Wellfie Wednesday Tip #87: Get Out of Your Circle

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Patrick, (@TheFuelPhysio) and warning, it seem like bit of a rant.

     In the world (circle) of physical therapy, this past week was a big deal, we had our Combined Sections Meeting in New Orleans, LA, where over 17,000 PTs, PTA, and students poured into the city. With over 340 educational sessions and hundreds of expo venders spread over 3 facilities, there was certainly a lot going on downtown. But this was the problem that I and two other clinicians came to realize. Everyone was where they were “suppose to be.” Gathered around other clinicians, in their circle, learning and inspiring how to make change on the outside, but in a way just “talking” about making change on the outside.

     What Jerry Durham, F Scott Fiel, and I came to realize is that we need to get outside of circle. And it wasn’t a hypothetical thought. We actually left the conference. We uber’d to a local chili cook off that we had learned about through other local involvements and dove into that community’s circle. We ate their chili, we danced to their live music, and we supported their fundraising efforts. And man were our eyes opened. This is how conferences should be done!

     Our professions invade cities and communities, and yes we help their tourism and hospitality industries, but what about those underserved populations? The children? The homeless? This is where we need to go, especially those of us within the healthcare field. Quit talking about being on the outside and get out there!

     And this concept of getting outside of your circle is much larger than a conference; it can be applicable to our own daily lives. Think of yourself or your immediate circle of family and friends. Do you explore outside of your circle? Are you experiencing life beyond what you know to exist?

     Next year's conference will certainly be different; and the wheels are already turning to make that happen. But make the change in your own circle too. See what else is out there. Learn and grow from others you wouldn’t normally interact with.

     Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt, @kuhnalyssa_spt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellness Wednesday Tip #43: Exercise in a Community

Happy #WellfieWednesday friends!

     The week’s tip comes from Aimee! This year I decided to give CrossFit a try. It was a long time coming and finally pulled the plug to give it a go! As a PT I fully support what CrossFit does for individuals. Just about every day I’ll see a story about how someone has used it to make a dramatic change in their health, and I definitely can’t argue with those results! So why is it so popular and why do so many people do it, even when it’s quite expensive?

     I believe this has a lot to do with the community aspect that CrossFit provides. I’ve found that as I’ve gotten older it is much more motivating to work out with a group of people that you grow to know quite well versus just working out on your own. I’ve also noticed that I tend to push myself more when I have others around me, so it’s a win-win for me! I think some of this stems from my long history of playing sports and CrossFit definitely feels similar to a team!

     Now I know that I’m mentioning CrossFit specifically here, but there are plenty of other modes of exercise providing a sense of community. Such as The November Project, Soul Cycle, obstacle course racing/mud runs, running clubs, triathlon clubs, or even participating in group fitness classes at a YMCA. The point is that all of these offer a community with which to train. Having a group of people around to push you to do your best even when the going gets tough is very motivating!

     My advice to all of you Wellfie Wednesday folks this week is to try and find a group of people to exercise with regardless of what type of exercise you are doing. This won’t apply to everyone because some people genuinely enjoy working out alone, but if you’re stuck in an exercise rut or are looking to get started with exercise try this and see what you think!

Until next time, eat well, move well, live well.

     Give it a shot and let us know how it goes! Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members (@PBernerSPT, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @fitnerdaimee, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellness Wednesday Tip #36: Walk!

Happy #WellfieWednesday friends! Enjoy this week's tip and check out the info on our new team member! 

     Hippocrates, The Father of Western Medicine, is often quoted for his brilliance. He once said, “Walking is the best medicine.” Boy was he spot on. Check out your body on walking: 

     Walking has countless health benefits. The infographic above is just the tip of the iceberg. There are at least 100 reasons to walk.  Unfortunately, modern society has engineered one of the most simple and beneficial forms of exercise out of our life. The impact on our health has been devastating. Watch this awesome short film from Every Body Walk to find out more! 

Does your commute look like this? Could you bike or walk to work instead?

     Your turn! Go for a walk today! If safe and practical, walking to work is a great way to increase your daily physical activity. Or, you might be able to walk during your lunch break at work. Recruit a friend to join you! However you choose to walk, we hope you enjoy it. Share a picture of your walk with us and include #WellfieWednesday in your post!  Also, feel free to tag Patrick Berner (@PBernerSPT), Eric Uveges (@Eric_in_AmERICa), or Aaron Perez (@AaronPerezPT) in your post. Thank you for your support!

Aaron enjoying a walk to work. 

New Crew Member!     

     The #WellfieWednesday duo (Patrick Berner and Eric Uveges) are excited to announce a new member to the #WellfieWednesday crew. Thank you @AaronPerezPT for this week’s wellness tip and for joining our team. Aaron is a #FreshPT working in southern Illinois with an interest in #PopHealthPT. Aaron desires to go beyond the clinic and meet people where they live, work, and play to keep healthy people healthy and reduce the tremendous burden of chronic disease. Welcome to the team Aaron! 

- WW Crew

Wellness Wednesday Tip #15: Join PT Day of Service (October 15th, 2016)

Happy #WellfieWednesday friends!

This week’s post is a little different; I want to use it to highlight the upcoming PT Day of Service this Saturday, October 15, 2016. 

     PT Day of Service (PTDOS for short) is a global initiative to unite the physical therapy profession in bettering our communities, to inspire others to participate in service and to educate the public on what physical therapy is and what we do as a profession. This year marks the second annual event where physical therapists (or physiotherapists) from all over the world will go out into their communities, volunteer their time and efforts to help give back to those in need. Whether it’s providing pro-bono services, passing out meals at a local shelter, or just picking up some trash around your town, no act is too small to be considered for this movement! Pledge to participate by clicking here!

Just think about it for a second…it’s the ultimate win-win-win. 

     Communities are united through acts of kindness and servitude, individuals are uplifted through giving and receiving helping hands from their peers, and the profession we love can be promoted directly to its most important audience, the consumer. There is no downside!

     This year’s PTDOS falls at a particularly important time for many, as last weekend much of the southeast United States and the Caribbean were devastated by Hurricane Matthew. While this hits close to home for me, as my home city of St. Augustine was heavily damaged by the storm, I can’t help but think of countless other families along the east coast who could use a helping hand this weekend. As an example, my wife and I are looking to gather clothing to donate to families affected by the storm both at home and abroad. Again, no act is too small to be considered following a disaster like this.

For those looking to donate money in addition to time, consider giving to the STAND Haiti Project (http://www.standhaitiproject.org/). 

     From their site: “STAND: The Haiti Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization working to provide continual, orthopedic care to Haitian communities most in need. To accomplish this, STAND will equip local health workers with a rigorous orthopedic curriculum. A competent team of Haitian practitioners will be able to provide relief from disabling pain and injury at STAND facilities year-round, allowing people to return to productive, happy, and fulfilling lives.”

     Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support. Be sure to post your pictures again this week and tag Patrick (@PBernerSPT) or myself (@Eric_in_AmERICa) as well as PT Day of Service (@PTDayofService, #PTDOS) and keep the wave of healthy change and positivity going!

- Dr. Eric Uveges, PT, DPT

- Dr. Patrick Berner, PT, DPT

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