PT Pro - May 2021

PT Pro - May 2021

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ARE YOU READY TO RIDE?

Once you have the ideal bike fit, you might be looking for a few places to ride. The great thing about our area is that it’s packed with all kinds of trails suitable for beginners all the way up to the super advanced and competitive riders. The Burke-Gilman Trail is a great example. It’s suitable for many different skill levels. It’s a 19-mile route in North Seattle that starts (or ends) in Golden Gardens Park and follows the Fremont Cut to Lake Union, Gas Works Park, and Portage Bay before turning north to follow the shore of Lake Washington up to Kenmore. Keep in mind this route cuts through some busy areas, so be aware. Further east, there’s the Sammamish River Trail. It’s a 19-mile-long trail that runs along the Sammamish River, as you would expect. The trail runs between Bothell and Redmond — and even connects with the Burke-Gilman Trail, so if you’re looking for a longer ride, there you go! It’s also a fairly accessible ride for different skill levels and interests. Unlike the Burke-Gilman Trail, this trail runs through quieter areas and is more scenic. For more “extreme” riders, you can’t forget the Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park. The park, due east of Lake Sammamish in Issaquah, features numerous trails that are clearly marked for every type of rider. The trails are well- maintained and ideal for the whole family. These are just a few examples out of many. Biking is a great activity and a great way to spend an afternoon. If you can build it into your commute, even better! Always wear a helmet, follow the traffic laws, and have fun!

about, you’ll realize something is wrong. Just like a poor shoe fit, a poor bike fit can leave you feeling uncomfortable — and it can even lead to pain and injury. My suggestion is if you are planning to buy a new bike soon — no matter what type of bike it is — visit a reputable bike shop and get fitted to the bike. This way, you get help from someone who knows bikes and can help you determine fit and make necessary adjustments to the bike so it’s just right. Having been around plenty of bikes, fit is far more nuanced than you would think. Not every recreational cyclist needs to get down to a super specific fit, but if you plan on doing a lot of riding, you want to make sure everything is where it needs to be. You want it to work with your body so you don’t have to put in any extra or undue effort to make it function correctly. This includes things like pedal and seat position and how your legs cycle through a full rotation. If you have a bad fit, this can put a lot of strain on your knees. Biking is often good for the knees (and great for knee rehab), but poor fit can have the opposite effect. You also want to make sure the handles aren’t too far away or too close. And you want to make sure the handlebars are well positioned to your wrists. This is often overlooked, even during the test ride. During longer rides, if your wrists are held in an awkward position, it can lead to pain. I encourage you to take your time when buying a bike, whether it’s brand new or you’re looking at used models. Taking the time to get that fit is worth it. If you plan on riding frequently, your body will thank you!

M ay is National Bike Month! Thanks in large part to the weather, May is the perfect month for it, too. Not only that, but there’s also Bike to School Day on May 5 and Bike to Work Day on May 21. In honor of all things biking this month, I thought I would take the opportunity to talk about bikes and biking, especially with more people taking to the roads and trails on their bikes this spring. From a physical therapy standpoint, it’s all about “bike fit.” You don’t want to invest in a new bike or take your bike out for a ride if it doesn’t fit well. It’s a lot like wearing a shoe that doesn’t fit quite right. You may have tried it on briefly, or took a look at it and assumed it would fit, but as soon as you’re out and

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5 BEST RECIPE APPS For a Healthier Mind and Body If you’re always in a rush, it’s quite possible

of recipes? Easy! Get a recipe manager app like Paprika! It’s only $5, and you can input all your recipe URLs and easily organize your favorite recipes from the internet. BIGOVEN Only have a few ingredients but need to cook a meal? Just type in three ingredients, and BigOven will search its 350,000-recipe bank to find the perfect options for free. BigOven also makes it easy to follow your favorite food bloggers while staying on top of your food supply!

you’re a vegetarian, vegan, or a plant-based omnivore, you’ll love Forks Over Knives’ creative and simple dishes that blend perfectly with your needs. For only $5, you can easily find something to suit your tastes and health needs in the over 400 high-quality recipes from 50 celebrated chefs. You may even stave off heart disease and Type 2 diabetes while you’re at it. BBC GOOD FOOD With over 10,000 recipes accessible from BBC’s cooking history, this app brings together both user-submitted recipes and tested recipes from the BBC Good Food team and celebrity chefs — for free. Create an account and save all your favorites! PAPRIKA You might already have your favorite go-to recipe blogs and websites, such as BudgetBytes and Bon Appetit. How do you manage your cluttered bookmark folders

that food delivery apps have been your best friend during the pandemic. But they may also make it difficult to stay healthy! Save yourself both time and money by replacing your food delivery apps with these top-rated healthy recipe and recipe management apps, instead. TASTY You’ve likely seen a Tasty food recipe video on Facebook or social media somewhere. Their beautifully simplistic editing style makes it easy to understand and follow recipes, and you can access their whole library for free with their app! It even includes a grocery list function when you want to take on multiple recipes. FORKS OVER KNIVES In recent years, nutritionists and doctors alike have started recommending a plant- based diet for its health benefits. Whether

We hope these apps will help you cook and eat simpler, healthier, and faster than ever!

