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In this blog, we’re going to go over three easy and safe ways to help relieve lower back pain and we're going to do this by focusing on exercises that are going to help lengthen and more importantly, strengthen the muscles that help support the lower back. That way, we can get both quick and long-lasting relief.   These exercises are generally safer because we're going to keep the back neutral or straight so there's no awkward bending or twisting motions that may aggravate the lower back. A note about these exercises, each one works just a little bit differently. They're going to target different muscles. To get the best results, go through them all, use what gives you the most relief. With that being said, let's get started. Let’s start with an exercise I call the dead bug. This one is going to focus a little bit more on the core muscles and the hip flexors which both support the lower back. To get into position, we're going to lie flat on our back in bed or on the floor. Just have your legs roughly about hip width apart and knees bent 90 degrees. So, your knees are pointing up towards the ceiling. Let's start off by focusing on the hip flexors including the psoas muscle which if you're unfamiliar with them can cause leg pain, groin pain, even a lot of lower back pain. This muscle pulls your knee toward your chest. So, if that's what you're experiencing, give this one a try. You're going to overlap your hands and place them right over your knee. The goal is to push this knee towards your chest but you're going to resist against that movement with your hands so allow your hands to win this battle but the more that you press into your hands the more that you're going to feel the muscles right here on the top of the thigh towards the groin start to activate. Hold this comfortably for about three to 5 seconds and then relax and then repeat this on the other side. I like to do this for about 10 repetitions on both sides but if you want to make it more challenging throw in another set or two. So, next we're going to go into the next progression of the dead bug which is going to focus a little bit more on our core muscles. So, let's get back into having our legs at hip width apart on your back, knees bend at 90 degrees (a box corner) with feet off the floor. What you want to do is slowly lower one leg down straightening the knee to the point where it's just hovering above the bed or the floor. In this position, you're really going to feel those core muscles start to fire. Try to hold this comfortably for about three to five seconds. Relax and then repeat this on the other side. Again, try to do this for about 10 repetitions, but you can throw in as many repetitions as you'd like. Next on of the best ways to pretty much strengthen all of the muscles that support the lower back is by doing the pelvic bridge For this one we're just going to lie flat on our back on a floor or in bed let's start off by doing the basic bridge and then I'll show you how to take this one to the next level so let's have our legs roughly about hip with apart, knees bent, feet flat. What you want to do is engage and brace the core muscles. So, imagine somebody trying to poke you in your stomach how you tense up. Hold that position and then also squeeze your glutes. This will help protect the spine. Take your hands, put them off your side for support. What I'd like to do is just gently press my heels into the floor. When you do that, you'll feel the glutes engage a little bit more and then from there, I just raise my hips upward towards the ceiling until my body is in a straight line from my knees to my hips to my shoulders. If you're unable to get into this position because of weakness or pain, like let's say you can only go up a little bit, do the best you can. Hopefully over time you'll gain strength and flexibility. But in this position, you're going to feel the core muscles, lower back muscles, your butt, your legs, everything firing that helps support the lower back. Try to hold this position for about 5 seconds. Relax and then repeat this about 10 times. With each repetition, really focus on trying to build into it just a little bit more. If it feels like you have a little bit more energy, challenge yourself to throw in another set or two.   Exercise 3 is going to focus a little bit more on strengthening the erector spine muscle group which are the muscles that hold us upright so if you get a lot of pain bending forward and then coming back up especially from a standing to seated position definitely check this exercise out. I call it the bird dog hydrant so what we're going to do is start on all fours, hands and knees.  So, what you want to do is just keep one foot flat on the floor and then just slide it away from you, pointing your toes away at the same time. The more that you straighten your leg, the more that you should feel a gentle stretch form in your calf muscle that works upward towards the back of your thigh, into the hamstrings around the hips, into the glutes, into the lower back. Keep pressing out until you feel it in the lower back. Once you feel that, hold this position and then slowly raise your foot up like this so your leg is in line with your body. You're going to feel a ton of muscles start to fire but really focus on feeling it in the lower back. If you don't feel it, just raise your leg up a little bit more. I'm sure that you definitely will start to feel that. Try to hold that comfortably for three to five seconds locking in your middle section muscles, abdominals and back. You're going to relax and then you're going to repeat this on the other side. Do this nicely and slowly for about five to 10 repetitions on both sides but if it feels like you have a little bit more energy, challenge yourself, throw in another set or two. So, to take this one to the next level, you can do what is known as the full bird dog. It's very similar but what we're going to focus on doing is raising one leg up and the opposite side's arm straight out ahead of you, again slowly. So, I have my right leg and my left arm. This position is great because not only will it help strengthen but it will also help improve balance because if you have a lot of weakness, you're probably going to struggle to be in this position. So, really try to focus on controlling this movement as much as you can but give that a try for about five to 10 repetitions on both sides. So, the last movement that we're going to do is called the hydrant and this one is going to focus a little bit more on strengthening the hips especially with the glutes. For this one, instead of taking our foot backward, what we're going to do is keep one knee bent at 90 degrees and just raise it up slightly so it's hovering above the floor sort of like a puppy at a fire hydrant. Now, you know why we call this one the hydrant but keep going up until you feel all the muscles around the lower back and the hip on this side right here start to fire. Hold this comfortably for three to 5 seconds. Relax and then repeat it on the other side but do this one nicely and slowly. Again, for about five to ten repetitions and if it feels like you have some more energy, challenge yourself. Always try to challenge yourself. Go through all of the movements. If you find that one is just helping you out a little bit more at that point, throw more repetitions in. And always remember that you must listen to your body…if your pain is reproduced at any time by these, they may not be right for you without a set of professional eyes watching and adjusting.  They should be challenging but not painful.  And you have to do them consistently to gain some strength. If you have any comments or questions, please leave them below. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. www.achievarehab.com info@achievarehab.com 888-929-7677 Click HERE  for more info about the Achieva Rehabilitation In-Home Physical Therapy Program

