A Very Simple Way To Prevent Common Injuries From Exercising. Missing This Tip Could Set You Back For Months! Part 2

Video Transcript

References

In Part 1 talked about including side to side movements into your exercise routine in order to prevent repeated movements from causing muscle imbalances, alignment problems, and injuries.

The Side Gluteus Muscles (The Glute Medius & Glute Minimus)
Doing exercises front to back all the time (in the sagittal plane) causes tightness in the quadriceps, hamstrings, inner thigh, hip flexors, and deep hip muscles. What gets left out are strengthening the side gluteus muscles (and likely the gluteus maximus itself). These all important side glute muscles (the glute medius and minimus) help to pull our knees into proper alignment with the hips and feet, keep our pelvis stable, and overall provides balance to the lower body.

When the side glute muscles get weak and underused, the hip flexors (iliopsoas, tensor fasca lata, and rectus femorus), become tight and over-dominant. This tends to contribute to IT Band (Iliotibial Band) problems. IT Band problems not only hurt on the IT Band itself (the side of the upper leg), but can cause knee, hip and even back problems.

The side glute muscles are important for pulling our knees into alignment with the hips and feet. Without these muscles providing this counterbalance, our knees rotate or fall inward, especially during more strenuous exercises. What’s more, the IT Band tightness pushes the knees inward, also contributing to this inward motion on the knees during exercise.

Common Muscle Tightnesses From Repeated Front To Back Exercises
Inner thigh tightness tends to cause the knees to rotate in and for the arch of the foot to fall more flat, which further causes the knees to rotate in. Inward movement of the knees puts a lot of inappropriate pressure on the joint, especially during intense exercises.

Tightness in the deep hip muscles (The hip external rotators/piriformis) can cause hip and back pain. The sciatic nerve can also get pressed when these muscles are tight. This is because the sciatic nerve (The big nerve that runs down the back of the leg) runs either directly underneath or directly through (Depending on the individual) the piriformis muscle. If these muscles get tight, they can press on the sciatic nerve, causing “sciatica”, which can cause shooting, burning, stabbing, numbness down the leg.

Tightness in the hamstrings can cause the pelvis to tilt more flat (posterior pelvic tilt), making the lower back more flat. Flattening out the lower back like this makes the back rigid and takes away its ability to absorb the pressure of daily life and exercise, kind of like the shocks on a car. What’s more, the hamstrings easily can do a lot of work that the gluteus maximus should be doing, which can cause excessive strain on the hamstring, and weakness in the glute muscles. This overall problem contributes to hamstring injuries but also to a lot of the other hip weakness problems.

Tightness in the quadriceps can put a lot of pressure on the knees, and along with the rest of the hip flexors (iliopsoas, tensor fascia lata, rectus femorus), can pull the upper body more forward. You can see this when people are bent at their hips when they walk (You often see this with the elderly and in the general public). This bending at the hip can cause back problems, but it also causes the gluteus maximus to stop working like it should (Are you seeing the pattern?) Also, if all the hip flexors become tight, the pelvis can tilt too far upward (Anterior pelvic tilt), which can make the lower back arch too much (This is seen more with elite athletes).

What To Do?
So do side to side movements and exercises to work and strengthen the side glute muscles (glute medius and minimus) and glute max. More side to side movements will help to prevent injuries caused by muscle tightness and the body getting out of alignment. Put simply, stretch what is tight, and strengthen what is weak or not used enough. Keep your body in balance.

And One Last Thing…
It’s not just about the muscles. It’s about human movement. Add variety of movement to your exercise routine and a lot of aches and pains will start taking care of themselves. Do not expect instant results though. You have been doing this same routine for a long time (I know, I’m a creature of habit too), so it will take some time for the problems to resolve. While this solution may not solve the problem completely, it is a good start.

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Do I need a Referral?

Putting Healthcare Back In Your Hands

At Optimove Physical Therapy & Wellness it is important for the decision-making power about our clients’ plan of care and treatment to be between the client and the therapist. Optimove allows you to experience what medicine used to be, so you and the healthcare provider determine your plan together. Decisions about your plan are made by you in collaboration with your licensed therapist. Once the evaluation is completed, you and the physical therapist will decide together on how long the treatment should last, how often, and what the end-result will look like. We never give up on you and we are always there for you. We are relentless in the pursuit of you achieving the outcome you want.

