Many youth athletes, active adults, and even experienced athletes are guilty of forgetting to warm up before they begin serious physical activity. Dynamic warm up and movement preparation should be a part of any workout regimen or sport participation; from the first steps you take on the field to the last light stretch or mobility … Read More
10 Underutilized Tips For Playing The Best Golf of Your Life
When it comes to getting a few extra yards and taking a few strokes off our golf game no fancy new driver or revolutionary new golf ball seems too far fetched. But what if I told you that you can get even better results from proper preparation? Armed with nothing but a pro warm-up routine … Read More
The PT Minute: Why would I go out-of-network when I can use my co-pay?
“Why would I see a physical therapist out-of-network when I can see one and use my co-pay?” Nicole J. Cleveland, BS, CPT, HKC – SPARK Office Administrator – “You absolutely can see a therapist that is in network and utilize your co-pay. It becomes a matter of level of care. If you want to … Read More
Aerial Glutes: Could they be the Culprit of your Back, Knee, or Ankle Pain? Part 1
Do you have Back Pain? Knee Pain? Ankle Pain? : Let’s Have an Open Discussion about those Aerial Glutes. A lot of patients come to our clinic complaining of knee/ankle/back issues and are surprised when we start examining the hip muscles. Remember that catchy children’s song “the hip bone’s connected to the ankle bone?” Well, … Read More
Running Medicine 2018 Highlights
It’s that time again where I have the pleasure of sharing what the experts at the UVA Running Medicine conference are up to and how we can keep runners running fast, long and healthy. This year did not disappoint as the keynote speaker Bryan Heiderscheit, PT, PhD dropped so many knowledge bombs I needed an … Read More
Are you training to run fast or to be a F.A.S.T. Runner?
Race season is upon us! That time of year where we gear up for spring races and plan our fall race schedule. Many of us pull training programs off the internet, while others try to replicate what may have worked in the past. Some of us will hook up with a local running group or … Read More
JRE with John Danaher BJJ Episode Sports Med Breakdown: How 10 minutes buried inside of a 2+ hour podcast could derail your training and increase your pain.
In the past, I might be harsher in jumping down someone’s throat if I heard too much ‘armchair doctoring’. But being on guard around these kinds of conversations is a costly time sink. Lately I’m more mild mannered and just let people think what they want about pain and injury. But, and this is important, … Read More
5 Little Known Tricks To Relieve Low Back Pain
Following a slip on the ice, a night of sleeping in an awkward position, or perhaps after bending over to pick up your son or grandson, you may feel a sharp pain in your lower back. This pain is likely from an overstretched or torn muscle, known as a muscle strain. If you’re like most … Read More
The Secret Key to Becoming a Better Aerialist
With the fall season upon us and performances coming up, we are seeing a spike in aerial related injuries. During my aerial classes, I interact with a lot of aerialists and a question that I usually ask is “Are you doing any kind of exercises outside of your aerial work?” As Dr. Ivy Jordan wrote … Read More
Meet Dr. Natalia Sleziak
I wanted to introduce myself as the newest member of the SPARK team. My name is Natalia and I just moved into Old Town, Alexandria a little over a month ago. I originally hail from the Big Apple and was raised in “hipster”Brooklyn. Moving into Old Town with all of its colonial charm has been a … Read More