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Planking – Strong for the core

by with No Comment Performance PackagePersonal Training ENPhysiotherapy

The plank is considered the supreme discipline of core exercises. As simple as the forearm support may look, if you try to hold it for longer than 30 seconds, you quickly realize how many muscles are working simultaneously to hold the position and how much effort it takes to persevere in a supposedly resting position. What started as a snap idea of two teenagers led to a real mass phenomenon around a strong body core. Today, planking is an integral part of an effective workout and an essential part of personal training.

What does Planking mean?

The Plank has become a pioneer of all core exercises for muscle building, because with only one fitness exercise and without any weights, not only the abdominal muscles are trained, but also the trunk, back, leg, hip, shoulder and chest muscles at the same time. So one exercise is enough to keep the whole body fit and at the same time train coordination and endurance. Planking is great for preventing back pain or strengthening overall fitness. Sit-ups, on the other hand, train only dynamic strength and are therefore unsuitable for back training. Planking is therefore the ideal exercise for a healthy spine.

Why is planking so effective?

The forearm plank is an isometric exercise. It is therefore performed without movement. Isometric exercises strengthen the so-called maximum strength and endurance. Due to the continuous muscle tension, which is held as long as possible, the muscle is under maximum permanent tension (isometric contraction). Back pain is often the cause of a too weak trunk or a permanent incorrect load on the spine, for example due to long periods of sitting in the home office. The result is pain. Planks help to compensate for imbalances in the spine and can improve posture. Not only is the core strengthened, but the entire body – especially the back.

What muscles are used in planking?

Planking strengthens the entire body, especially the core, back, leg, hip and gluteal muscles, as well as the shoulders and chest. The longer the position is held, the greater the endurance and maximum strength is increased at the same time.

How does the Plank work?

When doing the exercise for the first time, care should be taken to perform it without pain. Therefore, it makes sense to approach the exercise gradually in order to avoid injuries. The starting position of the Plank is in the prone position and supported on the elbows. The shoulders should be placed just above or in front of the elbows. The easiest variation is to lift the pelvis and support yourself with your knees. If that is too easy, you can straighten your knees and support yourself on your feet. It is important that the knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line, that there is no hollow back and that the pubic bone is drawn towards the sternum. Now it’s time to persevere! First, try to hold the position as long as possible without losing tension. After that, you can progressively extend the time and gradually incorporate additional movements.

What are the variations of planking?

Meanwhile, there are many variants that target different muscle groups and increase the difficulty of the exercise. The classic variation is a wide base between both elbows and between the feet. You can further challenge the abdominal muscles by progressively pushing the elbows further forward or statically pulling the elbows toward the pelvis. To target the oblique abdominal and back muscles, one can lift either one arm or one leg alternately. If someone wants even more of a challenge, the plank can be performed on an unstable surface. A pezzi ball or exercise ball is best for this. Due to the fact that the forearms are on the wobbly exercise ball, enormous strength and stability is required to keep the balance.

 

Yours Michael Boettcher

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Pain in the knees from running

by with No Comment ChiropracticPersonal Training ENPhysiotherapyRegeneration EN
Many of our customers complain about knee pain while running. They often describe the pain as dull around the knee joint or as a twinge at the kneecap. Most often, the pain occurs during running or immediately following exercise. Clients often try stretching exercises or using a fascia roller to loosen the surrounding muscles and get rid of the pain that way. Unfortunately, the pain can be persistent and, in the worst cases, force them to take a longer break.

Causes of knee pain

The most common reason for knee pain is overuse of the lower leg extensor muscle quadriceps. If the muscle is used too frequently, so-called trigger points develop. These are small nodules in the muscle that have poor blood supply and cause a characteristic pain pattern. If there is overuse of the quadriceps, the pain tends to feel dull and is located around the knee. If the fascia is stuck or tight, the pain tends to be located on the sides of the knee or just below the kneecap (patellar tendinitis). In both varieties, the pain occurs during and after running.

Our holistic approach

Our strategy for this situation is first to lower the tension in the muscles by dry needling and massage. This is done by working on the fascia with a special tool to loosen it up and release any adhesions. With special tests we can determine if the connection between the nerve and the muscle is working properly. If this connection is inactive, the muscle will be overloaded or misloaded again and the discomfort will return even after the therapy is finished.

