Give us a Call
480-272-7140
Send us a Message
info@tstaz.com

3-Way Sciatic Nerve Glide

Have you experienced pain in the low back that travels into the buttock and back of the thigh? If so, you could be dealing with irritation to the sciatic nerve commonly referred to as sciatica. The sciatic nerve is the largest peripheral nerve in the body. Several lumbar and sacral nerve roots exit out each side of the spine and ultimately join together to form the sciatic nerve. With that in mind, there are several areas along its path where the sciatic nerve can become irritated causing this pain that radiates down the back of the thigh.

For recovery and good health, nerves require three main things:

  1. Blood Flow
  2. Space
  3. Movement

A great way to target all three components are nerve glides. The key to these are going to the point of discomfort but not necessarily pushing through it. The goal is for the nerve to gradually desensitize so might notice over time you are able to progress them a bit further before stepping into discomfort. Here we highlight a simple sciatic mobility drill that progresses in intensity throughout. We typically like to prescribe 10 repetitions for each movement, and these can be repeated several times per day. Feel free to give these a try and let us know what you think.

Impulse eating

How to Reduce Impulse Eating

How easy is it to reduce pulse eating? It’s happened to all of us. You know the feeling – you are away from home running errands, or you are out late because you had to stay at work longer. And you realize that you are hungry.  just a little hungry though. You haven’t eaten for hours, your head is starting to throb, and you can’t even think straight. Bottom line: you have to eat. Now!

As you survey your options, you realize that getting something to eat that is even remotely healthy is going to be nearly impossible. But you have little choice, so you grab a burger or a salad with “grilled chicken.” (Do you have any idea how much that piece of ‘grilled chicken’ has been processed and soaked and manipulated and transformed before it arrives in front of you?) Or a small order of fries just to get you through. Just like that you have put food into your body that will lower your immune response, raise your blood sugar, reduce your energy and contribute to weight gain.

It is a tough situation, and like I said, we’ve all been there. Sometimes you really do have to eat ‘right now.’ But over time, these eating emergencies add up and significantly impact your health and fitness achievement.

Emergency Preparedness
The answer is to stop having eating emergencies, and I will show you how to do this. It does take some planning, but it isn’t as hard as you might think.
The first step is to make a list of healthy, on-the-go foods that you enjoy eating. Make sure that you include things with healthy fats, protein and carbs (if it’s around your workout time). When you are very hungry, you need to have all the macronutrients covered in order to get quick energy, satisfy your hunger and clear your brain fog. This does not have to be a complete meal, but it needs to be balanced enough to substitute for one if needed.

Here are some ideas to help you get started.

  • Unsalted nuts. Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts. (These will provide protein and good fat)
  • Raw Veggies. They are crisp, juicy, cold and sweet and full of the micronutrients your body craves.
  • Cheese. If you eat dairy, having a small slice of your favorite cheese will give you a complete protein, a little fat and be very comforting. Remember: the goal is to tame the beast inside you that is calling out for a hotdog from the nearest drive through window. This is a mental exercise as well as physical!
  • Nut butters. Cashew, almond, peanut…find your favorite. Almond butter is great on a banana; cashew butter is perfect on whole grain crackers. Go ahead and put 7-8 chocolate chips on top if you want. This is a tiny indulgence that will go far to settle your craving.
  • Boiled eggs. Do you like cold, salted boiled eggs? They are a powerhouse of protein. Just be sure to get free range eggs.
  • Sardines. Yes, you read that right. If you like fish, you can buy small packets of wild caught sardines that travel very well.
  • Water. You have to drink water.

The second step seems obvious, but it has to happen if you are going to eliminate impulse eating: buy the food on your list. You have to get it in your house, so you have it when you need it.

The third step is to plan your food kit. This food has to travel with you, and you have to decide how you are going to transport it. The secret is convenience. If you only have five minutes to grab your kit on your way out the door before work, it has to be streamlined. Ideally you will leave yourself more than five minutes, but life happens.

Here are some tips to help you set up your food kit for ease and speed.

  • Small cooler. Purchase a small cooler that will hold an ice pack and several other things. Keep this in your kitchen so you can grab it on the go.
  • Plates, utensils, napkins. Whether you use paper/plastic or your everyday items, get a bag and put a couple of plates, some utensils and some napkins in it. You will use this same bag every time you use your kit, so it becomes a habit. It can be a plastic bag, a cloth bag or a paper bag. It doesn’t matter. The point is that you can grab this bag on your way out the door and know that it has what you need in it.Small storage containers or plastic bags. You need
  • Put one or two pieces of cheese in a container, and put only 7-8 chocolate chips in a bag. Toss some nuts in one container, some cut up fruit in another. Also, you don’t have to prepare everything in advance. In a pinch, you can eat a big bell pepper just like an apple! Just have a plan so you can get it fast when needed. Some things don’t have to be separately packaged, such as your nut butter. Just toss the whole jar in the cooler…if you can control yourself.
  • A tote bag or duffle bag. This bag will be your “picnic basket,” so to speak. Stuff everything into it that does not go into the cooler.
  • Water bottle. You need something to store a lot of water in.

