Dr. Carolyn Lucas Physical Therapy

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🎾 “Tennis Elbow” aka Lateral Epicondylagia is a term that refers to pain over the lateral aspect of your elbow (your lat...
01/07/2021

🎾 “Tennis Elbow” aka Lateral Epicondylagia is a term that refers to pain over the lateral aspect of your elbow (your lateral epicondyle 💡). This is a common injury seen in tennis players but is also common with any type of repetitive motion using your wrist and forearm:
- Using hand tools (gardening shears, screwdriver, scissors)
- Carpenters, bricklaying-
- Excessive Typing & mouse-use
- Excessive handshaking (celebrities & politicians)
- I’ve even seen it caused by too much scrolling on an iPad 😉

Massage and stretching may give temporary relief but for the actual tendon to heal and be able to function at full capacity you need to do exercises that load the tendon in the same way you are wanting to use it.

DM me to set up an appointment if you are having trouble with this and check back for some easy exercises to help prevent and treat this common injury!
🎾

30/04/2021

In honor or (yesterday) a little throw back from when I was alllll in my feels. ✨

🙌🏼Did you know that I give workshops on how to keep your dancers healthy & strong? I’ve spoken at state-wide conferences & local dance schools. It is one of the best parts of my job!

🩰Dance has been a driving force in my life since I was 3. It was my life, my career, and continues to be a passion of mine 30+ years later.
It is my honor to be able to treat dancers as a physical therapist. To educate, and encourage dancers on best practices, to help prevent injury and extend their careers is quite plainly- my favorite 🙌🏼🙌🏼.
While also filling a void that was not there during my dancing days.

Shoot me a DM if you or your dancers are interested in gaining more knowledge & staying injury free! 💯

Choreography: the one & only

24/01/2021

Last Exercise in this Developpe Series!
This is another exercise that challenges both your core and hip flexors, gotta love a BOGO. It may look simple but this one is 🔥🔥

The goal is to keep your pelvis and spine neutral (aka keep a slight curve in your low back and don’t press it against the floor).
However, if you find you are unable to maintain a neutral pelvis without wobbling, scootching, swaying, start in an "imprint" (pelvis and lowest part of spine gently pressed against the floor) and once you master the exercise in that position move to a neutral spine. It's all about progression.

Let me know if you try it! And if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out!

23/01/2021

Seated Roll Down
This exercise is one of my favorites. 🙌🏼
It works your core but also challenges your hip flexors as they work ECCENTRICALLY (ie: as they lengthen).

Bare with me as I get into nerd mode to explain this🤓:
Bringing your knee to your chest is a concentric contraction for your hip flexors which means the muscle shortens while it is working. A concentric contraction is hard BUT an ECCENTRIC contraction is HARDER for your muscles to perform aka increased stimulus--> increased adaptation.

✨Tips:
- Think of your spine like a strand of pearls and you are laying them on the mat 1 at a time.
- Lengthen through your heels during the entire exercise
- As you roll up you should almost feel like you are going "up and over" feeling a contraction in your deep abdominals
- Keep your spine flexed until you hit your sit bones and then lengthen tail to head 1 vertebra at a time
- If you aren't able to do this at first you can hold on to a theraband that is looped around a stable surface and use that as some assistance

Let me know if you try this or any of the other developpe-specific exercises!

22/01/2021

Plank with Passe
This is a slightly more advanced exercise that challenges your core by adding lower extremity movement similar to that of a developpe.
It is SO important for your core to be able to handle the increased challenges that occur when you move your extremities (arms & legs).

✨Tips:
- Be aware that your hips do not raise or sag during the exercise
- Don't lock out your elbows if they hyperextend
- Try to keep trunk and hips from rotating while moving your legs- You can see I have some rotation occur during this exercise (this girl hasn't had to work on her developpe in a minute 😜🙈).
- The exercise is a journey so start where you are and work from there

**These exercises are great for dancers but also for anyone looking for a new challenge or those who participate in sports that have a high incidence of hip flexor strain: soccer, sprinting, martial arts, cycling (my peeps I’m looking at you).

