If you have been following us on our social media (linked below), then you know that we have been working through the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. This book has been helpful at WPT because it is helping us establish a framework for fostering existing habits and creating new habits in a healthy, impactful way.

We want to continue to demonstrate our commitment to our patients by having resources that can help you establish and work on your own goals. Resources like these will help institute the positive behavior changes that you want to see that are necessary for improving your health and well-being.

In this book there are four outlines. These outlines are:

1. It needs to be obvious.
2. It needs to be easy.
3. It needs to be attractive.
4. It needs to be satisfying.

Today we want to focus on making it obvious. The most essential way to make something obvious is to be aware of the habits that you currently have and understand if those habits are serving you well in the long term. Here is an example:

In this instance, the theoretical goal is weight loss. The work ahead of you is pretty obvious. You need to diet and you need to exercise. Before you can set out the parameters of a meal plan and a gym regimen, you need to assess your current habits. Let’s say everyday at work you drink a can of coke and every night before bed you have a bowl of ice cream, addressing these habits can help you lose weight. One way to change this is to switch the can of coke for a mug of tea or a beverage with less sugar. One of my favorite ways to add a bit of flavor to water is with a Nuun tablet. For the ice-cream, maybe try having it 2 hours before bed instead of right before bed. If you eat right before bed, your body isn’t working to get the sleep it needs because it is digesting food. Not getting enough sleep can contribute to a plateau in weight-loss and in some cases, weight gain.

By identifying these habits you can start to make changes in your life that can help you with your goal. Understanding whether something is serving you well is the first step. In order to help assist you in identifying your habits, we have free worksheets that you can download here.

Stay tuned for more habits content!

Habits are the topic of todays post. We’ve been working through a book called Atomic Habits by James Clear, which is a great read and helps clarify how to create great habits that serve you well, and break the ones that are holding you back from who you want to become.

The section we would like to go over today focuses on the 1% rule. Simply put, 1% change each day will add up over the course of time. 1% is all you need to make a new habit stick. If you relax and give yourself permission to only improve a little each day, then you will begin to see big strides towards your goal. To give you an example, we want to talk about the British cycling team.

In 2002, Sir Dave Brailsford became the head of British Cycling. At that point in time, British cycling had only won a single gold medal in its 76 year history. Brailsford knew that the task of making this team a winning staple in the olympic community was no easy feat, but he was up for the challenge. He believed that if they improved each area of their training by 1% each day, the aggregate of this plan would produce incredible results. Brailsford and his coaches on the team began by making incremental adjustment. A few examples are as follows:

1. They redesigned the bike seats to make them more comfortable.
2. They rubbed alcohol on the tires in order to provide a better grip.
3. They asked riders to wear electrically heated overshorts to maintain ideal muscle temperature while riding.
4. The team was supplied with biofeedback sensors to monitor how each athlete responded to a particular workout.
5. The team tested various fabrics in a wind tunnel and had their outdoor riders switch to indoor racing suits.
6. The team was taught proper hand washing techniques in order to prevent sickness among the players.
7. They trailer that held their bikes was painted white in order to see any dust that can potentially interfere with the gear.

The list goes on and on, but the important thing to note is the success of this philosophy. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the British Cycling team won 7 out of 10 gold medals available in track cycling, and then did the same at the London Olympics four years later. The team has also won three of the last four Tour de France events.

Building habits is important, but even more important is understanding that change does not happen overnight. If you are trying to achieve a goal, learn something new, or form a better habit, you need to understand that it is going to take time. Figure out what you want to change in your life and establish an incremental plan to get there. Recognize that it is just going to take some time and then start kicking butt! In the following blog posts related to habit formation, we’re going to provide you a very specific framework you can use to build those positive habits incrementally, and shed the ones that aren’t helping you become the best version of yourself!

Pilates is an exercise method that was developed by Joseph Pilates and his wife Clara in the early 1900s. According to Raels book called Pilates Anatomy “Pilates is a system of physical and mental conditioning that can enhance physical strength, flexibility, and coordination improve mental focus reduce stress and improve overall wellbeing”. Joseph Pilates developed the system of exercise by reviewing yoga text books and studying animal movements while as a prisoner of war in an internment camp during world war I. Joseph believed bad posture and general sickness could be attributed to lack of movement, lack of muscle development and lack of mental engagement therefore he developed a movement system that he thought would cure all ailments. He believed that there is an interrelated connection between mental and physical health.

