Cairn Physical Therapy & Wellness

Do you have allergies?  I do  . . . since I was a kid. Just the regular seasonal allergies ~ things bloom I sneeze and sniff.  With the heat and constant outdoor adventures, August always seemed the worst (you would think April but I just remember it being August?!?)  So in honor of all us allergy prone folks we are talking about Breathing and Breath this month! While allergies can have an impact on your breathing especially during physical activity, Physical Therapists refer out to an Allergist, Internist, Pediatrician or Family Medicine Specialist for diagnosis and treatment of allergies. So let's get into the other components of breathing that Physical Therapists address during evaluation and treatment.  **DISCLAIMER: I have mentioned in the February blog that there is a subspecialty of Physical Therapy that one can be Board Certified in ~ Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy. This blog is not intended for those with a diagnosed pulmonary condition/d...

It is impossible that one will never feel pain . . . there are so many different kinds. For our purposes we will focus on physical pain as that is what relates most to injury. In our first blog of July we talked about Independence from Injury, and as promised, this post is about Freedom from Pain!   When initially injured one has acute pain (lasting 2-3 days) and as the healing begins this pain diminishes. When something interfere's with the healing process the pain can linger. If this happens for 6 months or more it becomes chronic. Chronic pain persists long after the injury is actually healed. But what if you didn't have an injury? Sometimes we just wake up with pain. Sometimes we just notice some pain that doesn't really go away. Sometimes we don't even remember how long it has been because it really wasn't that bothersome for several weeks and suddenly we can't reach the top shelf or squat down to pick up our kids. These can be characterized as chronic as w...

It's July and summer is in full swing! Are you able to get out and enjoy the sun, sand and surf (or your outdoor activity of choice)? If your answer is no, keep reading! This post contains helpful information on how to reclaim your independence from injury! RICE versus MEAT?? No matter your injury/pain location there are fundamental are ways to heal faster. It used to be RICE ~ Rest  Ice Compression Elevation It still can be for the first 24-72 hours after injury. Longer than that and you risk slowing your healing and prolonging your recovery. Ultimately you can't return to the activities you love very quickly! Try  MEAT~  Movement Exercise Analgesics Treatment Movement  Ever sit too long at work, on a plane, in the car? Remember how you felt getting up? Movement is just as important to healing as resting fatigued or irritated tissue. **Exceptions to Movement ~ if you have a broken bone or a torn tendon or ligament you should not move that body part ~ it needs to be ...

June is Men's Health Month and . . .  the 12th of June is Family Health and Fitness Day, the 19th is Father's Day and on the 21st we welcome summer ~ a time for getting outside to play, vacation, unwind and more!  Let's start with some stats:  Currently, men are dying an average of 5 years younger than women and lead 9 out of 10 of the top causes of death. Leading causes of death in 2020 include Heart disease, Cancer and COVID-19. Men also have a higher suicide death rate than women.  Men account for 92% of fatal workplace injuries. Why? Men are employed in the most dangerous occupations, such as mining, fire fighting, construction, and fishing. Men do not see physicians for a physical exam nearly as often as women and men are more likely to be uninsured than women. Men make ½ as many physician visits for prevention. Compared to women, men are more likely to smoke, drink and make unhealthy or risky choices.  Adding to the problem:  Society discour...

You may be wondering why we are talking about food allergies . . . we are Physical Therapists not Nutritionists or Gastrointestinal Physicians or Allergists. Here's why:  Food has a lot to do with injury recovery, healing, and tissue maintenance! Let's start with some definitions and physiology . . . The "Gut" means the gastrointestinal (GI) tract from the mouth to the large intestine.   "Gut Health" refers to the health of the entire system ~ the function and balance of the bacteria that work in the GI tract. For our purposes we will focus on just the intestinal component.  While the entirety of the gut plays important roles in turning food into nutrients, the small intestine is where the magic happens ~ digestion and absorption of fluid, nutrients, vitamins, etc.  Good Bacteria, normally present in your gut, helps with nutrient absorption, controlling bad bacteria and can even make vitamins (altho we should NOT rely on them for our daily supplements!) ...

