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Month: April 2021

When and how to spend a rest day

Posted on by rauschpt

We all know how important exercising is in our lives, but we tend to forget the benefits of a resting day. Your body needs a chance to recover and repair, to prevent injuries. Many signs indicate your body needs to slow down for one day, and we are going to see some below. Check also some ideas for what to do on a rest day. Rx Massage offers a wide range of therapeutic treatments for when you need a break. Add maintenance massages into your training to recover faster and combat injuries (and remember, we also offer PT support with the experts in our facilities!)

A rest day is a day in which a person takes a break from their regular workout routine. Rest days are an important part of any exercise program. They give the body a chance to repair and recover, and help to prevent injury.

A person should plan to have at least one rest day every 7–10 days.

This article explains why rest days are important for health and outlines some signs that may indicate a need for a rest day. We also highlight some of the issues that can occur if a person does not incorporate rest days into their workout routine.

Health benefits of rest days

Rest days are an important part of any exercise routine. A person should plan to take regular rest days and should learn to recognize when extra rest days are necessary. The health benefits of rest days include:

  • Alleviating muscle pain and soreness: During rest days, the body has a chance to remove excess lactate from the muscles. This helps to alleviate muscle pain and soreness.
  • Repairing and building muscles: Exercise creates microscopic tears in muscle tissue. During rest days, cells called fibroblasts repair and build up the muscle tissue.
  • Replenishing the body’s energy stores: Glycogen is a form of energy stored in muscles. Exercise depletes glycogen levels, which leads to muscle fatigue. Rest days allow the muscles to replenish their glycogen stores, thereby reducing muscle fatigue and preparing the muscles for their next workout.
  • Preventing injury: Overexercising puts repetitive stress and strain on the muscles, increasing the risk of injury.
  • Allowing the mind to rest: Overexercising can tire the mind as well as the body. Tiredness can lead to poor decision making during a workout routine, which increases the risk of injury.

Signs someone needs a rest day

Certain signs may indicate that a person needs a rest day. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), some signs to look out for include:

  • persistent muscle pain or soreness
  • inability to complete a workout routine
  • continued feelings of sluggishness following a workout
  • binge eating, or craving comfort foods
  • increased incidence of injury or illness
  • changes in mood or behavior, such as
    • mood shifts
    • irritability
    • insomnia
    • prioritizing fitness over everything else
  • reduced beneficial effects of the workout, such as a decreasing rate of fat loss or muscle gain.

If a person experiences any of the above signs, they should take a day or two to rest and recover.

What happens if a person does not rest?

Exercise puts a strain on the body and mind. Exercising daily without taking a rest day can cause both physical and mental exhaustion.

According to ACE, not allowing the body to rest can cause a depletion of glycogen in the muscles. This depletion can trigger the body to use proteins for energy, meaning there is less protein available to assist muscle repair and growth.

Without a rest day, muscles, joints, and other important structures do not have adequate time to repair themselves. People may also become mentally exhausted and more prone to making mistakes while training. Continually pushing on without a rest day will eventually lead to injury.

Ideas for how to spend a rest day

The ACE make the following suggestions for activities to do on a rest day:

  • spending time on a hobby or other activity, such as coaching a sports team
  • enjoying time with family or friends
  • catching up with work
  • volunteering
  • reading a book or watching TV to relax

If a person is not injured or physically or mentally exhausted, they may consider taking an active recovery day (ARD), which is a day of gentle exercise.

An older study from 2010 suggests that an ARD can help remove a buildup of lactate in the blood, helping to prevent cramping and fatigue. Examples of gentle exercises include walking and yoga.

When to speak to a doctor

A person should see a doctor if they believe they have sustained an injury during exercise, or if they develop an unhealthy compulsion to exercise.

Physical injuries

In some cases, a person may know instantly that they have sustained an injury. They may experience intense pain, swelling, or inflammation.