In today’s special blog on improving your balance, I will share with you some very powerful principles and strategies you can use. Some will work over time, and others almost instantly. This blog will show you how to actually fight back against balance problems for no cost whatsoever, other than your time. Most people who read this are shocked to discover that there is a definite way to gain life-altering improvement and education regarding your balance without needing a referral from a doctor or speaking one word to your insurance company. So, my challenge to you as you read to this: as you are gaining the knowledge I am going to share, please take some time every day to try out at least one of these 100% natural strategies. It won't take long, and most of them won’t cost you anything but a few minutes of your time. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how much better and healthier you will feel for doing so. Why Balance Is Crucial Let’s get started with today’s discussion on balance and falls. Balance is one of those things you might not realize the importance of until you start to lose it. For most of us, balance declines as we get older. For some seniors and elders, poor balance and falling can result from medical issues beyond their control. However, for the majority of people, it is simply a matter of losing strength and losing the natural ability to move the way you did when you were younger. If you don’t think this is a serious issue, consider that falls are the leading cause of death from injury among people aged 65 and older. It only takes one fall to take you off your feet for weeks or months—or possibly to remove your independence entirely. Key Statistic:  The biggest predictor of future falls is having already fallen once. If you or a loved one has fallen once, they are very likely to fall a second, third, or more times. Addressing balance issues early is critical. C-auses of Balance Problems What causes balance problems? There are many causes, and they can be short-term or long-term: Inner Ear Issues:  Infections or a history of ear problems can affect balance. Head Injury:  Previous head injuries can lead to balance difficulties. Medication Interactions:  Always check your medications and discuss potential side effects with your physician. Blood Pressure Issues:  Both high and low blood pressure can cause dizziness, which impacts balance. Neurological Conditions:  Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and past strokes. Arthritis and Joint Problems:  These can limit mobility and disrupt balance. Multifactorial Disequilibrium:  This term describes multiple reasons contributing to balance problems, often seen in older adults. If activity levels decrease as you age, your fall risk increases. A sedentary lifestyle leads to weaker muscles and poorer coordination, compounding balance issues. This is the most seen reason for balance problems. See this video to learn why: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-gltZ_ZM7B0 Assessment and Solutions Balance problems are not usually difficult to assess. While some clinicians believe extensive testing is required, a specially trained physical therapist can often use conservative techniques to pinpoint the problem and, more importantly, the solution. Doctors may prescribe medications such as Antivert or Meclizine to manage dizziness. However, these are not solutions; they mask symptoms without addressing the root cause. The number one thing you can do to improve your balance—and yes, it absolutely can improve—is to work with a specialist physical therapist experienced in this type of care. Prevention Tips Stay Active:  Regular exercise, such as walking or stationary cycling, improves strength and endurance. Engage in a Balance Program:  A program run by a specialist physical therapist can target specific weaknesses. Practice Safe Exercises at Home: Standing March:  March in place for 20-30 seconds. Three-Way Kicks:  Stand on one leg and kick in different directions. Side-Stepping:  Walk sideways along a wall for support. One-Leg Stand:  Balance on one leg for up to 30 seconds. Sit-to-Stand:  Rise from a chair without using your arms. Test Your Balance:  Use the Five-Time Sit-to-Stand Test : Stand up and sit down five times as quickly as possible. If it takes longer than 13 seconds, you’re at higher risk of falling and should consider professional help. Take the Next Step Achieva Rehabilitation specializes in treating people with high fall risk and helping them regain independence. Call us at 1-888-929-7677 , schedule a free phone consultation, or arrange a discovery visit at www.achievarehab.com . For more information, check out our blog on Balance and Fall Prevention . https://www.achievarehab.com/blog Remember, balance problems are not a natural part of aging—you can absolutely do something about it! 1-888-929-7677

Hi, if you've ever been concerned with cardiac health or you've thought about having better balance, stronger bones, stronger muscles, better mobility, better cognitive functioning, and memory , there may be one thing that you are overlooking that you should keep track of as you get older. Today, I want to talk about the one vital sign that nobody is thinking of, and that is grip strength. So when we think about vital signs and things that are regularly measured when you go to your doctor for a regular checkup, we are thinking of things like blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and more advanced than that if necessary, we're thinking of blood sugar levels, and still more advanced than that, there are things like VO2 Max and things like that that will determine a connection to your overall health and your health going forward and can sometimes be looked at as predictors of what your health and your mobility might look like as you get older. Grip strength is becoming more increasingly under the microscope for healthcare experts as something that correlates very heavily with the things we mentioned earlier. So there are tons of studies that are out there in very recent times that demonstrate that grip strength is highly correlated with cardiac health. It's correlated with the chance that you are going to have a negative cardiac event in your near future. For example, if you are an older person and your grip strength is on the lower side of what is considered normal, the odds of you having an issue with your heart or your cardiovascular system increases. So weaker grip strength means poor cardiac health. The same relationship is across the board for balance, speed of movement, strength, endurance, cognitive limitations in memory, bone density, even. So all of these measures of health and all of these things that we need to be able to move better, move longer, and live a healthier life can all be sort of correlated back to what your grip strength is. Now, that certainly does not mean that somebody who has very strong hands and cannot walk up the stairs, that the strong hands will overtake the rest of what they're going through and their mobility. What we're saying is that you can easily determine how the rest of your health is and the rest of your functional mobility is by simply being more aware of your grip strength. So what I like to think about is, for me, it's easy to test grip strength, we have an ability to do so. But for you as the listener and the watcher of this video, my thought process is that you simply just have to be aware of your grip strength because it could raise a red flag or give you a sort of a reminder that, hey, maybe you need to start exercising a little bit more in general to keep your entire body in shape, your entire level of mobility in shape because we use our hands so often during the day. There may come a point in your life where you start to feel, wow, it's really a lot harder to open this jar than it was a year ago, or I find myself asking for help to carry a gallon jug of milk and place it in the refrigerator because my hands just don't feel like they're going to hold it, or I can no longer carry three bags of groceries into the house, I can only carry one at a time because it just feels like my hands are not going to be strong enough to do that. Any measure of your real life where you start to think about when you're using your hand and it feels like it doesn't have the strength that's required to do the job in the way it may have in an earlier time of your life, that is just a signal to me that