Thursday, December 31, 2015

How to survive winter running


Running through the colder months can be intimidating, especially when the ground is covered in snow. Winter running could actually make you a stronger runner, even improving spring race times. Unlike the warmer seasons, your body temperature will not increase as quickly, so energy will not be wasted on cooling the body down. This leaves more energy for longer runs, or a faster pace.
It is important to get use to running in colder conditions if you have a race planned for early spring. Chicago winters are known for lasting well into March and April, the start of race season. Muscles need to adapt to the cold, just like they adapt to the heat in summer. It is not uncommon for it to be snowing the day of the Shamrock Shuffle.
You can also think of winter running as one big dress rehearsal for race day. Play with layering your clothes to figure out what works for you. One good rule of thumb to follow, always dress for 20-30 degrees warmer than what the actual temperature is. Over dressing is a mistake I have seen runners make too often. This leads to overheating and your muscles will fatigue quicker. I have run comfortably in conditions below 0 degrees by dressing correctly. For very cold conditions, wearing a scarf around your mouth will help warm the air and avoid irritating your airway. You want to wear moisture wicking material, especially for your base layer to avoid retaining sweat. If your clothes become wet from sweating, the sweat will eventually begin to freeze, and no one wants to wear layers of wet clothing. Wool socks are a great way to keep your feet warm and dry, and sports brands make wool socks that will prevent blisters and wick moisture. Investing in a good pair of running pants is well worth the money. Clothing technology has improved and you won’t have to worry about layer your bottom half.
One question asked often is what type of shoes to wear if it snows. I have always just worn my regular running shoes. There are different gadgets on the market that can be used to prevent slipping. The majority of them slip over the sole of the shoe and help create traction, think of a chain on a tire. Some runners I know swear by running in a trail shoe. The sole of a trail shoe is made differently, also increasing the amount of traction to reduce slipping.
The last, and most important thing I have to say about winter running is do not forget to hydrate. It may be cold out and you might think that you are not sweating as much, but your body is still working. Proper hydration before, during, and after runs will help the muscles recover quickly for your next run.  For runs shorter than 45 minutes, drinking 1-2 8 ounce glasses of water within the hour prior should be sufficient. Over 45 minutes, try to consume 8 ounces during your run. Longer than an hour, drink water every 45 minutes.
That being said, this winter’s weather has been wonderful, so lace up your shoes and get out and enjoy it!

Heather Finnegan, PT, DPT 

TheraCORE Locations

Inside the Five Seasons Sports Club
6901 S. Madison
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
(630) 590-5409

16622 W. 159th St., Ste. 503
Lockport, IL 60441
(815) 838-5070

350 E. Ogden Ave., Ste. 200
Westmont, IL 60559
(630) 908-7430

www.theracorept.com
https://youtu.be/Uw09QuIu7GY

Friday, December 18, 2015

Prepping for Winter

Prepping for Winter

I can’t believe Christmas is two weeks away!! Wasn’t it just summer? My husband can tell Christmas is coming by the daily ringing of the doorbell with good ol UPS dropping off soon to be Christmas presents for family and friends (online shopping is a god send!).
The other day I went into the closet to begin opening the boxes, tallying who I have left to shop for, and begin my wrapping. A half hour went by and I could already feel my neck and upper back stiffening up from leaning over the boxes. This led me to thinking……I do everything in front of me. Carrying boxes, wrapping presents, laundry, texting, driving, picking up the girls, treating patients….. I am constantly leaning forward and this is putting increased strain on my neck and low back. Not to mention, the holidays can be stressful! Getting the house ready for my parents visit, wanting to make sure I have the perfect gift for everyone. Planning holiday dinners and constantly on the go…. No wonder I have a million trigger points in my shoulders!! Does this sound familiar?

So I am resolving to do something different this winter. As I have blogged about before, I love running and that is usually my go to form of exercise and stress relief. But as the weather begins to get chilly I am going to change things up and you should too! Choose three of your regular work out days to add in some posture exercises. Here is my plan:

Day 1: Foam roll pec stretch or doorway pec stretch

 

Day 2: Standing rows and thoracic extensions



Day 3: Low lunge with rotation and tree pose

        

   
Perform these exercises for a minute of time for each set. A continuing education course I recently attended reminded me on the importance of training our muscles for endurance type of activities. Holding good posture is an all-day event! So work on low resistance of these exercises, but increasing your time performing them (work up to performing for 5 minutes at a time!).
Incorporating these simple exercises into my daily routine will help me decrease the strain on my neck and shoulders and help me stand a little taller this winter. (But you better believe I will still be asking for that massage gift certificate forChristmas!!).

