Have you heard the urban myth about boiling a frog? The story goes, that if you put a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will jump out instantly. But, if you put a frog in a pot of cold or tepid water, and slowly turn the heart up, it will not notice the temperature difference until it is too late and unfortunately boils to death.
Now, you're probably wondering why I am reminding you of this slightly morbid urban myth. Well, here is the thing about change. Do you ever notice that you used to be able to do something and now it is not so accessible? I hear all of the time that "I used to be able to get on/off the floor", "I used to be able to do this exercise", "I used to stand up straight", “I used to walk without shuffling.” Unfortunately, what usually accompanies these statements is a resignation that this is just how life is now. But THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THE CASE. Those changes have been coming on slowly through the years usually due to a combination of life stressors, possible injuries, and generally a decreased focus on strength and exercise, etc. (there are usually many slow and insidious factors that are at play - a slow combination of life things).
And just like the frog, we often don't notice the subtle changes in the temperature around us until we are suddenly surprised by the fact that we can no longer do something or a skill is no longer accessible to us. We've secretly been boiling to death due to a lack of awareness around us because change is inevitable. But, how we change is up to us.
Just like in all things, awareness is the first step. If you have noticed something you are no longer able to do or activities that are becoming harder to do, NOW is the time to act. Even if this is just noticing that your spine is starting to round in a way that is not so flattering. And how does this relate to Physical Therapy? Well, this is what we do. As a Physical Therapist, my job is to analyze your body mechanics and peel back the layers of the onion to see how you got to where you are. Then we can enact positive change on a daily basis to give you back the life, skills, etc. that you want to have to make your life more enjoyable.
The human body will always find a way and it will adapt to the stressors around it. So, let's provide positive stressors and get you back to moving (with amazing posture, of course!).
Following along with our "Proper Lifting Techniques" series (are you guys still dancing with your vacuum, mop, rake, shovel and not extending it out away from you with your arms and making your body work too hard or straining your spine?? Just asking for a friend.), we're focusing on packing and suitcase moving in honor of summer and escaping on vacations from the valley of the sun. Remember, repetitive movements, especially planting and twisting or repetitively rotating through just your spine to put things in your suitcase will get stressful and you might end up with a sore back that won't allow you to enjoy your vacation.
Lifting items into an overhead bin or "yanking" a suitcase off of a baggage claim belt are especially tricky movements where people often use their back muscles to help move a bag, especially a large suitcase (and get the famous sudden seize of back pain afterwards unfortunately). Even dragging your bag behind your for long airport walks, can be stressful on shoulders, lower back, etc. if you're just hanging into it and not engaging appropriately. The airport and travel in general can be stressful enough. Let's avoid undue joint stress so you can vacation. Check out the video below for tips and tricks while traveling!