SHAPE America (Society of Health and Physical Educators) started National Physical Education and Sport Week, (always the first week in May), as a celebration of the importance of physical education and health education. This Society exists "to advance professional practice and promote research related to health and physical education, physical activity, dance and sport". Their vision is to see "a nation where all children are prepared to lead healthy, physically active lives".   https://www.shapeamerica.org/about/default.aspx What does the physical education look like in your children's school?  How do you get your kids engaged physical fitness? Did you know that mental health is related to physical fitness? Over the last few decades we know that funding for physical education in public schools has dramatically declined. Luckily community sports programs have filled in the gap. These however are run by us ~ parents who love sports and want to share them with our...

  "May, more than any other month of the year, wants us to feel most alive." -  Fennel Hudson  This month there are many health observances we will touch on! National Physical Fitness and Sports Month  Mental Health Awareness Month National Physical Education and Sport Week (May 1–7)  Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 9–15) National Senior Health & Fitness Day 27th (its also Arthritis Awareness Month) For National Physical Fitness and Sports Month I am raising money for the California Physical Therapy Fund ~ it funds PT research so we can continue to advance our knowledge to best serve the community. I have pledges to walk 62 miles and practice 300 minutes of yoga this month. I would be honored with your support of a donation, you can donate here  https://bit.ly/RoxPTRes   Cairn Physical Therapy & Wellness is offering Free Fitness Assessments for 5 individuals ~ call 424-244-0575 to book yours before they are gone! Mental health is intertwi...

In April we celebrate so many things . . . Ramadan, Passover, Easter . . . National Occupational Therapy Month . . . and if you are in a drought stricken state like California we hope for some April Showers that bring May Flowers and relief to our parched soil!  At Cairn Physical Therapy & Wellness we are going to take this month to focus on our athletes ~ our student athletes, performing arts athletes and our weekend warriors!  Let's start with Student Athletes Generally, Student Athletes are define as any student of an educational institution that participates in sports for that institution. We at Cairn extend that definition to include those who participate in organized community and club team or individual sports. This includes the traditional school and community sports ~ football, basketball, baseball/softball, soccer, track and field ~ as well as the lesser known or geographically specific sports ~ lacrosse, waterpolo, hockey, cheer, and more. It also includes indiv...

This month we see the change of season. Winter turning to spring ~ frosty things begin to melt, days continue getting longer and we begin moving a little bit more! I have recently started hiking again (after my ankle rehab) and like all folks who start something new or level up on their exercise ~ I am noticing I need to spend some time conditioning for my hiking! I need to put a little spring in my step ;) There are a few types of conditioning exercises you can use to put a spring in your step: Aerobic endurance training ~ so you can exercise at moderate/high intensity for extended periods of time without tiring. Agility drills ~ so you can rapidly change directions with speed and accuracy. Plyometric training ~ so you can build muscle power. Aerobic/Endurance training is simply done by either continuing your regular activity for longer periods of time or by varying the type of aerobic exercise you are doing. Agility Drills address several important skills such as speed, balance, po...

In February we acknowledge Black History, Chinese New Year, Heart Health, Valentine's Day, and more. Let's start by talking about cardiovascular health. Have you resumed your normal aerobic exercise since the holidays? Have you started a new aerobic exercise? Have you forgotten what aerobic exercise is? ("Yes!" ~ me) Since having kids 22 years ago my cardio exercise has been spotty at best! I am not the “let’s go for a run” kinda gal. The only stationary cardio equipment I like is the elliptical. The things I love to do most require time and special equipment ~ hiking, dancing, kickboxing. Currently I am rehabbing an ankle injury and trying to get back to hiking ~ if you want to watch my progress you can find it on youtube! When we talk about cardiovascular health from a physical therapist perspective we are considering Your resting heart rate (RHR) Your oxygen saturation (O2 Sat) Your heart and lung exercise capacity Your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) There ar...