Let me know if you try this one and what you think!!

Building good extension requires a focus on building strength in the working leg as well as in the standing leg and your...
18/01/2021

Building good extension requires a focus on building strength in the working leg as well as in the standing leg and your core to give you the proper stability/base to work from.
Think of your muscles “movers” (hip flexors) and “stabilizers” (core, deep glutes). If your stabilizers aren’t strong and working properly then the “movers” will try to move AND stabilize at the same time.
This multitasking can lead to gripping and pinching sensations in your hip.

Many times dancers over stretch their hip flexors (iliopspas, re**us femoris, TFL) thinking the tightness they feel is from being too strong when in reality the muscles are over-worked/tight because they are weak. It may seem counterintuitive to strengthen your hip flexors but I have found that when done safely it alleviates pain and pinching better than stretching and leads to@higher extension!
Follow along this week as I share exercises to help strengthen both sets of muscles and improve your developpe!

For most women (and men too) “Do your Kegels” is the only pelvic health advice they ever receive. - Just had a baby? Keg...
31/12/2020

For most women (and men too) “Do your Kegels” is the only pelvic health advice they ever receive.
 
- Just had a baby? Kegels
- Pregnant? Kegels
- P*e yourself? Kegels
- Are you a human? Kegels
 
Despite what your friend’s sister’s Aunt told you, Kegels are not the answer for everyone. In fact, if you have an overactive or tight pelvic floor or experience pelvic pain Kegels can make matters
WORSE! 💥 Not to mention most people don’t perform them properly anyway.
 
Many people experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) believe their muscles are weak. However, more often than not the opposite is true. If your pelvic floor is tight or overactive it is unable to contract and relax properly.
 
If you had a cramp in your calf you wouldn’t treat it with more heel raises.
 
Full mobility in your pelvic floor (just like any other muscle group) is essential to proper functioning. Which is why learning how to RELAX your pelvic floor is one of the first things I teach when treating patients.
 
Without the help of a trained professional it can be hard to tell if your PFD stems from needing to strengthen or relax your pelvic floor which is why utilizing your Pelvic Floor-trained PT is even more important.
 
Have you tried Kegels to fix your problem without success? Are you the Kegel Queen/King?
Let me know what you think below or shoot me a DM with any more questions. 

And if you made it this far, you’re welcome for that gloriously punny title 😜

Direct Access is the ability to directly access your physical therapist without physician referral or prescription. Mayb...
23/12/2020

Direct Access is the ability to directly access your physical therapist without physician referral or prescription.

Maybe you tweaked your back while shoveling snow last weekend. Or your elbow pain doesn’t dissipate after a long game of tennis. Direct access to PT takes away the extra hoops you would need to jump through to seek care and start treatment. (Ie: saving time & $$$)

Physical Therapists are trained in musculoskeletal and neurological screenings at the highest level and are able to recognize what is within their scope of practice and when to refer to another provider.

I believe treatment works best and most efficiently by creating strong communication and transparency between the PT and your regular medical provider so everyone stays in the loop.

If either of these scenarios sound like you or you have any persistent aches, pains or questions shoot me a DM or email to schedule your evaluation!

Hi 👋🏼! Dr. Carolyn Lucas here. I am a professional dancer turned Doctor of Physical Therapy. An injury during a show led...
23/12/2020

Hi 👋🏼! Dr. Carolyn Lucas here.
I am a professional dancer turned Doctor of Physical Therapy. An injury during a show led me back to academia. Fast forward a few years and I graduated with my Doctorate of Physical Therapy with Academic Excellence from Belmont University.

I specialize in Dance Medicine and Women’s Health (pre/postpartum issues) but love treating all types of patients!

I am STOTT Pilates trained and utilize Pilates principles as part of my practice.

My goal is to help improve my patient’s quality of life through movement, strength, and compassion. I firmly believe that movement is medicine and hope to use this platform to share a bit of knowledge (and occasionally some humor) along those lines.

Shoot me a DM or email with ANY questions, comments, or to schedule an appointment!

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