You At Your Best

www.noRtHweStHeAltH.com spOnsOR COntent After this past year, we are all paying more attention to our health. How do you choose the right plan with so many to choose from? We discussed this topic with some of our Northwest Health providers and compiled a list designed to help you evaluate and choose for yourself, based on your specific needs and goals. "Listening to your body and having a customized, gradual plan to get started is important whether you're just beginning your fitness journey or coming back from injury, surgery or illness," says Dr. Morgan Drake, medical director of Northwest Medical Center – Springdale Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit and physician at Northwest Sports, Spine & Physical Medicine. "Everyone will have specific physical goals and limitations that can be addressed individually. You should review your fitness program with your physician or physical therapist annually, ensuring you are stretching, exerting and healing appropriately for your unique needs." We relied on a group of trusted experts in a variety of areas to list some of the "best" exercises for unique needs and body parts. A physical therapist or personal trainer can coach you or you can find instructional videos online to ensure you use proper form. Lower Body If you don't have severe knee pain, or restriction around the use of your knees, the best exercise to ensure long-term lower body strength is squats. Be sure your knees don't extend out past your toes, and try to "sit" on an imaginary (or real) chair. Go slowly, and gradually increase your reps. Strong quadriceps can help prevent knee pain. Upper Body If you are able, the best upper body exercises are yoga's Downward Dog and Upward Dog poses. These poses increase strength and flexibility plus, tone your arms, back and shoulders using your own body weight. Cardiovascular Health Most experts now agree that an hour a day on the treadmill or stair climber is not the best way to achieve heart health. Interval training has quickly become accepted as a safer and more impactful way to optimize cardio-fitness. Use the exercise of your choice – walking, running, cycling or even dancing. The goal is to push yourself to maximum exertion (where you're barely able to talk), hold it there for 30 seconds then move at a restful pace for two minutes. Repeat the cycle for a total of 10 minutes to start, working up to 20 or 30 minutes, three times each week. Knee Pain The best way to work through and eliminate knee pain, is to strengthen the other, larger muscles around the knees. Once you're in knee pain, squats are usually not advisable. Do a Supine Hamstring Stretch to lengthen and release tight hamstring muscles, and Static Quad Contractions to gradually strengthen the quadriceps muscles without further strain on the knee joint. Lower Back Pain Try the Cat Cow Stretch to massage and stimulate not only the spine, but also the kidneys, pelvic muscles and other critical parts of your body's core. Follow it up with a set of Glute Bridge exercises to loosen tight hips and engage quad muscles that support the lower back. Neck Pain Our increasingly sedentary and digital lifestyles are leading to an epidemic of neck pain and forward head posture. Neck Retraction exercises have a number of variations easily found online, and are the best way to strengthen the muscles that support your head. It is important to customize any new exercises to the unique needs and limitations of your body. A licensed rehabilitation medicine physician or physical therapist is not just a resource after surgical procedures or injury – they are a valued partner in learning how to work, stretch and rest your body to reduce pain and optimize overall health. Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise plan. If you need to be connected with a qualified provider, ask your primary care physician or visit www.NW-Physicians.com. Choosing the best exercises for your total HealtH dr. morgan drake About Northwest Health - Northwest Health is the largest health system in Northwest Arkansas with five hospitals: Northwest Medical Center – Bentonville, Northwest Medical Center – Springdale, Northwest Medical Center – Willow Creek Women's Hospital, Siloam Springs Regional Hospital and Northwest Health Physicians' Specialty Hospital. The system has 487 beds, a combined medical staff of more than 900 physicians and more than 2,400 associates working together to provide quality healthcare for the region. The system also includes Northwest Health Emergency Department Fayetteville, a 24/7 standalone emergency department with advanced technology. Northwest Health Physicians' Specialty Hospital is owned in part by physicians. 4 | yOu At yOuR Best | yOuAtyOuRBest.nWAOnline.COm July - Fit X | sundAy, June 27, 2021

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