Happy Holidays!!


TheraCORE Physical Therapy Locations

Five Seasons Family Sports Club
6901 S. Madison
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
630.590-.409

16622 W. 159th St., Ste. 503
Lockport, IL 60441
815.838.5070

350 E. Ogden Ave., Ste. 200
Westmont, IL 60559
630.908.7430

Friday, October 23, 2015

2015 National Physical Therapy Month



Fighting the Effects of Aging without Medication

This month is National Physical Therapy Month with an overall theme of aging well.  As we inevitably age, there are several misconceptions that are associated with the aging process.  Some of these misconceptions include:
  • Unable to participate in the same activities and hobbies after age 65
  • Losing strength and flexibility with age
  • Unable to live independently after age 80
  • Age = increases in pain
  • Debilitating disease and chronic conditions

·         While this list is often considered normal responses to aging, all of these are very preventable if addressed early.  All of the items on the list can be improved through increasing activity, improving daily postures, and having a base level of strength and mobility.  If action is taken to prevent these common side effects of poor aging it should be expected to enjoy an active life, stay healthy and pain-free, and maintain independence.  With the help of seeing your physical therapist, you can achieve the following benefits to turn back the clock and stay young:  
  •  Improve flexibility and strength
  • Reduce pain with daily and recreational activities
  • Increase independence
  • Increase safety and reduce risk of falls
  • Return to higher level activities such as sport and running
  • Improve overall health and fitness
  • Look and feel better

·         Negative side effects are commonly treated with medication and surgery when often a more conservative treatment in physical therapy can leave you feeling the best you have in years.  If you’re interested in more tips and information, visit MoveForwardPT.com to read more on how to age well.  If you have any general questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to post below! Don’t let pain and age keep you from doing what you love, come see us and let’s work together to help you #agewell!

Forever young,

Wednesday, August 26, 2015





School can be a pain in the neck, but don’t let it affect your back.  It is not normal for your children to have back pain, this should not be occurring.  Yet upwards of 3 out of every 4 kids report back pain.  Aside from acute cases (car accident, sports injury), these are commonly preventable issues.  Heather Finnegan, PT, DPT wrote an awesome overview with recommendations on proper backpack posture that can be seen here (http://theracorephysicaltherapy.blogspot.com/2014/08/what-is-correctand-safe-way-to-wear.html).  While backpacks are a major concern in causing neck, shoulder, and back pain.  Here are other things to take into consideration to help prevent this very preventable issue:

Sitting:  More and more research is coming out, and long story short sitting wrecks us.  Try to minimize time spent sitting to less than 2 hours per day
Texting: This is becoming a major issue!  Hunched over a cell phone is no way to text, sit up straight and bring the phone into your line of vision.
Activity: Being inactive and losing strength in important muscle groups puts you at a much higher risk to develop pain in the neck, shoulders, and back.  Make frequent movement and activity a priority!

Often the solution is simple and being more aware of your posture can address and reverse pain that you are experiencing.  Don’t let this linger, this is something that needs to be addressed before it becomes a chronic condition that is much more difficult to treat.  If you’ve been in pain for longer than one month and this does not change with postural corrections, please see us for a complementary injury screen for a more detailed assessment to avoid this becoming a real issue.  Good posture is the new cool.



-Dave Paczkowski PT, DPT

TheraCORE Physical Therapy Locations

Five Seasons Family Sports Club
6901 S. Madison
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
630.590-.409

16622 W. 159th St., Ste. 503
Lockport, IL 60441
815.838.5070

350 E. Ogden Ave., Ste. 200
Westmont, IL 60559
630.908.7430

www.theracorept.com
http://youtu.be/Uw09QuIu7GY

Friday, August 14, 2015





Sorry in advance to all the teachers and students out there for bringing this up, but it’s that time of the year to be getting ready for another exciting school year.  Don’t wait for New Year’s to make a resolution, aim to make this school year the start of the best you that you can be.  While being off in the summer has its obvious advantages (like not being in school), the structure of a school day can offer an excellent opportunity to take advantage of:
Structure-Unlike the summer, the school day offers structure that can be beneficial to changing a desired habit or reaching a new goal.  During the summer, there is plenty of freedom to get up when you please and the next item on the ‘to do’ list typically follows the dreaded eventually. The school days offer a structure that is fairly predictable.  Time spent in school, outside activities, and athletics already have times blocked ahead of time-no surprises. Pick any goal or habit that you wish to change, whether it is health, emotional, spiritual, etc. Be sure to focus on only one at a time (a morning walk, daily stretching, or preparing healthy meals are all good starts!).  Block time in your day for this, it needs to be structured into your day just as any other activity that needs to be completed.  Regardless of your goal, establish a set time to get this done and stick with it, make it a top priority!  Developing a routine right before school or right when you get home is a great starting point if you’re unsure of when it could fit into the day.  Big goals can be reached by setting aside 10 minutes each day!
If you have been trying to achieve a health or fitness goal and these are already habits you participate in regularly, contact us to see how we can help get you towards your goals!