your overall wellness, your overall health, your overall strength and balance need to be worked on. So the idea with this video is not to present you with a series of exercises that will only improve your grip strength. I can do that, but it would be missing the point. You see, if somebody is overall very weak, let's say you have a gentleman or a woman in their 70s or 80s, and they have trouble getting out of a chair, they have trouble walking fast the way they did when they were younger, they have trouble with their balance, you know, things have just slowed down for them for one reason or another, they're probably going to have grip strength that has also slowed down. So if I take that person and I only focus on improving their grip strength, I may be able to improve it by 25%, 50%, 100% even. But if we neglect the other things, the improvement in grip strength will not improve your cardiac health, it will not improve your balance, it will not improve your bone density. Remember, this is just a correlation, and it's easy, like I said earlier, for you to recognize in your daily life when you're using your hands, the more difficulty you are experiencing using your hands, the more your body overall needs exercise. So one way you could kind of test things in a formal way is also a very rudimentary exercise that we might use, but you can regularly kind of just get a sense. It's not a measurement, it's not a direct metric where you can write it down and say, my grip strength is 110 pounds. It's just a general kind of a sense that you can get by doing it on a regular basis and then in your memory comparing that to an earlier time. So basically, what you're going to do is you're just going to grab a regular towel. Okay, so this is just a bath towel, a shower towel, and what you want to do is you want to roll the towel on opposite ends as if you're ringing out fluid from the towel. If it was a wet towel and you're trying to ring it out, one hand is going one way, the other hand is going the opposite direction, and you're really getting a tightness in the middle. So again, this can be an exercise to improve grip strength if you're into really doing that and focusing on that. But to me, it's just a way for you to get an idea on how your grip strength is being maintained as you age. Okay, so I want you to get this and really tighten it and ring it and then you're going to further ring it as if you're trying to ring every drip out, every drip out, and you just repeat that over and over and you roll up on it and you repeat it and you squeeze and you'll get a sense for what that feels like, and then you simply turn it around to focus on the opposite side. Okay, now again, this can be an exercise, but what I want you to do is I want you to use that as a way to sort of just really qualitatively measure how your grip is doing, along with how you feel your grip is doing in your everyday life. Very, very easy, very rudimentary and basic way of just getting a feeling, and one day you might do that and you might be like, hey, this doesn't feel like I can ring this as strongly as I could six weeks ago or eight weeks ago. I want you to use that information, and I want you to increase the exercises that you're doing on a regular basis. A daily exercise program is beyond the scope of this particular video. You certainly will find many things on this channel relative to daily exercise that you can follow, but the point of this exercise, the point of this video, is to give you another way to just really grossly and simply measure how you are measuring up when it comes to your overall health. And then if you realize that something as simple as feeling a strong grip and maintaining the ability to grip strong and do things with your hands, it probably means that you're also doing things that benefit your heart. You're also doing things that benefit your bone density. You're also doing things that benefit your balance and your walking speed and your endurance and your cognitive capabilities because they're all connected. So keep your grip strength up, measure it regularly with this very, very simple kind of a test. Listen to your body when you're doing everything on a daily basis with your hands, and if you're realizing that your hands aren't doing as well as they had in prior months or weeks or years, do more exercise. Do exercise more often. You'll find a bevy of different ways to exercise appropriately and specifically for different needs in your body on this channel as time goes on. And certainly, the internet has become a wealth of knowledge and a resource for those same things for elderly people who are trying to really take control of their health, take control of their health span, and live a longer life that is mobile, happy, and functional. So again, make sure before you engage in any exercises that you check with your doctor first. The advice that I give you is very general, and it can be extremely helpful, but you have to make sure that your body is ready for the things that I may teach you. So again, remember grip strength: the stronger your grip is, the more likely you are to have good cardiac health, good bone density, good balance, good strength, good endurance, good memory, and cognitive capabilities. When you have all those things and they're in good shape, your life is probably doing pretty well. And that is the goal of this video: to use movement to make your life a happier life, a better life, and a more satisfying life as you get older. www.achievarehab.com https://www.youtube.com/@JoelDigris-TheMovementApproach/videos

You might say: "How can Joel think of Parkinson's Disease AND the impending 2016 presidential election and combine them in a blog? It's very easy in my eyes...So very often, patients and families who deal with Parkinson's Disease are in circumstances where hope dwindles slowly over time as it is a progressive neurological disorder. So too, is my hope that something positive might come from this presidential race dwindling slowly over time. This campaign season has become much like a progressive disorder of sorts. Parkinson's Disease is a disorder of the central nervous sytem, the brain. There is a change in the functioning of the communication pathways within the brain in multiple areas. Those areas affected include the basal ganglia, which is an area that is critical to monitoring normal movement and postural CONTROL. Coordination and management of intensity of movement and initiation of movement is more and more affected over time. Tremors, freezing, balance issues, motor planning etc. are the most well known symptoms of the disorder. With normal functioning pathways in this area of the brain, movement is fine tuned and monitored at a very rapid pace and with extreme accuracy which allows us to have control over each of the 600+ muscles in the body and the combinations of muscles that coordinate together for functional movement. With Parkinson's, if this area of the brain was a nightshift security guard, he'd be nodding off taking a nap every once in a while instead of being alert and motivated all of the time. The monitoring of the direction, distance, and intensity of movement by these communication pathways is not up to par, and thus, you see those symptoms. Other areas of the brain are also affected in the same way, but, most of the symptoms above are the ones that folks think of with this disease. Parkinson's Disease ranks second to Alzheimer's Disease in neurogenic disorders and therapy is infintiely valuable in the fight against the progression. The Michael J. Fox Foundation recently recommended a fairly new, well studied intervention strategy specifically for Parkinson's Disease by the name of LSVT LOUD for speech needs and LSVT BIG for physical and occupational therapy needs. The program promotes BIG or LOUD movements respectively...large AMPLITUDE, high INTENSITY movements such as over-exagerrated stepping forward, backward, sideways, over-exagerrated trunk movements and as scientifically proven as the program is, it is amazing in it's simplicity. I love simplicity when it comes together with science...I love it! Results of studies have proven it more effective than traditional interventions. I am personally excited to continue to learn more and more about this program and I have already implemented the program with my patients...it's really exciting to put an idea to the grindstone and push it along to success. Nevertheless, Parkinson's Disease needs more research to continue to move towards a cure, but, in the meantime, I am excited to continue to broaden the number of tools that I can offer to my patients to help them fight against the effects of this disease and dramatically slow down the pace at which hope is dwindling for them and their families. Let me know how the 2016 presidential race turns out.....I'll be in a bunker in Nova Scotia. You can learn more about LSVT here: http://www.lsvtglobal.com/ Please call for a FREE CONSULTATION 1-888-929-7677