Cost is established up-front and agreed upon by you and your physical therapist. No surprises, no bills showing up weeks or months after the completion of therapy. At Optimove, our model demands complete transparency in your healthcare, and that’s the way it should be. And it gets better from there!

Do I need a Referral?

In the State of Texas, a physical therapy evaluation and the beginning of treatment can be performed without a referral. After that, we will send our evaluation to the healthcare provider of your choice and we will take it from there. All you need to do is provide the contact information for that healthcare provider, and we will do the rest. This other healthcare provider can be a physician, chiropractor, dentist, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner.

If you have a prescription for Physical Therapy you can bring it in or have your referring provider fax it to (214) 712 – 8243.

Clinical Evaluation

Our Evaluations are designed to establish specifically what is wrong and why so we can work with our clients to design a customized plan for them. This includes gathering information, physical testing, and working together on a plan. Any background you can put together ahead of time such as medical information, timelines, imaging, medication lists, etc., is helpful. Although not required, filling out the intake forms can be done on-line, which can also help streamline the evaluation so you can get back to your day.

Free Consultation
with a Clinician

This Free Discovery Visit is something that we offer to people so they can get more information face-to-face with us, in-person, so you know who your team is. Maybe you are unsure of the benefits we can provide for you, or if it is right for you. Maybe you would like to invite your children or spouse to help you decide if this is right for you. We understand you may have been let down in the past, so we want you to have as much information as you can without any cost or obligation before you commit to anything. If that sounds like you, then please start with a Free Discovery Visit that we can work with you to find out what is wrong and what can be done – without any financial risk on your part.

Matt Langford

Physical Therapist

Hi there! I'm Dr. Matt Langford. I have been working as a physical therapist in DFW for three years. My wife, our golden doodle named Birdie, and I love to spend our time going on different adventures whether it be hiking the Trinity trail or traveling to new places. I also love playing golf, pickleball, and serving at our local church in Fort Worth. My goals in life include learning more about the field of physical therapy so I can provide better care to individuals, pursuing my faith in a way that helps others know about Christ, and making as many memories as I can.

Kasondra Woodruff

Client Liaison

Kasondra is a mother and a pet lover, she loves spending time outdoors with her children and furry friends. With years of experience in client relations, her passion is ensuring that every client is heard and taken care of. As our Client Liaison, Kasondra takes pride in building strong relationships with our clients, ensuring that their needs are met and that they feel comfortable and confident throughout their time with us.

Jason Livas

Physical Therapy

Jason joined the Optimove team November 2023. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2012 followed by an Associate of Applied Science in Physical Therapy from Navarro College in 2019.
Jason’s clinical interests include neuromuscular training for healthy aging and longevity of the older adult, orthopedic rehabilitation and strength and conditioning. Jason also maintains certifications as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and trigger point dry needling (Cert DN).
Outside of work, Jason enjoys cooking, reading, strength training and spending time with his beautiful wife and kids.

Connie Thomason

Occupational Therapist

Connie holds a Master of Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University (1997) and boasts over 26 years of experience as an Occupational Therapist. Her expertise lies primarily in neurological rehabilitation within a hospital-based outpatient setting. Throughout her career, Connie has worked across various healthcare settings including Acute, SubAcute, Skilled Nursing, and In-Patient Rehab.
Her specialization in Vestibular Rehabilitation since 2005 has equipped her to effectively treat a wide array of conditions, including BPPV, Vestibular Migraine, Meniere’s Disease, acute and chronic hypofunction, Acoustic Neuroma, PPPD, balance disorders, central vestibular disorders, concussion, and Superior Canal Dehiscence.
Connie holds numerous certifications, including the 360 Neuro Health Certificate of Competency in Vestibular Rehab, Emory University Vestibular Rehabilitation Competency-Based Course, 360 Neuro Health V2FIT for concussion, Lee Silverman Voice Therapy (LSVT) BIG for Parkinson’s patients, Neuro Developmental Treatment (NDT) for stroke patients, and NASM Corrective Exercise certification. She is also certified in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
Active in professional communities, Connie is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Vestibular Disorders Association.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Connie enjoys spending time with her husband of 30 years, along with their two rescued bulldogs. Her hobbies include riding motorcycles, traveling, running, painting, and reading extensively about health, wellness, and vestibular research.

