The faster, further, and more frequently you walk, the greater the benefits. However, if new to daily activity, start slow. It is better to be successful and gradually build your tolerance to exercise versus overdoing the activity and becoming sore or even causing an injury. In general, only increase either time, pace, or distance (just one of these, not all 3) by 10% each week.

How to Move

Turning a normal walk into a fitness stride requires good posture and purposeful movements. Ideally, when walking, be cognizant of the following:

• Head up, looking forward, not at the ground
• Neck tall and shoulders relaxed
• Swing arms forward with a slight bend of elbows so hands are at pocket level
• Stomach muscles slightly tightened so back is straight
• Walk smoothly by rolling off foot heel to toe, pushing off toe that is behind

How Much Should I Do?

For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at LEAST 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week. Spread this out through the week; for instance, 30 minutes of walking 5 times a week. Greater amounts of exercise increase the health benefits, but remember that even small amounts of physical activity are helpful. If you cannot tolerate 10 minutes of walking a day, start with one minute of walking several times a day, gradually increasing the time as you gain strength and endurance. Being consistent most days of the week and sticking with daily activity is the most important goal.

If you start now, you can build up to participate in the Don’t Be Fooled by a Disability 5K for Special Olympics Illinois right here in downtown Huntley on Saturday, April 5th. 1st Choice Physical Therapy is a Premier Sponsor alongside Huntley Police. We will be conducting a warm up prior to the walk. Fun for the whole family, so we hope you can join us. Register on-line at www.bit.ly/HPD5K2025.

Once you take that first step, you’re on your way to the most important destination-your health. Give 1st Choice Physical Therapy a call if you are having difficulty with daily activity. We are here to help you reach your fitness goals!

January is a perfect time to start a new fitness journey or improve your overall wellness. Embrace the New Year’s energy to be motivated, inspired, and consistent. Have you considered incorporating Physical Therapy into your program? Physical Therapy is associated with recovery from injuries or surgeries; however, there are numerous benefits of Physical Therapy beyond rehabilitation. Whether you are a regular exerciser, have a desk-bound career, or are simply looking to improve your overall wellness, the Physical Therapists at 1st Choice Physical Therapy can help you in unexpected ways, even if you are injury or pain free at this time. Here’s how.

Enhance Posture and Alignment

Modern lifestyles often involve hours hunched over a computer or phone, which leads to poor posture. If not addressed, this can lead to discomfort and even chronic malalignments. A thorough assessment of your posture from 1st Choice Physical Therapists will highlight any postural tightness, weakness, and compensation. A tailored program will be designed to correct your deficits and improve alignment, avoiding difficulties in the future.

Customize Wellness Plans for Your Lifestyle

Every individual is unique in their lifestyle and wellness goals. An assessment at 1st Choice Physical Therapy will take into account your medical history, current fitness levels, and personal goals. It may be as simple as dancing at a grandchild’s wedding in a few months, or as involved as running a half-marathon after years of being a non-runner. Physical Therapy can help you achieve those long dreamed of goals.

Prevent Future Injuries

Prevention is so important in being a healthy person. You can benefit from Physical Therapy by proactively addressing any potential vulnerabilities. An evaluation by 1st Choice Physical Therapists will include analysis to reveal movement patterns that may put stress on joints and/or muscles. Once these patterns are identified, a program consisting of corrective exercises will reduce risk of future injury.

Age Gracefully and Pain Free

We all age over time, but we should not have to surrender to aches and pains. A Physical Therapy assessment can help define what challenges you currently face, including joint stiffness, muscle weakness, postural issues, and balance deficits. 1st Choice Physical Therapists will design a program to address all your needs to help you maintain your mobility and independence.

Call us to set up an appointment today to keep you healthy and happy as you navigate your day to day activities!

Fall is a great time to get out in nature. As I sit here planning our fall trip to the Badlands of South Dakota, I’m thinking about the positive physical, mental, and spiritual restoration outcomes of being in nature. Our technology-driven lifestyles have diminished healthy human relationships with natural environments leading to a range of health issues and reduced wellbeing. There has been a measurable uptick in trail usage around the country and more runs on and shortages of biking, hiking, and climbing equipment as people escape to the outdoors to try to rediscover sanity in these tumultuous times.

Spending time in nature has been shown to positively impact physical health, including improved cardiovascular health, reduced risk of chronic diseases, increased mobility and flexibility, and increased levels of physical activity.