What to expect:

1. The exercises are typically low-impact that focuses on strengthening global musculature while improving postural alignment and flexibility.
2. Pilates focuses on body control as well as stability. The exercise’s main goal is to improve core strength, move the spine in all directions with emphasis on breathing, and motor control
3. Pilates can be performed with or without equipment
   • Typical equipment you could see would be Pilates rings, Pilates balls, including but not limited to dumbbells
4. It also could be performed on the floor on a mat or on a reformer.
   • Mat exercise offer the ability to use body weight or some of the above-mentioned equipment to improve mobility and function
   • A reformer is a specifically designed equipment with springs, sliding platform with the goal to strengthen specific muscles

Can I participate if I have pain?

1. There have been studies that show Pilates to be effective in helping with flexibility, pain, balance and strengthening
   • In some patients with low back pain there is found alterations in muscle activation and sequencing in trunk muscle activation
2. Pilates could offer assistance in improve lumbopelvic control, facilitate breath control, as well as engage abdominals and pelvic floor muscles
   • Pilates has even shown beneficial effects on mental health.
3. A Meta-analysis in 2018 found a reduction of depression, anxiety, fatigue, and increase in energy in those who practice Pilates

Who can relate to this? You’ve been dealing with pain, sickness, or some health scare for some time now, and you’ve finally decided it’s past the time of hoping it will spontaneously resolve. You decide it’s time to have this thing looked at by a pro. You line up all of your questions, book an appointment at their earliest opening (4 months from now!) and eagerly await answers and direction on what you need to do in order to address this nagging problem. The day of your appointment comes and you show up early. Then have to wait 45 minutes past your scheduled appointment time to get pulled back into the evaluation room. Lest not forget, you were lucky to only have to wait 45 minutes, because your cousin had to wait 2 hours at this very same office just 3 weeks ago. Then, your provider comes in, asks you what’s going on, listens to MOST of your story, then hurries the rest of the conversation along. After all, they have 8 other patients waiting in their respective rooms, or out in the lobby. It’s lunch time, and that provider has already seen 17 patients. You get your prescription for some medication and possibly some tests or imaging ordered, and you’re on your way – not much more certain of what’s going on than you were before that appointment.

Let us be clear, this is NOT good. You deserve more time with someone who knows how to help you. You deserve a thorough explanation of what the likely issue is (which requires a deep dive into your diagnosis – which takes TIME!).

Let’s be clear on this as well – this is very likely NOT your provider’s fault! They work in a system that is prioritizing quantity over quality. They work in a system that forces them to be more effective at time management than high quality diagnosis and getting to the root of people’s problems. IF they had more time to afford you and their other patient’s, they would be thrilled – AND THEY WOULD BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AT HELPING YOU! Alas, sadly for them, this is not the system they get to operate within. They are constrained by a system that chokes each interaction, stifling the opportunity to build relationships and solve the deep problems that many patients are facing.

At WPT, we are trying like hell to change this narrative. Each and every one of our clinicians have been on the other side of the scenario described above. We’ve been limited, frustrated, and stressed that we’re not able to provide the care we know we could, only if we had more TIME to give. For this is the reason that WPT exists, and the reason each and every one of us has chosen to be on this side of healthcare history.

We’ve chosen a different path. Have you been frustrated by a scenario like the one described above? Our guess is you have. If you’re ready for someone to give you the time to listen, get to the bottom of your problems, and solve things for good, call us. We’re here for you.

Return to sport tests are common at WPT and taking patients through tests that are validated by evidence is really important. Today we want to talk about a few tests that we use. Lower extremity injuries typically consist of two sides, the involved and uninvolved side. The difference between these two is simple. The involved side is the side that is injured and the uninvolved side is the side that is not injured. The rule of thumb here is that the outcome of your return to sport testing needs to be within 10% of your uninvolved side to safely return to athletics. Below are four validated tests commonly used at WPT as a gauge for return to sport.

Single Hop Test
This test is simple. The patient stands at the end of the measuring tape on one leg, and hops as far as they can using the uninvolved leg. Next we have the patient do the same but using the involved side. We test on both sides to see if the patient has comparable distances within 10%. For example, to meet the 10% threshold, if an individual can hope 30 inches on their non-injured side, they should be able to hop at least 27 inches on their injured side. Of the four listed tests, this is the only one time maximal effort power test.

