The Pallof Press

Hey everyone!

Our PT Katy has made a little video of herself on our Facebook doing her favorite core movement, the Pallof Press!

“The Pallof Press is an anti-rotation exercise that aids in strengthening and stabilizing your core. It is an especially good move for athletes that are expected to turn and pivot at game-speed. Building the core avoids lumbar injury by strengthening the rectus abdominals and obliques, as well as the inner transverse abdominal muscle.

The Pallof Press is one of my favorite exercises because it can be modified and advanced in so many ways (half-kneel, walking out, weighted, perturbation, etc)!”

Thanks for sharing Katy!

 

 

Importance of Anti-Rotation Exercises in Core Strength

Did you know that your core is made up of over 20 muscles that all have different roles in core stabilization?

Due to the multiple amounts of muscles, core strengthening should be done in all different planes of motion. One important type of core stabilization exercise includes anti-rotation. An anti-rotation exercise is generally an exercise where the core is contracted and its job is to hold the rest of the body still in a singular plane, direction, or motion while under stress. These types of exercises recruit all muscles in order to stabilize and are important to include for athletes who need to generate power from their core (included but not limited to volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, swimming and many others).

Unlike crunches and sit-ups or other general core exercises, anti-rotation movements maintain the body in a still position as opposed to moving through a range of motion. It is important to understand that athletes should be able to resist the same amount, if not more, of rotation than they produce to combat the rotational demands that throwing, catching, twisting, acceleration and deceleration, or body-checking may have on the body structures. Anti-rotation exercises will also give you a stronger and more stable base in order to improve athletic performance.

Anti-rotation movements such as the Paloff press and different plank variations are examples of anti-rotation movements that can be used or added to any core training routine. Pay attention, and within the next few weeks we will be adding more anti-rotation content that you can add into your exercise routines! Improving core strength improves stability, balance and prevents future injury.

If you need some advice, make an appointment with Cat, Katy or Ryan!

Photo Credit: “‘Core Advantage: Core Strength for Cyclings Winning Edge,”
by Tom Danielson and Allison Westfahl”

Best Running/Biking Trails in Acadia National Park

Looking to stay active in your free time this summer while the weather is still warm, but don’t want to travel long distances? Stay local and enjoy the great outdoors by hiking in our very own Acadia National Park. Hiking and mountain biking are among the most popular activities in the park, and we gathered information about some of the best trails to hike or bike from some of the locals and park workers to get the best bang for your buck. So grab a map, and follow along with some of these less crowded trail options.

 

1.Western Mountain Loop (5.6 m): Start at the Long Pond Pump Station at the South end of Long Pond. Go up the Perpendicular Trail (hard but amazing feat of engineering!) to the Mansell Mount summit. Drop down into Great Notch and go North on the Great Notch trail to the intersection with the Long Pond Trail. This is a great runnable trail that descends to Long Pond and then runs along it. This trail has some swimming opportunities along the way if it interests you! Take the Long Pond Trail back to your car.

2. Cedar Swamp Mt (3.7mi): Starting at Brown Mt Gatehouse, take the carriage roads to the Sargent South Ridge Trail. Follow this to the top of Cedar Swamp Mt. This trail is very runnable up with a mix of great lookouts and windy forest sections. This trail offers a downhill slope on the way back to your car for a great cool down.

3. Penobscot/Sargent Mt (4.6mi): Starting at Jordan Pond House, take the Spring Trail to the Penobscot South Ridge Trail to the summit of Penobscot Mt. After taking in some amazing panoramic views, continue on to Sargent Pond (which offers great swimming) to the Sargent South Ridge Trail and onward to the Sargent Mt summit. The best part is heading back the way you came as you descend open granite all the way back to Jordan Pond with ocean views the whole way.

4. Pemetic Mt (4.7mi): starting at Bubble Rock Parking Area, take the Northwest Pemetic Trail straight up to Pemetic summit. When you have the choice, make sure you check out the “ravine”. Pemetic is our favorite mountain in the Park and so is the descent following the South Ridge trail all the way down to Jordan Pond. When you reach the pond, follow the Jordan Pond Path to the Jordan Pond Carry and back to your car.

5. Dorr Mt (3.5mi): Starting at Sieur de Monts, take the Hemlock Rd to the Hemlock Trail to the Gorge Trail. This trail is beautiful, shaded and always cooler on a hot day. Follow the Gorge Trail up to the saddle between Cadillac Mt and Dorr Mt. Take a left to climb straight up Dorr. Tag the summit, enjoy the views and return back to your car via the Schiff Path to Emery Path, a great runnable descent.

These are some of the best options for running and/or biking, but there are always longer routes to take if you are looking to make an entire day of hiking. While you’re in the park, don’t forget to stop to take in the views and sounds of Thunder Hole and Jordan Pond, while enjoying the popovers from the Jordan Pond House Restaurant.

Meet Ryan!

 

 

Before working at UBE, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

I worked at a Freshies in my home town where I was taught how to throw pizza dough.

