Resources Recommended by Dr.T

Exercises 

 

Disclaimer:  Only do these exercises or use the listed equipment  if you have been instructed to do so by your licensed health professional.  (Only keep up with the instructor if you are easily able to do so; otherwise, if she does 6 repetitions and you can only do 3 in the same time– that is okay.)  Do not do any exercise that increases pain in any joint or area.  If you notice pain, immediately write down the exact exercise you were trying to do and where you experienced pain and bring it with you to your next appointment to review with your health professional. 

 

The following section contains information on exercise and fitness equipment.  It really does matter to maintain movement and strength as you age.  One of Dr. Takacs’ favorite sayings is:  Motion IS Life!  So, with that said, start MOVING! 

 

The very minimum of concentrated effort for your INDOOR exercise routine should be 15 minutes at 3x/ week. 

In addition, you should vary your exercise routine to include OUTDOOR activities and sports that you enjoy:  kayaking, running, tennis, bicycling, hiking, skiing, skating, swimming etc…  

 

Here’s WHY:

 

From Dr. T:
A study published last year found that the modified cervical retraction and the shoulder retraction exercise program tends to improve the cervical curve and neck pain in patients with loss of cervical lordosis (curve). 
 
If you are on a computer or hand held device, such as a cell phone on a regular basis, it is crucial that you do this exercise once every 15 minutes.  (I have been recommending this particular exercise to patients for over 30 years– and now the research has backed me up!)
The  exercise is done in 2 steps:
  1. Raise your head up and push the chin backward simultaneously within the pain free range, then look up slightly (A). This should take about 3 seconds.
  2. Keep upright and pull back the shoulders and head within the pain free range (B). This is held for 10 seconds.

neck-exercise-dr-takacs-chiropractor-nj

NOTE:  The exercise was done in the study at least 10 times per day, for anywhere from 1-12 months.  Participants had significant improvements on cervical sagittal alignment, neck pain severity, and cervical lordosis at the upper cervical level after the exercise regimen.

Reference:
Lee MY, Jeon H, Choi JS, Park Y, Ryu JS. Efficacy of Modified Cervical and Shoulder Retraction Exercise in Patients With Loss of Cervical Lordosis and Neck Pain. Ann Rehabil Med. 2020;44(3):210-217. doi:10.5535/arm.19117

Why Does Foam Rolling Hurt So Much? 

Wall Angels Foam Roller Neck Exercise:

IT Band Foam Roller Exercise:

IT Band Foam Roller Exercise:

Additional Neck Exercise:

Knee Exercises:

Shoulder Exercise:

Dr. Kirsch’s Shoulder Hang Method:

Dr. T. recommends the following workouts by Lazy Dancer. She has created a huge resource of videos on her YouTube Channel, so boredom will never be an issue. Be mindful of your body position and work at your own pace. Just 10 minutes of movement will pay huge health dividends over time. In addition to Ballet movements, it i essential to also do strength training, whether with free weights, machines or bands. Ask Dr. T. to review any such strength training with you.

For Women (and men who would like better stretch and balance):

For Back Pain Relief:

Beginner’s Ballet Barre Workout:  

5 Minute Ballet Cardio to Burn Fat:

8 Minute Fat Burning:

10 Minutes of Movement to Feel Powerful:

For those lifting weights:

Do’s and Don’t with Weights by Gravity Transformation – Fat Loss Experts

(12 minutes of good advice):
  

More Do’s and Don’ts by Bright Side– ignore #5– Dr. T. recommends other abdominal exercises:

  

A Word of Advice from Dr. T. Regarding the Purchasing of Home Gym Equipment:  The equipment listed below are some of my favorites.  A home gym needn’t break your budget or take up much space.  With that said, here are some of my best tips:

 

     1.  Always place a large mirror near your workout space so that you can ensure you are properly performing your exercises.  Proper posture and proper speed matter  (slower is generally safer and better) when working out. 

 

     2.  Almost all of the equipment recommended can be purchased for pennies on the dollar via  FaceBook Market Place or Craigslist.  Why spend $400, when someone 2 towns over decided to use their equipment to hang their clothes instead of building their health.  Their loss is your gain. 

 

          Practice Safety— Bring cash to the transaction and be safe, aware and diligent– bring some “muscle” with you or meet in a public space whenever possible.  (And, it is okay to ask for a discount from their “asking” price.  If you don’t ask, you don’t get)

 

     3.  Always disinfect and thoroughly clean any used equipment you purchase prior to using.

Ab Trimmer/ Shaper– Proper Usage and Instruct:

Ab Lounger/ Core Lounger–Instruct–  Dr. T.’s favorite core workout, especially for those with back/ neck issues (note: always keep your head ON the lounger and use very little tension/ pressure with your arms/ fingers):

GREAT piece of equipment if you can only buy one– The Total Gym (Dr. T. owns one of these)– And who better than Chuck Norris to demonstrate its use (the exercise demos start at 4:25):

Survival Tips– Because Dr. T. CARES About You and Your Future Well Being: