PT 360° August 2019

PT 360° August 2019

Getting you back to the life you want to live.

360

A ugust 2019

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D rop I t L ike I t ' s H ot

thunderstorm and accompanying downpour/flash flood. I swam in the pool just to keep cool. I drank sweet tea (really half sweet, half unsweetened. Even my sweet tooth was not Southern). I sat in one place and talked. A lot. That first summer, I went to visit my college housemate at his family’s “summer cottage” on Lake Erie in Ohio. It was stifling hot there too. I drove through Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio in one day to get there. This was a house his grandfather built, with a wrap-around porch and a view of the lake. My friend preferred to bathe in the lake and let me know I could shower inside if I wanted, but I’d be judged for it. I can take a hint. I grabbed my Ivory soap and ran off the dock. I was skeptical about actually feeling clean, but I was. I never saw a TV, and there was no internet. Twenty-five-plus years later, that summer is what helps define my adult summers. Because I realized adult summers are the most fun when you treat it like you’re a kid. My wish for you is that you take the heat in your life and don’t let it burn you up. A slow burn is sustainable to last a long time, but high heat burns us out quickly. Find those days to just “be,” sweaty parts and all. And add some sweet tea. It’s transformative, I promise. Shelly Coffman

We made it to the lazy days! June was so delightfully cool, and July so busy, I am ready for the slowdown that comes in August just before the school year gears back up. I love all that Portland summer has to offer — summer parks concerts, weekend festivities (Scooper-bowl anyone?), camping, paddleboarding, swim lessons, bike riding, but, phew! It’s BUSY! Heat and I have a prickly relationship. I went to graduate school in Atlanta, Georgia. I call it my“time abroad.” Culturally, this NY/ CA girl was CONFUSED. I spent my first PT student year sweaty and dehydrated. I had headaches most days a week for the six months that are summer in the South. I was perplexed by the constant niceties that came from EVERYONE. Even when it seemed like there shouldn’t be niceties, or the eyes showed a clear lack of wanting to be nice. Perplexing indeed. And it was SO HOT. My first summer there was over 95 degrees and over 95% humidity EVERY DAY for over 40 days in a row. It was stifling. I started to see the pointlessness in showers, as I was never dry —or clean for that matter. With the heat though, my body told me to slow down. Conserve that energy! Keep the thermostat low! Stop moving! And I complied. I sat outside late at night in balmy 90 degree temperatures and watched fireflies. I delighted in the daily 4 p.m.

C hoosing the B est W orkout R ecovery P lan for Y ou ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE RECOVERY

Whether you’re a runner, a weightlifter, or a cyclist, the twofold feeling that follows a hard workout is the same: pain and exhaustion. Sore muscles can make every movement difficult, and the discomfort that comes with stretching your arms, legs, and back will soon have you hunched over and shuffling around like someone twice your age. Faced with that fate, you have two recovery options: passive or active. Pick the right one and you’ll be back in the gym in no time. So, what is the difference between active and passive recovery? Really, the names say it all. Active recovery means continuing to move, even after a big workout. The day after you challenge yourself with a tough gym session, active recovery entails going for a long walk, trying a low-intensity bike ride, or even doing an abridged weightlifting session with lighter weights. Passive recovery is basically relaxation: It involves resting your muscles before you get back in the saddle. Unless you’re a real fitness junkie, passive recovery probably sounds the most appealing. A day spent lazing around with a book or watching your favorite television programs can be an irresistible prospect when your muscles are aching.

–-Shelly Coffman

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In an article for Bodybuilding.com, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Mike Robertson says he opts for active recovery every time. “I’ve been a huge proponent of active recovery for years. Even when I was younger, I realized that if I was sore after a session but got up and moved around the next day, I immediately started to feel better,” he said. Robertson claims active recovery shortens his total recovery time, decreases stiffness and soreness, and improves both mobility and overall fitness. However, he notes that it’s important to choose a workout that isn’t too taxing, to target different muscle groups from the day before, and to aim for “compound” exercises that take your body through a full range of motion, like squats, lunges, or pushups. “These rules have helped me design many active recovery workouts,” he said. Even so, not everyone agrees active recovery should be the standby. Janet Fitzgerald, one of the creators of SoulCycle’s SoulActivate program and a senior master instructor

for the indoor cycling company, told Runner’s World that passive recovery can be perfect for endurance athletes. She and other experts claim it reduces fatigue (both mental and physical) and enhances performance as a result. “By repeating this type of training method, athletes will decrease the time window in which they need to recover, ultimately lending to better endurance overall,” Fitzgerald said. not to push yourself too hard with your workout — if you go overboard, you could set your recovery back instead of speed it up. However, you also have to be mindful during passive recovery. Spending three days eating junk food on the couch won’t be nearly as effective as carving out 24 hours of rest, healthy eating, and self-care. Whichever you choose, finding the best recovery method for you and your exercise habits can make the difference between a speedy recovery and a week of drawn-out muscle ache. Both recovery programs have pros and cons. With active recovery, you need to be careful

T he A rt of S targazing H elping H umans S low D own and L ook U p

Extra Set of Eyes While novice stargazers often want to immediately throw their money at a new telescope, astronomy experts recommend starting with binoculars instead. You’ll need to identify several anchor planets or constellations to help you navigate the sky before using a telescope. Utilize Assets Put your phone to good use by downloading apps like Stellarium, Starwalk, and Google Sky Map. Each of these apps offers a unique benefit for aspiring stargazers. For example, Starwalk lets you point your phone at the sky to see stars, constellations, and planets in real time based on your location. Mark Your Calendar In 1972, beloved singer-songwriter John Denver wrote about a meteor shower he witnessed during a camping trip in Colorado. He describes the scene by singing, “I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky.”The “fire” he recounted was actually the Perseids meteor shower, the most recognized shower on Earth. This astrological wonder takes place every year from July 17 to Aug. 24. During this time, viewers should be able to see shooting stars associated with the Perseids, but the shower reaches its maximum rate of activity on Aug. 12–13 this year. Grab some friends and family, and head outdoors to put your newfound stargazing knowledge to work.

