How to Improve Your Walking

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

A Deep Dive on Sitting

Welcome back to the Total Performance Newsletter! If you are a new subscriber and did not receive last month's edition, let me know and I will send it over right away! This month, we will be continuing with our "Daily Habits" series, and will be taking a look at sitting. Yes, you read that correctly-we are going to take a deep dive into all things sitting; what "proper" sitting posture should look like, how to make prolonged sitting more comfortable, and even how to "staying moving" while sitting.

Before we get into details, lets talk about sitting in general. Sitting often gets a bad reputation, with some even going as far as saying "sitting is the new smoking." Of course, sitting around all day is not ideal for optimal health, but it is a normal part of human life and we should have strategies available to us to ensure it does not hinder our health, fitness, or performance goals.

Sitting Posture

With that being said, lets take a look at what "proper" sitting posture looks like. Proper is in quotes because in reality, there is no such thing as good or bad posture. Sitting up tall is not inherently good or bad. Slouching is not inherently good or bad. Problems begin to arise when we are stuck in any one position for a prolonged period of time. When are static for extended periods of time, muscles tighten up, joints stiffen, and our body gets used to this position. So when we go to move, our body says "not so fast," and this is when we often experience those aches and pains.

The solution? Change up your sitting position on a regular basis. If you've been slouching for a while, sit up straight for a bit. If you've been trying to sit up straight for a while, let yourself slouch. Check in with where your weight is distributed. If you feel that you are more on your right side, shift to your left, and vice versa. Put your feet out in front of you for a bit. Tuck them under the chair after a while. These are just some suggestions, but the idea here is that you should regularly change up how you are sitting. That does not mean you need to constantly fidget around, but rather just check in once in a while and make some subtle shifts and adjustments. To summarize, there is a saying that puts it simply-"the best posture is the next posture."

Making Sitting More Comfortable

Next, lets take a look at ways to make sitting more comfortable. Besides for being static and the resulting stiffening of muscles/joints, one of the reasons sitting can cause problems is because of the constant pressure it puts on the part of our hips/glutes/legs that we are sitting on. So, in addition to changing postures, another strategy we can use is to change where that pressure is distributed. These are some very simple strategies that can be used almost anywhere.

1) Sit on a thin book, magazine, folded up towel, or some similar object. You can sit on it with both hips, or put it under one hip at a time. Play around with all options and see what works best. You usually do not need much elevation at all to make a difference in pressure distribution, especially when putting it under one hip at a time.

2) Elevate your feet on a book, pillow, folded towel, or small stool. Try elevating both feet at the same time or alternate between elevating each foot separately. Similar to above, it does not take much elevation to change the part of our pelvis where pressure is distributed.

3) Alter your foot pressure. This one may seem minuscule, but it can be a game changer. Often times, we find ourselves on the outside of our feet, especially when sitting. This position puts some slight tension on the outside of our legs all the way up into the hips and low back. If held over a longer period of time, this tension can really start to irritate the hips and low back. If you notice you're in this position, spend some time with your feet deliberately flat on the ground, with a slight emphasis on the inner part of your feet. This can relieve that outer hip/low back tension and make both sitting and standing up afterwards much more comfortable.

Next time your stuck at your desk or on a long drive, give these a shot and see how they feel.

Moving While Sitting

Finally, lets talk about moving while sitting. The best option here is to actually get up and go for walks periodically. But, sometimes this isn't feasible, so we will go over some ways to get some movement in while you are sitting. Here are some exercises you can do while seated in pretty much any chair or car.

1) Seated Adductor Squeezes; put something between your legs-a foam roller, folded up pillow, or a small ball will work well, but you can even put your fist between your knees if nothing else is available. Make sure feet are flat and pointing forward. From here, simply squeeze the object between your knees, hold for 2-3 seconds, relax, and repeat for 10-12 reps at a time. As you squeeze, you should feel your inner thighs working a bit. This inner thigh (adductor muscles) contraction will take some pressure off the low back and glutes. Here is a demonstration video: https://youtube.com/shorts/0Fvkp--Ditc​

2) Seated Hip Shifts; you can put something between your knees, same as above, or just do it without as shown in the video below. Make sure feet are flat and pointing forward. From here, shift one knee back and one knee forward, pause briefly, then repeat on the other side and continue to alternate for 8-10 reps per side. Though you are focusing on shifting your knees forward/back, the movement is really happening from the hips-with the leg that is pulled back, you may feel some gentle stretching/work in the glutes and/or inner thigh-if you don't, that is okay, as long as the movement is happening through the hips. Getting reciprocal movement through the hips will help keep the hips and low back loose. Here is a demonstration video: https://youtube.com/shorts/6sCpTa7WCP0?feature=share​

3) Desk Breathing; you will need a desk for this one, but it will be great for keep the upper back/neck loose while sitting for prolonged periods. Get set up sitting close to the desk, feet flat, elbows on the desk. Sit straight with chest/eyes pointing forward without arching through the back. Elbows should be bent with palms facing you. From here, gently push the upper back away from your hands without slouching-you will feel a gentle stretch in your upper back between your shoulder blades; then, take long, slow, relaxed, deep inhales through your nose, and long, slow, relaxed, full exhales through your mouth without losing position. As you inhale, you should feel a gentle stretch through your upper back; repeat for 6-8 breaths at a time. Here is a demonstration video: https://youtube.com/shorts/TeNr7umOk0U​

Try these exercises out and see how they feel.

