Yoga and Physical Therapy: Do They Go Hand in Hand?

Have you ever suffered from muscle tightness, back pain, or just felt “stiff” after an injury? If you’ve found yourself reading this blog, I’m betting you have.

When you engage in physical therapy after an injury, a large part of your rehabilitation is maintenance of joint stability, strengthening the ligament function in the injured area, and working to equalize the pressure distribution at the articular surface.³ A great way to improve in all of these areas? One of the oldest activities around, yoga. Today, I want to introduce you to a few common injuries and the yoga poses that can help you along the road to recovery.

Restoring stability to a joint allows for you to regain control of the injured extremity, not only promoting healing from the previous injury, but preventing further injury later on.⁴ For example, one of the most common knee injuries that athletes suffer is a valgus collapse.¹ This type of injury stems from knee instability, an ailment that can be remedied through physical therapy and aided by yoga poses such as the Half Moon Pose. The Half Moon Pose or “Ardha Chandrasana”, strengthens the thighs and ankles, helping to improve your overall balance and knee stability by strengthening the muscles surrounding the knee joint. Here is a quick video demonstrating Half Moon Pose.

While stability is important for joints such as the knee or ankle joint, flexibility is another aspect of overall health and well-being that shouldn’t be ignored. Restoring flexibility after an injury, especially if the injured extremity was immobilized at any time, is an extremely important aspect of rehabilitation.³ Flexibility allows for a joint to undergo a certain amount of stress without causing damage to the surrounding tissues. An example of a joint where flexibility and a good range of motion is a must is the hip joint. A great pose to improve hip flexibility is the Pigeon pose.² Pigeon Pose, or Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, stretches the hip rotators and hip flexors, opening up the hips and allowing for better posture, alignment and of course increased flexibility.⁵ Take a quick look at this video to learn proper Pigeon Pose form.

Overall, incorporating yoga and stretching into your physical therapy routine can lead to stronger joints, more flexibility and most importantly, injury prevention in the future. If you think that this practice could help you in your healing, talk to your physical therapist about how you can fit in some yoga into your daily rehabilitation!

References:

¹Contreras, B. (2013, June 14). Knee Valgus (Valgus Collapse), Glute Medius Strengthening, Band Hip Abduction Exercises, and Ankle Dorsiflexion Drills. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from https://bretcontreras.com/knee-valgus-valgus-collapse-glute-medius-strengthening-band-hip-abduction-exercises-and-ankle-dorsiflexion-drills/

²Crandell, J. (2014, June 18). Yoga Sequence | Hip Openers | Yoga Poses for Flexibility in the Hips. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice-section/hip-to-it/

³Davis, K. (2015, September 30). Flexibility, Mobility, and Stability: What's the Difference and Why are They Important? Retrieved March 30, 2017, from https://www.fix.com/blog/flexibility-mobility-stability/

⁴Hamilton, A. (2017, March 07). Flexibility and stretching: preventing sports injuries. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from https://www.pponline.co.uk/endurance-training/strength-conditioning-and-flexibility/flexibility-stretching-preventing-sports-injuries/

⁵Lawrence, G. (n.d.). Pose of the Month: Pigeon Pose. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from http://www.active.com/health/articles/pose-of-the-month-pigeon-pose

⁶Tarma, J. (2015, July 09). 4 Ways to Build Hip Stability and Strength from Yoga. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from http://www.yogajournal.com/slideshow/4-ways-build-hip-stability/#1

Video Credit:
-YogaJournal.com
-Yoga with Adriene

Manual Physical Therapy and Healing

If you have ever had to attend physical therapy after an orthopedic surgery, you’re probably familiar with orthopedic manual physical therapy. Defined as “any ‘hands-on’ treatment provided by a physical therapist”, the goal of manual therapy is to restore range of motion, improve muscle activation, and improve mobility and function of the targeted muscles.²

One of the most appealing aspects of manual physical therapy is the affect it has on pain management. Soft tissue mobilization is the technique that decreases muscle tension through restoring motion to a joint by breaking up fibrous muscle tissue (scar tissue).¹ Soft tissue mobilization is achieved by placing a traction force, such as slow, steady pressure, on the injured area. This technique is ideal for patients suffering from excess scar tissue who are seeking to restore the normal texture to the injured tissue and reduce the pain associated with scar tissue.