Andy Altmoyer

Operations Manager

Andy grew up as part of a military family, living all over the country and abroad. He is so glad to have finally landed back in Texas. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Social Studies Education, minoring in Vocal Music and Theater from West Liberty University in West Virginia. Since then he has used his outgoing nature, education background, and organizational skills in healthcare management and operations. When he isn’t working he enjoys spending time with his family and dogs, reading Marvel comics, and cooking.
During Andy’s first venture into healthcare, while living in Ohio, he worked for a practice focused on Orthopedics where he spent time managing their Physical Therapy front desk across multiple locations as well as being a group fitness instructor for seniors, folks with special needs, and those who have had total join replacements. It’s here that he realized his deep love of helping people navigate the healthcare system and connecting them with those can meet their mobility needs.
Sad to leave that company after over 7 years, Andy and his family moved to Dallas where Andy spent 3 years as Operations Manager for a large Neurology practice. He continued helping people connect with top tier healthcare providers, navigating the pandemic, and moving the practice’s location in stride. It was during this time that Andy met Dr. Guild. The Optimove Team became a favored referral source for some of the physicians on staff and Andy got to work with their team closely as they coordinated care for the patients.
This collaboration led to Andy joining the Optimove Team in August of 2021. Andy has a unique blend of experiences not only professionally but personally as well. He has been able to assist so many people reach the correct providers to have their needs met and provides valuable insight to the workings of the healthcare system at large and how to make it work better for our clients. This also comes from helping his mother navigate worker’s compensation and disability as well as assisting his family setting up his grandparents with memory care, assisted living, physical therapy, and other services. Andy has often been quoted as saying, “I may not be the one laying the healing hands but connecting folks to the right people who can help them makes me feel like I’m a part of something great and makes me feel good.”
Andy would like to be a part of your journey towards independence and wellness. He loves getting to know our clients and being one of their biggest cheerleaders throughout their journeys. Give him a call and take the first steps to achieving your goals.

Peter Langlois

Physical Therapy

Peter keeps our clients laughing, and the whole Optimove Team as well. Hand-picked by Jeffrey from their previous rehabilitation work, when he is not being “The Joint Whisperer” and making the seemingly impossible happen, Peter is MacGyvering up some gadget for our clients to help them move better.
Peter is originally from Rhode Island. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island where his first career was as a ship captain, where he travelled the world and experienced many different cultures. Peter later developed a passion for physical therapy from his running career as a long distance runner doing marathons and ultramarathons. This led him to switch careers as he wanted to learn more about injury prevention and rehab. Peter has worked in various facilities over the last 8 years as a therapist throughout the metroplex including skilled nursing, outpatient orthopedics, and home health. He now enjoys working with our clients on various movement disorders, gait mechanics and balance issues. In his spare time Peter enjoys chopping wood and going for long trail runs with his family.

Jeffrey R. Guild, PT, DPT, (Former CSCS)

Owner, Therapist

When Dr. Jeffrey Guild is not working as business owner and clinician, he is dedicating time to his wife and children. His other hobbies include working out (Mainly in the weight room), music (Listening, playing, & researching), history, science, and studying business and successful people.
Jeffrey is originally from Bettendorf, Iowa and went to The University of Iowa and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Health Promotion (Minors in Integrative Physiology & Psychology). He also worked as a Strength & Conditioning intern with The University of Iowa for 3 years and volunteered in cardiac rehabilitation at The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. Upon arriving to Texas, he interned at the Cooper Aerobics Center.
Jeffrey’s first career was as a strength & conditioning professional and personal trainer. Even in the fitness industry he specialized in working with people who were older and with physical limitations. His particular emphasis as a personal trainer was identifying basic movement problems to prevent injuries BEFORE the training started, which gave him a greater understanding about human movement and was a natural segway towards Physical Therapy.
Jeffrey graduated with a Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy at The University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth in 2013. He received the Dean’s research Award for the Allied Health Department and got published in multiple journals. After physical therapy school he started his career by receiving mentoring for over a year working in a vestibular/neurological specialty outpatient practice. Since then he has worked in a number of areas of physical therapy including inpatient rehabilitation, acute care, skilled nursing, memory care, and even pediatrics. In 2018 he started his own practice with the name “Optimove” with the emphasis on a combination of “optimal movement” and “optimism.”