What is your favorite part about working for UBE so far?

I really enjoy working with athletes and providing them with exercises that they don’t believe they can do and watching them excel.

Any random facts you could share with us?

My brother and I are born on the same day but one year apart!

If given a chance, who would you like to be for a day?

Alive or dead, I would want to be Andre the Giant to see what it would be like to be so tall.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?

I would like to work at a dog kennel to get my full of puppies.

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?

Amelia Earnhart

If you were an animal what would you be?

Koala

Motto or personal mantra?

Life is short, spend the money.

Tell us three things most people don’t know about you…

1. I have been with my high school sweetheart for almost 10 years, and now we are married.

2. I was a collegiate volleyball athlete before tearing my ACL and meniscus my junior year.

3. I really want to learn how to garden, even though I have a black thumb.

What did you want to be when growing up?

A veterinarian, because that’s what my cousin wanted to be. 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Spend time with my friends, family, and puppies.

What is an ability you wish you had?

I wish I was able to teleport!

What is the best book you have ever read?

I have two that are tied for first and both of them were introduced to me in PT school. The first is Tuesdays with Morrie, and the second is Inside the O’briens. Check them out, they really put life into perspective.

Most Common Sports-Related Injuries and Ways to Prevent Them

 

Injuries can sometimes be an unavoidable and costly side-effect of being active due to poor training, lack of knowledge, and inadequate warm up exercises. A combination of these, as well as fatigue and dehydration, are a recipe for disaster that cause athletes to be more prone to injuries. The most common injuries include tennis and golfer’s elbow, strains of the hamstring and calf, sciatica, shin splints, concussions, and ACL tears. Coping with these injuries usually calls for a consultation from a physical therapist to rebuild strength, decrease pain, and return to sports with a decreased incidence of the injury happening again. Here, we will review the major concepts of what it takes to prevent these injuries from occurring, if we are lucky.

One of the major ways to prevent an injury is to perform adequate and dynamic warm-up and cool-down routines. These routines use muscles in similar ways that is required from whatever event is taking place in order to gradually increase heart rate and circulation which will increase blood flow to the muscles. The warm up should last between 20 minutes to half an hour to prepare the body physically and mentally. For more static sports, like golf or cricket, it is a good idea to stretch throughout the match to keep the muscles warm. A 5-10 minute cool down will work oppositely by reducing the heart and breathing rates, cooling body temps, preventing blood pooling, and returning muscles to functional lengths.

 

Important tips for avoiding injuries would be to stay hydrated by drinking a glass of water before you exercise, every 15 minutes throughout your routine, and a glass of water after to replenish the essential fluids you lose while you sweat. You also want to vary your workout regime in order to give the larger muscle groups a break and to not “work through the pain.” Knowing when to stop is important as playing through the pain can prolong your healing time and take away game time. Get help immediately if you feel sudden dizziness, shortness of breath, and/or chest pain.

 

Finally, a consultation from a physical therapist or athletic trainer could prevent an injury from happening in the first place. The state of Maine has a direct access law which allows patients to be seen by a PT without making a pit stop at their primary doctor first. Seeing a physical therapist prior to an injury can be beneficial as they can treat areas in attempts to avoid muscle and strength imbalances that could increase the risk of injuries. Physical therapists can also educate you on proper forms and techniques of exercises that are specifically tailored to you!

Progression to a Pull-Up

Let’s talk about pull-ups! Pull-ups are a great exercise to target upper body strength. The pull-up recruits the following muscle groups:

• Lats
• Biceps
• Traps
• Deltoids
• Pecs
• Teres Major Muscle

Pull-ups, however, are a very challenging exercise. These muscle groups will only be targeted correctly, avoiding injury, if the correct technique is applied.

Our PT, Katy, has provided a pull-up progression sequence to follow to work up to the pull-up movement!

 

Scapular row: With a resistance band and arms straight forward, pull the band towards the body with elbows close to your side. Squeeze shoulder blades together.

Ring row: At a slight incline with arms near full extension, full body towards rings while squeezing shoulder blades together.

Inverted bar row: While under bar at a slight angle, pull body towards bar while squeezing shoulder blades together.

Scapular pull up: While hanging from pull up bar, squeeze shoulder blades together and down, just slightly pulling yourself up from the ground

Resistance band pull up: With a resistance band on your foot, complete pull up while still squeezing shoulder blade together and down

Pull up: Complete pull up while still squeezing shoulder blade together and down

 

Happy Pulling!!

Progression of a Push-Up from UBE!

The push up is one of the most basic body-weight activities for strength and endurance. Push-ups target the pectorals (muscles in your chest), triceps (back of your arm), and scapulae and anterior deltoid (shoulders).
While starting with a basic push-up can be daunting to some, there are many different variations and hand placements that can be used to progress towards a basic push up.

 

Wall push-ups: Performed against a wall. To find the starting position, stand away from the wall and extend your arms in front of you till the tips of your fingers come in contact with the wall. If you find the exercise too hard, come a little closer to the wall.

