Is there something you can do before you have surgery to help you heal faster or progress quicker?
Absolutely there is. Pre-habilitation, or prehab, exercises are just as important as after you have surgery. Okay, so let’s talk shoulders for example. There’s a lot of people getting shoulder surgeries. Some of the doctors now, and as physical therapists we totally agree with this, are recommending therapy pre-surgery, just so you can maintain or increase your range of motion. This will help maintain some strength levels depending upon what the injury is or what they’re going to need surgery for. At the very least you will want tomaintain as much function as you can prior to going into surgery.
We’ve found a lot of good success with this when we’ve been given the opportunity to work with people before they have a surgery. Probably the ones we get the most of are knee patients, especially the total knees replacements, and they send them in here to maintain their range of motion as well as to keep a functional strength level within their pain tolerances. What these patients have found is that they do better after surgery simply because they’re going in better prepared. They haven’t lost as much range of motion and they’re more functionally strong. Keeping your blood flowing and muscles strong is very important prior to surgery.
Our recommendation is you should train for a surgery just like you would train for an athletic event. If you prepare in that way, most people will come through much better and faster. So what we’re going to do is give you some exercise and moving suggestions if you have a surgery coming up, starting with shoulders.
Subscribe and follow along to our YouTube channel where we will show you some simple exercises you can do at home to prepare for surgery.
Wishing everybody happy holidays and with the first of the year, everybody wants to lose weight. It is always the number one resolution. So we’re going to talk a little bit about that. Typically what happens, you go to a doctor’s office and they take a BMI. All that really is measuring is height and weight. And then it puts you in a category. You are underweight, you are overweight, you’re obese, etc., but it doesn’t tell you where the body fat is. It doesn’t tell you how much muscle mass you have. So some Australian researchers have done a study and they’ve come up with a different method that’s very easy to use. And this is measuring whether somebody’s “over fat.”
Over fat they are defining as abdominal fat, fat in the abdominal cavity. The more dangerous fat, according to the researchers, is fat that’s carried on your belly, around your midline. This has more medical complications than just being fat all over. So just the fat that’s underneath the skin.
What they are saying is this has a lot of health risks. It’s a different type of fat. A way to measure that is you take a tape measure, and you measure your waist at your belly button level, not where you wear your pants. That can be two different sizes. Measure your waist right at your belly button level. Then take half of your height in inches. So if you’re six foot, that would be 36.
So if your abdominal size measures less than 36, you would not be considered over fat according to this. Over that, you would be, regardless of what a BMI says. So a way to start the new year, easy check, see where you’re at. Maybe something you want to work on. If you have further questions, contact us at fitnessforlifept.com.
Mark and Brian coming at you for Fitness4Life. Happy holidays to you all. What we’re going to talk about today is ankles, and the reason we’re going to talk about ankles is because the research shows that a lack of ankle mobility can cause all kinds of problems from your foot and ankle, to your knee, to your hip, to even your lower back. This can stem from not having enough movement in your ankle, so it affects your walking, how you go up and down the stairs, and your exercises. One reason why a lot of people will walk with their feet pointed out is because they don’t have enough ankle mobility for them to point it straight. So for their body to make up for that, they turn their feet out because then they don’t have to bend their ankle as much.
It’s also been linked to injuries in athletes with knees, hips, and lower back. What a lot of people don’t realize is how important the ankle is to everything else because when you stop and think about it, the only thing touching the ground is your two feet. So if your feet go, and the mobility and stability in those joints go, the rest of the health of the body is going to be determined by that. What we’re going to do today is give you some exercises to do if you are lacking that mobility in your ankle, but we’re going to show you how you can determine if you are lacking in ankle mobility first.
We’re going to have my colleague here stand over here, and we use his right foot. I made a line on the ground so this would be a wall typically or a box like this, but you’re going to come four inches out from the wall.
His toes is going to be right on that line, foot straight and keeping his heel down. All he’s going to do is bend his knee and see if he can touch his knee to that wall. At a normal range, he should be able to touch his knee to the wall For those of you who like numbers, 40 degrees is what’s considered normal.
That’s a simple way to measure and you need to do both sides because there can be discrepancies. Measure it, see how you do.
Subscribe and follow along to our YouTube channel where we will show you some simple exercises you can do at home to increase your ankle mobility.