Manual Physical Therapy of the hand

If you have spent much time in the exercise science or physical therapy world, you’re probably familiar with this next technique, myofascial release. Myofascial release benefits individuals suffering from myofascial pain syndrome, or even those who may just have tightness due to exercise or injury.⁴  One of the most common ways to achieve myofascial release is by using a foam roller to pinpoint specific “trigger points” within the myofascial tissues.³ Myofascial release is successful in treating muscle pain by helping to relax tight muscles by increasing pressure on the trigger point until the entire muscle relaxes.

Foam roller used in myofascial release

Whether you suffer from chronic muscle tightness and soreness or are trying to regain motion in your joints and muscles after a surgery, manual physical therapy could possibly be beneficial to you.

References:

1Daul, R. (2006, January 13). Specific Manual Physical Therapy Techniques. Retrieved March 10, 2017, from http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/physical-therapy/specific-manual-physical-therapy-techniques

2Gerstell, F. (2017). Manual Therapy. Retrieved March 10, 2017, from http://www.physio-pedia.com/Manual_Therapy

3Martin, A. (2013, March 13). What Is Myofascial Tissue? Retrieved March 23, 2017, from http://patch.com/iowa/ankeny/bp--what-is-myofascial-tissue

4Staff, P. (2016, July 14). Manipulation/Mobilization. Retrieved March 10, 2017, from http://www.apta.org/StateIssues/Manipulation/

Using Cupping in Modern Physical Therapy

During the 2016 Olympic Games, an ancient therapeutic practice was brought into the spotlight by Michael Phelps. If you watched any coverage of the games, you probably saw the weird, perfectly round, red circles all over Phelps’ back and shoulders. The spots were the result of “cupping”, a practice that dates back to ancient Greece and traditional Chinese medicine as well.2

The act of cupping is defined as the use of “cups applied to the skin along the meridians of the body, creating suction as a way of stimulating the flow of energy.” 1 The most interesting thing about the world's top athletes using cupping in their therapy is that although it is an ancient practice, the results of cupping have not been largely studied or published.  

Modern cupping tools

The benefit from cupping is thought to come from the tensile stress the cups exert on the area of the body where they are placed, causing capillaries to rupture and activating blood flow to the area and creating a type of “counter irritation” effect.3 The counter irritation produced by the cups is thought to increase the metabolic activity in the affected area and temporarily relieve pain, allowing athletes a quick-fix for when they are trying to play through an injury.

If you are an elite athlete or just a regular person looking for a natural pain management remedy, cupping may be the right option for you. Combined with regular physical therapy, cupping is believed to decrease pain by stimulating inhibitory neural pathways and promote healing in the affected area through increased blood flow and metabolic activity.

Although the effects of cupping are essentially speculation at this point, it is an alternative medicine practice that has been used for generations and generations before us. But, as with any new exercise regimen or treatment plan you should speak with your doctor or therapist about cupping before adding it to your routine. If you are suffering from muscle pain and looking for a natural remedy, give cupping a try and you may be surprised by what this ancient practice can do for you.

Resources:

1Cobian, D., & Heiderscheit, B. (2016, August 15). Cupping: Why We're All Seeing Spots. Retrieved March 02, 2017, from http://www.apta.org/Blogs/PTTransforms/2016/8/15/SeeingSpots/

2Cupping. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2017, from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cupping

Definition

3Cupping Therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2017, from http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/cupping-therapy#2

Using Video Games in Physical Therapy

Picture what you consider to be the typical physical therapy exercise. Most people  would probably imagine a lot of weights, stretching, and maybe a treadmill. However, because the physical therapy landscape is constantly changing and adapting to the technology around us, that means that many practices are incorporating video games into patient treatment plans.

As a future physical therapist, I have thought about my preferred specialization for years and have narrowed it down to two that seem to be continuously changing. In the pediatric and sport medicine worlds, treatment protocols are constantly changing and in order to be at the top of your field as a physical therapist, you have to stay up to date with the new technology and change your practices along the way. One of the ways therapy treatments are changing is by incorporating more technology into your treatment plans. In 2011, a group of students at Rice University developed a video game marketed specifically for getting kids more excited about improving their gait and balance by incorporating the Wii Balance Board and weighted balance bars.2 In the game, patients would shoot monsters (like any kid would want to do) and the game would increase in difficulty as they progressed in strength and balance.

