There are few things more frustrating than finding yourself unable to be active. Whether it is due to an injury, illness, aging, or inactivity, when your body no longer lets you do the things you love with mobility and flexibility, it can be upsetting, to say the least. Fortunately, physical therapy offers an effective solution to get you off the sidelines and back to living the life you love!

Are you noticing soreness or pain in your groin every time you play tennis? Do you notice your knee seems to be more sore ever since you tweaked your hip? Our physical therapists at Alkeme Sports RX understand how significant a healthy hip is for your enjoyment of tennis!

Tennis has been associated with increased injury risk due to poor mobility and lack of strength in the hips. Although tennis injuries are often associated with sudden events like a sudden stop or forceful pivot, the underlying issues have been brewing for a while. Restrictions in mobility and weaknesses in the hip/pelvis muscles may be the key to injury prevention and improved overall performance.

At Alkeme Sports RX, we know how important it is to understand the interconnection of each joint in the body, especially with complex, highly coordinated movements needed in a tennis match. Our team will take a holistic approach and assess your hip mobility and strength and specific movement patterns to identify any possible link to your pain/injury.

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Running is a popular and effective form of exercise that can greatly benefit your overall health and fitness. Regular running can help improve cardiovascular health, boost endurance, and burn calories. However, despite its many benefits, running can also come with the risk of sports injuries.

Injuries from running can vary in severity and affect different areas of the body. Common injuries include shin splints, runner's knee, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendonitis. These injuries can be caused by a variety of factors such as overtraining, improper form, or wearing worn-out shoes.

If you have sustained a running injury, physical therapy can help. Contact us today to learn more!

Participating in sports and physical activities comes with many health benefits, but it also may increase the likelihood of injuries. Whether you're an athlete or a fitness enthusiast, staying informed about common sports injuries and how physical therapy can help is crucial for your overall well-being. Learn from Alkeme Sports RX in Miami today.

Experience the transformative power of sports physical therapy at Alkemē Sports Rx, located in Miami and Broward. In this blog, we'll explore how Alkemē Sports Rx helps athletes unlock their full potential through enhanced performance and injury prevention.

Unlock your athletic potential with Alkemē Sports Rx, a leading physical therapy clinic with locations in Miami and Broward. Our licensed team is committed to helping athletes crush their goals. Discover the four key ways Alkemē Sports Rx can fuel your journey to success, from expert sports physical therapy and injury prevention to performance training. Let's dive in!

Your sciatic nerves run down each leg from either side of your lower back. As a result, shooting pain on one side is a characteristic indicator of sciatica. Experiencing compression of one of your sciatic nerves can be excruciating, and while it may not always require medical intervention, seeking physical therapy from a trusted practice like Alkemē Sports Rx is often your best bet to banish sciatica symptoms.

How can you tell when to handle it alone and when to call a physical therapist? The guidelines below explain sciatica and how Alkemē Sports Rx's physical therapy can help you find relief.

Why are anti-gravity treadmills so revolutionary? The specialized equipment caters to a diverse range of individuals, from patients undergoing recovery to athletes training for a marathon. The secret to the anti-gravity treadmill’s dramatic success lies in creating the same level of reduced gravity that astronauts experience. In this blog, the experts at Alkemē Sports Rx will delve into the extraordinary benefits of anti-gravity treadmills and their positive effects on high-performance training.

Nobody expects to feel stabbed when they get out of bed in the morning, but that’s exactly what people with plantar fasciitis experience the moment their heels touch the floor. This foot condition, prevalent among athletes such as runners, can be effectively addressed non-surgically with specialized treatment at Alkemē Sports Rx.

MAKE YOUR RECOVERY EASIER WITH ALTER G TRAINING

Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a full-time professional athlete, you know you’re going to be taking your body to its functional limits. But is your body ready for that challenge? Undetected weaknesses and vulnerabilities could prime you for a devastating injury. If you’re already injured or fresh out of surgery, leaping into physical therapy could do you more harm than good, especially if you’ve been sedentary for some time. Fortunately, there’s an initial stage you can take to prepare for a speedier, safer recovery. It’s called “pre-hab,” and you can arrange to receive it by contacting Alkeme Sports RX today.