Achieva Rehabilitation's In-Home PT Program: Your Guide to Recovery After Knee Replacement Hello, I'm Joel J. Digris, a Physical Therapist with Achieva Rehabilitation. If you are preparing for or recovering from knee replacement surgery, our in-home physical therapy program is designed to help you achieve a full recovery with an excellent range of motion. Let’s walk through the pre-surgery exercises you should be doing and what you can expect from your rehabilitation process after surgery. Prehab: Essential Exercises Before Knee Replacement Surgery Preparing your body before surgery, also known as prehabilitation (prehab), can significantly improve your post-surgery recovery. Here are some key exercises to help strengthen your knee and surrounding muscles: 1. **Quadriceps Sets**: - **How to do it**: Sit with your leg extended. Tighten the muscles on the top of your thigh, pushing the back of your knee down towards the floor. Hold for 5-10 seconds and release. - **Repetitions**: 10-15 times, 2-3 times a day. 2. **Heel Slides**: - **How to do it**: Lie on your back with your legs straight. Slowly slide your heel towards your buttocks as far as you can, then straighten your leg again. - **Repetitions**: 10-15 times, 2-3 times a day. 3. **Straight Leg Raises**: - **How to do it**: Lie on your back with one knee bent and the other leg straight. Lift the straight leg to the height of the bent knee, hold for a few seconds, and lower it slowly. - **Repetitions**: 10-15 times for each leg, 2-3 times a day. 4. **Seated Marches**: - **How to do it**: Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Lift one knee towards your chest as high as comfortable, then lower it and repeat with the other leg. - **Repetitions**: 10-15 times for each leg, 2-3 times a day. 5. **Hamstring Curls**: - **How to do it**: Stand holding onto a chair for balance. Bend your knee, bringing your heel towards your buttocks, then slowly lower it back down. - **Repetitions**: 10-15 times for each leg, 2-3 times a day. Engaging in these exercises before surgery helps to strengthen the muscles around your knee, making your recovery smoother and potentially faster. #### Post-Surgery Rehabilitation: What to Expect After your knee replacement surgery, our in-home rehabilitation program is designed to provide you with personalized care and support. Here’s what you can expect: 1. **Initial Assessment**: - Within the first few days after your surgery, one of our experienced physical therapists will visit your home to perform a comprehensive assessment. This will help us understand your current mobility, pain levels, and specific needs. 2. **Customized Rehabilitation Plan**: - Based on your assessment, we’ll develop a tailored rehabilitation plan aimed at restoring your knee's range of motion, strength, and functionality. The plan will progress gradually to ensure safe and effective recovery. 3. **Regular Home Visits**: - Our therapists will visit you 2-3 times a week to provide hands-on guidance and support. This ensures that you receive frequent, personalized attention and that your progress is closely monitored. 4. **Exercise Routine**: - Your personalized exercise routine will include a mix of strengthening, flexibility, and functional exercises, such as: - **Range of Motion Exercises**: Gentle bending and straightening of the knee to prevent stiffness and improve mobility. - **Strengthening Exercises**: Exercises like heel slides, quad sets, and seated marches to gradually build strength without overloading the joint. - **Functional Activities**: Practicing daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, and getting in and out of chairs to restore independence. 5. **Pain Management and Education**: - We provide education on pain management techniques, proper movement patterns, and strategies to avoid complications. Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and skills to manage your recovery effectively. One of the significant advantages of our in-home PT program is that you can achieve full recovery without needing to visit a brick-and-mortar clinic. All necessary exercises and treatments can be performed at home, making it convenient and comfortable for you. This approach ensures you receive personalized care and attention, leading to a better than average range of motion and overall recovery. At Achieva Rehabilitation, we are here to support you every step of the way. If you are preparing for knee replacement surgery or have recently had surgery, our in-home PT program is designed to help you achieve a smooth and effective recovery. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact us. Let’s work together towards your recovery goals! www.achievarehab.com info@achievarehab.com 888-929-7677 Click HERE  for more info about the Achieva Rehabilitation In-Home Physical Therapy Program

The similarities between a wobbly toddler learning to walk and an older adult who has problems with their balance are striking. That young child falls quite a bit when they are learning to walk. But they eventually become successful and improve daily. The reverse is often true as we age into the “golden years.” Why does our strength and balance get worse when we get older? Hint…it has nothing to do with the number of years we’ve been on earth. Weakness and balance difficulties are not simply normal parts of getting older, despite what many people think. Why do we get weak and unsteady when we get older? One of the main reasons is that we stop moving the way we did when we were younger. You see, when the wobbly toddler stage is over, you embark on several decades of activity that move your body in many different directions and different speeds. The general result is that your balance system gets regular practice at keeping you steady with all different movements and body positions. Obviously, this occurs through youth and into early adulthood. But as our lives become more and more busy and more and more filled with responsibilities, we begin to neglect activities that replicate those same movements. Also, as years go by, we move not only less but mostly in a forward direction with walking. Of the 360 degrees in a circle around our body and really from a spherical or ball perspective (pretend you are in a large ball and all the different ways your body can move), when we get older, we generally just walk straight ahead. That drastically limits the movement practice that our body and brain need for us to have good balance. In addition, in general terms, as adults we sit more often than we did in our younger years. Sitting weakens your muscles to a great extent. Weak and slow muscles don't do a good job at fighting gravity. If lack of movement practice for your body and brain causes you to get weak and have a balance system that is not doing its job, then implementing regular movement would logically be the antidote. And that is why, once again, I will encourage you all to exercise. And do it consistently. If you don’t know what to do or need some specific training, a physical therapist is simply an amazing choice to help you on that journey. PTs are experts in human movement and should be a vital part of your healthcare team as an older adult. Wobble no more so that you can enjoy life safely for longer. Remember, it’s not the falling that is the problem. It’s hitting the ground that can be devastating. Finally, wobble is a really fun word to say, isn’t it? Be good and do good!!

