Request An Appointment
Because you are a star!

How To Create Sustainable Exercise Habits in 2025

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health.

It helps you stay strong, keeps your heart healthy, and lifts your mood. Exercise can help you sleep better, think clearer, and feel more energized. Best of all, you don’t need fancy equipment or hours of workout time to get these benefits.

Starting an exercise plan is one thing – sticking to it is another. Here are some proven ways to make exercise a lasting part of your daily life:

Start Small, Win Big
● Even 5-10 minutes of exercise counts
● Build up slowly as things get easier
● Don’t forget to celebrate your small wins along the way


Link Exercise to Your Daily Routine
● Try 10 squats while brewing coffee
● Do counter push ups while your food is in the microwave
● Stretch during TV commercials


Make it Fun
● Pick activities you enjoy
● Try different types of exercise until you find what clicks
● Join a walking group, exercise class, or exercise with a friend


Make it Stick
● Research shows that exercising 4x / week for 6 weeks is the minimum to form a habit
● Put workout times in your calendar, and treat them like any other important meeting
● Pack your gym bag the night before


Get Support
● Work out with friends or family
● Join group fitness classes
● Find an exercise buddy

Need Help Getting Started?
As physical therapists, we’re experts in movement and exercise. We can help you:
● Create a safe exercise plan that fits your needs
● Work around any pain or physical limits
● Learn proper form to prevent injury
● Build strength and flexibility safely

Whether you’re completely new to exercise or getting back into it after a break, we’re here to help. Don’t let pain or uncertainty hold you back – schedule a visit to start your exercise journey the right way.

Remember, the best exercise plan is one you’ll actually stick to. Start small, build slowly, and focus on consistency over perfection. Your future self will thank you!

Finding Balance: Dizziness and PT

Dizziness is common in people over 20 and it can be a big problem in your daily life. Feeling
unsteady, lightheaded, or like the room is spinning is alarming, and makes day to day tasks
difficult. The good news is that dizziness often has treatable causes, and your physical therapist can be the perfect person to help.

Understanding Dizziness

Dizziness isn’t a specific problem – it’s a symptom that can come from a lot of different issues. Feeling dizzy most commonly comes from issues with your inner ear, but it can also come from your vision, joint or muscle issues in your neck, migraines, changes in blood pressure, head injuries, or other neurological problems.

How Physical Therapists Help

To understand dizziness and how a PT can help, you have to know a little about how balance
works. Your brain uses information from your inner ears, your vision, and input from your joints about their position and movement to keep you balanced and stable. Typically all of this information paints the same picture for your brain. If your brain gets conflicting information – say your inner ear sends different information than vision and your joints – that often results in a feeling of dizziness, unsteadiness, or vertigo. Your physical therapist will ask questions about your history, then perform testing on all of the systems that help you stay balanced to figure out the cause of your dizziness.

Your treatment plan will vary depending on what your PT finds. Some typical examples include:

● Exercises: Your PT may prescribe specific exercises to improve your balance, strengthen or
stretch specific muscles, or to help retrain your brain to interpret sensory information. These can include gaze stabilization exercises which help your eyes and inner ears work better together, habituation exercises that help your brain get used to different types of input, and balance training on different surfaces.

● Canalith: repositioning maneuvers (CRM): If your dizziness is caused by benign
paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), a specific type of inner ear problem, your therapist
may perform maneuvers to reposition tiny crystals within your ear canal, alleviating your
vertigo. They can also teach you how to do these at home.

● Education: Your therapist will educate you about your condition, how to manage dizziness,
and exercises you can perform at home. They may also help you modify activities that cause
dizziness, or train you on ways to work through it. Dizziness doesn’t have to interfere with life. Physical therapists can help reduce your dizziness, improve your balance, lower your risk of falls, and improve your confidence in your daily activities.

Spring into Action: Changes in Weather Change Your Activity Level

Spring is in the air, and that means more than just blooming flowers and chirping birds. It’s a natural nudge to shake off the winter blues and be more active. Research that looked at the seasonality of physical activity proves this is true. Across a wide variety of countries and populations, people are most active in the summer and less active in the winter.