There are significant benefits to spending time in nature associated with reductions in physiological markers of stress such as heart rate, blood pressure and salivary cortisol. Dr. Paraskevi Sapountzi of Suburban Endocrinology and Diabetes states: “Regular physical activity is a cornerstone of diabetes management, offering a multitude of benefits including improved insulin sensitivity, blood glucose control, cardiovascular health, and mental well-being. Furthermore, exposure to natural environments such as those found in National Parks has been shown to reduce stress, enhance mood, and promote overall physical and mental health.”

1st Choice Physical Therapist Linda Raby recently returned from a hiking trip to Glacier National Park in Montana and says: “Being outside always makes me feel better, both mentally and physically. I love taking in the amazing views at National Parks and challenge myself to conquer the most scenic hikes. However, I also love hiking my local trails in the Forest Preserves or running on local bike trails. I highly encourage everyone to get outside for at least a few minutes every day.”

How Nature Helps Boost Well-Being

• Increased Physical Exercise: when we get outside, we move more and the increase in movement promotes positive mood, reduced anxiety, and better sleep.
• Cognitive and Attention Benefits: beyond exercise, studies show that time in nature might actually boost our mental capacities.
• Quiet Time, Brain Rest, and Spiritual Growth: nature gives us the gift of much needed separation from excessive technology, urban noise and clutter, and stressful work and home environments. For many of us, time in nature can enhance our sense that there is something greater than ourselves beyond the day-to-day sensory experiences, and we may leave the outdoors with a greater sense of purpose.

Free National Parks Access Pass

Did you know that if you have a permanent disability as defined legally, not medically, you can obtain a free lifetime pass to enter the National Parks and Forests across the country?

The Access Pass is a free, lifetime pass available to United States citizens or permanent residents, regardless of age, that have a permanent disability that can be used at over 2,000 Federal recreation sites across the nation, including National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and many National Forest lands.

The Access Pass admits for free the Pass owner and any passengers traveling with him/her in a non-commercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas or the Pass owner and three additional adults where per-person fees are charged. The Access Pass may also offer a discount on some expanded amenity fees, such as camping.

 

Check out www.nps.gov/subjects/accessibility/interagency-access-pass.htm to learn more about how to obtain an Access Pass.

So get outside and get moving! Call your 1st Choice Physical Therapist if you need help getting moving.

As the 2024 Summer Olympics come to an end, I am always in awe of the grace, athleticism, and precision of the women gymnasts as they perform on the balance beam. Their ability to maintain balance and control on the narrow beam is beyond my imagination. Losing balance often means losing the competition.

Just about everyone has experienced a fall at some point after losing their balance or tripping over an object. Although common, falls can be dangerous and lead to many types of injuries, some of them long-term or even fatal. Fortunately, the most common causes of falling are also preventable. If you find that you are dizzy or otherwise losing your balance, don't ignore it...seek help as soon as balance issues begin.

What Happens in the Body When we Fall?

Falling occurs because the body's balance has been disrupted. A person's body can maintain balance because the brain receives and interprets information from several different types of sources: Vision (from the eyes), Proprioception (from the joints and muscles that provide a sense of touch), and the Vestibular System (from the inner ear which senses motion, equilibrium, and where we are in physical space).

Based on this input, the brain sends information to different parts of the body to help maintain balance. Sometimes the different sources may send conflicting information. For example, have you ever gotten off a treadmill, boat or out of a moving car only to feel like you are still moving? Most of the time, the brain can correct conflicting information to keep a person steady on their feet. Occasionally, however, a person may become off-balance and fall.

Risks of Falling

The risk of falling increases with age, but falls can happen to anyone, at any time, and for many different reasons. Most falls involve different causes or risk factors.

Some of the more common types include:

• Muscle weakness, especially in the legs
• Lack of Vitamin D
• Trouble with walking or balance
• Side effects of medications that cause drowsiness or dizziness
• Poor vision
• Loss of hearing
• Foot pain or improper footwear
• Uneven flooring or stairs
• Clutter in the home
• Consumption of alcohol
• Memory loss, difficulty concentrating or confusion
• Fainting or loss of consciousness
• Incontinence that causes frequent or urgent trips to the bathroom
• Drop in blood pressure
• Walking on ice or wet floors

Fall Prevention in the Home

According to the National Institutes of Health, 6 out of every 10 falls happen in the home.

