When it comes to preventing neck and back pain, most people have heard the usual advice: sit up straight, keep your feet flat on the floor, and support your lower back. While these tips can be helpful, they don’t tell the full story of how to sit comfortably for long periods.
As fall sports kick into high gear, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing an increase in soft tissue injuries at our Bethesda and McLean physical therapy clinics. This trend is particularly noticeable among athletes involved in sports like football and soccer, where dynamic, multi-directional movements are essential. These activities often lead to soft tissue injuries, especially in the hip region, making physical therapy a crucial component of an athlete’s recovery and injury prevention strategy.
Incorporating overhead pressing exercises into my weight training routine is something I really enjoy, but I often find them a bit challenging.
My overhead mobility isn’t as good as I’d like it to be, and a significant reason for that is my stiff chest. I have a mild case of pectus excavatum, commonly known as bowl chest. This condition causes the sternum-the bone at the center of the chest-to remain depressed, creating difficulties during overhead movements.
Dr. Sneh, a great sports physical therapist and proud Minnesota native, is an avid Minnesota Vikings fan. This year, the Vikings drafted their quarterback of the future, JJ McCarthy, and the excitement among their fans is palpable. McCarthy has shown promising performance so far in the preseason—a time when rookies often struggle to find their footing.
Unfortunately, following his most recent preseason game, reports emerged that McCarthy had sustained a knee injury that would require surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
I commend the Vikings’ approach to handling McCarthy’s injury, as it offers valuable insights into how we should approach injuries in high school athletes.
Recently, my wife and I went on a family vacation with the whole crew—my parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew. While watching the Olympics, we found ourselves captivated by the swimming events, which brought back memories for my mom of my old swim team days.
I swam competitively until I was about 12, and I decided to retire while I was still on top (in hindsight that may have been a bad choice considering how much time I spent in physical therapy as a result of football injuries!).
My wife’s grandfather greeted me in Spanish the first time I met him. Later, he made some comments to my wife, mother-in-law, and father-in-law in Spanish. My in-laws claimed he wasn’t saying anything about me, but my wife thought it was too funny not to tell me what he said. At that moment, I decided that I was going to learn Spanish and wouldn’t stop until I could chat with him.
Sadly, he has since passed, but now my in-laws can’t make jokes in front of me without me knowing anymore!
I thought of this story while reading Dr. Adam Grant’s new book, Hidden Potential.