What I want to talk to you about this month is something new we are offering here at the clinic. It is called a Functional Movement Screening. This is a test consisting of seven different movement patterns that are based on primitive patterns, meaning primitive patterns are how we all learned to get up from the ground as an infant. These weren’t taught to us. So an infant, when you pay attention to them, you’ll notice that they start on their back, then they eventually go to their stomach, then they go to where they’re leaning up, then they will go to half kneeling, sitting, eventually standing.
So there’s a bunch of movement patterns that we all have that we are born with. It’s not taught to us, but it’s how we go from the ground to standing. So these seven tests are a way of measuring how people move now, because a lot of times there can be deficiencies in movement or asymmetries. So one side doesn’t move the same way that another side does. So this is a screening, and all that means is it’s going to give us a chance to look at how you move, that looks at seven different patterns. With these patterns we will see what motions or movements need to be worked on. So is there a mobility problem, meaning that you have a lack of motion somewhere in a joint which can lend itself towards an injury? Is there a lack of stability where you can’t stabilize your body well which could be a precursor to an injury? We will find out!
Also with this functional movement screening, you’re going to get a printout of an exercise program to be doing at home that does not require any equipment. It will also explain the movement patterns, the importance of them and what you might need work on. What this does not do is tell you that if you don’t score well on this test, you’re going to get injured. It’s just, like I said, a screening. We’re starting to do it on our athletes, and the general population because it gives them a chance to see, “Okay, what can I work on to help me possibly not get injured, or at least to be able to move better so I don’t start getting aches and pains.” We are now offering this service in our clinic here. If you are interested in this, contact us at fitness4lifept.com.
What we’re going to talk about today is a prime movement that everybody should be able to do because whether they realize it or not, and they do it in everyday life. That movement is called a deadlift.
What people don’t realize, as soon as you say deadlift, they think of going in their gym, lifting a big, heavy weight, and they get scared. A deadlift is picking a bag of groceries up off the ground, picking a child up. or picking a pet up. I’ve known people that have thrown their back out from picking up a pen before.
You’re always going to do deadlift. When did you first learn a deadlift? As an infant. It’s how you got up off the ground and went to standing. So you actually learned that without being taught that. Unfortunately, as you age, people get away from that, or they start changing the mechanics. So, it’s a movement that you need to do.
We’re going to show you how to start progressing into being able to do it at home safely and correctly. You don’t have to go to a gym, you don’t have to lift big, heavy weights.
Subscribe and follow along to our YouTube channel where we will show you some how to properly – and correctly – do a deadlift so you do not get hurt.
This month what we’re going to talk about is glute exercises, or the backside. When we look at the glute area, that mid portion by the pelvis, kind of the center of the body, everything from the ground up goes through that area. Everything from the top down goes through that area. So it’s kind of like Grand Central Station of your body, if you will.
So, what we’re looking at, people sit a lot of times, or do so much sitting, a lot of times they get weak glutes from that. Dr. Stuart McGill calls this gluteal amnesia, which just means that the muscles kind of went on break, and they almost forget how to fire, because people aren’t using them. It is a very important muscle. It’s the largest muscle in the body, and probably the strongest, and you need it for everything that you do, basically.
Brian and I just read a study where they reviewed a bunch of different studies that were done out there, on which are the best glute exercises to do. So because of that, what we’re going to do is go over some different types of glute exercises that you can do at home on your own. These are rated the best exercises for strengthening and training your glutes.
Subscribe and follow along to our YouTube channel where we will show you some exercises you can do at home to strengthen your glute muscles.
I have been going to the Fitness4Life Physical Therapy for over a decade of my life. Throughout that time, Mark Slaughter has treated me like family and has helped me through some very difficult injuries and life events. I always... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-04-12T13:54:31-05:00
I have been going to the Fitness4Life Physical Therapy for over a decade of my life. Throughout that time, Mark Slaughter has treated me like family and has helped me through some very difficult injuries and life events. I always have a great experience there and know that I can count on them to help every time!
It's special to know someone like Mark. He is been a part of me & my family for a very long time. Sports is in my whole family's DNA, & Mark makes me understand my body & helped make me who I... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-08-15T13:53:12-05:00
It's special to know someone like Mark. He is been a part of me & my family for a very long time. Sports is in my whole family's DNA, & Mark makes me understand my body & helped make me who I am today. Mark has touched the lives of many people & influenced them to be better in everything they do. Mark is the best in the business, no doubt about it.
