FIT Physical Therapy

06/30/2025

💬 Client Success Story: Candace Erickson-Fearon – From Pain to Performance

At FIT Physio, we’ve had the privilege of supporting Candace Erickson-Fearon through a remarkable journey — from injury and physical limitation to renewed strength, confidence, and purpose.

When Candace first came to us, she was in pain — injured, restricted, and feeling defeated. We helped her understand that the body doesn’t heal in isolation; it moves and recovers as a whole.

Together, we broke her injury down into two key focus areas:
•Supported mobility practices to promote healing
•Functional movement training to rebuild balanced, purposeful motion

Through our collective expertise, hands-on treatment methods, and ongoing encouragement, Candace found a meaningful path forward — one that empowered her through the most challenging phases of rehab.

Today, Candace is not just healed — she’s thriving. With our continued support, she’s discovering her full athletic potential and working toward her health and wellness goals. From signing up for CrossFit competitions to learning to ride a horse and swim, Candace is living a life full of movement and possibility.

At FIT Physio, we don’t just treat injuries — we help you unlock your potential.

06/12/2025

Wellness Tip: Movement Snacks 🏃‍♂️💥

Short on time? Try movement snacks—10 reps of any exercise, every hour on the hour.
💡 Squats at your desk
💡 Lunges in the kitchen
💡 Pushups between tasks

These quick bursts of movement boost energy, improve mobility, and help you stay active—even on the busiest days. Little wins add up, and your body will thank you for it.

06/04/2025

🎉GIVEAWAY TIME! 🎉
Just in time to hit your summer goals💪🏻

To enter:
1️⃣ Follow
2️⃣ Like this post
3️⃣ Tag 2 friends in the comments (each comment = 1 entry!)
🔁 Bonus: Share this post to your story & tag us for 2 extra entries!

Giveaway ends on Monday June 9th! Winner will be announced on our story! 📲

Good luck💪🏻

04/16/2025

If you have a little athlete between the ages of 6 and 9, you probably want to set them up for long-term success—but where do you start? I’ve put together a Youth Training Checklist that breaks down exactly what your child needs to develop their skills, improve movement, and stay engaged in a fun, effective way.

Follow these 5 key training principles, and you’ll be laying the foundation for their future athletic success!

1️⃣ How Often Should They Train?
One of the biggest misconceptions parents have is that “training” means intense workouts or weightlifting. At this age, we’re not focusing on heavy strength training—instead, we’re introducing structured movement in a way that’s engaging and developmentally appropriate.

Here’s the ideal breakdown:
✔️ 1-3 days per week of structured training—This could include movement drills, basic strength patterns, and speed or agility work. Think of it as guided play rather than a strict workout.
✔️ 2-4 days per week of playing sports—Encourage them to try different sports! Exposure to a variety of movements helps with overall skill development and prevents burnout.

At this stage, it’s all about exploration and movement—help them develop coordination, body awareness, and confidence through play!

2️⃣ Speed, Agility & Explosive Movement
Your child’s ability to move quickly and efficiently starts now. That’s why 1-3 of their training days should include fast, explosive movements. The key is to keep it light and make it fun!

💨 Speed & agility drills – Running, sprinting, cutting drills, and direction changes improve coordination. Play tag, set up obstacle courses, or use cones for fun movement challenges!
🦘 Jumping exercises – They should be jumping consistently! Have them practice vertical jumps, broad jumps, lateral hops, and single-leg jumps to develop explosive power.
🎯 Throwing exercises – Throwing helps build upper-body power and coordination. Med balls, bean bags, or even just tossing a ball can be great. Have them throw with both hands and one hand to challenge their movement patterns.

These natural, playful movements build strong, agile athletes without making it feel like a chore!

3️⃣ Resisted Fundamentals – Building Strength Safely
Strength development at this age should be age-appropriate and focus on bodyweight movements first. The goal is to teach proper movement patterns and build a foundation before adding any external resistance.

🏋️‍♂️ Fundamental movement patterns every child should practice:
✔️ Squats – Builds leg strength and proper posture.
✔️ Lunges – Develops balance and coordination.
✔️ Push & pull movements – This includes push-ups, pulling against resistance bands, or light dumbbell presses (if appropriate).
✔️ Bending & rotational movements – Encourages core strength and injury prevention.

If your child is ready, you can gradually introduce light resistance with medicine balls, dumbbells, or kettlebells—but only if they demonstrate proper form first!

4️⃣ The Power of Competition & Gamification
One of the biggest challenges at this age is keeping kids engaged. That’s why it’s crucial to gamify their training and teach them how to compete in a fun, healthy way.

🏅 Turn drills into games – Race against the clock, challenge them to beat their best score, or introduce friendly competitions with siblings or friends.
🔥 Teach grit & resilience – Help them understand that losing or struggling is part of the process. How do they respond when they’re behind? How do they handle mistakes?
🎯 Encourage problem-solving – Give them physical challenges that require strategy, like navigating an obstacle course or figuring out a movement puzzle.

By making training exciting and competitive, you’re not only building better athletes—you’re instilling life skills like perseverance, teamwork, and confidence.

5️⃣ How to Structure Their Weekly Plan
If you can check off all five of these training components throughout the week, you’ll be setting your child up for long-term athletic success.

