Tips on staying active this Holiday Season

Staying active is a major part of our physical and mental health. Exercise has been proven to boost self-esteem as well as improving concentration and aiding in sleep. As for physical health, staying active helps prevent a myriad of diseases. It is advised to find ways to keep yourself active this holiday season. While being active doesn’t have to mean spending a monthly fee on gym memberships, or waking up early to go out for a run at the crack of dawn, it simply means find alternate ways to get your body up and moving.

One word of advice if you are trying to stay active during the holidays is to avoid shopping online. It may seem convenient if you are limited on time, but most weight gain during the holiday season comes from all the food around and inactivity. Instead of sitting in front of a computer screen, go to the mall and shop walking to each store fulfills the cardio aspect of your workout. If you found items to buy, you now have to carry the items around the store which now adds an element of strength training to your daily activity. If you want to go the extra mile with your exercise, make trips to and from your car so that you don’t have to carry around all the bags to each store. Although you are staying active and getting your holiday exercise, pushing yourself too far or putting yourself in an situation where your muscles are going to give out will cause unwanted problems.

Another recommendation is to clean your house. Start the holidays in a clean and fresh home. There is nothing wrong with rearranging and sometimes change is good. Take advantage of the holiday cleaning by being very thorough. Those few trips up and down the stairs and pushing around the vacuum is said to burn about 240 calories. If you are cooking dinner for the family, be sure to use that time as your exercise activity. Grocery shopping has the same effect as going to the mall as those ingredients that reach the house keep them together. Going back and forth when they are needed will get your cardio going. Remember to have bottles of water handy and do quick curls while you wait for the food to cook.

Lastly, keep your yard clean. Leaves are still falling and snow is going to start falling soon.  Raking or shoveling snow may be a good way to stay active and you will most definitely expect some sore muscles in the morning. Be careful, though, as about 42 million people seek emergency room treatment for yard related injuries each year. Try not to push harder then your body is telling you as repetitive movements can cause muscle strain.

Did you know that you have Direct Access to Physical Therapy? No referral is needed. We offer the best Physical Therapy on Long Island where you can get help from our trusted and expert Physical Therapists. We have several locations on Long Island including Massapequa, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Lindenhurst. To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Park Physical Therapy and The Physical Therapy Alliance at (516) 568-4444.

National Influenza Vaccination Week

National Influenza Vaccination Week is going on now! Be sure that if you haven’t already received your flu vaccine that you go out and get it as soon as possible. Flu season is in full swing and with all of the holiday gatherings with friends, family, and coworkers coming up, the chances of you getting sick are higher than most other times of the year.

Flu season typically lasts anywhere between October and May each year, peaking during the winter months. Seasonal flu changes each year so is important that you get your flu shot at the beginning of each season in order to decrease your chances of illness considerably. It takes approximately two weeks for the full effects of vaccine to occur and getting it done sooner rather than later is crucial.

Influenza can be deadly and the risk of a fatal outbreak can increase depending on your demographic. If you come into contact with a young child, someone over the age of 65, someone who is pregnant, or someone who is immunosuppressant, you can be putting them in a grave situation should you decide against immunization.

If you are in any of those groups, complications of the illness such as pneumonia are much higher than those who are not. If you come down with seasonal flu, it can have serious ramifications not just for you but also those you care about the most.

The good news is that the flu vaccine is easily available at places such as drugstores, urgent care clinics, your primary care doctor, and more. Maintaining good hygiene practices such as washing your hands regularly, eating well, and exercising regularly can help prevent the contraction and spread of the seasonal flu.

Did you know that you have Direct Access to Physical Therapy? No referral is needed. We offer the best Physical Therapy on Long Island where you can get help from our trusted and expert Physical Therapists. We have several locations on Long Island including Massapequa, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Lindenhurst. To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Park Physical Therapy and The Physical Therapy Alliance at (516) 568-4444.

Fibromyalgia

Do you suffer from chronic pain? Fibromyalgia could be the culprit. Fibromyalgia is a condition consisting of muscle pain and fatigue over a longer period of time. There is no definitive cause and it is most common in women who are middle aged or older, although this condition is seen with all walks of life. Aside from chronic pain and fatigue, fibromyalgia is also correlated with headaches, difficulties sleeping, memory cognition issues, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), and heightened sensitivity.

Research has shown that the pain stems from the misfire of pain receptors in the nervous system. Fibromyalgia is thought to possibly be linked to overstimulation of neuroreceptors, such as from disorders like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, viral infections, or incidents such as traumas to the spine. While we are discovering more and more about this condition each year, the causes of as well as a cure for fibromyalgia is still mostly unknown.

Pain management is critical to treating fibromyalgia and avoiding situations that might worsen your symptoms is of utmost importance. Staying active and focusing on emotional health such as reducing anxiety and depression can help lower incidences of severe pain.

Visit your doctor if you think you might have this condition. He or she will be able to recommend a course of treatment, often with guided physical exercise. Certain physical movements can help ease pain during a severe episode as well as provide optimal results in preventing these episodes.

Visiting a physical therapist is really integral in treating this illness. A physical therapist will be able to examine your lifestyle needs and pain incidences in order to prevent future episodes as much as possible. He or she will be able to prescribe physical movements that will be most effective in prevention and pain management.

Since there is no cure as of yet, living with and staying proactive to control your fibromyalgia is crucial to your quality of life.

Did you know that you have Direct Access to Physical Therapy? No referral is needed. We offer the best Physical Therapy on Long Island where you can get help from our trusted and expert Physical Therapists. We have several locations on Long Island including Massapequa, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Lindenhurst. To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Park Physical Therapy and The Physical Therapy Alliance at (516) 568-4444.