Incline push-up: Look for a place where your incline can be halfway between the wall and the floor (45-degree incline); the steeper the incline the easier the exercise

Resisted kneeling push-up: with a resistance band around your hips and anchored on something steady above, complete push up while kneeling.

Kneeling push-up: keeping back straight and knees on the floor and hands below shoulder, start bending at the elbows until chest is almost touching the floor.

Regular resisted push-up: with a resistance band around your hips and anchored on something steady above, complete push up with back straight and feet about hip width apart.

Basic push-up: keeping back straight and feet on the floor about hip width apart and hands below shoulder, start bending at the elbows until chest is almost touching the floor.

 

 

Celebrate small wins!

Robin Sharma once said,

“5 small wins a day leads to 1,850 wins in 12 months. Consistency breeds mastery.”

Being defeated is not an easy task for anyone. Being defeated by your own body?! Undeniably awful. We’ve all been there, either big or small. But I think most of us can also say we have overcome the defeat. Overcoming doesn’t have to mean you’re back to your old 100%, maybe you adapted and you’re at your new 100%! Now think back to your journey of overcoming the defeat, did you give yourself credit where credit was due? Did you celebrate ALL of your wins in that journey.

At UBE we like to celebrate any and all wins! It’s important for us to work alongside you to listen to your body and adapt to whatever it may need. During the course of a patient’s care, our therapists will evaluate frequently and may continually adjust a treatment plan in order to challenge the patient and improve their condition. With Physical Therapy, a small win will eventually lead to functional movements that you are able to see and feel.

Wins that we are seeing as “small“, are wins that our bodies worked so hard to accomplish. Think of how much you could accomplish with 1,850 wins!!! As the new year keeps rolling in, let’s celebrate together ALL that we accomplish!

P.S A win, is a win, is a win!!!

Modification is key!

You should never feel bad about modifying a workout! If the anticipation of having to modify a workout or movement is keeping you from the gym – let’s step back and take a look at the bigger picture!

When the ultimate plan is to get stronger, we all have to start somewhere! And to start now, you have to start with the exercise that you CAN do now…and I promise you will progress from there. You can’t get to that desired movement by avoiding it all together…

UBE strives for your success, and we will work with you to modify ANY workout or movement for you! Sometimes getting back to the basics is what’s best anyways. Correctly executing a modified version of an exercise can lead you to perfect form when you advance to the next level! This will leave the “sloppy” form behind and also prevent potential injury.

But….if an injury does happen, don’t worry, we can help with that too!

Don’t let an injury hold you back! UBE is well-versed in modifying movements to avoid aggravating your injury, and alternatively implementing exercises to strengthen muscles to promote healing of your injury. Having Physical Therapists close by in our gym lets us bounce off some ideas to make sure we are providing you information to best benefit you!

So don’t let being afraid or embarrassed by modification keep you from coming to the gym! Modification is a key component in some strength programs. Long story short…that push up is within your reach!!

Foam Rolling: What are we actually doing?

It is now commonplace to see various tools at the gym to improve muscle length and tone, with foam rollers and lacrosse balls being the most prevalent. These tools are used to improve the mobility of the muscle tissue that you are targeting, typically before and after your workout, aiming to reduce muscle or joint pain.

There is not a lot of research to support that you are stretching the fascia, but what you may be doing is improving the muscle quality underneath the fascia if there is what is known as a trigger point or more commonly referred to as a muscle “knot”. Fascia is designed to be resilient to tensile stress, and therefore, does not respond to stretching. A trigger point is a taut band of muscle located within a larger muscle and may be tender to touch, although they don’t have to be. Normal muscle won’t have trigger points and will not exhibit the same tenderness.

The pain associated with trigger points is caused by the release of various chemicals that occur with tissue damage. Strength training will cause small microtears in the muscle, and this damage time after time can develop knots in the muscle and cause subsequent pain. Knots in the muscle can occur for a variety of reasons whether it is trauma, illness, inactivity, or from your workouts. When there are several trigger points within the larger muscle it can affect the tension on the surrounding joints. As you can imagine, if there are multiple trigger points in the muscle, the muscle is effectively shorter, thereby pulling more at the joint.

 

 

So, when you are foam rolling, for example, you are not actually stretching the fascia, however, you are manipulating the tissue to make it more malleable in order to address the muscle knot. Adding sustained pressure to these trigger points can cause a release of these chemicals, improve the underlying tissue length and thereby improve your pain. Therapeutically, it would be beneficial to address both of these concepts. Generally speaking, spending two minutes per muscle region is ideal, both rolling up and down the muscle, but sustaining a hold on the tender areas of the muscle. Rolling before your workout is a good idea to improve the muscle length of the muscles that you intend to work to optimize function, and then roll or mash again after your workout so that the muscle is better able to repair without developing trigger points.
It is important to remember that this mobility work will be uncomfortable at first and that it is uncomfortable because there is dysfunction. However, consistency is the key and the more you perform your mobility work the less uncomfortable it will become.

 

– Cat, PT, DPT