When You’re Not Fit for Physical Therapy or Athletic Training

If you went directly from being a couch potato who had never done any exercise to competing in a triathlon, you’d find yourself in a lot of trouble – and not just in terms of finishing the event. A body that isn’t conditioned to perform the specific tasks demanded of it is very likely to sustain damage, from the inflammation of tendonitis to major muscle tears and ruptures. Even...

If you are suffering from aches and pains, whether it be low back pain or even headaches, what you eat can make the pain worse. When it comes to aches and pains, we generally don’t think of our food causing us more pain, but it can. When you have pain in your body, it is typically from localized inflammation due to an injury or overuse. This inflammation can be made worse by what you eat.

Here are some foods to limit or avoid if you are in pain or aching:

• Caffeine- Caffeine in colas and coffee can actually change the pH balance in your body. making you more acidic. This can change your body’s natural chemical processes, increasing your inflammation.

• Sugar- Increased insulin levels dramatically increase your sensitivity to pain. Even watch fresh fruit juices.

• Nightshade vegetables- For example, tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant can increase the inflammatory response in your body. Also, watch tomato sauce in pasta or pizza.

• Trans fats and fried foods- These promote inflammation in the...

How do you maintain your posture throughout the day? Do you catch yourself slouching frequently? Do those last couple hours of the school or work day leave you hunched over and ready to leave?

If you are experiencing aches and pains, especially in your neck or back, poor posture is probably to blame. Fortunately, posture can be improved with the help of physical therapy. Contact Alkeme Sports RX today to learn more about how we can improve your posture and lead a pain-free, active life!

How did my posture become poor?

According to the American Physical Therapy Association, “posture is the alignment and positioning of the body in relation to gravity, center of mass, or base of support.”

Poor posture isn’t anything to be embarrassed about - very few people have perfect posture, and most people partake in bad posture habits in one way or another. We become so wrapped up in whatever tasks we are doing that we forget to think about the way our bodies are positioned.

Improper posture isn’t...

Low back pain is one of the most common aches and pains that causes people to see their physical therapist. Low back pain comes in different levels, from a simple achy, stiff back in the morning, to a severe and debilitating condition. By receiving treatment sooner, you can lessen the long-term damage that may result in your spine.

What causes low back pain? Typically, there are 4 main factors at work here:

1. Poor spinal and abdominal muscle support

2. Poor posture and alignment of the spine

3. Limited movement of the spinal joints

4. Lack of proper coordination of the spinal muscles

In order for your spine to be healthy and to work properly, you need to have strength, flexibility, and coordination. While medications and injections can help to relieve the inflammation caused by a malfunctioning spine, they don’t fix the root cause of the problem.

Physical therapy is the ideal solution to improve spinal strength, coordination, and flexibility. Best of all, once your spine is working...

Whether you've made use of our physical therapy services in the past, you're a current physical therapy patient, or you're an athlete who may well have need of a physical therapist in the future, you need to understand how nutrition affects physical performance. Your body depends on you to supply it with the necessary raw materials to conduct its countless everyday functions. The more you demand from it, the more careful you must be about your nutritional strategies. Read on to learn more about this vital connection — and then reach out to our physical therapists for assistance in achieving your goals.

The Nature of Nutrition

Your car won't run properly without gas — but neither will it run properly, or at all, if you feed it nothing other than gas. Just as cars require fuel, oils, additives, electricity, and other provisions for smooth, consistent operation, your body needs a mix of several different types of nutrients. These nutrients are grouped into two primary categories — macronutrients and micronutrients. Here's a quick...

If you’ve ever grumbled to yourself that “stretching” is a rather vague fitness directive to get from your doctor or physical therapist, you’re not alone. There’s definitely more than one way to stretch. Done properly, the moves you make can help you recover from an injury, or prevent future problems. But unfortunately, choosing the wrong kind of stretching can make things worse.

Of course, we’re always here to help you deal with your injury or concerns. In the meantime, an overview of some common stretching categories, and what each type entails, can be helpful.