Since it’s likely that your physical activity levels are starting to trend up, we wanted to give you a few fun ideas to try, and some tips on how to navigate the change.


Embrace the Great Outdoors:


• Trade the treadmill for the trail: As the weather warms, escape the gym and head outside.
Explore nature with hikes, bike rides, or even a walk or jog around the park. Soaking up the
sunshine not only boosts your vitamin D levels but also enhances your mood and motivation.

• Turn your park into your playground: Public parks offer tons of fitness opportunities. Utilize the equipment for bodyweight exercises, join a pick-up game of basketball, play around of disc golf, or find an outdoor fitness class.

 

Incorporate Seasonal Activities:


• Get active with seasonal sports: Participating in spring sports leagues like volleyball, softball, pickleball or tennis is a fun and social way to get moving. You’ll meet new people while engaging in friendly competition and getting some exercise.
• Cultivate your green thumb: Gardening is a surprisingly active hobby. Digging, planting, and tending to your garden provides a full-body workout while connecting you with nature.


Navigating The Changes


• Spring clean your activity plan: Just like your home, your exercise routine might need a spring cleaning. Evaluate your current program, identify areas for improvement, and think about what new exercises or activities you’d like to add.
• Don’t spring forward too fast: Spring is an exciting time with longer days, better weather and new opportunities. Don’t take on too much too fast. Injuries from overuse and overtraining start to get more common in our clinics when people ramp activity up too fast.
• Celebrate your progress: Track your progress and acknowledge your achievements, no matter how small. This will keep you motivated and focused on your goals.


Spring is a season of growth. Let it be the catalyst for your own personal transformation. By embracing the outdoors, incorporating seasonal activities, and refreshing your routine, you can spring into action and experience the joy of a healthier and happier you.


If you’d like someone to evaluate your current plan or develop a new one for you, we’d be happy to help! And of course, we’re always here for aches and pains from too much too soon, or weekend warrior injuries from those spring sports.

 

References:
1. Sex- and age-specific seasonal variations in physical activity among adults. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health 2010;64:1010-1016.
https://jech.bmj.com/content/64/11/1010.short
2. Impact of Seasonality on Physical Activity: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(1):2. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/1/2
3. The Effect of Season and Weather on Physical Activity: Systemic Review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033350607001400
4. Seasonal Rhythms and Exercise https://www.sportsmed.theclinics.com/article/S0278-5919(04)00120-6/fulltext
5. Exercise Assessment and Prescription in Older Adults Webinar
https://learningcenter.apta.org/products/exercise-assessment-and-prescription-in-older-adultsand-individuals-at-risk-for-functionaldecline?_gl=1*2t7olk*_ga*MTEwNjIzMzg2MS4xNjgxODQyODcw*_ga_ZZJK74HXNR*MTY5NzIwMjg2OC4xMi4xLjE2OTcyMDI4ODEuNDcuMC4w&_ga=2.227565085.1495021570.1697197738-1106233861.1681842870
6. Exercise Attitudes https://www.apta.org/article/2023/03/31/exercise-attitudes

PTs Fuel Healthy Movement With Nutrition

Physical therapy and nutrition are often seen as separate, but the truth is, they are deeply
intertwined. To get the most out of PT, especially after an injury or surgery, integrating both is
crucial. Here’s why:

Food Fuels The Body
During recovery from an injury or surgery, your body is working to heal itself. The activities and
exercises you’re doing in PT are designed to help it along. To take advantage of all the work
you and your body are putting in, proper nutrition is critical.
Protein provides the building blocks for tissue repair and muscle growth. Carbohydrates provide
energy and help support your immune system. Your body also needs healthy fats to regulate
inflammation and to build certain cells. Being short on any of these critical components will slow
your recovery down.
You also need enough micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals. For example, vitamin C is
needed to make collagen, which goes into bones, skin, and connective tissue. Vitamin D helps
your body absorb calcium, which is important for healing fractures, or surgeries involving bones.
Iron helps your blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body, which is needed for healing in
general. Again, being low on any of these micronutrients will affect your healing.