Functional Movement Screen

Once we have the local discomfort under control, we do a Functional Movement Screen and look at the patient’s overall movement amplitude. This gives us the opportunity to identify and target further faulty movement patterns. Through corrective exercises at home, discomfort and thus pain can be prevented in the future. Yours Michael Boettcher
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Nutritional Advice

by with No Comment Nutritional CounselingPersonal Training EN

Food plays a central role in our lives. It provides not only our body, but also the soul and the spirit with nutrients and energy. Like everything else in life, nutrition must remain in balance, which is the only way to achieve optimal health. Healthy eating has been proven to contribute to your health and fitness. In our practice, in addition to therapeutic treatments and personal training, we also offer nutritional counseling. So that you can master everyday life with more energy and zest for life.

MetaCheck

With the new metabolic analysis we can determine the exact meta-type and then create an individual nutrition plan. At the beginning, we record all important data and create a profile. Then we analyze together the previous eating habits, which are recorded in a kind of diary over a period of seven days. Afterwards, we look together at where and how we can optimize your diet and which foods you’d better keep your hands off in the future. In this way, we can work together on good eating habits and change your diet in the long term.

Nutrition and therapy

Healthy nutrition not only affects your figure, it is also an essential part of a healthy and functioning musculoskeletal system. Even in the field of therapeutic applications, nutrition can become an important component. Especially when it comes to the joints, it is important to pay attention to a healthy diet and regular exercise. In general, it can be said that healthy nutrition has a positive effect on the treatment of pain through physiotherapy, physiotherapy, acupuncture or chiropractic applications.

Body in motion

In addition to metabolic analysis and nutritional counseling, we offer a variety of exercise options in our practice that can help with weight loss or musculoskeletal restrictions. Here, we pay special attention to the execution of fitness exercises that are easy on the joints. Our qualified staff will guide you through each exercise. We also have a wide range of training equipment and weights. These factors allow us to offer an individual and varied training and accompany you on your journey to a better and pain-free body.

Yours Michael Boettcher

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The cause-consequence chain

by with No Comment Altitude TrainingChiropracticDry Needling ENPhysiotherapy

The cause-consequence chain describes a state of irritation of the tissues in the musculoskeletal system that is directly related to an injury and has an effect on surrounding structures (a kind of chain reaction).
A general distinction is made between ascending and descending chains. An ascending chain is often triggered by trauma to the lower extremities, such as supination trauma (twisting of the ankle). Thus, there is sometimes a link between an old foot injury and acute hip symptoms.

Accordingly, in sports medicine there are also descending cause-and-consequence chains, such as discomfort or dysfunction in the hip, which can lead to pain in the knee. These are usually triggered by a dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. This is followed by a protective posture with increased stress on the unaffected structures in order to minimize pain as well as further irritation of the affected structures.

Over a longer period of time, overload symptoms can occur, which are often characterized by local pain. However, these can also manifest globally in adjacent structures. This type of chain reaction can ensure that local therapeutic measures remain unsuccessful, as the actual cause of the pain present is often not included in the treatment planning.

It is therefore even the more important to include surrounding structures such as joints, muscles or ligaments in the initial examination as well as in the treatment and to structure the therapy holistically. Over the long term, better therapy goals can therefore be achieved and the quality of life sustainably improved.

If you have any questions about the cause-effect chain or would like to make an appointment for treatment, please feel free to call us!

Your Michael Boettcher

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Reflexive Performance Reset – not only for competitive athletes

by with No Comment Altitude TrainingChiropracticPerformance PackagePersonal Training ENRegeneration EN

Reflexive Performance Reset, or RPR is more than just an ordinary therapy. It activates muscles that have a key function in our musculoskeletal system via certain reflex points. These key muscles give our body more support, bounce, energy and lead to more mobility in the long term. The Reflexive Performance Reset consists of different breathing exercises and the stimulation of certain nerves in the body, which help to increase the training success and prevent injuries.

When we are under constant stress and give our body little time to regenerate, it is inevitably put into stand-by mode. In this state, the body has little energy and performance is significantly reduced. Reflexive Performance Reset can help to bring the body back to its performance peak, reduce pain caused by compensating for poor posture, improve mobility and increase resistance to injury.

