HOW to STRETCH and not HURT yourself

Tip #1:  Don't try to do this

1.  Stretch HOT!
Ideal inner body temperature should be 103.5 degrees.  That means you should warm up BEFORE stretching, or stretch in a warm room.  That doesn't mean it needs to be hot yoga: that seriously raises your core temperature, and you need to drink some MAJOR water to make sure you don't faint like a distressed damsel.


Note:  If you are pregnant, you should not be raising your core body temperature above 101 degrees.  This is because the baby has a body temp of 1 degree celcius higher than you!
AND fetus's can't sweat the way you can.  So if you wanna work out hard, get thyself a rectal thermometer.  Sexy. 

2.  Stretch SLOW.
A good stretch is warm, and doesn't seem like its straining you to the max.  You feel some burn, but not so much that your sarcomere's and muscle fibers are liable to tear.  No super stretch or major burn is happening.  You're not shaking.  You've got it under control. 

3.  Stretch LONG.
Hold your hot, slow stretch for a long time.  Ballet students hold each stretch for about 2 minutes; longer is not a problem.  Bouncing, however, will not increase your viscous flexibility.  Hold it loooong.  Use the 2-minute setting on your electric toothbrush at the same time, perhaps, and kill two birds with one stone.

4.  Stretch Often:
If you get into a daily stretching routine, you will begin to feel how tight you become after sitting, sleeping, or just *not stretching* for a length of time.

5. Build some MUSCLE:
Being hyperflexible without muscle mass can cause injury!  Those muscles stabilize your joints so they don't just move every which way.  So don't neglect the iron pumping just because you're stretching well.

FEET SERIES: Plantar Fasciitis

Oooh, we were born with beautiful cute feet.  Don't you love cuddling up and kissing infant toes?  But after years of improper use, we sometimes neglect and don't care for our feet.  Bursitis, bone spurs, fallen arches, etc.  can create pain that radiates throughout our whole body, negatively affecting our beloved Q of L.

Don't understand how to protect your feet? Here's the FIRST of a series of Common Foot Injuries to prevent and...heel. 

a) Plantar Fasciitis:
Where: The tissue at the sole, bottom of your foot is called Plantar Fascia.  The arch, the connection between the heel and the toes. 

What:  Overuse and overstretched tissue can become inflammed and painful. 
Why:  Overuse and overstretch occurs when people gain weight, putting additional pressure on their foot tissue.  Long distance running, especially downhill, or on uneven terrain, can cause high pressure and overuse.  Tight achilles tendons (back of the ankle)  can pull the tissue, causing an overstretch.  Poor Shoes! (Hey New Yorkers!)  with little support can unevenly distribute pressure, causing plantar fasciitis. 

How to Heal:  Stretching the calf and achilles tendons.  Ice and use over the counter medication to reduce inflammation. 

Practicing in Different Settings...

I've shadowed in a few different settings, looking for role models and my true vision of myself as a PT.  Listening to different therapists handle caseloads helps me understand exactly what I'm looking to accomplish as a PT.  

OHSU physical therapy rehab is pretty low-key.  Mostly Caucasian clients, several sports and work injuries, a number of mental health cases with pre-existing conditions.  Average american dress and weight distributions.  We listened to folk music and soft rock, and PTs are respectfully polite to their patients. 

Several PT private practices in Portland are peaceful and positive, with PT combined with reiki, massage, and acupuncture.  PTs listen to the sounds of the earth, and wear organic cotton.  They care about the emotionally cathartic experience you may be having as soft tissues in the body are released. 

Shadowing at the Sports Clinic in Soho felt more like home.  Clients came from all over the world, and were frequently extremely well-known in their fields.  They were on vacation, headed back to Africa, or working on their latest television script.  We listened to hip-hop while PTs ran around in sparkly ballet flats and teased firemen about whether they "really" are most likely to cheat on their wives.  Clients has sports injuries, or post-operative pains: they frequently were returning to PT for a third or fourth time, after heading back from their pain-inducing, favorite sports. 

Did you Know...

Your accessory ligaments on your joints are so strong, that your bone will generally break before a ligament will tear?


The reason why:
Ligaments support, strengthen and reinforce movable joints, in places like your elbow and knees.

Ligaments are avascular (have no direct blood supply), so they take forever to heal.  And no one can stomach that much daytime tv.

Sensitivity and Severity

Sensitivity:  How easily an inflammation or negative reaction is triggered.

Severity:  The degree of pain that is caused when triggered. 

High Sensitivity and High Severity:  Must be treated very cautiously.  Many movements will trigger pain reactions, and they will be strong. 

Low Sensitivity and High Severity:  Most movements will not cause problems, but the few that do will cause extreme pain.

High Sensitivity and Low Severity:  Many movements cause a reaction, but its just a dull pain. 

Low Sensitivity and Low Severity: If you're going to have pain, this is the best kind to have.  Rarely triggered, and when it is, it doesn't hurt *that* much. 

Blackberry Thumb and Cellphone Elbow

I had a massage this weekend, and the masseuse noted that I had developed Blackberry Thumb, a term that refers to an overly developed (and tight) muscle between my thumb and forefinger on my texting hand, specifically from the repetitive motion of texting from particular types of mobile devices...time to get a new cell phone, ay?  perhaps an iPhone?

Had started to get concerned about becoming a physical therapist with pained fingers.  Now, as it turns out, its good I'm getting out of marketing and PR.  Recommended cure?  Thumb stretches, ice, and, um, less texting....Lots of hand yoga in the days ahead (and more headset, less cellphone elbow....)

Listening and Physical Therapy

There are about 30 PTs at the clinic I volunteer at, and I certainly can't shadow them all.  Currently, my favorite PT to shadow is an east coast rock climber, who told me today that I have awful shoulder mechanics.  Like many of the PT's, he's very strong in his craft and intellectually gifted, but the particular skill that allows him to stand out from the group and makes me want to copy his style, is his listening ability.

I was amazed when I began shadowing at how much information some doctors fail to hear.  Often its because their mind is elsewhere:  diagnosing the ligament tear, typing in chart notes..., and their brain is so actively focused that they aren't hearing the patients words.  Othertimes, it looks like they are not checking in on the facial cues and emotional body language of the client.  Sometimes they simply don't ask the right followup questions.

Many of us have had the experience of being in a doctors office and not understanding the high-tech vocabulary they are using, or not having things properly explained or broken down. Or of mentioning a pain or ache, and having the MD brush it off as nothing. 

My favorite PT is amazing!  He hears everything, like God or the Paparazzi.  His jokes refer back to topics the client touched on earlier, and his explanations are clear and match the lowest barometer of client vocabulary.  The complexity of explanations increases as clients become more familiar with their personal anatomy. I'm hoping to learn and absorb his style so I can be one of the doctors with ears...