Triple Hop Test
The principle for this test is the same as the single hop test, however this time there are three hops instead of one. Athletics most always require multiple bursts of dynamic activity, and this test reflects that aspect better than a single hop test.

Crossover Hop
This third test is is similar to the three hop test but instead of hoping straight, the patient hops in a zig-zag pattern over the ruler. The lateral movement aspect of this test requires additional levels of lower extremity stability and power.

6 Meter Timed Hop Test
The fourth and final test is a timed test to determine how quickly you can unilaterally hop in a six meter distance. If you are uncertain you’re ready to return to your sport after an injury, seeking out a physical who’s capable of determining your readiness is crucial to your recovery. The worst thing that can happen is getting back to your sport prematurely and suffer a re-injury!

If you have any question about return to sport tests or injuries, please feel free to reach out to us. We are always here to help!

Spring has sprung and this means the weather is getting warmer, which we can all agree is amazing! With warmer weather comes an uptick in outdoor sports — running being one of our favorites at WPT. So, if you find yourself running in this beautiful weather we wanted to give you some tips to help reduce your risk of injury and keep you going!

1. Warm-up!

It is important to prime your body for movement before starting to run in order to allow your body to move through the complete range of motion necessary and prepare the muscles to activate properly with every stride. Warm-ups should be dynamic allowing the body to move through various motions to allow the muscles and joints to move appropriately. Here’s an example of a pre-running warm-up: air squats, butt kicks, high knees, jumping jacks, vertical jumps, & walking lunges. Simply complete each of these for 1-2 minutes continuously before tying up those laces and going for a jog!

2. Progress Distance Gradually

If you are just beginning to run for the first time of the season after the long winter, then it is key to make sure you start small then build up your mileage over several weeks and months. In running, there is something called the ‘Ten Percent Rule’ this means that per week the mileage you are running should increase by no more than 10% from one week to the next! This rule is a quick and easy way to reduce your risk for injury when increasing your mileage.

3. Hydrate Properly

When you begin running, you will undoubtedly sweat — with this loss of fluid you need to make sure you are replacing this fluid through drinking plenty of water. Generally, it is recommended to drink 8 glasses of water per day, however knowing that both exercises (sweating) and the outdoor heat can cause fluid loss make sure you up this intake by a glass or two when upping your mileage to prevent dehydration!

4. Cross Train

Running is an awesome form of exercise for our cardiovascular fitness, however ensuring that we are training out muscle for strength and control is also important. So, for runners it is key that we integrate a handful of resistance exercises several times a week. Key muscle groups to strengthen for runners include the gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps and the core.

If you have any questions about how to safely start a running program or how to reduce your injury risk with running come see us at WPT!

Over the next few weeks we want to touch on returning to sports, specifically in the lower extremities. There are a lot of different tools that we use during treatment at WPT, but for athletes that need to return to sports, one of the many tests we utilize for return to sport testing is the Y balance test. This test is part of a functional movement screen that is used to determine balance and functional symmetry which in turn can help a physical therapist assess if the athlete is ready to return to their specific sport.

At WPT, we do not believe in band-aid solutions and we always want to make sure we are thorough, that’s why this test is so important. We want to look past just doing basic movement tests and look at the nuances of what it means to return to the particular sport in question. This test is a good measure of the asymmetry between an athlete’s injured side and non-injured side and making sure that their range of motion is safe and appropriate before returning to sports. That’s why this, and several other return to sport tests, are so important.

This is a simple, yet reliable test to measure dynamic stability. It requires the athlete to balance on one leg while simultaneously reaching as far as possible with the other leg in three separate directions: anterior, posterolateral, and posteromedial. This test measures the athlete’s strength, stability, and balance in various directions and can be predictive for risk of injury.

We know that it is important to feel ready to return to sports, but it is equally as important for an athlete to prove they are ready. We plan to continue this topic next week so stay tuned!

In our last blog we talked about fixed mindset vs growth mindset and provided insight on how to transition from a more fixed oriented mindset to a growth oriented mindset. We want to continue on this topic because, like we’ve said 1000 times, the way in which we think will impact the way we physically feel. At WPT, we know this to be true, and strive to impart this truth to all of our patients. The most effective treatment addresses MIND, body, and spirit.