By activating specific reflex points that bring the body out of these damaging compensation patterns and targeted breathing exercises, the muscles can recover faster, you have more energy and are more resistant to stress. Whether you are a competitive athlete, an athlete or simply a sports enthusiast, the RPR concept is so simple and yet so promisingly designed that it can be implemented at any time. Just contact us!

Yours Michael Boettcher

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CMD – Jaw problems

by with No Comment ChiropracticPhysiotherapy

What is CMD?

CMD (Craniomandibular Dysfunction) stands for a dysfunction of the skull and lower jaw and is an umbrella term for a variety of problems that can occur in the jaw joint or the chewing muscles. Symptoms include dizziness, pain in the head, jaw or neck, and even tinnitus. Stress, a faulty bite, accident-related head trauma or postural weaknesses are among the triggers of CMD. Since not only the causes but also the symptoms of CMD can be varied, it is often only recognised very late or often not at all. The patient is then plagued with pain for months or years and is limited in his or her physical and mental performance.

How can CMD be treated?

The treatment of CMD by a physiotherapist is coordinated with a dentist. The dentist prepares a functional analysis after examining the patient. The analysis forms the basis for treatment by the physiotherapist. Of course, each treatment is individual and is adapted to the respective patient and his or her complaints. However, there are basic treatment methods that the physiotherapist can use in the course of a CMD treatment. 

How can the physiotherapist help with CMD?

As part of the holistic healing concept, physiotherapy uses massage and stretching techniques to help relieve muscular tension and improve posture overall. First, the physiotherapist takes an anamnesis of the patient, in which the condition of the tissue, muscles, skin and musculoskeletal system is determined. The cervical spine in particular is examined, as problems in this area are often associated with CMD. Depending on the findings, the physiotherapeutic treatment is then adapted. Remedial techniques such as chiropractic and dry needling can also help with CMD. In this way, we restore the correct, pain-free function of the jaw in our physiotherapy practice and free you permanently from your pain.

Yours Michael Boettcher

Nutrition Coaching

Cold season – defying the weather with exercise and nutrition

by with No Comment Nutritional CounselingRegeneration EN

The winter period is characterised by cold weather and little sunlight and tugs at our energy.
Warm clothing and long walks outside are good for health and general well-being. If you want to protect yourself against colds in winter, you should pay particular attention to a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise. In our practice for alternative medicine and physiotherapy we offer a wide range of possibilities for exercise and relaxation as well as nutritional advice. Defy the cold weather and say goodbye to your cold!

The right diet is essential

Food plays a central role in our lives. It supplies not only our body, but also the soul and spirit with nutrients and energy. Like everything else in life, nutrition must remain in balance, only in this way can optimal health be achieved. Especially during the cold season, you should pay more attention to your vitamin intake to strengthen your immune system. The body needs sunlight to produce vitamin D. In the winter months, the daily sunshine hours are few and often there is no opportunity to use these few hours for outdoor activities. The consequences are: Exhaustion, lack of drive or concentration problems. With our nutritional advice tips, we help you to bring your health and your diet back into balance.

Exercise is the key to optimal health

Regular exercise is not only good for our musculoskeletal system, but also stimulates the metabolism. This in turn leads to increased performance and, in the long term, to more energy. Movement is therefore essential for health. Physical processes such as digestion, circulation and respiration are strengthened – and ultimately so is the immune system. With the special personal training in our physiotherapy practice, we combine ambitious training with the latest scientific findings from sports and movement medicine. With your personal training goal in mind and a mobility test, problems are recognised and corrected, mobility is improved and fitness is increased.

Relaxed through the day

When it comes to strengthening the immune system, relaxation is an important part of our health, along with exercise and nutrition. Stress and lack of exercise can lead to muscle tension and attack our immune system. With massages, we release all forms of tension in the muscles. In this way, we help you with tension pains and at the same time stimulate the blood circulation and metabolism. The immune system is activated and cold viruses have no chance.

If you have any questions about nutritional advice, personal training or massages, please call us or make an appointment via our website.