Passive Stretching

This type of stretching certainly isn’t challenge-free, but it does allow you to give your targeted muscles some assistance. With passive stretching, you use your own hands, some furniture, or another person to help you hold the body part in place, as you relax the muscle group you’re focused on, into a slow stretch.

Passive stretching is used for easing muscle spasms and preventing soreness and is usually done in the cool-down phase after a...

Did You Know Sitting at a Desk All Day Could Lead to Painful Conditions?

If your mother is constantly telling you to stand up straight, if you find yourself with shoulder pain after a long day at work, or if you notice you are developing a hunchback, chances are you have Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS).

UCS is actually a muscle imbalance in the head and shoulders that is often found in people who work at a desk or sit with poor posture for the majority of the day.

As a result, a person has weak cervical flexors and lower trapezius muscles (which form a straight line when looking from the side) and tight upper trapezius and pectoral muscles (forming the cross when looking from the side).

This double-edged sword often results in a forward head posture, a hunched appearance, and shoulder pain.

What is upper-crossed syndrome and how can it be treated?

The treatment for UCS is to see a physical therapist. Not only can they eliminate...

When you’re in pain, you definitely won’t want to go about your normal workout routine, especially if your feet are in pain! When your feet hurt, you might feel like your entire body hurts. Every step is a painful reminder of the discomfort that you are experiencing.

When other parts of your body experience pain, normally you can find ways to take the pressure off of them. You can close your eyes when your head hurts, or be extra careful with your posture when your back hurts. But when your feet hurt, what options do you have besides sitting around all day?

Staying off your feet means stepping back from your life, and for many people that really isn’t an option. Foot pain is often chronic, which means that the discomfort is likely to linger for a while and keep you from working out for much longer than originally expected. It will also likely grow more and more painful during everyday activities, such as walking up stairs or around your work office.

If you’re currently experiencing foot pain, contact our office today to learn more about custom orthotics, and how...

Did You Know You Could Benefit from Our Manual Therapy Services?

Manual therapy, also referred to as hands-on therapy, can be described as a method in which licensed physical therapists use targeted hand movements to place pressure on specific areas of a patient’s body.

Pressure is applied to the affected area(s) of the body, as well as any areas contributing to the patient’s pain. While there is a conflicted body of evidence supporting the successful outcomes of manual therapy, it remains a preferred method of treatment amongst patients and their healthcare professionals. This article will illustrate why.

Feel free to contact our highly trained physical therapist at Alkeme Sports RX.

Manual therapy, defined

As stated by Physiopedia, “Manual therapy has a long history within the profession of physical therapy, and physical therapists have greatly contributed to the current diversity in manual therapy approaches and techniques. Mechanical explanations were...

Too many of us have an all-or-nothing attitude when it comes to staying fit. We’re too “slammed” at work for the gym, or our kids’ activities are keeping us in the car — and off the track — for long hours. Yet, there are a few basic elements you can add to your daily life that truly add up to a more active lifestyle.

1. Take the Longest — or Hardest — Distance Between Two Points

Speed is usually the name of the game in your busy life. But does the time saved parking close to the store really add value? Make a game of parking at the far end of the lot, so that you have to push a cart or carry a bag a greater distance. When you’re at work, take the stairs — unless you really are running late for that meeting!

2. Pay for Your Lunch — in Footsteps

Skip the cafeteria in favor of a healthy eatery down the street if you’re working. Or walk outside for 20 minutes before you return to your brown-bag lunch. If you’re retired or working from home, walk to the corner grocer’s to gather the goods for lunch. Living out in the country or...

INJURY PREVENTION

One of the first rules you’ll encounter any time you start a strength training regimen is, “Don’t get hurt.” Likewise, when you are utilizing physical therapy as part of a recovery program, avoid re-injury. When you speak with a physical therapist at our clinic, we can help ensure that you’re ready to start a strength training program and even recommend ways to maximize your training. Here are some tips for preventing injury while strength training.

Types of Injury

• ACUTE injuries usually result from a single, traumatic event and may include wrist fracture, ankle sprain, and shoulder dislocation.