Hi there! Hope your January has been everything you have wanted and needed it to be! I wanted to take a moment to let you know where I am on my plans of action journey . . .  In my first post this year I wrote: My plans for the next few weeks include:  Walking my dog 3-5 times a week. Doing Yoga 3 times a week. Returning to my regular cleaning routine. Being consistent with my business plans. Buying, preparing and eating foods that nourish me! Well, here are my results: Walking my dog 3-5 times a week. not quite . . . only 2-3 times a week but that is better than zero! Unfortunately this was not entirely under my control. Kirby had some days in back pain and shoulder pain so I chose not to walk him and if any of you have pooches you know you cannot put on your tennis shoes (to walk yourself) and not take the dog! Kirby will walk regardless of pain and the PT in my says it's rest a massage time :) Doing Yoga 3 times a week. not exactly . . . I did yoga poses here and there for ...

Earlier this month I mentioned the Pentagon of Wellness. Today I would like to take a bit more time to elaborate on this concept and how we use it here at Cairn Physical Therapy & Wellness.  Remember that the World Health Organization (WHO) defines wellness as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (illness), the optimal state of health of individuals and groups, a positive approach to living. Physical Therapists are trained in the biopsychosocial model of care ~ we look at not just the body but how it interacts with its environment, the community and support system around it, etc But based on the definition of wellness this may not be enough. Enter the Pentagon of Wellness ~ here are the 5 sides to the pentagon: The Physical Body which comprises Our anatomy/physiology,  How we move,  The cellular processes,  Our stability and mobility, Our physical functioning The Intellectual Body such as ...

Are you a resolution maker? I am not . . . actually I am, or I was, but my resolution this year is to not make any resolutions! Why?  Because, while I make resolutions, I consistently do not resolve to act on them! I am tired of disappointing myself, berating myself and generally feeling like a failure . . . therefore resolve to not make any more New Year's resolutions!  Instead of making resolutions, I am making a plan of action! My plans yesterday were to:  Superficially clean and organize my home after the holidays (so I can think).   Check ✅ Take a look at my Cairn business plans for January. Check ✅ Watch some football ~ it is Sunday after all ;) Check ✅ My plans for the next few weeks include:  Walking my dog 3-5 times a week. Doing Yoga 3 times a week. Returning to my regular cleaning routine. Being consistent with my business plans. Buying, preparing and eating foods that nourish me! A Plan of Action for me is smaller than a resolution. They are bit...

I recently joined an amazing group of women who believe that we deserve to feel empowered throughout perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. I was a feature speaker on exercises to improve bone strength. You can checkout Menosplain here ~ my contribution will come in the next day or so!  Now let's take a closer look at why exercise is key to maintaining your bone health during our menopause transition . . . As we transition through menopause our estrogen decreases. this creates all kinds of changes including a reduction in the performance of osteoblasts. Osteoblasts are cells that lay down new bone while osteoclasts are responsible for absorption of bone. This process is called remodeling and is a normal process that occurs in all mammals throughout life. The problem is when the activity of osteoclasts out performs osteoblasts then we get weakening of bone. There needs to be a balance, a flow to this process.  If the bone weakens too much we become prone to fractures....

Hey there ~ it’s Q&A day here at Cairn Physical Therapy & Wellness. I’m Dr. Roxi and I wanted to answer a question I get ALL THE TIME from athletes!  “When can I play, when can I hike, when can I bike, when can I surf” . . . “A little pain is okay right?”  or  “It’s going to hurt a little right?”  My answer is “it depends” . . . to which we athletes respond “HEY, No Pain No Gain Right?”  Well, wrong actually . . . remember pain is your bodies ONE signal that tells you something is wrong here or you need to pay attention to this. Pain, related to an injury, is not okay. You should not play through it. You gain nothing from playing while in pain due to an injury other than more problems and longer setbacks.  But the true meaning of the sentiment No Pain, No Gain is this: You get out what you put in . . . if you work hard you get results.  Be okay with the struggle because the reward will be worth it.  So let’s define what we mean by pain?...