Your Michael Boettcher

Reflexive Performance Reset

Slipped disc – causes and treatment options

by with No Comment ChiropracticPhysiotherapy

The term “herniated disc” is often used to describe permanent stabbing pain in the lumbar region. In fact, it stands for the wear and tear of the mass consisting of cartilage and connective tissue between the vertebral bodies and the associated pain in the lower back.

Lack of exercise, poor posture, overweight or too weak abdominal and back muscles are among the most common causes of incorrect loading of the intervertebral discs. The result: increased wear and tear of the fragile outer structure of the intervertebral disc.

As a result, the outer ring of the intervertebral disc becomes brittle and tears when subjected to frequent and above all incorrect loading. The inside of the disc, a gelatinous mass, emerges and can press on the nerves in the back. This pressure in turn leads to severe pain and often to paralysis.

When pain no longer goes away, it becomes a burden. They restrict our everyday life and slow us down – at work and in our leisure time. We at American PT can work preventively on your back and trunk muscles to prevent a herniated disc or accompany you after a disc surgery with physiotherapy.

Through preventative exercises and applications in the field of physiotherapy and physiotherapy, chiropractic, dry needling or other curative practical procedures, we can restore the functionality of your body and thus give you back a piece of vitality and well-being.

Do you have questions about our services or would you like to make an appointment? Please feel free to call us!

Yours Michael Boettcher

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It all starts with mobility

by with No Comment Personal Training ENPhysiotherapy

Were you ever in the situation where you have back pain, visit your doctor and he tells you that you should work on the stability and strength in your back? The statement, however, only represents one side of the medal. A significant factor that can cause back pain is lack of mobility.

But what exactly do doctors, physiotherapists and sports scientists mean when they talk about mobility? In their Handbook of Training Theory (Hoffmann, 1993), Martin, D., Carl, K. & Lehnertz, K. wrote “Mobility is the ability to perform movements in a random and targeted manner with the required or optimal range of movement of the joints involved”.

In order for the musculoskeletal system to work properly, there must therefore be a minimum degree of mobility. Restrictions in mobility, on the other hand, lead to faulty signals to the central nervous system. This, in turn, affects stability and causes tension in the muscles.

Restricted mobility can have local effects or have an effect elsewhere. An example: If mobility is restricted in the ankle joint, this can lead to instability in the neck and associated tension.

In the anamnesis before treatment begins, we at American PT first try to find out whether it is a stability or mobility problem. Using the fascial roller and the fascial ball, we first release the tension in the muscle chains and then work on mobility with corrective exercises. These treatments not only help with tension, but also have a long-term effect on posture, movement sequences and energy.

If you have any questions about mobility or would like to make an appointment, please call us!

Yours Michael Boettcher

Krankengymnastic am Gerät

Medical rehabilitation training – effective and gentle on the joints

by with No Comment ChiropracticPhysiotherapyRegeneration EN

What is medical rehabilitation training?

Medical rehabilitation training is generally used after injuries and operations to restore mobility and treat diseased areas of the musculoskeletal system. Targeted training units are used to improve strength, mobility and endurance in the long term. The specially developed medical build-up training for therapeutic purposes is considered part of rehabilitation treatment and is often accompanied by a doctor.

For whom is medical rehabilitation training recommended?

In general, medical rehabilitation training is prescribed by a doctor after an injury or operation on the musculoskeletal system. However, it can also be used for persistent pain in the joints or back. The physiotherapist draws up an individual training plan tailored to the problem area and person. Medical rehabilitation training is also suitable for the prevention of painful muscle tension and resulting damage to the spine.

What is trained in medical rehabilitation training?

Depending on the type of training, medical rehabilitation training trains balance, coordination and posture, strength, flexibility, speed or endurance. The essential components of the medical rehabilitation training are: mobilisation and mobility training, strength and stabilization training, coordination training, endurance and cardiovascular training.

What equipment is used for medical rehabilitation training?

The medical rehabilitation training uses training equipment that is easy on the joints and yet highly effective, while putting optimal strain on the muscles and joints. Additionally, computer-controlled training devices such as the Power Plate or EMS allow a targeted training of the deep muscles and can be used, for example, for muscle building before an operation.

In our practice for physiotherapy we offer medical rehabilitation training for therapeutic purposes. Do you have any questions or would you like to arrange an appointment? Call us, we will be happy to assist you!

Yours Michael Boettcher