• OVERUSE INJURIES are difficult to diagnose & treat because they are usually subtle and occur over time. When repetitive trauma affects the tendons, bones, and joints, an overuse injury develops. Common examples include tennis elbow, swimmer’s shoulder, Achilles tendinitis, and stress fractures.

1. Get a Basic Physical

Annual pre-participation physical...

Whether you're a committed athlete, a weekend warrior, or just beginning a new activity, improving athletic speed is beneficial for nearly every type of athletic activity. The following are 6 exercises that can really improve your athletic speed.

1. Lunges

Lunges are great exercises that can help improve many areas of your body including hips, legs, and inner core. Active states that the lower position of a lunge mimics the position of your body when you're airborne in a sprint. It's important to learn the proper form for the basic front lunge before advancing to different types of lunges such as lateral or reverse.

2. Run Several Sprints in a Row

Human Kinetics states that one of the ways to improve speed is to run 10 sprints of varying distances. The distance can vary from 10 to up to 50 yards. This exercise can be varied,...

Your body does more work throughout the day than you may even realize. Your organs, joints, and muscles all work together seamlessly so you can function at your optimum level. Because your body works so hard every day, it is important to take time to tend to it. Healthy dieting and exercise are crucial habits to practice, so you can keep your body happy and healthy. Additionally, taking a just a few minutes out of your day can have numerous positive effects on your body.

Why is stretching so important?

The importance of stretching is something we learn at a young age. It helps to loosen up your muscles both before and after a workout to prevent them from becoming stiff. Stretching helps our bodies prepare for physical activity in order to stay safe and healthy while we exercise. Stretching is also a fundamental component of many physical therapy treatment plans, as it helps to strengthen and support muscles after an injury. It can also help prevent injuries from developing in the future when done properly and regularly. The benefits of stretching...

Any coach or physical therapist can tell you that the difference between a so-so season and one at which you’re operating at peak performance is the care you give to recovery. Whether it’s a long run, a grueling practice, or a tough game, heavy physical activity puts a strain on your muscles, joints, and cardiovascular system.

1. “Post” Stretching is as Important as “Pre”

Static stretching is ideal for recovery. After you work out, hold your basic stretching pose for longer than you would with more dynamic, warm-up stretching routines. After you’ve extended the muscle group you’re targeting, try to hold the pose for at least 30 seconds.

In addition, using foam rollers during stretching in physical therapy or at home is an excellent recovery tool. If you’re not sure which stretches are best for recovery, a physical therapy session, targeted to aiding recovery, can help you learn some new routines.

2. Have More “Rice”

Too many athletes reserve the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) for treatment for actual...

It’s not always easy to know the first place you can begin when it comes to making adjustments in your life for your health and well-being. Some people tell you to exercise, some say diet, and some even suggest making little changes in all areas all at once! It can be a little overwhelming, and often, instead of making any changes, people give up and make absolutely zero. This isn’t a good idea and will do nothing but set you back in the long run when it comes to your overall health!

Physical therapy offers a way to stay fit and active while being closely monitored by a professional. However, if you’re looking for a few small suggestions that will leave you feeling healthy, energized, and much more fit at home, keep on reading!

Stretch Your Body!

Before getting out of bed, stretch your arms to the ceiling. Move your hands, and wrists, and flex your fingers. Take a deep breath. Fill your lungs and stretch your stomach. Tighten and release your legs, calves, ankles, feet, and toes. You can end this little routine by sitting up, putting your legs...

When you begin a workout or physical therapy routine, you should complete a set of stretching exercises beforehand to help you limber up and prevent injuries. However, many people don’t receive any instructions on the proper way to go about stretching for their specific program. A licensed physical therapist can teach you how to complete the correct stretching exercises before you begin your workout. If you aren’t sure what direction to start, contact our office today for more information!

To make sure that you can avoid hurting yourself, here are four types of stretching exercises and their health benefits to guide you!

Passive Stretching

When you think of stretching, you might tend to think of passive techniques. Whether the pose is held by hand or with gravity, one is largely stationary and exerts a force to extend the target muscle by reaching the outer limits of the range of motion.

Poses that can be held for a long time should signal to you that the muscle isn't reaching its outer capabilities, and warrant a gradual, deeper stretch....

