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Man demonstrates a push up to activate your muscles prior to working out.Man doing push up to demonstrate how to warm-up your muscles for a workout or form of physical activity.

5 Exercises to Activate Your Muscles & Improve Your Workout

July 19, 2021/in Hip, Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine /by Orthopedic Institute

Muscle activation exercises connect the body and mind to enhance your workout and optimize your results. Activation exercises are typically short, isolation exercises that target specific muscles to “wake them up”. Just like stretching, activation exercises increase blood flow to prepare the muscles for weightlifting, cardio, sports, or other physical activities.

We will explain these 5 activation exercises throughout the blog:

  • Superman holds to activate your back
  • Push-ups to activate your chest
  • Band pull apart to activate your shoulders
  • Monster walks to activate your glutes
  • Walking lunges to activate your quads

Click HERE to learn more about muscle activation.

How Perform Activation Exercises

Activation exercises only take a few minutes, but are extremely valuable. They can easily fit into your warm-up and require little to no equipment.

Perform each exercise at a slow tempo. Focus on the moving body part and the muscle that is being engaged during the exercise. This will ensure you are activating the right muscle groups.

To advance the exercise, contract the muscles at the peak of the exercise.

Some exercises require a resistance band. A resistance band will increase the difficulty of the exercise and further increase muscle activation. When using a resistance band, choose one that is not too tight or too loose and allows you to keep constant tension throughout each exercise.

Learn more about resistance bands HERE.

Perform the Following 5 Activation Exercises

Superman Holds Activate Your Back

Lie on your stomach with your legs straight back and arms stretched above your head. Your forehead should also be resting on the floor. Exhale and slowly lift your arms, legs, and head off the floor. Keep your arms and legs straight as you hover them over the ground. You should feel your back muscles and glutes engage and activate.

Hold for 5 seconds and repeat for 3 sets.

Push Ups Activate Your Chest

Begin on all fours with your hands shoulder-width apart. Extend you legs straight back so all your weight is on your hands and toes. Maintain a neutral spine from head to toe.

Before you begin, engage your core. Slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle while keeping your elbows tucked in by the side of your body. Contract your chest muscles and push back up through your hands to the starting position.

For beginners, perform the push up on your knees rather than your toes.

Do 5-10 push ups and repeat for 3 sets.

Band Pull Aparts Activate Your Shoulders

You will need a resistance band for this exercise. Choose a resistance band strength that allows you to get through the exercise while maintaining good form.

Stand tall with good posture and your feet shoulder-width apart. Start by holding the resistance band with an overhand grip at shoulder height with your arms extended out in front of your body. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows. Rotate your shoulders outward to engage your lats and upper back.

To initiate the movement, squeeze your upper back and begin to pull the band apart. As your arms begin to move backwards, your shoulder blades should retract and come together. When your arms are fully extended out to the side of your body, squeeze your upper back muscles, hold for a few seconds, and return to the starting position.

Repeat the exercise 10 times for 3 sets.

Read about how the Band Pull-Apart exercise can improve your posture HERE.

Monster Walks & Squats Activate Your Glutes

You will need a resistance band for this exercise. Choose a resistance band strength that allows you to get through the exercise while maintaining good form. Place the resistance band around your ankles.

For lateral monster walks, stand shoulder-width apart, keep your head, shoulders, and chest forward, and actively engage the glutes and your core. Keep a slight bend in your knees throughout the exercise.

Take a wide step laterally (to the side) with your right leg or lead leg, followed by your left leg or trail leg.

Continue stepping laterally for 10 steps and repeat on the other leg in the opposite direction. Repeat for a total of 2 sets in each direction.

Watch a step-by-step video about Monster Walks & Squats

Read more about Monster Walks & Squats HERE.

Walking Lunges Activate Your Quads

Start with your feet hip-distance apart. Maintain good posture with your torso upright and tall, core engaged, shoulders back, and chin lifted.

Take a big step forward with your right foot. Your left heel should lift naturally off the ground. Keep your core engaged as you bend your knees and lower your back knee toward the floor. Your knees should both make 90-degree angles. When you step forward with your left leg, your knee should not extend past your ankle.

Push through your right heel using your thigh muscles to rise to a standing position and lift your left foot from the ground. As your left foot comes forward, follow through with a big step forward. Keep your core engaged as you bend your knees and lower your back knee toward the floor. Your knees should both make 90-degree angles. Stop before your knee touches the floor.