Your Weight Affects Your Health
Being overweight directly affects your health. It puts you at higher risk for cardiovascular
disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, back pain, diabetes, sleep apnea, and more. All of these are
conditions that you might see a PT directly for, or that will impact your healing. Eating a healthy
diet is the most effective way to reduce body weight. Combining a healthy diet with exercise is
even better for your health.
As an example, an 18-month study of 450 people with knee osteoarthritis showed that the group
that lost weight through a diet and exercised had less pain, better walking speed, and lower joint
forces in their knees than groups who either only lost weight, or only exercised.

How can a physical therapist help with nutrition?
While PTs are not authorized to provide individual diet plans or medical nutritional advice, they
can still help with your nutrition.


• PTs can screen for potential nutritional deficiencies or imbalances that may impact your
progress in PT or your overall health. This might involve screening for malnutrition,
sarcopenia (muscle loss), or assessing dietary habits affecting energy levels, healing, or
muscle building.
• Your PT can educate you on the importance of nutrition for various aspects of
rehabilitation and recovery. This includes explaining how specific nutrients like protein,
vitamins, and minerals contribute to tissue repair, muscle building, energy production,
and pain management.
• They can offer general guidance on healthy eating patterns, portion control, and
choosing nutrient-rich foods to support reaching your specific physical therapy goals.
• PTs recognize that overall health and well-being involve various factors, including proper
nutrition. They can encourage you to adopt healthy lifestyle habits that include a
balanced diet alongside regular exercise and proper sleep hygiene.

Finally, your PT can recognize when your nutrition needs exceed what they are able to provide.
In that case, they can refer you to and collaborate with a registered dietician or other qualified
healthcare professional for help in dealing with complex nutritional needs or recommending
specific dietary changes.

By combining the power of physical therapy and nutrition, you can achieve your
recovery goals faster and feel your best!

References:
1. Effects of Intensive Diet and Exercise on Knee Joint Loads, Inflammation, and
Clinical Outcomes Among Overweight and Obese Adults With Knee
Osteoarthritis: The IDEA Randomized Clinical Trial Effects of Intensive Diet and
Exercise on Knee Joint Loads, Inflammation, and Clinical Outcomes Among
Overweight and Obese Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis: The IDEA Randomized
Clinical Trial | Obesity | JAMA | JAMA Network
2. Ottawa Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management
of Osteoarthritis in Adults Who Are Obese or Overweight Ottawa Panel
Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of
Osteoarthritis in Adults Who Are Obese or Overweight | Physical Therapy |
Oxford Academic (oup.com)
3. Strategies for optimizing nutrition and weight reduction in physical therapy
practice: The evidence Strategies for optimizing nutrition and weight reduction in
physical therapy practice: The evidence: Physiotherapy Theory and Practice: Vol
25, No 5-6 (tandfonline.com)
4. Body mass index and risk of knee osteoarthritis: systematic review and metaanalysis of prospective studies Body mass index and risk of knee osteoarthritis:
systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies – PMC (nih.gov)
5. Nutrition: A Portion of PT’s Menu of Services Nutrition: A Portion of PTs’ Menu of
Services | APTA
6. Considerations for PT’s Role in Nutrition Considerations Related to the PT’s Role
in Nutrition and Diet | APTA
7. Nutrition and PT a Powerful Combination – Nutrition and Physical Therapy: A
Powerful Combination | APTA

Finally, Some Good News About Back Pain

Back pain is a huge problem in developed nations worldwide. It has or will affect most of us. The
current estimate is that 80% of people will experience back pain at least once. It is the single
biggest cause for disability, the third most common reason for doctor visits, and one of the most
common reasons for missing work.