Many falls can be prevented with a few simple changes:

• Remove throw rugs.
• Tidy up clutter especially in common walking areas.
• Install grab bars especially in the bathroom, hallways and stairways.
• Install non-skid flooring or special decals.
• Keep your home well lit with light switches at the top and bottom of stairs, lamps on bedside tables, night lights in bathrooms, or motion sensor lights in basements, garages and entryways.
• Be prepared with emergency lights in case of power outages as well as flashlights and spare batteries.
• Keep frequently used items in easy reach and use a reacher or "grabber" to take items out of cupboards or off the floor.
• Have your physician periodically check your medications if you have dizziness.
• Stay physically active by taking walks or lifting small weights.
• Get enough sleep.
• Let your primary care provider know if you have fallen, feel unsteady on your feet, or are otherwise afraid of falling during normal activities.

Physical Therapy Helps Prevent Falls

Improving your walking skills – technically known as "gait" – and your balance are interrelated challenges. 1st Choice Physical Therapists help you improve gait and balance to keep the body's different balance and movement systems functioning in harmony. You can master these skills to decrease your risk of injury while increasing your confidence and independence. Gait and balance training benefits you by avoiding injuries associated with falls or dizziness, increasing confidence with your footing and movement, and reducing pain from poor posture or gait.

9 Simple Exercises to Help Prevent Falls

Use a sturdy chair or table for support to do the below exercises. Stop exercising if you feel any unusual pain or discomfort.

1. Heel-Toe Stand
   Stand tall with two hands on your support. Put one foot straight in front of the other or slight off-center if you find it difficult. Look ahead. Let go of your support and balance for 10 seconds. Return to your starting position and switch feet. Repeat 5-10 times for each leg.
2. Knee Raises
   Start by holding on to your support. Lift your right knee up as far as comfortable. Don't lean to the side. Hold for a few seconds and place the foot down slowly. Repeat 5-10 times on each leg. When your balance improves, try letting go of your support.
3. Sideways Leg Raises
   Stand next to your support and hold if needed. Stand on one leg as your starting position. Keeping your leg straight, raise your leg as far out to the side as possible without pain. Keep your body still and straight without leaning. Hold for a few seconds then bring your leg back down slowly. Repeat 5-10 times on each leg.
4. Heel Raises
   Stand tall holding your support if needed. Lift your heels off the floor taking your weight onto your toes. Hold for 2-10 seconds then lower slowly with control. Repeat 5-10 times.
5. Calf Stretch
   Stand tall holding your support. Place your left foot back while keeping your heel on the floor. Bend your right knee and lean toward the support until you feel a slight stretch.
6. Sit-to-Stand
   Start by sitting in a chair. Take a deep breath and as you exhale slowly push up off the chair using your leg muscles. As you do this, lean your chest forward slightly and press your hands into your thighs for support. Stand up straight and take another deep breath. Making sure the backs of your legs are touching the chair, slowly return to a sitting position as you exhale. Repeat 5-10 times.
7. Mini Squat
   Holding the back of your support, stand with your feet hip width apart. Move your hips back while slightly bending your knees as if you are just starting to sit into a chair. Squeeze your thigh muscles as you hold this position. Push through your feet to return to a standing position.
8. Vestibulo Ocular Reflex (Eye Exercise for Gaze Stabilization)
   Make a card with a large X in the middle or use the back of a 1st Choice Physical Therapist's business card which has a purple sun on it. Sit in a chair and hold the card arm's length at eye level. Focus your eyes on the X or sun and slowly move your head side to side keeping the X or sun in focus and stationary at all times. Make the head movements faster, again keeping the X or sun in focus and stationary. Do this for 1 minute. Take a break and repeat with moving your head up and down. Challenge yourself to move faster as long as you keep the X in focus and stationary.
9. Vestibular Saccades (Eye Exercise)
   Sit in a chair. Hold up your index fingers on both hands 12" apart at eye level and arm's length. Hold your head still and look at your right index finger; now turn your head toward the right index finger. Then hold your head still and look at your left index finger; turn your head toward the left index finger. Continue moving first eyes then head from right index finger to left for 1 minute.

Our passion as physical therapists is to make you as independent as possible and to help you strive to be the best version of yourself physically so that you can return to all the things you love. Physical therapy should always be considered first as we provide more than just treatment for your symptoms; rather, we find the cause of the symptoms and help to conservatively manage or eliminate the source. It is through physical therapy that your pain can be reduced, your body strengthened, your dizziness eliminated, and your balance improved to prevent injury that might occur while you are doing the things you love.

Get in touch with a 1st Choice Physical Therapist for a personal plan if you're concerned about balance or dizziness issues!