exercise

Tracking Your Heart Rate With Exercise

During exercise you can track how hard you are working by your heart rate. Find your maximum heart rate by using the equation 220- your age.

For moderate intensity exercise, aim for a heart rate of 64%-76% of your maximum heart rate.

For high intensity exercise, aim for a heart rate of 77%-93% of your maximum heart rate.

If you perform the same cardiovascular exercise at the same intensity and time frame, as you track your heart rate you will notice it will not get as high overtime. This is because your cardiovascular fitness is improving. You want to progress your exercise every approximate week to continue to challenge yourself and improve your cardiovascular fitness.

Dr. Taylor checking her heart rate during exercise

Is Muscle Soreness Normal After Exercise?

The answer is YES! Muscle soreness after exercise is called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). This happens when you exercise a muscle that has not been used stressfully in awhile. The soreness results from tearing and or stress on the muscle fibers and as the body repairs these small tears your muscles become stronger. After exercise, you will normally feel muscle soreness anywhere from 24 to 72 hours after the activity. The intensity of the muscle soreness you experience will depend on how intense your workout was and if that muscle group has experienced a workout before of this variety/intensity.

If your symptoms of muscle soreness linger longer than 72 hours and either get worse or stay the same, then you want to consult with a medical professional. The reason for this is your exercise possibly caused a muscle strain, ligamentous sprain, or injury.

How To Make Consistent Exercise Goals That Stick

With the new year upon us, everyone is setting out to start on those New Year’s Resolutions. Every year, exercise and practicing healthier habits are always in the top few resolutions and so we at Harbor PT want to give you some tips on how to make those resolutions into habits and help you create a healthier and happier life!

1. Set realistic goals – while the goal of going to the gym 7 days a week sounds great, it is best to be honest with yourself  and set goals based on your daily schedule and current fitness/health level. Setting too lofty of a goal can sometimes become overwhelming and lead to discouragement or can lead to injury.

2. Join a class- finding a form of exercise that works for you is important and joining a class can make exercise fun, hold you accountable, and teach you safe exercise habits all while being in a group of people with similar interests and goals.

3. Have a fitness buddy- setting fitness/health goals with a friend can make working toward your goals less intimidating and more enjoyable and make you more accountable. You don’t necessarily have to make the same exact goals, but even working toward similar goals as a team can help make the process more effective and enjoyable.

4. Start small- you can set a big goal for yourself, but as stated above, it is important to be realistic and to be honest while setting your goals. If you want to set that big goal, try breaking down that goal into smaller milestones; this will help keep you motivated while making progress.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help- starting something new is exciting but it can also be a little intimidating. But there are always people around to help you reach your goals. Whether that be a friend to help motivate you, a dietician to help you make smart choices in changing your nutrition, a personal trainer to help ensure safe exercise, or a physical therapist to help address a current/chronic injury so that you can continue exercising safely, there is always help available, so use it to your advantage.

Written by: Dr. Taylor Ryan, staff physical therapist at HPT

Electrolyte Essentials

While we all know that it is important to drink enough water (sweating or not), what some people don’t know is that sometimes water isn’t enough to keep us hydrated as we sweat during exercise.

When we sweat, we aren’t just losing water, we are also losing what are called electrolytes. Electrolytes are essential minerals to the body that help maintain the body’s internal functioning (keeping a proper pH balance and ensuring proper nervous system functioning), keep our muscles performing properly, and ensure adequate hydration.

Sports drinks are commonly used to help replenish electrolytes after a big sweat session, but before you go grab a Gatorade or Powerade, make sure you look at the nutrition label. Make sure the sports drink, or other electrolyte solution, isn’t high in sugar. The increased sugar levels may make the drink taste better, but it won’t be as helpful hydrating you.

Not a sports drink fan? No problem, there are other alternatives to gaining back those lost minerals. Fruits and veggies that are high in calcium, potassium and magnesium are good go to’s. And while sodium (salt) is also something we need to replenish after a workout, don’t reach for the bag of chips, but rather have a handful of nuts or a small bowl of pretzels.

Written by Dr. Taylor Ryan, staff physical therapist at HPT

Let’s Run

A lot of people ask, “does my running form matter?”. The answer is YES. And while there is not one “right” way to run, there are certain elements of your form that you should be aware of to help you get the most out of your run. Making these small adjustments to your form may also help you begin to see an increase in your breathing ability, endurance and speed during your runs.

  1. Head – keep your head and neck in a neutral position to decrease the strain on your neck.
  2. Shoulders and Arms -keep your shoulders relaxed, keep your arms slightly bent at the elbow, don’t let your hands come up above your chest, avoid crossing your arms in front of you (this will help with your breathing?and avoid cramps!).
  3. Trunk- while you run you should keep a slight forward trunk lean to help propel your body forward, forward lean does NOT equal hunching, hunching over should always be?avoided to help optimize breathing.
  4. Knees- be sure to drive your knees up and forward to help propel you forward and also help avoid tripping.
  5. Feet and Ankles- try to land on your midfoot/forefoot when running rather than your heels (this will help keep you moving forward and avoid increase force/stress going up your leg).

If you or someone you know is interested in a running assessment please do not hesitate to contact us and one of our PTs would be happy to help you!

Written by: Dr. Taylor Ryan, staff physical therapist at HPT

Rules of Stretching

As you exercise and play sports, do you take time to stretch? As most people are short on time, the first thing to get cut from a workout is the stretching component. As physical therapists, we recommend that you don’t cut the stretching out as this can lead to an injury. Check out the stretching rules below to learn what you should focus on when you stretch:

  1. Perform a dynamic stretch (no holds) prior to your workout that mimics the sport or exercise you are about to participate in.
  2. Perform a dynamic stretch for a minimum of 5 minutes prior to your workout.
  3. After your work out, perform static stretches (hold stretches).
  4. Perform static stretches in all the major muscles groups you just used during your workout.
  5. Hold static stretches for 15-60 seconds for 2 repetitions each.

