My Dog And How Mobility Helps The Body

Every week I try to impart information to you that might help you with issues you may be undergoing. I know I can’t help everyone and I also know that you may not even be interested in most things I write about.

So I think of a gamut of issues and hope that one of them may click with you. By the way, if I haven’t written about something you are interested in, please email me your thoughts. It is very helpful to know what you are thinking about or what questions you may have.

This blog will be different. There are 2 things I can talk about forever, well really 3, that I am passionate about: animals, travel, and dance – not necessarily in that order.

This week I will write about my dog. That is a picture of my dog on her orthopedic bed. Jazz (my son came up with that name, appropriate for me) just turned 10 years old Memorial Day weekend. She is a somewhat large dog, to some people. She has greyhound and pit bull in her, possibly Great Dane. Did you hear a bloodhound won Westminster Kennel Club best in show – but I digress?

If you know dog breeds, you can see in her body the barrel chest and sleekness in her trunk with the musculature of her hind quarters, all set for running. The head is more of a pit bull, not as stocky.

Jazz has been having issues with her left hip/pelvis/spine for the past few months. She allows me to find her point of discomfort and work on it a bit. When she has been lying down, she struggles a bit to stand and then may not put weight on the leg or gimps around for a bit. Once she gets “warmed up”, she has a much improved gait. On walks you may not even be able to tell.

We have lots of stairs in our house and it’s interesting to see her go down stairs at times because she practically brings the left leg down with the right, so the right takes most of the weight. But she doesn’t slow down. She has learned to adapt.

When she wants to run, she can still run, daily! She also runs up and down the stairs when she needs to release energy.

So why am I telling you all this? As we all age, we get a bit creakier. You may have felt when getting out of bed or rising from the chair after sitting for awhile, you don’t feel as mobile. But as you keep moving, you get more lubricated and the movement is easier and smoother. Dancing makes me feel “younger” and loosens up my body. Yes, sometimes I may feel it the next day, but moving my body feels better. When I stay in bed too long in the morning or sit beyond 20-30 minutes, my body takes awhile to adjust.

I find it so interesting how animals instinctively know and do what their bodies need and tell them to do. We as humans need to do the same – listen to our bodies. Moving is what helps your body to be more pliable and the first step in relieving stiffness/soreness. Then you can work on how you move to prevent injury.

Need a specialist with excellent observational skills to correct/improve your movement patterns, contact us at 301-493-9257 and we can discuss how we can help you.

To Your Health,

Cynthia

P.S. If you are still not 100%, give us a call at 301-493-9257 to set up a time to discuss the health issues you are having and how we can help you.


PROGRAMS OFFERED AT WELLNESS REHABILITATION INC.

Looking for a healthy gift to give to yourself or loved ones this holiday season?

We offer SAFE PILATES VIDEOS to work on in the comfort of your home. I have created 3 Pilates videos if you are not ready to join a class or can’t find a class that suits your time-frame or you need another day for a workout. These videos you can work on at home and at your own pace. Each exercise is explained thoroughly as to what it is accomplishing and what you should feel. Part I goes over the foundations of Pilates exercises. Part II uses foam rollers and Theraband or weights. Part III teaches more advanced Pilates skills.

Click here for more information on the safe Pilates videos and to watch the short clips.

TELEHEALTH

We offer online Physical Therapy sessions. These are the same 1 hour sessions as in clinic. You still get the personal touch. Click here for more information on our telehealth sessions.

INDIVIDUAL PILATES SESSIONS

Many clients feel that the work we have done in Physical Therapy was so effective that after discharge they want to continue the Pilates and strengthening work to continue improving their outcomes to prevent recurrences. Click here to learn more about how Pilates helps you.

We offer 5 and 10 session individual packages of Pilates/strengthening.

YEAR OF WELLNESS PACKAGE

We offer a Year of Wellness package for those who would like to have a monthly checkup of their home program to be sure the exercises are still valid and performed correctly or to address any other issues that may arise.

Interested in continuing the work we did or just want to get stronger or be sure you are still on the correct path towards your goals of a fully functional life, give us a call at 301-493-9257 to discuss how we can help you.

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A Physical Therapist’s specialty is in observing deviations in your movement patterns to find the root cause of the problem, then effectively treating it with individualized exercises to correct the problem. You will understand what the issue is that is causing the problem and be given effective exercises to do, thereby ensuring that how you move becomes permanent in your muscle memory.

Did you know that Maryland has Direct Access for physical therapy? That means you can see a Physical Therapist without seeing your physician first and getting a prescription. We can evaluate and treat you without a referral. Through the extensive evaluation, if we feel that other issues may be involved that may require you to see your physician, we will refer you back or recommend someone who is appropriate for you.

We invite you to ask about our Free Discovery Call and look forward to assisting you with anything you may need.

STILL NEED HELP? CALL TO DISCUSS YOUR ISSUES OR BOOK AN APPOINTMENT IF YOU ARE READY: 301-493-9257

This is for those who are still unsure if Physical Therapy is right for them. We offer a 100% Free 30 minute Discovery Call to answer all your questions and see if you are the right fit for our clinic. Space is limited. Call us at: 301-493-9257 or email us at cynthia@wellnessrehab.org

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Live Virtual Pilates/Exercise class: 5 class series for $177 July 20th – August 17th 2022 Wednesdays 12-1 on Zoom

Wellness Rehabilitation Inc.

10410 Kensington Parkway, Suite 11, Kensington, MD 20895
www.wellnessrehab.org
301-493-9257