In other cases, an injury may take several weeks to become apparent. Repetitive use injuries to joints or muscles develop slowly over time. A person can often treat such injuries by following the RICE procedure:

  • Rest: Resting the affected part of the body to prevent further injury.
  • Ice: Applying a wrapped ice pack to the affected area to minimize swelling and alleviate pain.
  • Compression: Applying a compression bandage to the affected area to reduce swelling and inflammation.
  • Elevation: Elevating the affected part of the body above the level of the heart to reduce blood flow to the area and alleviate swelling.

If a person’s symptoms persist or worsen despite following the RICE procedure, they should see their doctor for a diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Compulsive exercising

People should consider talking to a doctor or therapist if they feel compelled to work out. According to a 2017 reviewTrusted Source, although compulsive exercising is not a recognized mental health disorder, it is associated with the following:

  • eating disorders
  • perfectionism
  • neuroticism
  • narcissism
  • obsessive-compulsive traits

If a person experiences an uncontrollable need to exercise, they should talk to a doctor or mental health professional for further advice.

Summary

Rest days are an important part of exercise for all levels of fitness. A person should take a rest day every 7–10 days or as needed to help the body and mind recover.

A rest day can be an active day that incorporates gentle exercises such as walking or yoga. Alternatively, a person may opt for a full day of relaxation.

A person should talk to their doctor if they believe they are injured or feel compelled to keep working out without stopping. A doctor will help to diagnose any issues and provide any appropriate treatments.

Reference: {https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/rest-day}

Need a break? We are here for you! With certified therapists and a relaxing environment, Rx Massage customizes each session to target your specific issues. Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rauschpt or call us at 949.336.1089 to book an appointment.

Did you know massage can massively speed up your healing, from training, injury, or surgery recovery? Massage has an overarching positive effect on so many aspects of your health. We have excellent memberships that make regular expert massages possible. Call us! (949) 276-5401

Knee Hyperextension in Dancers

Posted on by rauschpt

Hi, my name is Kathryn, and I’m the dance specialist at Rausch Physical Therapy. As a past professional dancer and teacher, I have seen many injuries related to misinformation and dangerous habits. It is my goal to help educate the dance community on preventing these injuries in the future. Today I want to talk about knee hyper-extension. I have heard both sides of the argument for and against allowing dancers to stand with knees hyper-extended. One side is dancers should fully extend their knees, and avoiding full available extension is essentially allowing their knees to be bent. While the other side is that over-exaggeration of hyperextension can be dangerous and lead to injury. So let’s clarify that both sides are saying the same thing without realizing it. 

A slight amount of knee hyperextension is reasonable and good, but when excessive can cause an injury. While a hyper-extended knee looks pleasing in arabesque, it can be a central contributing factor to knee or ankle pain and injury. When in a weight-bearing position or movement, there is a tendency towards reliance on knee ligaments, specifically the Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), for support versus quad activation. Over time, with continued inactivation of quads, this may lead to quad weakness and ligament laxity or tears (think of a rubber band that has been stretched too far). Along with these physical changes, a dancer will become more reliant on calf musculature to do the work the quads should be doing. That leads to Achilles tendonitis, knee instability and pain, and general balancing difficulties.

So what about the correction that you shouldn’t be dancing on a bent knee? That is true! But note the following picture, what feels “bent” to someone who is naturally hyper-extended is good alignment!

 

So what do you do if you have naturally hyperextended knees?

Focus on individual alignment and quad activation of dancers. While you don’t want your knee bent, it should not be fully locked out in standing. Think about lifting your knee cap to engage quads. When in 1st position, heels should be together, not apart, to allow for feedback when knees reach neutral.

 

As always, if you do start to experience pain with movement, find a physical therapist to help you! We can get you back to moving pain-free and help avoid future injuries as well.

Wondering how to keep your knees healthy and prepared for your best performance? Experiencing any pain or discomfort while engaging in your workout? We are here to help. Schedule an appointment with a professional physical therapist for a complimentary injury screen to see if you’re a fit for physical therapy. Call us! (949) 276-5401.

If you find yourself in discomfort or think you could benefit from a personalized exercise plan, talk to a Physical Therapist.

