This topic was chosen by popular request from you, our patients! There's so much information available these days that it's hard to narrow down the essentials. So, when trying to create a daily stretching routine, how do you know which exercises to include? Take it from an expert of the musculoskeletal system, me, Dr. Wasserman! Allow me to show you 5 exercises to make a part of your easy daily stretching routine. 1. Levator Stretch Let's face it, a majority…
A quarter of Americans are completely sedentary. They do no physical activity at all. The number of physically inactive American adults rises as people get older, with that number jumping to 26% for adults aged 50 to 64, 27% for those aged 65 to 74, and 35% for people aged 75 years and older. However, this trend is driven by the myth that it's natural for your physical activity to decrease as we age. Sport is for the young, and…
Do you sit all day at a computer and then spend hours on the sofa? You're putting your health at risk. Research links excessive sitting to higher risk of diabetes and heart disease. In addition, sitting can lead to tight hips, neck and back pain, and even spinal problems. There is also evidence that suggests that prolonged sitting can lead to cognitive decline, depression, and anxiety. This is due to the decrease in physical activity, which can lead to decreased…
Recently, a team published a research study that includes studying the shortest workout of all time. Both men and women were ask to flex their arms as hard as they could for 3 seconds. After a month, their biceps were 12% stronger. Pretty astonishing, huh? This lends more evidence that even little amounts of exercise have benefits compared to none at all. There have been previous studies that explore short bursts of exercise, but they mostly discuss cardiovascular activity. Biking…
As the holidays approach, some of you may be choosing to travel by plane to visit family. An estimated 6 million Floridians will be traveling by plane this holiday season. And, as we've discussed in the past, as much as 80% of Americans experience back pain at some point. Over half experience it every year. It's a growing number, and one of the major contributors to this problem is an increase in sedentary lifestyles. The center of a Venn diagram…
We already know how important exercise is for maintaining our health. This is especially true as we begin to experience age-related physical decline in areas such as strength, agility, balance and stability. However, many of our fitness endeavors and goals tend to neglect that last category. Improving balance and stability should be a priority to reduce injuries and improve movement confidence. Sometimes, I get patients in the office who inform me, "Oh, I can't do that exercise. I can't get…
So it turns out that working from home during the pandemic lockdown tortured our backs. A recent study shows that more than a third of people have experienced increased back pain during lockdown. The study claims that 25 to 44 year-olds were more likely to claim back pain caused by inadequate work from home set ups. Back pain (36 percent) is the biggest problem, followed by headaches (34 percent), joint pain (27 percent), neck pain (26 percent) and muscle pain…
About 80% of Americans suffer debilitating low back pain at some point in their life. This fact is staggering, yet it doesn’t have to be this common. The key to staying out of this group of low back pain sufferers comes down to one word: Prevention. If I had to choose one common problem amongst all low back pain sufferers, it would be bad low back position during common activities such as brushing your teeth, bending over, picking up a…
People often ask this question at the clinic and the answer is “it depends.” On how old you are, your fitness level, and most importantly, your goals. Your program needs to be specific to your particular goals. There are no "one-size-fits-all" exercise programs. I do have some thoughts about what types of exercises are available to those over 40 in Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter. Over 40? If you're over 40 your exercise goals differ than when you were in…