A BIG ole YES! is the correct answer. Let's start with the fact that science continues to learn more and more about the impact of gut health on a great deal of conditions in the human body. We've learned that treating your digestive system like a shiny new toy is extremely important. Yet, most of the American public chooses food because it satisfies the taste buds rather than fueling the incredibly complex machine that we live in...the human body. An old friend of mine by the name of Hippocrates once said "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." So, let's start with hydration. First and foremost – Hydration is necessary. You can’t get proper nutrients into your cells without proper hydration. Think of a glass of water as a stream that takes a kayak full of nutrition to your cells. You can’t make digestive enzymes or hormones…even if you eat properly, the nutrients are not properly making it into your body. And hormone problems can lead to anxiety and depression and the root problem with people with Parkinson's is their lack of Dopamine, a hormone. Dopamine needs a kayak and a river to get moving people!! Electrical signals in your brain are much less efficient at reaching their destination if not hydrated. And thus, movement is not optimized. Toxins build in your body that can’t be flushed out causing cells to be unhealthy! Start your day with a glass of water as this is the time of day where your body is housing its highest concentration of toxins and is most dehydrated. Avoid Coffee, Tea, Soda and Alcohol... in excess. These can have a diuretic and dehydrating effect. Try to stick with one cup of coffee or tea in the morning (after your class of water, of course). Soda has no place in a healthy diet as it is full of toxic chemicals and inflammation producing sugars but if you are going to indulge do it very infrequently. For a more beneficial carbonated beverage, try LiveSoda. Check out our FREE Report with 15 Tips to use to fight back at Parkinson's Disease. https://www.achievarehab.com/pdbook Be good!

"If you've fallen or have balance problems and find yourself wobbling much more than you think you should, and you're afraid to be able to get up and around and move around the way you want to and do the things that you want to do, getting out into the community out with family and friends, I wanted to do this blog with our starter set of balance exercises. "People don't believe that balance can improve, but I've got, you know, a foundational set of exercises to start with today that you can progress on your own and you can apply to your life right away in order to improve your balance. My name is Joel, this is the Movement Approach where we believe if you move better, move more often, you're going to be healthier and live a happier life. "We're going to give you some basic exercises to do from a standing position and teach you how to progress them to have an effect on your balance so that you reduce the likelihood of a fall or just balance problems that are making you scared and anxious about going out to enjoy and do the things that you want to do and need to do. "So I have to preface this by letting you know that these exercises are designed to make you wobble. You're going to feel unsteady. But what I want you to understand is the exercises are designed to be safe and in a controlled fashion where that wobble is actually allowing your balance system to practice its response speed and accuracy. Those are the two things that we need from balance. Now again, these are extremely basic balance exercises. They're going to give you a foundation. If they have an effect on you today, if they challenge you today, you absolutely need to do these to start to improve your balance. "And no matter what anybody has ever told you, your balance can improve. You don't have to live with balance issues, even if you're an older adult. No matter what anybody has said, your balance can improve, and this is where we start. So the philosophy of the exercise is again, if we think about the balance system as a whole, there are parts of your body that are all working very closely together to make sure that you stay steady when you're moving about and you're walking about and doing whatever you need to do on a daily basis, no matter where you are, to make sure that you don't fall. That system is completely complex. But for the sake of today, what we want to do is make that balance system practice, because it doesn't practice as you get older. "As you get older, there's not a lot of activity that keeps it in its tip-top shape. And that's why a lot of older people find that their balance gets worse and they simply believe that they cannot improve it. This group of exercises will lay the foundation for helping you improve your balance. And as we advance to the further phases of progressing these exercises, as you improve on the foundational ones, your balance can get even better and better. And you'll feel yourself being more and more confident. You'll feel yourself being able to do the things that you want to do without as much anxiety. And you'll simply be able to move better, move more often, and live a happier, healthier life. So let's get started. "So the basic starting position of these exercises, at the lowest level possible, the beginner point of these exercises, is standing with your feet in your normal kind of stance. Okay, so that's phase one. You're starting at this lower level, and you're going to see what your body can handle. Whatever your body can handle without completely losing your balance, that's where we want you to exercise. So going back to the point where these exercises have to be in a safe, controlled circumstance, the best location for you to do these exercises is in an area where you're surrounded as much as you possibly can be by safety. So what do I mean by that? It might be standing in a corner in your kitchen where behind you on this side and behind you on this side is countertops. Okay? And maybe you put a chair in front of you so that you're surrounded in almost all directions by safety. And if you lose your balance, you're going to just bump into one of those things. Maybe it's next to your bed where you have the bed on one side, a bureau on the other, a wall behind you, and maybe a chair in front of you in that position. So you're completely surrounded where if you did lose your balance too much, the worst that happens is you bump and you pinball into one of those surfaces. Okay, so please make sure you put yourself in a circumstance that's safe. Please also make sure that you consult with your physician to make sure that these exercises are safe for you. And the safer way to do this is if you have somebody that can stand with you and simply just hold on lightly to your pants in case you need somebody to help you recover from a loss of balance. Okay, so what you have to do is you have to go through a process to test yourself to see where your baseline starting position is. If you stand with your feet in this normal position and you find yourself wobbling quite a bit, then this is your position. If you stand here in this position and you're completely solid and not wobbling and your balance feels good, then we need to make it harder. And there's different steps to do that. Step number one would be to place your feet directly together. So your feet are now directly together, and you assess yourself again. If your feet are together and you're wobbling this much, okay, then that's probably where we want to be. We want you to be