Highroads Living

Here’s an alarming fact- for most of us our flexibility will diminish by more than 50% as we age. Yikes! This means your gait will likely get shorter, your posture will suffer, and simple movements will become more difficult- like putting on your shoes or picking things up off the ground. But does it have to happen? Why You Become Less Flexible When you have been on this planet for more than a couple of decades, you begin to see the results of muscle imbalances, overuse, faulty movement patterns and injuries in your flexibility. In fact, all of these things READ MORE >>

Are you living with undiagnosed joint pain? You are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, severe joint pain affects more than 14.6 million people in the U.S. Joint pain can exist in any of the body’s joints, including the hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, ankles, feet, jaw, and neck. Detection of the source of your joint pain is the first step in successfully treating or reducing it. The Orthopaedics Team at Erlanger Western Carolina is here to help by using the latest evidence-based orthopaedic medicine and surgical techniques. One commonly recommended procedure is arthroscopy. Arthroscopic surgery, READ MORE >>

Everyone gets stressed at times, and unfortunately, the past year and a half has brought an extra significant stressor to us in COVID 19. It is very easy to get caught up in all of the responsibilities and daily tasks that have to be done each day. However, when those things start to build up, it can become overwhelming. There is often a misconception that it is best to just push through and get everything done while pushing self-care to the side. People often push self-care to the side due to focusing on all the things that need to be READ MORE >>

While we should strive to maintain a robust immune system at all times, it is particularly important to get serious about it BEFORE flu season arrives. While influenza viruses circulate year-round, in the United States flu season occurs in the Fall and Winter. The flu typically infects on average 35 million Americans every year, with anywhere from 280,000 to 810,000 ending up in the hospital. To build a healthy immune system, start by establishing good foundations of health. This includes proper hydration, consumption of nutrient-dense food, getting adequate sunlight, regular rest, appropriate exercise for your age and fitness level, and READ MORE >>

TBI occurs when an injury disrupts the way the brain functions. The most common causes of TBI are falls, car crashes, and blows to the head. Immediate or delayed symptoms may include confusion, blurred vision, headache, concentration difficulty, and infants may cry persistently or be irritable. Treatment may involve rest, medication, or surgery. There are approximately three-million cases of TBI diagnosed each year in the USA with a concussion making up approximately 8-% of all diagnosed TBIs. Children under the age of four are at risk of injury from falls and child abuse. Adolescents aged 15 to 19 are at READ MORE >>

Getting in shape prior to surgery can make recovery easier. 50% of outcome success is due to the surgeon and the other 50% is due to the patient’s commitment to recovery, starting with pre-hab. Rehabilitation is an exercise and therapy program performed for up to three months after surgery. Pre-hab is an exercise therapy program started at least six weeks before surgery. The rewards of pre-hab show in 24 hours after surgery. For example: after knee-replacement surgery, patients are expected to be walking using crutches or a walker to the bathroom or in the hallway the day after. They generally READ MORE >>

Provides us the ability to perform integrated passive and active therapy for musculoskeletal disorders. This approach aims to normalize movement impairments that are related to patients complaints. Body areas are mobilized until pain is eliminated. These techniques are performed in the functional weight bearing position and are continuously monitored to ensure that they are pain-free throughout the intervention. Outcomes to Expect: For Athletes Lasting, consistent, immediate, and predictable increase in range of motion with no end range, risk prone movements. Possible immediate increase in strength, not due to muscle strengthening which takes significant time and effort to achieve, but rather READ MORE >>

How long have you heard promotions about “Buns of Steel”? It is important now more than ever.  Besides aesthetics, strong glutes provide us with the following: 1. Support system for the core, low back, & pelvic girdle equals better posture 2. Structure for your outer thigh muscles to be supported and not rub against your hip or leg bones which can cause Bursitis or IT Band inflammation. 3. Injury Prevention & Decrease Pain 4. Better stability & overall body strength help with balance Strong Glutes can provide added support for knees and ankles too. Remember the song, “the hip bone’s READ MORE >>

Summer 2021 is finally here and many of us have never anticipated a season more in our lives. Coronavirus numbers are finally down and many have protected themselves with the COVID vaccine which makes it safer to get back to vacations, social gatherings, cook outs and the lake! Since we are venturing back into the glorious sun, we could all use a reminder about preventing sunburns from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. I commonly hear about “getting that first sunburn of the summer” but just 5 sunburns double your risk for skin cancer. Prolonged direct UV ray exposure is by READ MORE >>