It’s also expensive. Back and neck pain makes up the biggest healthcare expense in the US,
totaling $134 billion spent in 2016. The next two most expensive conditions were diabetes —
$111 billion in spending — and ischemic heart disease at $89 billion.


Diabetes and heart disease being so expensive to treat doesn’t surprise most folks – they can
both lead to other major problems, require long term medication, could require surgery, and
both can be fatal. Back pain won’t kill you, usually doesn’t require long term medication, and
usually doesn’t require surgery either. Why is it so expensive?


The first reason is that it’s so common. The second reason is that our current system isn’t very
good at treating it. Current recommendations include starting with activity modification, and
active treatments like physical therapy. Research backs this up, showing better outcomes and
lower costs with early PT. Unfortunately, only 2% of people with back pain start with PT, and
only 7% get to PT within 90 days. At the same time, a study looking at about 2.5 million people
with back pain in JAMA showed that 32.3% of these patients received imaging within 30 days of
diagnosis and 35.3% received imaging without a trial of physical therapy. Both of these things
go against current practice guidelines for treatment of back pain.


A new pilot program being rolled out by TRICARE, the insurance system used throughout the
US military is waiving the payment owed by the patient for up to three PT sessions in an attempt
to improve the use of what the Defense Health Agency calls “high value” treatment for low back
pain. The theory is that once a person sees some benefit from PT treatment, they’re likely to go
back for more. This is the “try it before you buy it” approach – think of the 7-day free trial Netflix
offers, free samples poured in wineries and craft breweries, or the folks you see standing
around in supermarkets with food on toothpicks. TRICARE’s data seems to indicate that it works
just as well for healthcare as it does for other businesses. In a press release they state that
once people attend one session of physical therapy, they’re likely to go back for more, no matter
what their co-pay is. But TRICARE found that higher co-pays could be a barrier to people trying
that first visit. For the group of patients with the highest co-pays in the system, only 38% of the
people prescribed PT attended the first visit. That’s about half the rate of attendance found in
the lowest co-pay group.


The fact that such a major insurer is looking into the value of PT is great news for everyone. If
TRICARE can show that lowering the cost of PT for patients can improve outcomes and save
insurance companies money, other major insurers will likely follow. This could improve the lives
of millions of people every year while reducing the huge cost of treating low back pain for the
country. That seems like a win for everyone involved.

In Person or Virtual PT? Maybe Both!


Virtual physical therapy has quickly moved from a niche offering to the mainstream. Having more options is great, but it can also complicate decision making. Having an understanding of the benefits of both can help make clear which one would best help you meet your goals.


In Person Physical Therapy


The main advantage of traditional “brick and mortar” PT is that the therapist is in the room with you. That means they can move around to see how you’re moving from different angles, physically adjust your position or movement as you exercise, and physically examine you – testing your strength, measuring your range of motion, etc. They can also use things like manual therapy, electrical stimulation or ultrasound when you’re in the clinic. In person PT may work best for:

● New patients – the ability to physically examine you makes it easier for your PT to accurately diagnose what’s going on
● Less active patients – if you’re not used to exercising and moving, having someone physically present to coach you along can be a big benefit
● People with complicated or chronic conditions – if your back has been hurting for the last 5 years and you’ve been ignoring it, providing a diagnosis and treating it totally virtually will be difficult for your PT
● Less motivated patients – virtual PT requires you to do most of your exercises by yourself. If you need someone watching over you to make sure you do them, in person PT might work better for you


Virtual PT


The main benefit of virtual PT is convenience. Because virtual PT relies on you doing most of your exercise and treatment on your own, appointments can be shorter. This also means that motivation is a prerequisite to choosing virtual PT. The fact that you don’t have to travel to the clinic makes it easier to squeeze a visit into a busy schedule. Virtual PT works well for:

● Athletes and others with good body awareness – being on your own for your home exercise program requires you to be in tune with your body and how it’s moving
● People with common athletic injuries – things like tendonitis, sprains, strains, plantar fasciitis, and overuse injuries are commonly treated by PTs. Because of that, there is a template for treatment that is easily adapted to individual needs.
● People who are comfortable with technology – you don’t have to be a technology whiz, but having some familiarity with skype, facetime, or zoom helps!
● Existing and returning patients – if your physical therapist knows you, it’s easier to treat you virtually.