with your feet together. That's your basic starting position for these exercises for you. If you place your feet together and you find yourself having to step or you're falling backwards into your walls or your countertop, it's too close. So the idea is to find your foot position that makes you wobble but doesn't force you to step to recover your balance. I hope that makes sense. So you have to find the foot position out of probably three or four foot positions that will allow you to wobble and feel like you're really challenged and working on your balance but it doesn't force you to step to recover. So let's go over that again. Foot position number one, so you're going to start normal stance. That's number one. The next harder one would be feet together. That's number two. The next harder one is your feet together but one foot about halfway ahead of the other. Okay, most people cannot handle anything past this because it gets too difficult. But the last, the fourth version that may apply to you is one foot directly ahead of the other. Okay, so choose whichever one of those four foot positions makes you wobble a little bit. If you're too solid and too steady in foot position number one, try number two. If you're too solid and steady in number two, try number three and so on. Okay, so again, feet together. I'm sorry, feet normal stance, feet together, feet together with one halfway ahead or feet one in front of the other. Those are your four choices for feet foot position. Okay, so then the exercise is just this. Let's assume that my foot position is feet together. Okay, what I'm going to do is I'm going to stand with my eyes open. And if I'm wobbling, that's great. That's what we want. That wobble is the exercise. You're going to feel your ankles is working hard. You're going to feel your toes digging into the floor. Your reactions are going to be all over the place, consistent, constant, regular, quick. That's helping your balance system practice. The next one is eyes closed. Okay, you're going to stand in this position with your eyes closed, which will make you wobble more. Okay, and again, that wobble, as long as you don't have to step to recover or you're constantly falling into the surfaces around you, that wobble is good. That's the exercise. We're not trying to have you stand in a position and be solid. We're forcing your system to practice. The only way to practice is experiencing that wobble. Okay, so first one is eyes closed. Second exercise would be eyes open, turning your head side to side. Okay, so you're going to look to the left, look to the right, look to the left, look to the right. Now, the thing that makes this exercise harder or easier is the speed with which you move. If you go really, really fast and you have to continue to catch yourself by stepping or bouncing, it's too fast. If you go too slow and your body feels like it's too easy, it's a waste of time. So you want to find the speed in between that makes your body really wobble and feel like you're challenged. Okay, number three would be your head up and down. So head up, head down, head up, head down, head up, head down. And again, your eyes are moving with your head. Okay, again, speed is the factor here that will tell you where you need to be. If you go too slow and it's too easy, that's too slow. If you go too fast, it's too hard. It's too fast. Somewhere in the middle. The last version of this exercise is a diagonal head motion. So you're going to take your head and your eyes and look at your ankle and then up and over your opposite shoulder, ankle over the opposite shoulder. And you're going to do both sides. Down the other ankle, up the opposite shoulder, down the other ankle, up the opposite shoulder. Okay, so let's review. You've got your foot placement that you know is appropriate for you. It's either normal stance, feet together, feet together with one halfway ahead or feet one in front of the other. Then your exercises are standing in that position with your eyes closed, standing in that position with your head and your eyes turning side to side at a speed that makes you wobble, standing in that position with your head and eyes moving up and down at a speed that makes you wobble, and standing in that position with your head and eyes moving on a diagonal, looking down to one ankle and up over the opposite shoulder, both sides. Those are the exercises. Okay, so how do we implement them? How often? What's our timing? How do we do this? So with each version, I love a minimum of two minutes for each of those exercise versions. I absolutely think four minutes is best, but a minimum of two minutes is where we want to live. Four minutes is absolutely better than two. And if you can reach four minutes and not have any effects that are bothersome, that would be perfect for each of those exercises. You can start off at one or two minutes and kind of work your way into it. You have to listen to your body. Okay, so for each of those circumstances, I'd like, in the long run, for you to practice being at two minutes and maybe up to four minutes. Four minutes for each would be amazing. Okay, take a break in between. Now, some additional information with those head motions. You may get lightheaded, you may get dizzy. You're stimulating your inner ear system, which is a huge part of the balance system in your body. And when the inner ear system doesn't practice a lot, it causes you to be dizzy when it's telling you it's tired. Okay, you have to kind of play with that. Send me a comment down below if that happens to you, and I can give you a little bit more guidance. I don't want you to do the exercises and have them make you dizzy for long periods of time in the day. If you do an exercise and it makes you dizzy and you rest and it goes away, that's the ideal. It's stimulating your balance system by doing so, and the dizziness will actually get less and less as time goes on. These exercises are foundational, they're basic, they're beginner exercises. It is best to have somebody be a consultant with you as you start to learn how to do them, but you can understand from the beginning what they're designed to do. They're designed to make you wobble to help your balance system practice. When your balance system practices more often, it's exactly the same as somebody who wants to be a better basketball player practicing shooting and dribbling. The more they do it, the better they will be. It's exactly the same as somebody who wants to be a better piano player. The more they practice their piano, the better they're going to be. And so on and so forth. Okay, so we hope these exercises will be beneficial for you. Give them a couple of weeks. Comment down below on what you're finding. Let me know if you have any questions. I'd love to be able to help. Again, this is Joel with the Movement Approach where we believe if you move better, move more often, you're going to feel healthier and happier. Be good and do good." www.achievarehab.com