Modern humans are stuck in a routine of

expected and constant industriousness. But with all this rushing, people often drag themselves home at night with no

energy left to enjoy the most splendid show nature has to offer: the wondrous night sky.

Most people go through life looking straight ahead, but if they would stop and peer skyward, they’d bear witness to a massive,

unexplored frontier made up of the moon in all its phases, burning stars sailing through the sky, constellations with epic origin stories, and meteor showers bright enough to warrant sunglasses. If you’re looking for a hobby to help you slow down and appreciate the world around you, stargazing is a great option. Here are some tips to get you started. The Higher, the Better If you’re a city dweller, meander a little way out of town or try to find a tall building to keep the light pollution to a minimum.

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G one C amping

4 T hings to K eep in M ind on Y our N ext F amily C amping T rip

While summer is winding down, families are looking to go on a few end-of-season adventures, camping trips included. Before you head out into the wilderness with your family, it’s important to be prepared. In fact, “be prepared” is the best piece of advice when it comes to braving the great outdoors. But what does being prepared entail? Here are four key tips. Have a first-aid kit nearby. A good rule of thumb is to keep one in your car at all times. You never know when you’ll need it. Kids may get a few bumps and scrapes while out hiking, or you might encounter poisonous plants, such as poison ivy or poison oak. Having quick access to cold water, soap, antiseptics (hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol), and calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream can keep infections at bay. Teach fire safety. When you build a fire, especially with kids, teach them about fire safety. This includes building the fire itself. Pick a spot away from brush and overhanging branches and create a pit surrounded by rocks. Before lighting a fire, have a bucket of water and a shovel nearby so you can quickly extinguish it when ready. Finally, remember to only build a fire as big as you need. A larger fire can be difficult to manage and keep under control.

If a storm appears, seek shelter immediately and stay out of low-lying areas. When you’re in

mountainous or hilly terrain, a little rain is all it takes for flash floods to occur. If you’re in a ravine when it starts raining, get out immediately.

Always stick together. It’s a good idea to hike with a buddy and keep a whistle around your neck or in your pack. You never know what

you might encounter or when you’ll need help. Hiking with kids is also a great time to teach them to recognize landmarks and be aware of their surroundings. If you have a digital camera or smartphone, show kids how to create a trail of digital breadcrumbs or pictures to help them find their way back to camp.

Keep an eye on the sky. Weather can change at a moment’s notice, and sometimes, it doesn’t give notice at all. Keep a close eye on the sky and monitor the weather on a radio.

S ummertime G azpacho

Ingredients

•

2 1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes; cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 small cucumber; peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 red bell pepper; cored, seeded, and sliced into ribbons

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1 small Vidalia onion, peeled and cubed

• • • • •

1/4 cup basil leaves 1 clove garlic, peeled

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1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

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Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions 1. Place a blender and

to blender. Blend on low, gradually raising speed to high until smooth, about 2 minutes. 4. Add blender contents to bowl and mix until just broken up, about 10–20 seconds. 5. Let mixture sit in fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Transfer to bowls and serve.

medium mixing bowl on your workstation. 2. Divide the tomato chunks, cucumber pieces, and bell pepper slices evenly between blender and bowl. Place entire onion in blender. 3. Add basil, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper

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I nside T his I ssue

Drop It Like It's Hot Choosing the Best Workout Recovery Plan for You Page 1 The Art of Stargazing Page 2

Stay Safe While Camping Summertime Gazpacho Page 3 Physical Therapy Is for More Than Injuries Page 4

B eyond the B reak P hysical T herapy H elps W ith S troke R ecovery , P arkinson ' s , and M ore In TV dramas, physical therapists often urge the hero back into action. Usually, their patient has suffered some dramatic injury, like breaking every bone in the right side of their body or losing a leg to a rampaging horse. And while many physical therapists do specialize in helping athletes recover from injuries, applications for the practice go well beyond that stereotype. People battling the aftereffects of a stroke or suffering from long-term ailments like Parkinson’s disease can also benefit from regular physical therapy sessions. In fact, the National Stroke Association lists a physical therapist as a vital member of any stroke recovery team, placing them alongside experts like dietitians, psychiatrists, neurologists, and speech- language pathologists. In those cases, physical therapists are on hand to help stroke survivors with movement and balance issues and to recommend exercises that rebuild strong muscles for walking, standing, and other everyday activities. Parkinson’s disease afflicts the central nervous system and makes movement difficult, and its symptoms can also be mitigated by physical therapy. Denise Padilla-Davidson, a Johns Hopkins physical therapist who treats people with Parkinson’s, recommends PT to her patients for

improving their balance, strength, and flexibility. Specifically, bike or elliptical exercises can help those with Parkinson’s remaster reciprocal patterns (movements from side to side or left to right). There’s also a form of therapy called LSVT BIG, which involves performing exaggerated physical movements, and it can help those with the disease stave off hypokinesia, which is the decrease of movement that becomes more severe as Parkinson’s progresses. Similar physical therapy programs can be adapted for those with other chronic diseases, like multiple sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease, by slowing the disease’s progress and making the people who have them more capable and comfortable. Of course, treatments vary on a case-to-case basis, so be sure to consult your doctor before starting PT.

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