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for a complimentary assessment. Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us? (949) 276-5401

Back to Normal After a Pandemic

Posted on by rauschpt

Returning to sport can be difficult, especially after taking a year off. There are 3 things to consider in your journey back:

1.Allow yourself extra time to warm up:

      1. Foam roll

        1. Hamstrings, quads, calves, glutes, T/S extension, thread the needle
      2. Stretch

        1. Doorway pec stretch, hamstrings stretch, prone quad stretch, piriformis stretch
        2. Dynamic warm-up; a 3D dynamic warm-up is the best to get all joints in your body moving

2.Scale it back to half of what you were doing:

  1. If you were running 3 miles, then start with 1. If you were used to walking for 30 minutes, then get out there and start with 15 minutes. Don’t go and play a tournament of pickleball. Play a match and take two days off to see how you feel instead.

3.Look out for Signs and Symptoms of an oncoming injury:

  1. Burning, pulling or sharp pains are signs of potential strains if not taken care of
  2. Pain during the activity
  3. Pain that doesn’t go away after the activity stops
  4. Need to ice afterward all the time
  5. Need to reach for the medicine cabinet after the activity

If foam rolling, stretching, and scaling it back still don’t do the trick with returning to your sport or level of activity you want to be at, it is safest to come in for an evaluation. You may need a deep tissue release to get a muscle activated properly or a body alignment check-up to optimize muscle function.

A tissue release may be what you need right now, to prevent that injury and optimize your performance. We are here with certified therapists to help you.  Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/

rauschpt or call us at (949) 276-5401 to book an appointment. Let’s get you on the road to recovery.

If you find yourself in discomfort or think you could benefit from a personalized exercise plan, talk to a Physical Therapist.

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for a complimentary assessment. Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us? (949) 276-5401

Injury Prevention in Our Young Athletes

Posted on by rauschpt

One of the biggest questions in sports is always: “how can we prevent injury”? That is becoming especially true as our young athletes are returning to their sports after such an extended period off due to COVID-19 shutdowns. This season of sports has been predicted to have one of the highest injury rates. Unfortunately, there is not one key secret to preventing it. The best possible ways to avoid injury are through the following:

1.Sleep!

  • At least 7-9 hours! Kids are extremely busy with school pressure, sports (sometimes multiple), extracurriculars, and others, especially now that activities are starting up again. We are currently seeing our young athletes cutting back on their sleep to keep up with everything on their plates, which is not allowing for proper recovery of their growing bodies. Tired minds and bodies are not able to react and support themselves through their activities. Approximately 7-9 hours of sleep is crucial for the body to be able to perform optimally.

2.Hydrate!

  • A good starting point is drinking half the body weight in ounces of water, but the amount the body needs depends on each person’s body composition, activity level, and diet. An appropriate gauge on if you are drinking enough water is the color of your urine. Ideally, it should be a light yellow to clear. If urine is a dark yellow color, your body probably needs a higher water amount than you are currently drinking.

3.Proper nutrition

  • A balanced diet will give these young athletes the proper fuel to sustain the demands put on their bodies. It is easy to grab and go fast food and processed food, but a healthy, balanced diet will give your athlete the best chance to perform at their best.

4.Appropriate warm-up, sport-specific

  • A proper warm-up should mimic the activity the athlete is about to perform and contain more dynamic stretching over the commonly passive/static stretching. Passive/static stretching is holding a muscle stretch for a sustained time, usually 30-60 seconds. Dynamic stretching is where joints/muscles move actively through a full range of motion; examples include leg swings, walking leg hugs, arm circles, lunges with a twist, high kicks.

5.Not over-training

  • With sports being on hold for so long due to COVID-19, our young athletes are now dealing with multiple sports at once, various practices a day, and returning to the level of play they were at before the shutdown (sometimes higher than prior levels in an attempt to make up for lost time). That is leading to significant fatigue and injuries.

Also, remember that physical therapy can also be a preventative approach! A licensed physical therapist can evaluate and assess your young athlete for any mobility restrictions or muscular imbalances and recommend a proper program!