What is Physical Therapy??? "The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge." Thomas Berger. Why should I take these pills every day? Why should I exercise regularly? Why should I stop smoking? We all know there is a reason to take the prescription. We all know that we should exercise. We all know that smoking is unhealthy. But, do we really know WHY? What does that pill actually do in my system that makes it necessary? What does exercise do to my body and mind that makes it necessary? What happens when I smoke on a regular basis? A true understanding can lead to action. Of all those topics, in recent years, the reasons for not smoking have become much more understood because of the great works of truth.com and their commercials and publications. People are now aware of what smoking really does to the body, and there has been an action as a result...a great drop in smoking in this country. Physical therapy is simple. You have a problem that hinders your quality of life and we have a solution for that problem. Get it? Not so fast....the profession is very complicated at times and much more far reaching than most understand. When people hear physical therapy, one of two things pops to mind. 1. The young athlete who gets injured and is referred for physical therapy in the facility filled with "gym equipment." OR 2. An elderly woman or man walking with a walker with a therapist at their side guiding them. While both scenarios exist in PT, they are only a fraction of what we can do. And now, the boring list of conditions that can be successfully treated in physical therapy...be prepared to say "WOW!" Just kidding...If you would like to really find out the conditions that we are educated to treat, you can start here: http://physicaltherapyweb.com/conditions-injuries-diseases-treated-physical-therapists/ Frankly, it would be easier to make a list of physical conditions that WE DON'T TREAT. But, here are a few examples of things that may be a surprise. I love treating people with the number two complaint among physician visits...dizziness!! Yes, we love patients that are dizzy...we can really help. Alongside of that, are people that fall frequently...there are many reasons for falls, but, we can help find out why and fix it. Have a wound? Let us take a shot at it...a lot of physical therapists are well versed in wound healing. Urinary Incontinence? WHAT?!? Yes, it's true...in recent times, PTs have become specialized in treating urinary incontinence. You see...the body has over 600 muscles, over 200 bones, over 900 ligaments, 22 square feet of skin, ONE BRAIN AND ONE HEART....Physical therapists rely on the brain and the heart in everything that we do. We have a great understanding of all those bones and muscles, how they work, what happens when they aren't working properly, and the interventions needed to promote healing so that the patient experiences improved quality of life...THE BRAIN. We also have compassion and know how to work with each individual patient in order to succeed as a team...THE HEART. We evaluate you from a small scale and a big scale..we look closely at the body part that is causing the problem and we determine how it affects everything you need to do and love to do on a daily basis. At that point, we dive into our knowledge base to implement a plan that is individualized. We take into account not only the structure that is flawed, but, also your personality, your wants and needs, your support system, your learning style, your experiences, your hobbies, your family and roll out a plan that is designed to help you get back your quality of life. We can also do it in the comfort of your own home!! WHY are we doing this? WHY are we doing that? No need to ask questions...you will know WHY we are doing everything we are doing for you. What is Physical Therapy? Will anyone really know the answer? We are problem solvers. We believe in what we do. We just need you as the patient to believe it as well. Then, we can get to work!! I sincerely hope this information is helpful. Be well! Please call for a free consultation: 1-888-929-7677 www.achievarehab.com info@achievarehab.com https://www.youtube.com/@achievarehabilitation6370

We can't emphasize this enough. Thee absolute most essential aspect of your recovery is finding the right physical therapist. Most people think of cost first. When you look at all your options, most people think that going In-Network is the best because it is the cheapest route generally. The problem with this thought process is that you will end up traveling to a physical therapy clinic only to be a number...you may see the actual Physical Therapist for 15 minutes and then work on things with an aide while the PT goes and does another 15 minutes with another client. That's just not enough time. Imagine going to your lawyer's office and you walk in and there are three other client's there speaking with your lawyer about different problems...that's not effective!! At Achieva Rehabilitation, we believe in the power of the Grandma Standard. We will treat you with the same attention that we would use with our own grandmothers. We believe so deeply in our In-Home PT Program because you can't get One-on-One dedicated attention in a clinic...it just won't happen. And sometimes, in order to be able to provide that level of service, In-Network benefits is not the best choice. Learn more below... Did you know that with Direct Access, you don’t need a doctor’s referral to go to physical therapy? Although Direct Access Laws vary a bit from state to state, you can see a physical therapist without a referral with most insurance groups. The hard part now is finding a physical therapist that meets both your treatment and pocketbook goals. If you have insurance, the first thought that probably comes to mind is looking through a list of physical therapy providers who are in your network. Although cost is an important consideration when looking for the right physical therapist, you first need to find the right physical therapy clinic for your recovery goals—then figure out the right payment options to fit with your needs. Start Mapping It Out: Finding Programs That Fit Your Physical Therapy Needs When researching various physical therapy programs, look for quality programs with good reviews . Find out how much physical therapy treatment time is spent one-on-one with the PT or PTA. During your physical therapy treatment process, it’s key to receive manual therapy, a hands-on approach to physical therapy, from a licensed physical therapist and the proper education around your condition to avoid re-injury. If the majority of your physical therapy treatment is spent doing exercises with an aide, that is a red flag. Finally, look for programs that offer post-physical therapy wellness and health services if you want the opportunity to continue beyond your treatment timeline. In-Network: Going Down a Familiar Trail When you find a physical therapy program that your insurance lists as being in-network, what that means is the program has a contract with your insurance company. The program has negotiated a lower price for the their services—the insurance company pays a specific fraction of the bill and you pay the rest (i.e. your copay). Going in-network for physical therapy may come with caveats in terms of what types of physical therapy treatment you can get. Some only approve physical therapy insurance for a certain amount of visits , ranging from 6 to 60 per year while others only approve coverage if you have an illness that’s led to a specific loss of function. If you haven’t used any medical services this year, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for physical therapy and other medical services until your deductible has been met. If you’ve met your deductible for the year, that’s perfect. Overall, don’t feel obligated to go the in-network route if you can’t find an in-network physical therapy program that offers one-on-one treatments with a therapist—you do have other options. Out-Of-Network: Unfamiliar Territory? Most insurance companies have out-of-network benefits if you