Start with 10 lunges per leg and repeat for a total of 3 sets.

Summary

Muscle activation exercises are a great way to prepare your body for physical activity. Include these 5 exercises prior to your workouts or physical activities to optimize your outcome by encouraging mobility, joint stability, and safe, injury-free training.

Experiencing Joint, Muscle, or Bone Pain or Injury?

Are you experiencing pain in your bones, joints, or muscles? Make an appointment with Orthopedic Institute. Our orthopedic specialists will evaluate your problem and create a personalized care plan for your pain or injury.

Call 605.331.5890 or click HERE to make an appointment.

 

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Orthopedic Institute physical therapist demonstrates Monster Walks and Monster squats to activate glutes and hips.

How to Perform Monster Walks & Squats to Warm-Up Your Glutes & Hips

July 19, 2021/in Orthopedic Institute, Physical Therapy /by Orthopedic Institute

Monster Walks and Monster Squats are commonly used exercises to help activate the lateral hips and glutes. They can also be used as a rehabilitation strengthening exercise. When performed correctly, these exercises may help prevent injury and muscle strain by promoting strength and stability.

A resistance band is needed to perform the Monster Walk and Squat. Use a resistance band that is not too tight or too loose, and keep constant tension in the resistance band throughout each exercise.

Learn more about resistance bands HERE.

Click HERE for a step-by-step instructional video on Monster Walks & Monster Squats or watch below.

Monster Walks – Lateral & Staggered

Orthopedic Institute physical therapist demonstrates how to perform a monster walk using a resistance band.

Lateral Monster Walks (Moving Side to Side):

  • Starting Position:

    For lateral monster walks, stand shoulder-width apart. Keep your head, shoulders, and chest forward, and actively engage the glutes and your core. Keep a slight bend in your knees throughout the exercise.

  • Performing the Exercise: Take a wide step laterally (to the side) with your right leg or lead leg, followed by your left leg or trail leg. Continue stepping laterally for 10 steps and repeat on the other leg in the opposite direction. Do not over stride – over striding may cause injury.

Staggered Monster Walks (Moving Forward & Backward):

  • Starting position: Stand tall with the resistance band around your ankles. Place your feet shoulder-width apart with your right foot or lead leg a half step in front of your left foot or trail leg. Your toes should be forward and your knees straight during the entirety of the exercise. Keep a slight bend in your knees throughout the exercise.
  • Performing the exercise: Take small steps forward beginning with your right foot or lead leg followed by your left leg or trail leg. Step forward for 10 steps and backwards for 10 steps. Repeat on the other leg. Do not over stride – over striding may cause injury.

Remember that you should be feeling this exercise on the outside of your hips and glutes. For maximum results, perform the exercise slowly with full-body control to promote knee, hip, and ankle stability.

Learn more about Monster Walks HERE.

Monster Squats – Lateral & StaggeredOrthopedic Institute physical therapist demonstrates how to perform a monster squat with a resistance band.

Monster squats are another great addition to your workout routine as they activate your glutes prior to compound exercises and provide stability and strength throughout your workout.

Lateral Monster Squats (Side to Side):

  • Starting position: Begin in a partial squat position with your feet flat to the ground and shoulder-width apart. Maintain the squat position, engage your core, and keep a neutral spine.
  • Performing the exercise: Maintain a squat position throughout the exercise. Take a wide step laterally with your right leg or lead foot followed by your left leg or trail leg. Continue stepping laterally for 10 steps and repeat on the other leg in the opposite direction. Do not over stride – over striding may cause injury.

Staggered Monster Squats (Forward & Backward):

  • Starting position: Begin in a partial squat position with your feet flat to the ground and shoulder-width apart. Take a small step with your right foot or lead foot a half step in front of your left foot or trail foot. Your toes should be forward and your knees straight during the entirety of the exercise.
  • Performing the exercise: Maintain a partial squat throughout. Take small steps forward beginning with your right foot or lead leg followed by your left leg or trail leg. Step forward for 10 steps and backwards for 10 steps. Repeat on the other leg. Do not over stride – over striding may cause injury.

Monster Walks and Squats can be a great addition to your warm up when preparing for leg day, cardio, or any other form of physical activity. Proper glute and hip activation can help prevent injury and muscle strain by promoting strength, stability, and function.

