Alternatives to “Black Friday”

Once upon a time, the day after Thanksgiving was the time when thoughts began to turn ahead to the winter holiday season – Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, and Winter Solstice. We also began to consider having kids out of school for the winter break and having family around for various gatherings. Nowadays, it seems that even prior to Halloween, holiday trappings …

Making Healthy Food Choices During the Holidays

At this time of year, with the fall and winter holidays coming in rapid succession, there seems to be no end to the opportunity to snack on a variety of seasonal treats. Often, these goodies are jam packed with ingredients that – while delicious – are also full of extra calories that can be hard on the heart and on …

November 17th is National Take a Hike Day

Did you know that November 17th is National Take a Hike Day? Now that the weather is cooling down, it’s a perfect time to hit the trail and go on a hike! Besides being a fun activity that you can enjoy with friends and family, there are many health benefits of going on a walk or hike outside. Some of …

Physical Therapy as an Alternative to Opiod Pain Medication

Did you know that in 2012 American health care providers wrote enough prescriptions for opiod (narcotic) pain medication for every single adult living in the United States to have a bottle? That is a staggering amount of medication – and a particular concern because this is type of medication that is extremely addictive. Opiod pain medication use is all the …

Health Benefits of Chocolate

Did you know that October 28th is National Chocolate Day? Between that day and Halloween, we’re all likely to be tempted to have a few extra treats this month. Must we feel guilty? Perhaps not, if we choose our sweets selectively and consider that there are several known health benefits of chocolate. Cocoa beans, which are used to make chocolate, …

Physical Therapy After Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Most people are aware of this disease, and hopefully many are taking active steps for screening, which can help to detect breast cancer in its early stages. Did you know that physical therapy can be an important part of a breast cancer treatment plan? Women with breast cancer often need surgery, such as breast …

Tips To Stay Fit as You Get Older

As we age, our bodies respond differently to movement and activity. Many people experience a decline in strength and flexibility as they get older. Joints can become stiffer and less flexible, and muscles can become rigid and may lose tone. There is some good news. Exercise can alter, slow or even reverse some of the age-related impacts on our skeletal …

What If Physical Therapy Didn’t Work For Me?

While our goal at Symmetry is that every patient leaves the clinic after treatment feeling better, we know that in some cases, individuals are on the fence about making an appointment because they have had a bad experience with PT in the past. Here are some of the more common reasons this might happen, along with reasons you owe it …

How To Weight Train Safely

More and more people are incorporating strength training into their exercise routines. Some of the benefits include increasing bone density (thereby reducing the risk of osteoporosis), helping manage or lose weight by increasing metabolism, contributing to better balance and body mechanics, reducing the signs and symptoms of chronic conditions and even sharpening your mental acuity. If you have been meaning …