I remember the first day I walked into physical therapy with a full neck and back brace. Fourteen broken bones (8 vertebrae, 5 ribs and a collar bone) and still recovering from a c-section, I knew the biggest challenge was... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-08-15T13:53:59-05:00
I remember the first day I walked into physical therapy with a full neck and back brace. Fourteen broken bones (8 vertebrae, 5 ribs and a collar bone) and still recovering from a c-section, I knew the biggest challenge was ahead of me. Mark was there from the moment he saw me. He became my foundation over the next two and half years of treatment. Mark’s therapy program is like no other as he understands and treats the mind, the body and the soul. His personal connection with all his patients shines through physically, mentally and emotionally. As a brand new mom, Mark and his staff welcomed my new baby as she spent 3 days a week the first year of her life in therapy with her mom. I truly become part of a bigger family when I joined Mark’s program and that was the support I needed. The atmosphere is extremely positive, encouraging and welcoming. And the results! Well, that is just simply amazing. I remember the first day the neck brace was removed. I had zero ability to turn my head. I sat in a chair without the brace for a couple minutes and I was completely wiped out for the rest of the day and had to go home and sleep. This was the starting point yet Mark never felt defeated. My road to recovery with Mark was a journey but it was a positive journey that brought me back to normal life skills and functions. I was able to hold my baby again, I learned how to drive again, I was able to go back to work full time and the pain kept improving. When doctors said there was nothing more to do, Mark never stopped treating and I am so thankful that he...
I started seeing Mark for physical therapy early in 2012 for a shoulder problem. The exercises corrected the problem and that is part of my exercise program I do today. But at that time, I was exercising at a gym... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2017-03-27T10:08:51-05:00
I started seeing Mark for physical therapy early in 2012 for a shoulder problem. The exercises corrected the problem and that is part of my exercise program I do today. But at that time, I was exercising at a gym and over time hurt my elbow and knee. So late in 2012 I started exercising at Fitness4Life Physical Therapy. Mark set a program for me first working on lower body, not body building, but strengthening. He is a stickler for doing each exercise absolutely perfect. That's the help I needed. No shoulder, elbow or knee pain. Have been doing upper and lower body exercises 4 days a week for many years. Thanks Mark, you're the best.
I've suffered from back pain since I was 13 years old, caused by Scoliosis and then a major auto accident. A need for physical therapy took me to Mark Slaughter, who examined my back and listened to my history and... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-08-15T13:52:01-05:00
I've suffered from back pain since I was 13 years old, caused by Scoliosis and then a major auto accident. A need for physical therapy took me to Mark Slaughter, who examined my back and listened to my history and complaints. With Marks professional direction, I was able to begin strength training and endurance exercise and learned how not to hurt myself. Mark taught me techniques that I use daily to stay pain-free. He genuinely cares about people getting better. Thanks, Mark!
After suffering a back injury while exercising and not getting any relief with the measures I was taking, I decided to try physical therapy. My care with Mark and his staff at Fitness4Life Physical Therapy was fantastic. My consult was... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2017-01-24T12:08:24-06:00
After suffering a back injury while exercising and not getting any relief with the measures I was taking, I decided to try physical therapy. My care with Mark and his staff at Fitness4Life Physical Therapy was fantastic. My consult was thorough and he knew exactly where my problem was and gave me several strategies and exercises to do immediately. His insight into my overall posture has not only helped my back to begin the healing process but has addressed other health issues I've had including planter's fasciitis and costochondritis.I use what I've learned through my PT with Mark and Sharon in my everyday movement patterns as well as when I workout.I have shifted my focus to realize that I need to do every rep as it is the only one and do it perfectly! I am trying to be patient with my recovery and realize that this is a way of life and it's all about maintenance and prevention! When I get discouraged, they are there to encourage me through the process.
I have worked with Mark Slaughter for over ten years rehabilitating various body parts from surgery or injuries. Most recently my lower back started hurting so I could not sleep at night. Mark showed me how to increase the flexibility... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-08-15T13:54:39-05:00
I have worked with Mark Slaughter for over ten years rehabilitating various body parts from surgery or injuries. Most recently my lower back started hurting so I could not sleep at night. Mark showed me how to increase the flexibility in my back and strengthen my body to prevent future problems. I would rather drive 45 minutes each way to see Mark then see someone closer, who gave me poor results.
