PTII: Improving Your Health and Fitness

Health&Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Improving Your Health With 4 Easy Stretches

Many common aches and pains stem from tight muscles and poor movement. We were made to move and today’s lifestyle of sitting in the car, at work and at home, means tighter muscles.

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CHECK OUT OUR PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT SECTION INSIDE!

Albert E. Knuth, M.D.

Al Flores, PT, CFCE Director of Rehab

Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Improving Your Health With 4 Easy Stretches

your back straight. Push your hips back until you feel a definite, but not painful, stretch at the back of the forward knee. For a greater stretch put your heel on a step. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times on both legs. 2. Iliopsoas Stretch Assume a wide, long lunge position with hands on hips. Tuck the buttocks under while you shift your weight to the forward leg. Keep your good posture. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times on both legs. 3. Shoulder Flexion Stretch Stand in a corner of the room with one foot in front of the other. Put your hands on the wall. Make sure to keep your back flat! Reach arms up overhead. Move chest towards the wall to feel a stretch in the chest. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times. 4. Piriformis Stretch Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on floor. Cross one leg overtop. Lock hands around knee. Pull knee to chest. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times on both legs.

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In addition, as we age our connective and muscle tissues naturally become stiffer. Therefore, the older you get, the more important a daily stretching routine becomes. The key to good health is to keep your body flexible. This helps your circulatory, respiratory, lymphatic, and musculoskeletal systems. When your tissues are flexible, normal blood and lymphatic fluids circulate the body easier, oxygenating your tissues properly. This helps you feel energized, relieves pain, and allows you to perform daily tasks without feeling tired. 1. Hamstring Stretch Stand facing a wall (or a counter) , use it to steady yourself if needed. Take a large step forward with one leg. Straighten the knee of the forward leg, while shifting your body weight onto the bent, back leg. Hands on the forward knee. Hinge forward from the hips, keeping

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A PLANK A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AT BAY A plank is a simple exercise that anyone can do to improve their core strength. This exercise helps you strengthen so many of your muscles, guiding them to work together. Your core muscles are vital to the health of your low back and spine. If you suffer from an achy back or neck, then try doing this exercise to feel better.

How to do a plank (If you are unsure about doing this exercise, call us first) 1. Start by lying face down. You may want to put a pillow under your abdomen if it is uncomfortable to lie flat. 2. Bring your elbows underneath you, then gently rise up onto your elbows and knees, so that your abdomen is off the floor. 3. Keep your abdomen tucked gently in so that your body is straight without sagging. 4. Try to hold this for 30 seconds if you can. You may feel your muscles shake a little while doing this, which means they are working! 5. It is important to start off with small increments and build over the course of a week as you become stronger.

6. To advance the plank and make it more difficult, lift your knees off the ground, keeping your body straight. 7. Ideally, you should be able to hold this position for 2 minutes. 8. You may have some soreness the next day as you are using muscles that have not been worked that way in a while.

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“I want to thank you for all you have done for me. I am better than l have been in a long time. A few days after my last appointment with you I had no pain in my legs and it has not come back. I have not been taking any more pain medicine. Thank you!” - L.G. “I have not been taking any more pain medicine. Thank you!”

Come Back In For A Consultation Whether you want to come in for a check-up, suffered a recent injury or you want to improve your health, you can choose the physical therapy practice you want! Come back to PTII for a consultation today!

See our physical therapists for: • Recent injury • Nagging aches and pains • Back and neck pain • Joint pain and movement problems • Walking or balance difficulties

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FOX RIVER GROVE LOCATION: 1009 IL Route 22 Suite 1 Fox River Grove, IL 60021-1998

PARK RIDGE LOCATION: 1550 North Northwest Highway Suite 120 Park Ridge, IL 60068

T 847-462-8707 F 847-462-9208

T 847-298-3079 F 847-298-4019

EXERCISE ESSENTIALS

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Try these exercises to get you moving...

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PRONE HIP EXTENSION While lying face down with your knee straight, slowly raise up leg off the ground. Repeat 10 times.

FOUR POINT + ARM RAISE Start on hands and knees, hips and shoulders at 90°. Lift one arm out front. Bring it back down and then repeat on opposite side. 8-10 times on both arms.

Helps Aches & Pains In Lower Body

Loosens Neck & Shoulder

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Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.

PATIENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHT

HEALTHY RECIPE

PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT

Albert E. Knuth, M.D.

Dr. Albert E. Knuth, M.D. is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in pediatric orthopaedics, limb lengthening, and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Knuth promotes conservative therapy as the first option for his patients, before ever considering surgery.

Dr. Knuth is an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, and the Limb Lengthening and Reconstructive Society. Dr. Knuth has been recognized for his compassion and excellence in the care of his patients. As a father of five children, and foster father to many more, he prides himself in understanding the parent child relationship and its impact on medical care. His one and only goal is to provide the finest quality of pediatric and adolescent orthopaedic care in a comfortable and caring environment. He listens to his patients and works closely with physical and occupational therapists to get the best outcomes with conservative treatment or post-operatively.

He has been practicing in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago since 1998. His special interests are pediatric fracture care, club foot, scoliosis, and limb length inequality. After completing his undergraduate education, medical school, and Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program at Northwestern University in Chicago, (Go Cats!), Dr. Knuth completed his Pediatric Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Fellowship at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas.

Dr. Knuth enjoys spending time with his wife and five daughters. He is an avid sports fan and likes his rock ‘n’ roll music.