To wrap this up, sitting for prolonged periods of time is not ideal, but it is part of our lives, so it is best to have some options to minimize potential issues and keep us feeling good. Next time your stuck at your desk, on a long flight, or sitting in traffic, try some of these strategies and see which ones work best for you!

Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter, where will we continue to break down some common daily activities and provide some strategies to make them more tolerable if you are dealing with pain or injury. Also, if you have any topics that you want to see covered in a future newsletter, please let me know!

Brett

Daily Mobility Routine

Welcome to first official edition of the Total Performance Newsletter! For the first few editions, we will be doing a “Daily Habits” series. We will look at quick and easy routines that will keep you feeling good and moving well, as well as breaking down common daily activities and providing strategies to perform these activities if you are dealing with pain or injury.

For the for first installment of the “Daily Habits” series, we’ll take a look at a quick and effective daily mobility routine that can be performed with no equipment and minimal space. The goal here is to loosen up the hips, shoulders, and trunk. It is most effective to use this first thing in the morning to get you moving, during a break at work after sitting for prolonged periods of time, after a long day of traveling, or even if you need a quick warmup before a workout. Check it out below!

Perform these exercises as a circuit for 2-4 rounds. The names of the exercises are hyperlinks to video demonstrations.

1. Pushup ISO Toe Tap; 6-8 reps per side

a. Cues to remember: in the starting position, make sure hips are gently tucked and upper back is pushed away from your hands-be sure to return to this position after each rep and reset as needed; if you need to make it easier, put your hands on an elevated surface

2. Airplane Windmill; 8-10 reps per side

a. Cues to remember: hips/knees should be at 90 degree angles, but feel free to move the front leg outwards if needed; as you rotate, keep you eyes on the hand that you are rotating towards; allow the front knee to travel backwards, but do not let it roll outwards once you have found your starting position

3. Modified Side Plank w/Rotation; 6-8 reps per side

a. Cues to remember: make sure the supporting elbow is lined up right under the shoulder, with the crease of the elbow just in front of the shoulder; as you rotate, be sure to follow the rotating arm with your eyes

4. Lateral Squat w/Reach to Instep; 6-8 reps per side

a. Cues to remember: as you sit to once side, pretend you are sitting in a chair that is diagonally behind you; as you sit-let the hips and knees help you get there; keep the opposite leg straight; reach the opposite arm towards the foot you are sitting towards and let the torso move down naturally

The key with these exercises is to stay within ranges of motion you can control and that feel good-you will notice you can increase range of motion over time. Each of these exercises can be modified if you are dealing with pain or injury-if you need some help with this, feel free to reach out and I’d be more than happy to help.

Give this routine a shot and let me know what you think! And if you have family or friends that may benefit, share it with them as well!

Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter, where will we begin to break down some common daily activities and provide some strategies to make them more tolerable if you are dealing with pain or injury. Also, if you have any topics that you want to see covered in a future newsletter, please let me know!

Brett

Total Performance Physical Therapy Newsletter

Welcome to the Total Performance Newsletter! If you are receiving this email, it is because you are currently working with Total Performance Physical Therapy, or have worked with me in the past. This is the introduction of my new monthly newsletter, which will officially begin August 1st. The newsletter will vary each month, but will contain useful tips to improve your health, fitness, and performance, and provide insight into how I help my patients and clients each day. If you wish to unsubscribe, feel free to do so anytime by clicking on the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email. However, I do encourage you to stick around for at least a few emails and see if the information I provide is valuable to you!

For this introductory edition, I want to officially announce the opening of my new facility! I have moved to my own stand-alone space, located at 2474 Orchard Lake Road, Sylvan Lake, MI 48320. This move was in the works for a long time, and I could not be more excited for this next chapter for Total Performance Physical Therapy. I also want to give an enormous and heartfelt thank you to all of my patients and clients, who have supported me since I first opened my practice and have entrusted me with their care. I look forward to continuing our work in pursuit of your health, fitness, and performance goals in our brand new space. Check out some pictures below!

Be on the lookout for the first edition of the newsletter in a few weeks, and if you think any of your family and friends may benefit, feel free to share it with them with this link!

​https://total-performance-physical-therapy.ck.page/e98ccf1b07​

All the Best,

Brett