In summary, you can complete dynamic and static stretching for your workout in approximately 10 minutes. That 10 minutes is crucial to not skip as this could save you from an injury that could last weeks or months.

Written by Dr. Amanda Macht- owner of Harbor Physical Therapy

3 Easy Stretches for Heel Pain

If you suffer from heel pain, it may be caused by a condition called plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that runs along the sole of the foot from your heel to your toes. Repeated stress to the foot can cause inflammation to that band and cause sharp pain in your heel. This pain may feel worse first thing in the morning or when you are on your feet for long periods of time.

One part of treatment for plantar fasciitis includes stretching the tissue and muscles in the foot and calf to decrease tension around the heel. When performing these stretches, try to hold them for 30 seconds each, repeat 3 times, and perform them 2-3 times a day.

Seated Stretch- while sitting with your foot crossed over your other leg, pull your foot and toes back towards you.

Runner’s Stretch- while standing in front of a wall, place the foot that hurts back behind you and push your heel towards the ground.

Stair Stretch- while standing on the edge of a step, drop your heels down until a stretch is felt in the calves.

If you would like to learn more about how to get rid of your heel pain, contact Harbor Physical Therapy

How Do I Start Running for Exercise?

While the act of running itself is quite simple, finding and getting into a routine of it can seem daunting and difficult. But no fear, today we are going to discuss a few tips to get you ready to run!

  1. Invest in a good pair of running sneakers – This is the one piece of equipment you need to run, so do yourself (and your legs) a favor and buy a good pair of sneakers. Your best way of finding the right shoe for you is to go to a sporting goods store or a running store, there you will find people who can help guide you to your perfect shoe.
  2. Start small and slow – Start by just running a block or a lap around a track and see how you feel. A good way to build endurance is to split your workout into run-walk-run-walk, etc. Another way to build up to increased distances is to give yourself a target and then go a little further; example: aim for a tree in the distance, then once you get to the tree go for the next building/mailbox/driveway etc. As you build endurance you will be able to push yourself farther and farther.
  3. Set a goal- Give yourself something to work toward! Get some friends or family and sign up for a fun laid back 1miler, 5k, etc. Community held races can be a great way to learn to pace yourself and meet other runners in your area.
    If you would like to learn more information about how to start running consistently for exercise, contact Harbor Physical Therapy and one of our physical therapists can help create you a running program.

Tips for Staying Active this Summer

Summer is just around the corner and with COVID-19 restrictions continuing to be lifted and the weather getting nicer, more and more people are headed outside to get some fresh air and exercise. While summer comes with more consistent warmer and nicer weather, it can also pose some challenges to daily workout routines. Here are some tips to stay safe and stay active this summer!

  1. Stay Hydrated– As temperatures continue to rise, remember to keep drinking water before, during and after your workouts. If you are engaging in more vigorous workouts, be sure to not only drink water, but also sports drinks to help replenish your body’s essential electrolytes (however, be sure to buy sports drinks low in added sugars). 
  2. Save Your Skin– While you are moving around and not just lying in the sun, you are still at increased risk of getting sunburnt. Be sure to apply sunscreen prior to participating in any outdoor activity and reapply as necessary. For additional sun protection you can also add in wearing a hat and/or sunglasses to help protect your body from the sun’s rays. 
  3. Time is Key– If your schedule is flexible, try working out early in the morning or later on in the evening to avoid increased exposure to the sun and the heat. If you do end up exercising in the middle of the day, be sure to take the above steps as well as listen to your body if it needs a break. You could also opt to take your workout indoors and do a circuit or a workout video. 
  4. Plan Ahead– If you know it’s going to be a hot one and you are still planning on adventuring into the outdoors, be sure to be prepared and plan ahead. If you are taking a hike or going on a picnic, be sure to bring extra water, food and sunscreen with you. If you are going on a walk or a run, try to plan a route that has a lot of shaded areas, access to water, or even bring water with you. 

Take a Dip– Planning on hitting the pool this summer? If you do, try doing a pool workout! Almost all exercises you can do on land you can also do in the pool. Advantages of pool workouts include increased buoyancy and availability of graded resistance. Be careful not to overdo it. Exercises in the pool can feel easier than on land so you may be tempted to do more, so be sure to progress yourself as tolerated.

Written by: Dr. Taylor Ryan

Which Should Come First: Weightlifting or Cardiovascular Exercise?

As most people know, a combination of weight lifting and aerobic/cardiovascular exercise is recommended by medical professionals to enhance health and longevity. Because most of us don’t have the time nor energy to space out workouts into multiple gym sessions per day, a common question arises: should weights or cardio come first?

The answer, like most things health and fitness, is not entirely straightforward and depends largely on your individual goals. If you’re an endurance athlete or someone who just prefers to prioritize aerobic exercise, it’s recommended that you do your cardio prior to weight training in order to optimize aerobic performance and cardiovascular fitness. Performing exercise in this order is also shown to increase post-exercise energy expenditure (i.e., more calories continue to be burned even after you finish working out).

On the other hand, if you’re a powerlifter or simply someone who prefers to lift weights, doing so prior to cardio is shown to maximize muscular strength and size gains. Weightlifting prior to cardio is also recommended in older individuals as age-related declines in muscle mass that hinder aerobic performance may be mitigated when workouts are structured in this fashion.

Here’s the main takeaway: choosing whether to do cardio or strength training first depends on your fitness goals, but either way is shown to confer great health benefits. So the choice is yours!

Written by: Dr Scott Newberry