Physical Health and Basic Body Maintenance
with Dan Allen, PT, DPT
a Bent On Better session
“No pain is all gain.”
-Dan Allen
In this week’s session of the Bent On Better podcast, where better means becoming the best you in health, fitness, and overall wellness, my guest is Dan Allen. Dan and I chat about physical health and basic body maintenance.
Dan received his doctorate in physical therapy from Arcadia University and currently works as the Assistant Clinic Director at Excel Physical Therapy in Berwyn, PA. Dan’s experiences and expertise range from evaluation and treatment of orthopedic, neurologic, and functional movement patterns for all ages to manual therapy based care with emphasis upon foot and ankle injuries and gait dysfunctions, as well as managing clinic operations and assisting with marketing the clinic skills to the local community.
I have had the pleasure of training with Dan for more than a year, his knowledge base is extraordinary as well! In addition to having his doctorates in physical therapy, Dan also holds a Crossfit Level One certification. Dan is an accomplished athlete, participating in numerous runs around the year and he has even competed in an Iron Man (and has the tattoo to prove it!).
Dan is an all around, inspiring individual who wants nothing more than to see you succeed in whatever you are doing.
Dan is truly Bent On Better.
Some take-away points we discuss in this episode:
1. What is a physical therapist?
A physical therapist is a movement specialist. They assess how a person is moving, comparing it to what would be a appropriate to the standards for that individual’s age and gender, paying close attention to whether the movement is symmetrical or asymmetrical. Then figuring out with the patient what needs to be addressed and treated so the person can regain his or her normal way of life.
2. Many of the most common injuries tend to be chronic injuries brought on by individuals trying to tolerate and deal with injuries until it stops them from their basic every day functions. Some of the most common issues in the general public are typically lower back problems, shoulder pains, and difficulties with walking. Athletes are usually seek physical therapy due to foot and ankle injuries, shoulder injuries, and concussions.
3. One of the best ways to prevent chronic injuries is to address an injury early on with basic body maintenance.
Dan’s basic body maintenance tips:
A . Know proper posture:
1) Ears over your shoulders
2) Feel your weight down through the arches of your feet
3) Make sure you’re seated with posture as well
4) Keep your shoulder blades back
B. Stick to an aerobic program
1) Start at 2x a week, for 30-40 minutes of aerobic efforts, pushing your overall cardiovascular system just a bit above your normal activity levels
2) Gradually build your aerobic exercises from 2x a week to 5x a week
3) Just starting with an aerobic program, start by walking. You can walk anywhere at any time.
C. Address anything out of the ordinary
1) Ask a qualified physician for tips
2) Do some at home self-myofascial release
4. Warm up is very important. The more intense of a workout you plan to do, you should be considering a 15-20 minute warm up to make sure your body and mind are fully prepared, as well as your heart rate. If you’re planning for a short run where the pace is a low to moderate pace, a 5-10 minute warm up would work.
5. You need to take ownership of your own health. Don’t wait for the problems to happen before you start to take the proper action steps and decisions towards healthy living, start now!
Resources mentioned on the show:
Contact Dan at dallen@excelphysicaltherapy.com
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Huge thanks to my friend, Dan Allen, for joining me this week for another great session. I’m excited for the next one. But until next time, remember, even though you may be content with your current situation, there is always room to be better. Now it’s time to become the best you.