Dr. Samantha Rate PT, DPT, CSCS

07/31/2020

07/15/2020

Great infographic depicting simple facts about our backs.

06/24/2020

According to the US Department of Labor, approximately 1% of Americans ran on an average day in 2008, which is nearly twice as many as those who golfed or cycled. There is no question why running is so popular- it’s great exercise, it’s convenient, and it’s (mostly) free.

Unfortunately, many runners experience pain associated with running at some point. Running injury incidence is as high as 27% in novice runners, 32% in long distance runners, and 52% in marathon runners. Knee pain is one of the most common complaints of runners, comprising of 28% of all reported injuries (Alexandre Dias Lopes et al, 2012).

Patellofemoral pain is a term used to generally describe anterior knee pain, often behind the knee cap. Pain is worse with activities that stress this joint, like climbing/ descending stairs, squatting, and -you guessed it- running.

Traditionally a physical therapist would typically treat patellofemoral pain with a knee focused (quadriceps), or in recent years hip-focused (gluteals) exercise program. However, when compared to free physical activity in the study above, these strategies did not prove to be superior. I think this speaks to:

1. Specific exercises may not be as crucial as once thought.
2. Education is perhaps more important in rehabilitation of knee pain.
3. Movement heals.

@ Boston, Massachusetts

06/17/2020

Feeling stressed?

Now more than ever, it can be difficult to manage life’s daily stressors. Although stress is normal and usually healthy, it can be detrimental in high doses. Persistent stress has been shown to physiologically change the body, resulting in health problems such as high blood pressure, a dysregulated immune system, memory problems, and mental illness.

Time and time again, physical activity has been shown to decrease stress levels. The following article takes a look at 3 different (non-pharmacological) ways to self manage stress: physical activity, mindful meditation, and heart rate variability biofeedback with slow breathing. All were shown to significantly decreased perceived stress levels after 6 weeks.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4648965/

Yet another reason to get moving! (But also consider slowing things down with mediation and intentional breathing)

@ Boston, Massachusetts

05/14/2020

Right now, we face a challenging reality–a lot of older adults are worried about how they're going to stay healthy, active, and safe through this pandemic.

At MovementX, we want to help. That’s why we gathered an interprofessional team of physical therapists, primary care physicians, nurses, and personal trainers to develop an exciting new fundraiser and initiative. Today, we're officially launching AgeProof Your Body.

This virtual 8-week exercise experience is designed for anyone 60+ who wants to stay active and mobile, improve their strength and balance, and regain their physical freedom–all from the safety of their own home.

The best part is that we're donating 100% of proceeds to charities on the front lines fighting the pandemic. By signing up, all participants are helping themselves, helping their community, and contributing to global recovery. Classes begin May 25th.

Our ask of you is simple–will you please help us spread the word? If a friend, parent, or loved one comes to mind who might be interested, please share this post or send them to AgeProofYourBody.com to learn more.

With your help, we can help more people, donate more money, and launch a true movement out of movement. Together, we can stay safe, get healthy, and contribute to the healing of the world through movement.

Stay Safe. Move Well. Live Well.

05/13/2020

A moment of gratitude and appreciation…

Over the last two weeks, MovementX providers have been hard at work via telehealth and social-distancing sessions to keep people moving and living their best through this crisis.

During these challenging times, there are a lot of people who still need help. Our providers are doing everything in our power to provide that help–as safely and effectively as possible.

The past two weeks have been some of the busiest ever at MovementX. It hasn’t been easy to adapt to telehealth technologies, troubleshoot online workshops, or abide by maximal safety protocols. But easy is not what drives our community.

We’re driven to take great care of people, to embrace challenges with passion and purpose, and to take the highest responsibility for the health and safety of our community.

So to all of our compassionate, innovative, and hard-working providers, we say thank you. 🙌🏽

Stay safe. Move well. Live well.

05/01/2020

Providing telehealth physical therapy while social distancing. Visit https://movement-x.com/account/profile/samantharate0/ or DM to get started.