OUR BLOG

As a Doctor of Physical Therapy with advanced education specifically in running biomechanics, I see some common running mistakes that contribute to low back pain, knee pain and/or ankle pain. The three that I see most often are overstriding, bounce, and compliance.

Our knees take so much wear and tear for us, but maintaining proper knee health ensures we can stay active during any phase of life. The knee is a complex joint consisting of bones, tendons (connect muscle to bone), ligaments (connect bone to bone), muscles, and nerves (that innervate those muscles).

If you've been diagnosed with lymphedema (or suspect you have it), a physical therapist can help. As a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Lymphedema Therapist (LMT), I have advanced training in this area of practice. So I thought it would be helpful for me to explain what I do when treating someone for lymphedema.

I am thrilled to add lymphedema management to my list of physical therapy service offerings. When I joined the staff at Activcore, I had the chance to observe a lymphedema trained specialist, Dr. Lisa Ochman. She applied lymphatic drainage in ways that were incredibly creative and effective.

The day is finally here and we are excited! The weather looks to be in our favor: slightly cloudy and not too hot, even a bit of a breeze. I am caffeinated, hydrated and ready to go. My mission is to have fun, support my team, and survive intact!

A key feature of Spartan races is hurdling. Not like track hurdles, but having to jump or scramble all manner of objects and obstacles in an often muddy environment. As I worked through my training plan to get myself ready to tackle the literal hurdles in the race, I encountered some figurative ones too.

Once I committed to the Spartan race, figured out how to make space for training in my busy schedule, and then got my body (and how it moves) tested by the experts... I decided to up the intensity of my training a few notches!

Because I’m a Performance Specialist at Activcore, I have a good sense of my own physical condition. Nonetheless, I knew that getting an outside, objective perspective from other professions would help me optimize my Spartan training plan.

I made the verbal commitment to join my friends for a Spartan race. I did not immediately purchase my ticket or start training with my team. Instead, I started testing the waters. My work and family schedule were pretty full, making a traditional training schedule feel out of reach.

It was a crisp, cold January day. My boys, Finn (6) and Liam (3), pretended to be dragons breathing smoke on our walk to school. I loaded my thermos full of espresso to go work at Activcore where I teach Redcord, Pilates, and Kettlebells.