- Dave Paczkowski PT, DPT
www.theracorept.com


TheraCORE Physical Therapy



Five Seasons Family Sports Club
6901 S. Madison
Burr Ridge, IL 6027
(630)590-5409

16622 W. 159th St., Ste. 503
Lockport, IL 60441
(815)838-5070

350 E. Ogden Ave., Ste. 200
Westmont, IL 60559
(630)908-7430

Wednesday, August 5, 2015






Exercising in the Heat of Summer

Whether you love it or hate it, the temperatures are finally starting to rise and it is finally starting to feel like summer.  Some people can’t wait to get outdoors and exercise and others groan at the thought of expending energy when the temperatures soar.  If you do choose to head outside to get your heart rate going, here are some tips to help keep you safe and healthy.
Take your time to acclimate:  Don’t expect to do the same workout that you have been doing all winter long.  You will sweat more and your heart will work harder in the heat and you don’t want to wind up with heat exhaustion. With this in mind, warm up for a longer period of time to see how the heat is affecting you and adjust your workout intensity accordingly.  If you feel faint or dizzy, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!  Stop your workout, get to a cool place and drink fluids. It’s better to cut short a workout than spend the day in the emergency room.
Wear appropriate clothing:  Clothing that is light weight and light in color will help keep you comfortable by reflecting some of the sun’s rays.  Fabrics that wick away moisture are a great idea as they help sweat evaporate and keep you cool. Wear a hat to protect your head and UV blocking sunglasses to protect your eyes.  And don’t forget about your skin! Wear an appropriate numbered water resistant sunblock and re-apply as directed.
Exercise early in the morning or towards the evening:  Get that workout out of the way before the sun is at its hottest.  If that isn’t an option, think about changing your program to a pool workout or continue to keep your program indoors. 
Stay Hydrated!:  You need to drink more fluids when it is hotter outside.  Drink two glasses of water two hours before your workout and consume 8 oz every 15 minutes during your workout.  Workouts that last more than an hour may require an energy drink to replace electrolytes.  Continue to drink after your workout to replace lost fluids.
If you take the appropriate steps and precautions, summertime workouts can be a great way to enjoy the weather!  If you have any questions about whether it is appropriate for you to exercise in warmer temperatures, please consult your physician.

- Ryan Schaul, PT, MPT

TheraCORE Physical Therapy

16622 W. 159th St., Ste. 503
Lockport, IL 60441
(815) 838-5070

350 E. Ogden Ave., Ste. 200
Westmont, IL 60559
(630) 908-7430

Five Seasons Family Sports Club
6901 S. Madison
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
 (630) 590-5409


















Tuesday, May 12, 2015




The weather is finally beginning to show some signs of warming up and my girls and I are just about ready to plant our garden.  The more I begin to organize all that we need to do to prepare, the more I realize what a healthy workout this will be. Just think about it:

Stretching: Reaching when weeding the garden, pulling a branch, or reaching to rake and plant incorporates both upper body and trunk stretching. Challenge yourself even further with raking or breaking up your soil by reaching further each time.

Strengthening: Lifting bags of mulch, digging holes for plants, static positions for picking weeds are all activities that build up strength in our large muscle groups (i.e. biceps, triceps, hamstrings and quads). Concentrate on correct lifting techniques and tightening your stomach muscles to turn each of these activities into a core building exercise. 

Cardio: Did you know that you can burn the following calories if you participate in 30 minutes of these gardening activities a day:

  • Digging Holes - Men: 197 calories, Women: 150 calories
  • Planting - Men: 177 calories, Women: 135 calories
  • Weeding - Men: 157 calories, Women: 156 calories

It’s important to make sure you drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen when working in the garden. Remember to stretch before and after gardening to decrease any chance of post activity soreness. If you have any questions about correct lifting techniques, call TheraCORE to schedule a complimentary injury screening with one of our licensed physical therapists. Better yet, call to schedule a massage with one of our massage therapists to reward yourself for a job well done!

Happy Gardening!

16622 W. 159th St., Ste. 503 - Lockport, IL 60441 - (815) 838-5070
350 E. Ogden Ave., Ste. 200 - Westmont, IL 60559 - (630) 908-7430