📆 A sample weekly plan might look like this:
✅ 1-3 days of structured training (agility, jumping, strength fundamentals)
✅ 2-4 days of sport-specific play (team practice, pick-up games, or skill work)
✅ Daily movement & free play to keep them active

Parents, need help structuring this into a weekly or monthly plan? If you want to make sure your child is developing properly while still having FUN, contact us today!

03/31/2025

WHY HIIT ISN’T ALWAYS IT: 🤔 Why More Isn’t Better, and What the Science Really Says 🧬

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is everywhere—marketed as the fastest way to get fit, burn fat, and boost performance. But here’s the problem: when HIIT is overused, misapplied, or promoted by unqualified influencers, it can do more harm than good. 😅

At Fit Physical Therapy, we’re all about getting people stronger, healthier, and more capable… for life! So here’s a breakdown of why too much HIIT may actually be breaking you down instead of building you up. 🥴

💪🏻

What Is Anti-HIIT?

“Anti-HIIT” isn’t about avoiding intensity altogether—it’s about understanding the risks of doing it too often and ignoring what your body really needs to thrive. The science tells us that the problems with too much HIIT:

1. Mitochondrial Damage & Dysfunction
• Your mitochondria (the cell’s energy producers) can become impaired with repeated high-intensity sessions.
• Studies show that low-to-moderate steady-state training is better at improving mitochondrial function and overall energy efficiency.
• Overuse of HIIT has been linked to reduced insulin sensitivity and impaired metabolism in just weeks [Flockhart et al., Cell Metabolism, 2021].

2. Hormonal Disruption (Cortisol Overload)
• HIIT spikes cortisol and adrenaline—fine in small doses, harmful when chronically elevated.
• Over time, this can lead to burnout, poor sleep, immune suppression, and even muscle loss [Healthline, 2021; Maffetone, 2018].

3. Higher Risk of Injury
• A Rutgers study found HIIT to be associated with increased risk of knee, shoulder, and tendon injuries—especially when done unsupervised or with poor form.
• Youth athletes are especially vulnerable due to underdeveloped movement patterns and recovery systems.

4. Recovery Bottlenecks
• HIIT isn’t “easy to recover from just because it’s short.” Your nervous system, joints, and energy systems may take days to fully bounce back.
• Without enough recovery, you plateau—or regress.

5. Aerobic Base Erosion
• Chronic HIIT neglects your aerobic engine—the system responsible for endurance, fat metabolism, and overall health.
• Without low-intensity training, you’re training in the “black hole zone”—too hard to recover, not hard enough to adapt.

💪🏻

What the Research Shows:
• Flockhart et al. (2021): Chronic HIIT impaired mitochondrial function and glucose tolerance in healthy individuals.
• Laursen & Jenkins (2002): HIIT improves VO₂max but is less efficient than aerobic training for mitochondria.
• Maffetone Method: Promotes fat burning, reduces inflammation, and improves health markers better with low-intensity training.
• StrongFirst A+A Protocol: Uses alactic power (short, explosive bursts) with aerobic recovery—no lactic acid overload, just performance and longevity.

💪🏻

So What Should You Do Instead?

Train Smarter:
• 2–3 HIIT sessions per week is plenty for most people.
• Build your base with Zone 2 training (brisk walking, light cycling, nasal-breathing cardio).
• Practice the A+A method (short bursts, long rests).
• Listen to your body: Progress is built on recovery.
• If you’re tired, inflamed, or feeling worse after workouts—not better—it’s time to reassess.

💪🏻

Why This Matters:

We’re seeing more people in our clinics and gym burnt out from doing too much high-intensity training, thinking that pain and exhaustion are signs of progress. They’re not.

We’re also seeing fitness content online from non-health professionals pushing “everyday HIIT” programs that ignore the science. These often lack proper progressions, recovery, or individualized plans—especially dangerous for beginners, older adults, and youth athletes.

Our job isn’t to tell you what to do. It’s to educate you, so you can make informed decisions based on real evidence, not trends.

💪🏻

Sources (Check them to Research Yourself):
• Flockhart et al., Cell Metabolism (2021) – Excess HIIT causes mitochondrial dysfunction
• Laursen & Jenkins (2002) – Recovery is critical for HIIT adaptations
• Maffetone, P. – The Maffetone Method, “HIIT can impair aerobic base”
• StrongFirst – A+A Training: Power Without the Waste
• Rutgers University – HIIT and increased injury risk
• Healthline (2021) – Cortisol and overtraining symptoms
• Youth Fitness Guidelines (Amac Training) – HIIT risks in kids and teens

💪🏻

You don’t need to be wrecked to get results.
Train strong. Train smart. Build for the long game.

If you have questions or want help structuring your training around strength, performance, and long-term health, we’re here to help.

💪🏻

Fit Physical Therapy LTD
Strength. Movement. Recovery.

03/19/2025

💪🏻SPRING GIVEAWAY💪🏻

March is here and spring is coming! FIT is giving away a starter kit to get YOU started in the right direction for your journey! Below is where how to enter!

To enter:
〰️Follow
〰️LIKE + SHARE this post to your story! (Be sure to tag us!)
〰️Tag your friends (each comment is an entry)

Giveaway will close Thursday March 27th and winner will be announced Friday March 28th

**THIS IS THE ONLY ACCOUNT THAT WILL CONTACT THE WINNER. NO CREDIT CARD INFORMATION WILL BE REQUESTED TO RECIVE THE GIFT **

03/07/2024

If you've been a client of ours, we'd love if you could spare a moment to review our clinic on google

Thank you for choosing FIT!

Post a review to our profile on Google