Today’s focus on this topic is comparing internal vs external locus of control. These are psychological terms that describe two different mindset realities. The first is what’s called an external locus of control. People who have an external locus of control believe that successes or failures are a direct result of external factors beyond their control. These factors can include luck, fate, circumstance, injustice, and bias. In contrast, people who have an external locus of control believe that their successes and failures are a result of their own abilities.

On a daily basis, it seems that almost 90% of things that happen are outside of our control; something that we have no influence over. Some people focus on that 90%. They focus on things that they cannot change and it dictates their thoughts, emotions, and feelings which can ultimately dictate how they feel physically. On the flipside, there are people that focus on the 10%. These are the 10% of things that are within your control. It seems like these are the people that have things figured out. They have an understanding of what objectives they want to accomplish and how to go about getting there because they have a clear sense of how this 10% will influence other things.

The challenge for you is figuring out where you have a blind spot. What areas of your life are you giving too much energy and import to things that are outside of your control? Where can reign that in, flip the script, and focus on the things that you do have control over?

Here’s to a stronger, more resilient you!

Growth mindset vs fixed mindset. We covered this topic last week and we would like to keep talking about it today. If you recall from our last post, we talked about author and PHD Carol Dweck who coined the term “Growth Mindset”. Framing your mindset has a huge impact on your ability to achieve your goals.

Today we would like to compare a fixed mindset to a growth mindset and give some examples of different scenarios where having a growth mindset can be beneficial. We also want to show you that you can shift your mindset from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

1. Challenges. If you have a fixed mindset, when you come across a challenge, you are going to shy away from it. This is just going to be your natural way of dealing with these problems. If you have a growth mindset, you are going to face challenges head on and welcome them.

2. Obstacles. If you come across an obstacle and you have a fixed mindset, you are going to give up easily. If you have a growth mindset, you’re going to persist in the face of those obstacles and overcome them.

3. Effort. If you have a fixed mindset, you are going to view effort as fruitless, too much work, or even detrimental. However, if you have a growth mindset you’ll see effort as the path to mastery and something that is necessary to take you where you want to go.

4. Criticism. If you have a fixed mindset you are going to resist useful negative feedback. However, if you have a growth mindset you will actually be open to hearing critiques because this feedback will help you to grow and improve.

5. Success. If you have a fixed mindset, you will feel threatened by the success of other people. This is natural but it is important to realize that with a growth mindset, you can actually look for the lessons and find inspiration in the success of other people.

So our challenge to you is to analyze and be very critical about where you fall in those five different categories and see if you have more of a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. The reality is, this is a spectrum — in some situations we may have more of a growth or fixed mindset. An important lesson to learn is that we can put effort into moving ourselves from fixed to growth in more situations without our lives. The more we do this, the more opportunities will present themselves and the better that we’ll be able to deal with things that come our way.

How you think will impact your physical wellbeing. We know this to be true at WPT and we want to continue to talk about this topic so stay tuned!

Every Friday morning at WPT, the therapists come in a bit early and have an hour long meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss different ways we are going to improve our treatment, and continue to evolve as clinicians – which in turn helps our patients regain the freedom to move. During these meetings the therapists take turns leading the meeting around a research topic they’ve been studying. This week was Macy’s turn.

Macy’s recent research has focused on mindset coaching. At WPT, we believe that if you are going to make a transformational jump from where you are to where you want to be, you cannot just address your physical state. You need to be addressing your mental game as well. We want to help you frame things differently in your mind and see yourself overcoming your situation. If you can tell yourself a different, positive story, you can change your mindset and evolve your thinking.

What was covered today was research done in the 1970s by psychologist and educator, Carol Dwect. Carol is the person that coined the phrase “growth mindset”. There are two juxtapositions ideologies here; fixed mindset and growth mindset. Fixed mindset insinuates that intelligence is static. Your thinking doesn’t really change, and your ability to evolve is limited. A growth mindset is the notion that you can improve your resilience and tell yourself a different story. Your thinking can change your situation for the better. At WPT, we strongly believe that a growth mindset is not only possible, but the best way to operate, helping you overcome the obstacles that stand in your way.

In the coming weeks we will go more in depth about this topic and really compare fixed vs growth mindset as well as talk about ways that you can shift your thinking.