Why you should never skip leg days—and how to use them to train for life-long vitality — What are the most important physical markers of health as we age? Researchers and doctors often ask this question. I have to consider it daily in the clinic as a physical therapist. The marker most often cited and supported is gait speed. How fast we walk is one of the…

I met another person who was caused unnecessary harm — “I saw your story on LinkedIn about posture…are you serious?! Poor posture isn't the reason I have pain?” As I was leaving a graduation party for our 2020 and 2021 orthopedic residency classes (COVID delayed the former), I met one of my colleague's wife and this was the opening to…

How much longer are we going to ignore decades of research? — The posture nonsense is getting out of control. While preparing for a residency lecture this week, I came across an article on posture written by a physician. It was hard to contain my frustration. “Sitting badly or standing in a slouched position stresses your lower back, weakening and damaging an…

A physical therapist addresses misconceptions around intensity, soreness, and pain — “No pain, no gain” might be the worst phrase ever uttered in the gym. Asking the question, “Is it soreness or pain?” is a close second. At the end of the day, both pain and soreness are unpleasant. Attempting to delineate between the two is meaningless for most of us…

Seven recommendations from a Physical Therapist — “The broad truth is that nature and nurture are so interlaced in any realm of athletic performance that the answer is always: it’s both.” ― David Epstein, The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson — 9.5/10 This book explores how we are able to push our bodies to their…

Comparing a general to a tailored exercise approach — As a physical therapist, I can attest that Post-COVID-19 remains a prevalent and challenging condition to treat. Fortunately, researchers continue to publish new research and develop additional insights into best practices. This recent research trial evaluated the effectiveness of a tailored exercise program, based on multicomponent exercise training. It compared…

Continuing the search for the ideal rep scheme — The overload principle contends our bodies adapt when a sufficient stimulus is applied. If you keep lifting the same amount of weight for the same number of repetitions, you will plateau. …

This research showed that three stretching sessions a week for four weeks resulted in significantly greater improvements — Should I use stretching as an intervention for my patients? This is a common question I ask myself and my orthopedic residents. To answer this question, we first need to determine if stretching is an efficacious intervention (does it have an independent effect or is at a placebo). We have…

Perspective from a physical therapist — The title may seem like an easy question. If you stay up to date in current research, you will find the answer is not clear. How important is flexibility? Flexibility is often considered a key characteristic of musculoskeletal health. It is not as important as strength, muscle mass, or cardiovascular capacity (VO2 max) for…