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Golfers reach.  Waiters bow.  Deadlift.  Warrior 3.  Airplane.  Forward fold.  Rock backs.

What do all of these activities have in common? They require isolated movement of your hip joint, also known as a hip hinge.  Bending from the hips helps you to maintain a neutral position of the spine which is a critical movement for function.  As humans, we often need to get close to the floor – for gardening, to pick up laundry, to lift grocery bags, to pick up your children (you get the picture).  If your hip doesn’t hinge well in its socket or your hamstrings limit this movement, the next set of joints that have to get you lower are in your lower back.  While bending the spine isn’t a dangerous or bad thing, we need stability in the spine when lifting or leaning. 

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The ability to touch your toes when bending forward from a standing position with straight knees is one way we measure flexibility. This is because there are many daily activities that require flexibility in the muscles on the back of your body. A few everyday examples include picking things up off of the ground, taking your shoes on and off, loading or unloading the washing machine, and much more.

Also, if you don’t have adequate flexibility in the structures that allow you to forward bend with ease, you are at risk for developing lower back pain, and possibly pain in your neck and upper back, hips, knees or lower legs. Because of the importance of flexibility for function and pain prevention, the toe touch flexibility screen is a useful tool. It can direct you or your physical therapist to the specific muscle groups that need to be addressed.

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Holding the plank position is a good indicator of your core strength. Core strength and endurance are extremely important in maintaining a healthy spine and avoiding low back pain. If you’re unable to hold a good quality plank for the recommended time, this article is for you.

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The serratus anterior muscle is a great one to focus on for shoulder strength and health.  It’s also known as the boxer’s muscle. Not only does it keep your shoulder blade stable on your rib cage, it also helps with shoulder protraction and upward rotation.  These actions maintain space in your shoulder joint when you reach or raise your arm. After all, nobody likes the pain of a pinching shoulder.

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Most of us read this question and think, “of course!”. But, can you do it without slouching or experiencing pain? Contemplate it for a moment, or even better, give it a try. If you think or know the answer is no, we encourage you to read on.

Physical therapists are big fans of movement to decrease pain. And we commonly modify activities to help minimize your experience of pain.  However, the ability to hold certain positions is necessary to work, drive and otherwise function in our modern world.  Being able to hold a typical posture like sitting or standing for an hour without pain or slouching is an indicator of your physical endurance and function. 

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Mindfulness, meditation, and breathing exercises. Many of these ideas have been hot topics to help with mental health. Interestingly, many of the interventions we use as physical therapists involve practicing mindfulness with exercise and movement. For example, learning to be conscious of how you are moving and breathing, or working to change your posture. 

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How are you doing with making a habit of doing your physical therapy exercises, or committing to a fitness routine? If you’re ready to make exercise part of your routine, skip the resolutions and go straight to taking steps to create an exercise habit. Committing to exercise is worthwhile because it’s a great way to decrease pain, reverse or avoid sedentary diseases, and benefit your mental health. Read on to learn practical steps that will get you into the habit of exercising consistently.

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