Eccentric loading (length under tension) of your hamstrings is crucial for mobility and strength. Pelvic position must be neutral to ensure sufficient length of the hamstrings. Incorporating a brief pause at end-range will allow you to feel your hamstrings contract. It will also allow you to re-engage them if you have lost tension.
I just wanted you to know how well I’ve been doing! Before Eric had me come to you, I had basically just come to terms with the fact that the rest of my life was going to be based around my back pain. My business as a horse trainer was going to suffer. No heavy lifting, no standing for a long time, and no jumping horses. And if I did, I was going to have to take tons of Advil and not plan on doing anything the next few days. And I was only 27!
Before coming to you, a physical therapist local to me said that I just had to avoid certain things. Then I came to Total PT! You were able to find exactly what my weaknesses were-down to my breathing and teeth clenching! After just a few sessions, I learned how to manage my back and live my normal life. And if my back did start to become sore, I now don’t have to stop what I’m doing. I just have to pause and think of the techniques you taught me. It always turns out that I am doing one of those things wrong, and then once I fix it, the pain is gone.
Now my body has all the techniques memorized, so I don’t have to think about it anymore. You basically re-taught me how to use my body and it’s amazing. You have made such a difference in my life. Thank you so much!
Borrowed from the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI,) this drill is fantastic in getting someone out of an anterior pelvic tilt – which can lead to back pain, hamstring strains and many other pathologies that look for an anteriorly tilted pelvis as a compensation strategy. Look for more posts to follow which show integration of this […]
I began working with Dimitry at Total Physical Therapy for a recurring lower back problems. Prior to Dimitry, I had worked with both physicians and chiropractors which provided short term relief, but my problems continued to re-surface.
Dimitry’s practical and holistic approach enabled me to better understand the source of my injury. Most importantly, he taught me how to fix it correctly and prevent the injury from coming back. The quick progress I was able to make while working with both Dimitry and Lauren was so encouraging. The practical knowledge I gained to help me with everyday function along with exercise was extremely helpful.
I would strongly recommend Total Physical Therapy! Dimitry’s innovative approach is not only unique but it provides one with a long term solution for fixing an injury which was something I was not able to find anywhere else.
Little did you know that there actually is a right and wrong way of sneezing and coughing. A little quick fix and your chances of hurting your lower back while performing these simple tasks flies out the window. Check this out folks!
So how does the height of your seat impact your low back pain, ease of sitting and capacity to maintain appropriate posture? It’s all about the hips and the knees. In this case . . . size DOES matter! Check it out!
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Everyone’s heard of Sciaica. How do you stretch out the nerve? Can you? While we are at it lets take care of the Femoral nerve as well. Everyone knows that your muscles tighten up over time and you need to stretch them out. Well . . . your nerves get tight as well and you need to know how to ‘floss’ them out so you can get rid of the ‘fuzz!’ Sure beats having pain. Check this out!
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So here you go boys and girls. Last video was about stretching the Median nerve on your own & this one talks about the other two, Radial and Ulnar Nerve. All can cause serious fuzz issues and pain. All you need to do is learn how to stretch them out safely and you’re way ahead of the rest of the boys and girls out there complaining about numbness and pain. Check these out and try them. Contact me w/ questions as always!
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Ever thought about your nerves being tight? You should. The hamstrings and quads aren’t the only things that tighten up on all of us. These are critical for normal mobility. Imagine having a tight T-shirt. You would have a really hard time getting your arms overhead . . . right? Well . . . your peripheral nerves also need to have adequate mobility in order to not restrict your normal range of motion. Check this out!
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Now we know why we posteriorly tilt when we squat and round out our lower backs. But how do we stretch the tight structures that create that “dumping out” effect? There are 3 main muscle groups that contribute to this effect. What are they? Curious? Well . . . You know what to do!