Time to get back to exercising! Rausch PT will set your kid up for success with a personalized program to boost their performance and prevent injuries for years to come. Keep them prepared, safe, and pain-free! For more info on how to keep them safe in the field, contact us today at (949) 276-5401. 

Rausch Physical Therapy remains your caring team and can accommodate you with a specific, personalized plan. Visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/rauschpt or call us at (949) 276-5401 to learn how we can help you.

RauschPT-logo

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for a complimentary consultation. We would love to meet you.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us too!
(949) 276-5401

Disclaimer — All the information that you find on our blogs and social media pages is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as your personal professional diagnosis, or treatment. Come and see us for your excellent, personalized care! https://rauschpt.net/

Injury Prevention For Gymnasts

Posted on by rauschpt

There have been various practices, games, and competitions canceled or postponed due to the pandemic. Now, it has been delightful to see indoor and outdoor activities resume again. With sporting events starting up after a long hiatus, athletes can return more of a regular practice schedule in anticipation of games and competitions. However, with modified practices and the beginning of the season for many different sports, injuries are starting to occur. Jumping back into the full swing of things can be hard on the body, especially if athletes are not used to the regular grind after taking a long break. Since I have a passion for gymnastics, I want to talk about injury prevention for gymnasts and some ideas to avoid injury after taking some time off.

There is a high rate of injury in artistic gymnastics. This is partly due to the training time per week and the skills gymnasts perform, particularly the more advanced skills and the high impact nature of the sport. Gymnastics is very demanding on the body, and knowing some tips and tricks for injury prevention is extremely important. Many of the injuries can occur due to overuse. Being proactive about applying prevention into training regimes is crucial.

Correcting potential problems early on is critical, especially during puberty. Between the ages of 11 and 14, increased rates of growth occur. That can lead to open growth plates, which can be problematic because of the body’s reduced ability to accept high loads and stress to the areas. Understanding when taking a break or taking a step back if the pain starts to occur in that age range can prevent injury down the road. Improving proprioception is another crucial aspect of preventing injuries. Proprioception is the body’s ability to know where it is in space. In gymnastics, many skills involve a blind landing or the ability to understand where you are during a flipping. Practicing those skills into a pit or practicing parts of a skill multiple times can improve that muscle memory. Baseline cardio level, especially after a long break, is also necessary to support the routine and its demands. If you are not able to perform a routine or several skills in a row without the cardio to back you up, you are more likely to see an injury. Recovery is also an essential element. Taking care of your body outside the gym as sleeping enough, staying hydrated, and fueling your body with proper and sufficient nutrition will help prevent injury. 

Don’t be afraid of going back to the basics to work on specific techniques. That can be a critical element if a lot of time has passed since being in the gym. There is nothing wrong with returning to the basics and mastering more technical aspects of a skill. It will help in the long run and prevent potential injury down the road when you are putting skills together in a routine in preparation for the season. Also, speaking up about an injury or constant pain is crucial. Taking it easy for a few weeks, if necessary, will be beneficial in the long run.

With gyms having modified hours or being closed due to COVID, take time to get back into the full swing of things again and prepare well for practices and routines. Pay attention to your body and slow down if you start feeling pain. Taking the time now to prevent further injury will lead to a more successful season.

If you want a personalized exercise plan to help you prevent injuries and organize your way back to exercising safely, talk to a physical therapist. Give us a call for a complimentary consultation. We would love to meet you. Did you know there’s no prescription from a doctor needed to see us? Call us! (949) 276-5401.

Rausch Physical Therapy remains your caring team and can accommodate you with a specific, personalized plan. Visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/rauschpt or call us at (949) 276-5401 to learn how we can help you. Don’t forget: there’s no prescription needed to see a PT in California.

RauschPT-logo

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for a complimentary consultation. We would love to meet you.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us too! (949) 276-5401

Disclaimer — All the information that you find on our blogs and social media pages is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as your personal professional diagnosis, or treatment. Come and see us for your excellent, personalized care! https://rauschpt.net/

Copyright 2026. www.RauschPT.net