To learn about other muscle activation exercises for other body parts, click HERE.

Experiencing Joint, Muscle, or Bone Pain or Injury?

Are you experiencing pain in your bones, joints, or muscles? Make an appointment with Orthopedic Institute. Our orthopedic specialists will evaluate your problem and create a personalized care plan for your pain or injury.

Call 605.331.5890 or click HERE to make an appointment.

 

https://i0.wp.com/orthopedicinstitutesf.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Blog-Header-Photos-7.png?fit=3000%2C1777&ssl=1 1777 3000 Orthopedic Institute /wp-content/uploads/2019/03/OI-logo-main.png Orthopedic Institute2021-07-19 11:26:532021-07-19 15:30:02How to Perform Monster Walks & Squats to Warm-Up Your Glutes & Hips

Can Stretching Improve Sports Performance and Reduce Risk of Injury?

January 20, 2021/in Orthopedic Institute, Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation /by Orthopedic Institute
Read more
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Dry Needling to Treat Pain

June 6, 2019/in Acupuncture, Pain Management, Physical Medicine, Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation /by Orthopedic Institute

Using Dry Needling to Treat Acute or Chronic Pain and Accelerate Recovery

What is Dry Needling?

Dry needling (DN) is a treatment technique for acute and chronic pain that contributes to movement impairments. During a treatment, the physical therapist will locate trigger points, or “muscle knots” that are painful when touched on the patient. Then, the therapist will insert thin filiform “dry” needles 5-10mm into these myofascial trigger points to “release” the pain.

Benefits of Dry Needling.

DN provides many possible benefits:

  • reduce pain
  • help release toxins
  • promote healing (faster recovery)
  • normalize dysfunctions
  • reduce muscle tension of the motor endplates (nerve impulses at transmitted to muscles at these sites)

Other Names for Dry Needling.

Physical therapists also commonly refer to the procedure as:

  • functional dry needling
  • trigger point dry needling
  • myofascial point dry needling
Orthopedic Institute Physical Therapist Performing Dry Needling on a Patient

Orthopedic Institute Physical Therapist Performing Dry Needling on a Patient

Is Dry Needling Effective at Treating Pain?

Yes. A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy concluded that DN may decrease pain and increase pressure pain threshold (PPT) compared to control treatments. PPT is a test that measures deep muscular tissue sensitivity, which is the amount of pressure needed to go from a non-painful pressure sensation to a painful pressure sensation.

Orthopedic Institute Physical Therapist Discussing Dry Needling with a Patient and showing a Spine Model

Orthopedic Institute Physical Therapist Discussing Dry Needling with a Patient and showing a Spine Model

Who May Benefit From This Treatment?

People of all ages, athletes, and non-athletes with musculoskeletal acute or chronic injuries may benefit from a session of treatments. DN is commonly used in the treatment of many injuries including:

  • trigger points
  • neck and back pain
  • muscle strains
  • headaches
  • hip and knee pain
  • hip and shoulder impingement
  • bursitis
  • plantar fasciitis
  • fibromyalgia
  • sports injuries

In addition, DN may effectively treat overuse injuries, including but not limited to tendinitis and golfer and tennis elbow.

However, there are some contraindications for this treatment method. A discussion of the current problem and past medical history should occur with a physical therapist to determine if dry needling is an appropriate and safe treatment option for you.

Why Might This Treatment Work When Other Treatments Don’t?

When massage therapy, chiropractic treatment, or traditional physical therapy techniques provide only temporary relief, it may be that the problem resides deeper in muscles that rest along the skeletal bone. DN can be a more effective and long-lasting treatment option if this is the case, as it allows the physical therapist to target muscles at all levels within the musculoskeletal system.

Orthopedic Institute Physical Therapist Demonstrating Dry Needling Location on a Spine Model

Orthopedic Institute Physical Therapist Demonstrating Dry Needling Location on a Spine Model

Does This Treatment Work for Everyone?

Most people benefit in the short term from DN treatments. In fact, the research suggests that not only does DN provide a statistically significant effect on functional outcomes, but at 6 to 12 months, patients also favored DN for decreasing pain. However, the same meta-study concluded that that evidence of the long-term benefit of DN is currently lacking.

How is Dry Needling Different from Acupuncture?

