivered by groups in the Redlands area.  

I’d like to thank everyone for their support in this endeavor, and please stay posted for future blog entries.