Both options have benefits and limitations. One or the other might be right for you and your needs, but they’re not mutually exclusive. Combining the two can work well for many people. Doing an in person visit for your initial evaluation and perhaps a follow up visit or two will let your therapist provide an accurate diagnosis and get you started on your exercise program. Once you’re comfortable with your exercise program, you can transition to virtual visits.

5 Reasons You Need a PT to Coordinate Your Fitness Regimen

Physical therapists aren’t just for people that are injured or have had surgery. Physical
therapists can also help healthy people improve their fitness. Here are 5 reasons why you
should consider seeing yours.


You Want a Baseline

When you see a physical therapist to improve your fitness, you’ll get an assessment of your
strength, range of motion, posture and movement patterns. This not only helps your physical
therapist design a customized program just for you, it gives them a baseline to compare things
to in the future should you start having pain or suffer an injury.

You Want Expert Guidance

Sure, other professionals could help with your fitness routine, but the fitness industry is not well
regulated. Some certifications just require an online course and paying a fee. There are no
licenses or other requirements to use many titles. Becoming a physical therapist requires at
least a bachelor’s degree and most PTs practicing today have a doctorate. Every PT has
passed a national board exam and maintains a state license. That guarantees you that every
physical therapist is a verified expert in human movement.

You Want to Prevent Injury

Physical therapists don’t just work to heal injuries, they are also experts in preventing them.
After a thorough assessment, a PT can help you design a program that will not only help you
reach your fitness goals, but that can address any issues that increase your risk for injury.

You Want Unbiased Advice

Yoga instructors will want you to do yoga. Personal trainers will want you to come to their gym.
Pilates instructors will want you to do Pilates. Strength coaches will want you to strength train. A
physical therapist doesn’t have a bias or vested interest as to what type of fitness regimen you choose.
They are only interested in helping you reach your goals.

You Have a History

If you have some kind of history that affects your ability to exercise, a PT is the best person to
help you design a fitness regimen. It doesn’t matter if it’s an old injury from athletics or work,
back pain that comes up from time to time, COPD, arthritis or heart disease, a PT can help you
safely work around it and meet your fitness goals.

Get PT First During the COVID-19 Pandemic

 

Because of the closures of physician’s offices, stoppages of elective surgeries, and social distancing guidelines resulting from COVID-19, many people with pain or joint issues have had appointments or surgeries delayed. If you’re one of them and you haven’t seen your PT yet, you should. Here are some reasons why:

Early PT leads to better outcomes

Studies have shown that people who receive PT sooner have better outcomes, lower costs, are less likely to have surgery, use opioids or have unnecessary testing. Because back pain is so common, there is a lot of outcome data from people with back pain.  A study of 150,000 insurance claims published in Health Services Research, found that those who saw a physical therapist at the first point of care had an 89 percent lower probability of receiving an opioid prescription, a 28 percent lower probability of having advanced imaging services, and a 15 percent lower probability of an emergency department visit. Unfortunately, only 2% of people with back pain start with PT, and only 7% get to PT within 90 days.

Early PT saves money

The rising cost of healthcare is well known and early PT is something that has been shown to reduce costs without reducing the effectiveness of treatment. A study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy showed that patients who obtained physical therapy via direct access had significantly lower medical costs—an average of $1,543 less per patient than those who chose referral from a physician. They also had significantly fewer visits and spent significantly fewer days in care.

Surgery may not be as effective as you think

Many patients look to surgery as the fix for their pain, but surgeries aren’t always as effective as patients believe. A large study looking at worker’s comp patients with back pain found that people who have surgery have a 1 in 4 chance of having a repeat surgery, a 1 in 3 chance of a major complication, and a 1 in 3 chance of never returning to work again. Recent large studies of arthroscopic surgeries for meniscal tears have shown no difference in outcomes between people who have surgery and those who don’t. Other procedures with questionable effectiveness include kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty, and injections for nonspecific back pain.