DN is sometimes confused with acupuncture. While acupuncture and dry needling both involve inserting tiny monofilament needles as part of the treatment, this is the only similarity between the two methods. Acupuncture has its roots in ancient Chinese medicine and attempts to restore the proper flow of energy throughout the body. With acupuncture, the physician inserts needles into points of the body along meridian lines. Acupuncture is most often used to treat chronic pain, internal ailments, digestive problems, insomnia, and stress. Sometimes these needles are left in place for 15 to 30 minutes.

DN, developed in the early 1980s, is based on modern Western medicine principles and is used to treat localized trigger points to reduce pain, improve joint mobility, improve strength, and normalize movement function. Treatment time is usually 10 to 15 minutes.

What is a Trigger Point?

An active trigger point is a taut band of skeletal muscle or “knot” that is usually hyperirritable to direct pressure. These active trigger points often “refer” pain to other body areas that the physical therapist can map into specific patterns. Active trigger points may contribute to muscle weakness and restricted range of motion. A physical therapist uses their expert knowledge of these common referral patterns and anatomy to identify specific trigger points to establish appropriateness for dry needling as an effective treatment.

What Happens During a Treatment?

Upon identifying the trigger points, the physical therapist will treat the exposed skin to establish a sterile field, to reduce the risk of complications from inserting the needles. The physical therapist will then insert a thin filiform “dry” (unmedicated) needle through the skin, directly into the identified trigger point.

Physical therapist performing dry needling on a patient.

Orthopedic Institute physical therapist performing dry needling on a patient.

Is the Treatment Painful?

When the needle hits the trigger point, the patient often feels a sensation of deep pressure or localized twitch response from the muscle, followed by a feeling of release or decrease in tension. To avoid any unnecessary discomfort, the physical therapist continually communicates with the patient during the treatment process to monitor for any abnormal response to treatment that may indicate the need to relocate the needle within the target area or modify the treatment depth.

The physical therapist may elect to use a pistoning technique or electric stimulation in conjunction with dry needling to elicit the desired twitch response within the muscle to provide pain relief.

How Deep do the Needles go into your Skin?

In the early 1980s, at the age of 60, Peter Baldry, an English physician, practiced and promoted acupuncture and trigger point dry needling before it was common in Western medicine, training other doctors to use the techniques and writing several textbooks. Baldry recommended inserting needles to a 5-10mm depth over myofascial trigger points (MTrP) for 30 secs. Many physical therapists use this approach to this day.

Orthopedic Institute Physical Therapist with Dry Needling Needles

Orthopedic Institute Physical Therapist with Dry Needling Needles

How long does a Treatment take?

The total treatment time may take 10 to 15 minutes.

What do you do after a Treatment?

Dry needling is rarely a treatment given to a patient in isolation. Physical therapists will provide an exercise prescription recommendation in the form of stretching or correct movement exercises following dry needling treatment to maximize the effectiveness and longevity of the treatment benefits.

How Often Should you get a Treatment?

A typical treatment plan will call for once-a-week sessions over 2 to 3 weeks, mixed with regular physical therapy. In rare cases, patients may choose up to 6 sessions depending upon their results. 

Orthopedic Institute Physical Therapist Discussing Dry Needling with a Patient

Orthopedic Institute Physical Therapist Discussing Dry Needling with a Patient

Who can Perform a Treatment in South Dakota?

DN is an approved treatment for specially trained physical therapists in South Dakota to perform. When performing the treatment, physical therapists wear gloves and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). 

Call Orthopedic Institute for questions or to schedule a session at 605-977-6845.

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Latest News

  • Popular Physical Therapy ServicesAugust 23, 2021 - 5:49 pm
  • Popular Physical Therapy ServicesAugust 2, 2021 - 3:25 pm
  • Man demonstrates a push up to activate your muscles prior to working out.Man doing push up to demonstrate how to warm-up your muscles for a workout or form of physical activity. 5 Exercises to Activate Your Muscles & Improve Your WorkoutJuly 19, 2021 - 1:29 pm
  • Orthopedic Institute physical therapist demonstrates Monster Walks and Monster squats to activate glutes and hips.How to Perform Monster Walks & Squats to Warm-Up Your Glutes & HipsJuly 19, 2021 - 11:26 am
  • Man is exercising in a gym facility by lifting weights and preparing to squat or deadlift.5 Ways to Prevent Back Pain During Exercise or Everyday Activities According to ExpertsJune 30, 2021 - 2:20 pm

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