Instead of traveling an hour one way to work out with my club volleyball team my senior year, I chose to work with Mark. Mark's main focus was body control and correct form. I worked a lot with body weight... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-04-11T16:59:04-05:00
Instead of traveling an hour one way to work out with my club volleyball team my senior year, I chose to work with Mark. Mark's main focus was body control and correct form. I worked a lot with body weight exercise and the kettle bells. Currently I work out with my college team at McKendree University and I've found that the work I did with Mark prepared me excellently for what lifts and exercises we do here.
I have been driving from Alton to do therapy with Mark for about 12 years. The drive is well worth it. Mark has helped me with many problems. Back, hands, wrists and a knee replacement. I trust him with my... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-04-12T13:56:27-05:00
I have been driving from Alton to do therapy with Mark for about 12 years. The drive is well worth it. Mark has helped me with many problems. Back, hands, wrists and a knee replacement. I trust him with my whole being!! I love exercising with him twice a week. I have osteoarthritis and rheumatoid and he is always looking out for me while exercising. I highly recommend him for his one and one caring techniques.
After a devastating injury when I was 21 which left me managing paralysis and pain in my right leg, I chose then not to “fit the mold” of having a disability. About 5 years ago when I turned 40, I... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2017-03-27T10:17:06-05:00
After a devastating injury when I was 21 which left me managing paralysis and pain in my right leg, I chose then not to “fit the mold” of having a disability. About 5 years ago when I turned 40, I started to feel the effects of the injury on my overall health. I found it difficult to go up and down stairs as well as started taking medication to manage the pain. It was then that I realized I needed to do something different and joined a specialized gym. I saw incredible improvement in my strength and overall health. I am currently a member at Iron Orchid in Maryville where I enjoy working out with amazing coaches and members 3-5 days per week. The Gym has helped me to gain the strength to stay active. My husband Chad and I love hiking and have made it our goal to book a trip each year to see different parts of the country. Our most recent trip was in October to Tennessee where we hiked 26 miles in 5 days! Recently I felt something pop and tear in my “good” leg while working out. I panicked over what this meant for my ability to stay active, as I rely on this leg to make up the difference for what my right leg cannot do. With the diagnosis of a torn calf muscle, a set of crutches (kind of a joke hopping on a “bad/now good” leg you can’t feel), significant pain, and the possibility of surgery I was devastated. Chad quickly made call to Pat for an appointment and we got in with Mark Slaughter at Fitness4Life Physical Therapy the same day to get a second opinion and therapy started. At my first appointment with Mark, I was so thankful that he...
I had major shoulder surgery in March of 2016. My work insurance provided for many therapy visits. When that coverage expired, I knew that I needed more therapy to regain full use of my shoulder. Mark was recommended by a... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2017-01-24T12:07:24-06:00
I had major shoulder surgery in March of 2016. My work insurance provided for many therapy visits. When that coverage expired, I knew that I needed more therapy to regain full use of my shoulder. Mark was recommended by a friend. Both Mark and Sharon provided the necessary guidance to rehab my shoulder. After release by the surgeon, I continued daily visits with the staff. They consistently provide recommendations and suggestions to maintain my shoulder mobility and to increase my overall physical strength and flexibility. I strongly recommend Fitness4Life Physical Therapy for any therapy or workout needs. The environment is warm and friendly. The patrons provide encouragement for each other. It is a family atmosphere where care for each person is felt. I truly appreciate all the help that the entire staff has provided to me. They are awesome.
Getting injured is no laughing matter, however the care I received at Fitness4Life Physical Therapy made recovery more bearable. Mark and his team, (including four little dogs), are caring, compassionate, knowledgeable, and somehow made therapy enjoyable.
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-04-11T16:53:53-05:00
Getting injured is no laughing matter, however the care I received at Fitness4Life Physical Therapy made recovery more bearable. Mark and his team, (including four little dogs), are caring, compassionate, knowledgeable, and somehow made therapy enjoyable.