 

So, if you were planning on seeing your PCP or a specialist for an orthopedic condition or pain and you haven’t seen a PT yet, you should consider making PT your first stop. You could end up getting better faster for less money and you might avoid riskier treatments like opioids or surgery.

Are Your Workouts Giving You What You Want?

Are Your Workouts Giving You What You Want?

How much thought have you put into the exercises you’re going to use for your next workout?
Did you choose them yourself, or did you find them on the internet or in a magazine? What’s
your workout designed for? Do those goals match yours? Are the exercises even safe for you?
Using the wrong program can lead to wasting time in the gym, frustration, plateaus in progress
and injury. Let’s take a closer look at what goes into program design and the cost of getting it
wrong.

Exercise Selection
There are many things to think about when choosing specific exercises. Machine vs. free
weights, isolation vs. compound lifts, number of reps and sets, etc. Each one of these factors
affects the results, so making the wrong choices could lead to wasting time working on the
wrong things, limit your results or lead to injury.

Technique
If you choose the right exercises, but don’t know how to do them properly you will again limit
your results, or worse, end up injured. Poor technique leads to inefficient movement and limits
the power your muscles can create. It also changes the load on your muscles, joints, and
ligaments which can lead to pain and injury.

Volume
Volume is a way of thinking about how much work you’re doing during a workout. Doing a few
reps with a heavy weight or a lot of reps with a light weight could end up being the same
volume. Same goes for running a shorter distance quickly uphill vs a longer run at a slower pace
on flat terrain. If your volume is too great you won’t recover well between workouts and create
the possibility of injury. Too little volume and you won’t see results.

Progression
If you’ve been doing the same exercises with the same weight and the same number of reps
and sets, you’re not progressing. Same goes if you jump on the treadmill for the same amount
of time with the same settings each time. To make progress, things have to change and the
program that works for your first 6 months won’t work for you 2 years down the road.

Designing an exercise program is a complex challenge with a lot of factors to consider. Most
people have a history of injuries and don’t have perfect movement in every joint which further
complicates things. If you’re not making progress or just want to make sure your workouts are
as effective as they can be, have your physical therapist take a look at your program. Your PT
can help design an individualized program to help you reach your goals while keeping you safe
and injury free.

Your Physical Therapist Can Help You Keep Your Resolution

Your Physical Therapist Can Help You Keep Your Resolution

As one year comes to a close and another begins, people begin to set goals and make
resolutions. Losing weight, getting to the gym more often or getting into “better shape” are all
common. These all require increasing your amount of physical activity. More activity is great for
your health, energy levels, sleep, and mood. However, ramping up your activity level too quickly
after a holiday season of eating, drinking and being merry can lead to pain, injury and
disappointment if your body isn’t ready for it.

Your physical therapist is an expert in human movement, and can help you safely reach your
fitness goals. People think of PTs as the person to see after an injury, but a visit before you
change your activity level could prevent injury in the first place. An evaluation by your PT will
include assessment of your strength, range of motion, and functional movement patterns – think
jumping, running, squatting, carrying. Some PTs even like to use a standardized assessment,
such as the Functional Movement Screen.

Most common injuries from new fitness routines are caused by underlying weakness, range of
motion deficits, or compensatory movement patterns. Your PT will find these during your
assessment. They can then prescribe exercises or movements to address the issues found and
get you safely moving into the new year!

The other common way people get injured working towards their resolution is with overtraining,
or doing too much too soon. Physical therapists are also experts in exercise prescription and
program design. Your PT can help you create a routine specific to your needs and goals that will
progress appropriately and keep you out of trouble.

So stop only thinking of your PT after you’re injured. In this case, it’s true that an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure. Seeing your physical therapist before you start on your
resolution can keep you on track, injury free, and help you reach your goals for the new year!