Whether you're struggling with pain or merely want to look and feel better for an upcoming vacation, these four basic exercises will help you get there. The best part? They are classic moves that have been practiced by athletes for years and are a great way to build up your body's core strength quickly.

Understand that if you're recovering from an injury or starting a core strengthening routine for the first time after a lengthy lull, it is helpful to consult with a physical therapist prior to engaging in strenuous exercise. A physical therapist can advise you of appropriate adjustments you can make to perform the movements safely until your body is ready for more strain.

Start by completing these moves five times each. As your core strength increases, move up to 15 to 25 repetitions.

1. Plank

Perhaps the most well-celebrated core strengthening exercise of all time, the plank serves as a great warmup that engages all of your core muscles: the rectus abdominis, the...

Running is a great way to improve your health and stay in shape. Unfortunately, there are several types of sports injuries frequently associated with running. The following are 4 common running injuries and the best ways to treat them.

1. Shin Splints

Nearly every runner has experienced inflammation and pain in the tendons and muscles of the lower leg. Shin splints are more likely to occur after you change your workout routine, or dramatically increase your training volume, intensity, or duration. Reducing your running duration or frequency, using over-the-counter pain relievers, and icing are all recommended treatments for shin splints. Another way to offload the shins while continuing your running is to do pool jogging. This allows you to continue to stress your cardiovascular system and work the same muscles as running while offloading the bones due to decreased impact on contact. If self-treatment techniques are not enough, seek a proper evaluation by your physical therapist.

1. ...

One of the most common issues that people mention when they come for physical therapy is that they just don't have enough time for cardio workouts due to their busy lives. Sometimes, it's not only a time issue but also a matter of simply hating cardio in the first place. By working with your physical therapist and making some effort to fit cardio into your routine, you can enjoy success with physical therapy and with your health journey. Below, you'll learn three sneaky ways to incorporate cardio, even if you're a cardio hater. Our physical therapists can help you implement these successfully, so contact us anytime to learn more.

Bite-Sized Pieces

One of the main reasons that people dread cardio is that doing half an hour or more may seem discouraging or overwhelming. However, you can approach it more like physical therapy. Do you know how the physical therapy exercises that you do are sometimes short and sweet? Take the same approach to cardio, even when you're not with your physical therapist.

Shoot for half an hour of cardio a day, but chop...

Each of your sciatic nerves runs down each leg from either side of your lower back. As a result, shooting pain on one side is a characteristic indicator of sciatica.

While compression of one of your sciatic nerves can be excruciating, it doesn't necessarily necessitate medical intervention, yet sometimes physical therapy is your best bet to banish sciatica symptoms.

So, how can you tell when to go it alone, and when to call a physical therapist? The guidelines below will explain what exactly sciatica is and how physical therapy can help you find relief.

What is sciatica?

As stated by Move Forward Physical Therapy,

“Lumbar radiculopathy (also known as sciatica or radiculitis) is a condition that occurs when a nerve in your low back is injured, pinched, or compressed, causing pain or other symptoms that can extend from the low back to the hip, leg, or foot.

Lumbar radiculopathy can be caused by sudden trauma or by long-term stress affecting structures in the back. It most often affects people aged 30 to 50 years. Risk factors...

Imagine not being able to serve a tennis ball, swing a golf club, make a free throw or pass the football for the winning touchdown. You won't have to use much imagination to envision these scenarios if you're currently crippled by shoulder pain. Shoulder pain problems, such as rotator cuff injuries, frozen shoulder, and osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint, can place drastic limits on your life. Fortunately, physical therapy can provide non-surgical pain relief for shoulder problems, and you can enjoy this pain relief by calling Alkeme Sports RX today and enlisting the aid of our physical therapist.

Rotator Cuff Injuries, Frozen Shoulder and Osteoarthritis

The human shoulder is remarkably flexible, thanks to a complex arrangement of soft tissues, bones, cartilage, and friction-reducing sacs known as “bursae.” But when any of the delicate components in your shoulder fails, the entire area may exhibit excruciating pain. Three causes of shoulder pain are especially commonplace:

• Rotator Cuff Injuries – The rotator cuff is...