Now do it!

You’ve done the hard part. You’ve figured out what foods will make you happy and help you through the emergency, you’ve stocked up on them, you have gathered what you need for transport and you have your water situation figured out. All that is left is making it happen. You have to take the food with you when you leave the house. The first few times you do this, it will seem complicated and tedious. But eventually, you will do it with little thought. It will be habit. That is why using the same cooler, the same bags and the same water container every time is so important. You will likely even find you grab the same foods nearly every time—it’s just easier. And it has to be easy, or you won’t do it. The happy result is that when you are out and realize you are hungry, you will not have to eat food from a restaurant. You will have an assortment of health and energy promoting foods at your fingertips.

RSVP for our 15th Anniversary Celebration!

Hard to believe, but we have been serving our community for just over 15 years!

Mark you calendar for our 15 Year Anniversary Celebration.

 

RSVP below

15 Year Anniversary
Name
Name
First
Last

best physical therapy

Best Physical Therapy by North Valley Magazine

Best for Physical Therapy

We want to thank everyone that nominated and voted for our practice in North Valley Magazine’s “Best of” contest. Total Sports Therapy was awarded “Best Physical Therapy” by North Valley Magazine, 2 years running! We continue to strive to provide the best physical therapy to Cave Creek/Carefree, Moon Valley, North Phoenix and Glendale. Please contact anyone of our 4 locations for your physical therapy needs!

Do you want fitness success, what motivates you?

What Motivates You?

Brace yourself.  According to Rod K. Dishman, Ph.D., director of the Behavioral Fitness Laboratory at the University of Georgia, nearly 50 percent of people who begin an exercise program drop out within the first 6 months.  The question is, “Why?”  What is it about sticking with a fitness routine that causes so many people abandon it?

The answer?  Motivation.  They don’t want health and fitness badly enough.  It is a simple fact of human psychology that if we want something badly enough, we’ll do everything we can to get it.

Your challenge is to find out what motivates you to get serious about fitness and stick with it.

Unlocking your motivation

Mike Fohner’s student found that money was the motivation she needed to push her out of her comfort zone and into a commitment that she previously hadn’t been interested in.

Bryan Reece found a different motivation.  Told by his doctors that he was minutes away from a heart attack, Bryan decided to fight back.  Even though he had not been in a gym in 30 years, he turned his life around and eventually became a finisher in the Arizona Ironman competition.  You can read his story in the book, You Are an Ironman: How Six Weekend Warriors Chased Their Dream of Finishing the World's Toughest Triathlon by Jacques Steinberg.

You do not have to be part of that 50 percent who quit.  You can stay committed and finish strong.  It is all about finding what motivates you personally.

Here are some possible motivators for you.

  1. Do it for your health. Consistent exercise and healthy eating are the two very best things you can do for your health. You will develop a strong, healthy heart, reduce your chances of many cancers, prevent diabetes, keep a sharp mind and resist dementia and avoid many of the common ailments that come with aging.  It is possible to age without decay, and the key to this is exercise and eating well.
  2. Do it to look better. Appearance isn’t everything, but most of us care how we look. A strong and healthy person just looks good.  And it isn’t all physical.  Your demeanor will change as you develop the confidence that comes from the discipline of fitness.  You will appear more energetic and confident because you will be more energetic and confident!
  3. Do it to relieve stress. Really!  It isn’t a cliché.  Exercising really does cause physical changes in your brain and nervous system that results in feelings of calmness and well-being.  In fact, you may get so hooked on the mental benefits of exercise that you will crave it!
  4. Do it to be strong. If you have never done focused weight training, then you literally have no idea of the total transformation that you will feel after just a few weeks.  There is nothing like bending over to pick something up that normally results in discomfort, strain and even pain, only to find out that it is a piece of cake!  And by getting strong now, you reduce your risk of age-related falls and fractures because you have the core strength and balance to keep yourself stable.

It is worth taking the time to discover the powerful motivators in your life.  Don’t worry about ‘bribing’ yourself:  do what it takes to get yourself moving.  Find out what makes sweating worth it.  Find out what you want more than that brownie. Your health is at stake; in fact, your very life is at stake. It’s time to transform yourself.

 

Community Spotlight with Dr. Paul Ledesma

This installment of our Community Spotlight is with Dr. Paul Ledesma of Ledesma Foot & Ankle. Dr. Ledesma sat down with Joe Gazo, PT and Clinical Director of our North Phoenix location and discussed how he became a podiatric physician and his thoughts on the future of podiatry.

To learn more about Dr. Ledesma visit Ledesma Foot & Ankle.

Total Sports Therapy Community Spotlight – Dr. Paul Ledesma with Ledesma Foot & Ankle