August 2016 Newsletter

Hope everyone is staying cool and beating the summer heat! Scroll below to see what we have in store for you this August newsletter:

The summer 2016 Olympics has officially begun. Keep your eyes on those athletes not just for their prowess and skill in their sport, but for their cupping marks! In addition to utilizing kinesio-tape to decrease their pain and improve performance, athletes are now using the modality of cupping to promote muscle tissue healing and recovery. Our PT staff as well as acupuncturist, Mila, offer this treatment service at our clinic to not only our athletes, but all clientele suffering from pain/injury/surgery.
When running, the arch of our foot acts like a spring, absorbing the shock of striking the road, which they then use as energy to push off into the next stride. A recent article examining the effect of running shoes on foot mechanics found that the running shoes did, in fact, interfere with the foot's ability to act like a spring, decreasing how much the foot's arch was able to compress when it hit the ground. Moreover, researchers found that the support inside a running shoe causes the intrinsic muscles of the foot to work at least 50% harder to stabilize our arch during impact! Quite the contrary to common assumption that shoe support decreases the need for intrinsic foot musculature to work as hard.
Learning something new, whether it's physical or mental, can have positive effects on our brain, especially as we age. Research suggests learning a new physical skill increases the volume of grey matter in our brains associated with movement control. Also, research has shown that performing a mentally challenging task can enhance memory abilities.

When we mix things up a bit, we give ourselves memorable moments - and make summer stand out more in our minds. Why not revel in using your hands and body in a new way? We at DSPT are here to help and offer guidance if need be! The goal this August remains the same: to enjoy what is left of summer.

Also, stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram this month for a special 5 article series on the uses of cupping by acupuncturist, Mila Mintsis!