EXERCISE OF THE MONTH Bottoms Up! (Flossing your hamstrings)

Why: Prolonged sitting or general lack of activity can allow your muscles to functionally shorten. This means that they may not have literally lost physical length but that they don’t move through their full range of motion fluidly. Fluidity in hamstrings takes strain off your back and allows for more efficient movement. This is a great warmup activity before a hike, jumping into a soccer game, or going rock climbing. How: Hamstring lengthening: Put elbows on thighs, drop head, slowly squeeze quad (thigh) muscles to straighten legs as much as possible and feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Bend and straighten your knees slowly thinking about lifting your tailbone to the sky. Repeat 10 times. **Keep your back straight/still — do not round your back. Only your knees are moving in this exercise. Proof it works: Test your hamstring length before and after by measuring how far you can run your hands down the front of your legs.

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Inspired by 101Cookbooks.com

GETTING BACK TO WHAT MATTERS Meet Steve, PT Pro’s Newest PT!

Stephen Harris is a runner. At one point in time, he had his mind set on becoming an elite runner who also practiced physical therapy. He moved out to Boston, partnered with an elite training team, and worked toward that ultimate goal. However, it turned out that balancing a career as a PT and being an elite runner was a challenging proposition. Training took up a lot of time. Plus, he knew he needed to take better care of himself — overexerting himself between bouts of intense running and serving as a PT wasn’t going to work. So, he decided to focus on being a physical therapist and helping more people. No more running 80 or 90 miles every week!

EASY & HEALTHY GREEN RICE

This rice recipe is perfect for getting your kids to eat their greens without realizing it!

Ingredients

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1/2 cup yellow onions, finely diced 1/2 cup green peppers, diced 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

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1 cup tightly packed spinach leaves

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1 cup tightly packed kale leaves, stems removed 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock 2 tbsp full-fat coconut milk

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Of course, Steve continues to run, just not quite as much as he used to. That said, his journey into PT wasn’t without its road bumps. Before joining the PT Pro team, he worked with a corporate PT clinic — a clinic that was more volume-driven than people-driven. It was a revolving door of patients with very little time for hands-on treatment, and Steve was concerned those patients weren’t getting the full care they needed or deserved. It got to the point where Steve began to wonder if PT was the right choice. But he wasn’t about to simply give up. Instead, he sought out a clinic that was more aligned with his goals as a therapist. “I wanted to find somewhere that was patient-centric, a place that was about getting people better rather than completely focused on volume and billing.” Long story short, he found PT Pro, and in March, Steve became our newest PT! “Now, I’m at a place of healing,” he says. “Patients feel heard. Here we are expected to listen, learn, heal, and know that it is a privilege to work with patients. They’re not just a number. I feel great to be a PT again!” And as a PT, Steve is driven by the fact that he gets to help people get back to something that is meaningful to them. The bottom line is, a lot of people seek PT because they can no longer do something they love, whether it’s because of injury, pain, balance trouble, or other mechanical issues within the body. “They are in my office because something critical to their identity has been disrupted. They want to get back to that. I want to help them get back to that. As we work toward that goal and eventually get them back into their element, that’s what makes it all worthwhile!”

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp kosher salt

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1 cup long-grain white rice

Directions

1. In a blender, purée spinach and kale with vegetable stock, coconut milk, and salt. Set aside. 2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. 3. Stir in rice and cook and toast for 1–2 minutes before adding the blended mixture. Increase heat to bring to a boil. 4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid has evaporated, 15–20 minutes. 5. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

“Don’t wait for someone to bring you flowers. Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul.” –Luther Burbank

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It’s Bike Season!

5 Best Recipe Apps for a Healthier Mind and Body

Exercise of the Month

PT Pro Welcomes a New PT to the Team — Meet Stephen Harris!

Green Rice Recipe

Your Pre-Ride Checklist

READY FOR THE RIDE

4 Things to Check Before Your Next Bike Ride Bicycles are the star of this month’s newsletter! On the cover, we share a few ways to get more out of your cycling experience (and a few great places to bike), but the tips don’t end there. It’s always important to be prepared for every ride. As you get ready for your next ride — whether it’s your first of the year or you’ve been out numerous times — there are four things to check before jumping on the saddle:

only a light coat of lubrication to keep it running smoothly. When you lift the chain up on the bottom run, there should be little give (no more than half an inch or so) before the rear derailleur cage begins to move forward. Any more and a bump on the road can knock the chain off the drivetrain. • Brakes With regular use, brake levers and cables can become slackened, which means weaker braking. That’s the last thing you want if you need to stop in a pinch. On top of this, brakes and brake pads wear out and need to be adjusted or replaced regularly.

• Tires Always check tire pressure before heading out. Maintaining good tire pressure (firm to the pinch) ensures a safer and more efficient ride. Underinflation can damage rims and spokes, and overinflation can split the tire, especially if you hit a bump. Both can damage the tire and inner tube as well. • Spokes Correctly tensioned spokes keep the wheel perfectly round. Poorly tensioned spokes can create a wobbly ride and can damage the wheel, brakes, and the bike itself. Adjust spoke tension with a spoke wrench or take your bike to a bike mechanic for a checkup. (It’s always good to take your bike in at least once a year for a professional tuneup.) • Chain Give your chain, shifters, and derailleurs (gears) a regular once-over. The chain should be well-tensioned and clean, with

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