decide not to go with one of their in-network providers. If you’ve never used these benefits before, maneuvering through it may seem daunting, but it’s very similar to using your in-network benefits. Your physical therapy program will bill insurance for your physical therapy treatment, same as in-network, and your insurance company will still pay a portion of the cost. Similar to in-network, they may only cover a certain amount per year. The only difference is that the program doesn’t have a specific contract with your health plan. Therefore, the price of the program’s services aren’t previously negotiated. When compared to in-network, you may pay a slightly higher percentage of the total cost. But often, out-of-network benefits cover 60 to 80 percent of treatment costs. What’s compelling is that, depending on your physical therapy treatment, this may not be a whole lot different than if you had in-network benefits. You can ask a the physical therapist you’re interested in to help you breakdown your specific physical therapy benefits so you can decide which treatment plan works best. If you’re expecting physical therapy treatment that’s a bit more specialized or you simply want to make sure that you’ll have the opportunity to have highly effective, one-on-one treatments with a therapist, going out-of-network might be right for you if you can’t find an in-network provider that fits your needs. With out-of-network benefits, you may be paying a bit more out-of-pocket, but you’ll also get the quality of service you want and need. Depending on the treatment, going out-of-network may also result in less visits and time needed for recovery and an overall smaller expense. Cash-Pay: No Detours Needed For those who don’t have out-of-network benefits, insurance at all, or have high deductibles, paying directly is always an option. All the benefits of going out-of-network apply to paying directly. There are no third parties since you’re entering into a contract with the clinic itself. Most PT programs may offer a bundled discount if you decide to go the cash-pay route, which may benefit those without physical therapy insurance, insurance in general, or high-deductibles. With cash-pay, you’ll have no constraints when it comes to any methods or services that you need with your physical therapy treatment course; it all comes down to you. If you’ve heard about a high-quality physical therapy program, and aren’t covered for, you might decide to go the cash-pay route. End Of The Journey What is the main takeaway? To align your goals with your needs. It really comes down to your physical therapy treatment and which insurance or payment path works for you. Don’t be shy— feel free to ask your friends for any physical therapy program recommendations in your area. Google physical therapy in your area to see who has the highest patient satisfaction. Don’t feel limited when it comes to finding the right physical therapy program for your treatment. Find the right path for your health goals. Please click HERE if you have questions...we would love to HELP you into the world of the Grandma Standard

For readers of this series, you are drinking more water and planning your meals more like a caveman! Great! If you don't have the foggiest idea of what I'm talkinga bout, please check out parts 1 and 2 of this short series of blogs. Let me mix a few more topics into this blog...Free Radicals are these molecules that get screwed up in the body as a result in this case of eating certain foods like high glycemic foods like breads that are refined carbohydrates and sugars. They have an effect on your blood glucose and are more likely to generate free radicals which actually damage cells which are the building blocks of our healthy bodies. So, what do we do with Free Radicals...we send in Antioxidants to clean them up. The power of antioxidants to clean these cell damaging radicals out of your body is right in front of us when we walk into the grocery store. Things like dark grapes, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, broccoli, nuts and even organic dark chocolate are full of these radical fighters that will save your cells in the same way that our beloved firefighters rush in to save a burning building. That's not a bad list either...some delicous foods on that list. How about inflammation in your body. It's actually a good thing...it's a reaction that sends little carpenters to fix any areas of your body that are damaged at the cellular level. We need inflammation to heal in acute circumstances. The problem is that when there is chronic inflammation that is present as a result of eating pro-inflammatory foods, the end result can be damage to the cells that may lead or contribute to worsening of chronic conditions like Parkinson's Disease. We want to avoid foods that contribute to inflammation such as refined carbohydrates such as bread, processed meat, white rice, sugar, soda, sports drinks to name a few. Eat more foods that are inflammation fighters such as green leafy vegetables, spinach, yellow peppers, quinoa, whole grain bread, oatmeal, fruites, tea, coffee and wine. It's just science people...it's not opinion...these are real food problems and they can have an impact on your symptoms with Parkinson's Disease. You have the power to determine if that impact if good or bad. Please take a look at our FREE Report on PD...information is so valuable when you are diagnosed with PD...get some of your questions answered. www.achievarehab.com/pdbook

So, if you read part one, you are planning to get hydration more involved in your day because you now know the scientifically proven need for water to be flowing like a river throughout your body. Great job! Now on to the more global, generalized part of this series. I've touched on this in prior blogs but if you have been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, I want you to look around for a club and perhaps a pelt from a sabertooth tiger as your significant other squats down to start a fire to cook your newly caught "lunch." Yes, I want you to eat like a caveman! You see, 200k years ago (and even today in modern primitive tribes such as the Hadza in Tanzania), mankind existed on a diet of pure nature, organic foods. Heck, the term organic is floated around so much these days but it just basically means that it is pure food from the earth. They at wild lean meats, fish, green leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, and honey. This diet had a perfectly balanced ratio of good essential fatty acids (Omega 3) to bad (Omega 6) to which the human body is best calibrated. So what? Well, if you look at the research, these tribes don't have obesity, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's. And they don't have Parkinson's Disease! Contrast that with the "American" diet which is generally filled with Omega 6 Fatty Acids, which is pro-inflammatory, meaning it makes any boo-boo that you have anywhere inside or outside of your body more hurty! Sugar, food additives, carbohydrates, processed foods, vegetable oils...these foods are cheap and the opposite of the fuel that your body needs...they are damaging to your cells. As we go along in this series ( I don't know how long it will be btw...a lot to say!), the general diet patterns noted above will be broken down into smaller bites..punny! The bottom line is that I want you to learn all the tricks to fighting PD and living a vibrant life even in the face of this daunting diagnosis. Check out my FREE Report. https://www.achievarehab.com/pdbook Be good!