Fyzical of Edwardsville is my “go to” spot for the best physical therapy care for me. Mark is extremely knowledgeable in his field, and actually makes physical therapy more fun than it otherwise would be. He’s not afraid to think... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-03-18T13:31:46-05:00
Fyzical of Edwardsville is my “go to” spot for the best physical therapy care for me. Mark is extremely knowledgeable in his field, and actually makes physical therapy more fun than it otherwise would be. He’s not afraid to think outside the box in order to help you get better. He & Sharon have helped me rehab a painful hip, and now a broken elbow. I am thankful I found this clinic.
I get by with a little help from my friends- my friend Mark, that is. I have had the "pleasure" of Mark helping me rehabilitate after two injuries- knee surgery and a broken wrist. Mark knows how to push you... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2017-01-24T12:03:04-06:00
I get by with a little help from my friends- my friend Mark, that is. I have had the "pleasure" of Mark helping me rehabilitate after two injuries- knee surgery and a broken wrist. Mark knows how to push you "just a little bit further" to get the most out of your session and to get you back to your old self as soon as possible. I recommend Mark and Pat- and the puppies- to everyone!
Mark’s knowledge and personal attention is just extraordinary. I highly recommend Fitness4Life Physical Therapy for all of your rehabilitation needs, they are by far the best! Mark and the others really just listen and are just compassionate and driven to make you... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-04-12T14:13:29-05:00
Mark’s knowledge and personal attention is just extraordinary. I highly recommend Fitness4Life Physical Therapy for all of your rehabilitation needs, they are by far the best! Mark and the others really just listen and are just compassionate and driven to make you better.
I'm happy to highly recommend Mark Slaughter and the staff at Fitness4Life Physical Therapy. I broke my fibula at the ankle and had 9 weeks of non-weight bearing in a fixed position. The result? A locked and very painful ankle... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2017-01-24T12:14:45-06:00
I'm happy to highly recommend Mark Slaughter and the staff at Fitness4Life Physical Therapy. I broke my fibula at the ankle and had 9 weeks of non-weight bearing in a fixed position. The result? A locked and very painful ankle joint! Mark listened carefully to my situation and put together a plan that has yielded great results using a variety of exercises and treatments. (I even had cupping done like the Olympic athletes!) Mark and Sharon are quick to listen and try new approaches as I have progressed. Information about the mechanics of walking is important and they have done a great job teaching me how to monitor my movement to avoid future problems. The atmosphere created at Fyzical feels like family and they exhibit a personal and very caring attitude. Additionally, I have had lower back pain for about 30 years. Mark suggested a few exercises and talked with me about posture and how to move and miraculously, I am pain free now. I now know what to do should I have pain again. In the front office, Pat Slaughter is great and makes scheduling easy even working around my business travel schedule. I found Mark on the recommendation of a friend and I wholeheartedly agree!!
I thought I had a knee injury, and Mark pointed me to a good knee surgeon. It turned out I needed both knees replaced. Mark encouraged me to get both knees done at once. It was the best decision I... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2017-01-24T12:05:28-06:00
I thought I had a knee injury, and Mark pointed me to a good knee surgeon. It turned out I needed both knees replaced. Mark encouraged me to get both knees done at once. It was the best decision I could have made, including going to Mark and Sharon for my PT. They were excellent, and I recovered quickly... actually better than I've been in years. I enjoyed the Fyzical family and the relaxed atmosphere. THANKS for getting me back to good!
Very friendly staff. They always are prepared when you arrive and have your therapy plan for the day ready. Mark listens to what I have say and always makes sure I understand what is being done and why.
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-03-18T13:23:09-05:00
Very friendly staff. They always are prepared when you arrive and have your therapy plan for the day ready. Mark listens to what I have say and always makes sure I understand what is being done and why.
What a GREAT place to rehab! Mark Slaughter, PT is both professional and personal and he always puts his patients best interest as his number one priority by going over and beyond to assure progress. It's clear how much he cares... Read more ...
Fitness4Life Physical Therapy
2016-08-15T13:49:03-05:00
What a GREAT place to rehab! Mark Slaughter, PT is both professional and personal and he always puts his patients best interest as his number one priority by going over and beyond to assure progress. It's clear how much he cares about his patients. Sharon is terrific too!! As a massage therapist and recipient I am very particular in choosing a therapist. In my opinion, Mark Slaughter and his staff are the best in the area.