Incorporating fun into exercise is not a new concept. I would be willing to bet that the last time you went out and ran or went to the gym and lifted weights, you listened to music during your workout. Adding entertainment and breaking up the monotony of physical therapy follows that same line of thinking, if the exercise is fun patients will be more willing to work hard. Some practices have even gone a step further and incorporated a virtual reality element to their treatment plans. They use systems such as the Interactive Virtual Reality Exercise System (IREX) or Computer Assisted Rehabilitation ENvironment (CAREN).1 These systems allow physical therapists to create a fully customized virtual reality treatment environment for their patients.

Example of a virtual reality apparatus used in physical therapy.
Consists of a motion sensing mat, projector screen, pulleys, etc.

While still relatively expensive, I hope that the use of technology such as CAREN, IREX, or the Wii becomes more and more common throughout the coming years. I believe that incorporating technology into daily treatment will make it seem like less of a dreaded task and more of something that the patient is excited to do. This will not only help the patient heal, but it will also make therapy fun and more enjoyable.

References:

1Team, F. (2016, April 03). CAREN System Adds Fun and Variety to MS Physical Therapy. Retrieved February 22, 2017, from http://www.fitness-gaming.com/news/markets/health-and-rehab/caren-system-adds-fun-and-variety-to-ms-physical-therapy.html#.WK3bJPnyu9I

2Webb, P. (2011, October 11). Video Games and Physical Therapy: Just Cool or Does It Really Work? Retrieved February 22, 2017, from http://www.physiospot.com/sponsors/video-games-and-physical-therapy-just-cool-or-does-it-really-work/

Yoga and Football: Mutually exclusive or the perfect pair?

Think of the typical yogi. Are you picturing a 6’5” 300 pound offensive lineman? If not, maybe you should be.

Did you know the Seattle Seahawks made yoga a mandatory part of practice before going on to win the 2014 Superbowl?3 If you’re thinking this sounds crazy, you’re probably not alone. But, I promise in the next few minutes it will make a lot more sense.

As an athlete, one of the most important aspects of injury prevention is flexibility. When you spend time building up your flexibility and making sure your body is able to withstand the constant twisting, turning, and bending of your sport, you are much less likely to injure yourself in practice or in a game. When speaking specifically of football, this is the measurement known as “fluidity through the hips”; basically how well you are able to move in any direction at any moment.4 Great examples of exercises that will help loosen up the hips and allow you to be quick and agile would be yoga poses such as the low lunge pose, the pigeon pose, and the frog pose.1

Frog pose

When practicing yoga, a major aspect is taking time to re-center yourself and focus on the tasks in front of you. When engaging in a competitive sport, being able to focus or “get your head in the game” can be a make or break for an athlete. Allowing yourself to get out of your head, or lose focus, can be the deciding factor between making a crucial play or missing it entirely.

Now, you may be thinking “Well won’t adding yoga just take up time that I could be spending lifting and getting stronger?” Don’t be afraid that you’re wasting your time; yoga can make you stronger in more ways than one. While yes, doing a yoga workout will help build muscle, learning to control your breathing and accessing parts of your respiratory system that you may not have been able to access before will make you more efficient.2

So before you hit leg day again, think about adding a day of active recovery yoga to your exercise regimen. Give yourself the time to re-focus yourself, improve your breathing, and gain flexibility and it will benefit you on and off the field for many games to come.

References:

1 Anderson, D., & Snyder, S. (2015, June 22). 9 Yoga Poses for Better Mobility in Your Hips | Hip Opener Sequence. Retrieved February 09, 2017, from http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice-section/hip-enough/

2Eanes, B. (n.d.). How to Breathe for Efficiency, Longevity, and Stress Relief. Retrieved February 22, 2017, from https://breakingmuscle.com/learn/how-to-breathe-for-efficiency-longevity-and-stress-relief

3Roenigk, A. (2013, August 21). Lotus pose on two. Retrieved February 09, 2017, from http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/9581925/seattle-seahawks-use-unusual-techniques-practice-espn-magazine

4Smith, L. (2014, April 20). Why Every Football Player Should Do Yoga. Retrieved February 09, 2017, from http://www.thefootballeducator.com/every-football-player-yoga/