Strength Training for Healthy Bones

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May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month, so I wanted to share some information about building and maintaining strong, healthy bones. Over the years, I have had many clients who are very active and healthy diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis and wonder, “How could this happen?” The truth is, there are many factors that contribute to bone loss. As we age, the body naturally breaks down bone faster than it rebuilds it. Bone density gradually decreases over time, especially after age 50. Hormonal changes also play a major role, particularly during menopause. This is one reason osteoporosis is discussed more often in…

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The Importance of Practicing Balance Exercises with your Eyes Closed and with Head Movements

Read more about the article The Importance of Practicing Balance Exercises with your Eyes Closed and with Head Movements

Balance is something many of us take for granted—until it becomes challenging. Practicing balance exercises regularly can help improve stability, reduce the risk of falls, and support overall confidence in daily activities. Two simple ways to challenge your balance are practicing balance exercises with your eyes closed and moving your head while maintaining balance. Why Practice Balance With Your Eyes Closed? When your eyes are open, vision plays a major role in helping you stay upright. Closing your eyes removes that visual input and encourages your body to rely more on other systems, including: Your inner ear (vestibular system), which helps…

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The Ground Test: Why It Matters More Than You Think

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Imagine this: you’re at home, and something rolls under the couch. You kneel down to grab it, but when it’s time to get back up, it feels harder than it used to. Sound familiar? For many people, getting up and down from the ground isn’t something we think about—until the day we realize it’s a challenge. But here’s the truth: this simple movement is one of the most powerful tools we have for staying independent and preventing falls. Why It’s So Important Falls happen—even to healthy, active people. The difference comes down to how safely and confidently you can get up…

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The Importance of Foot Health for your Balance

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Feet play a critical role in balance, mobility, and overall stability, especially as we age. Here’s why they matter so much—and how they can impact balance: 1. Foundation of the Body Feet are literally our foundation. Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments, all working together to support movement and posture. When something’s off—sensation, pain, other abnormalities—it can affect everything from the knees to the hips and back, throwing off balance. 2. Sensory Feedback and Proprioception Feet have a high concentration of nerve endings that provide sensory feedback to the brain about body position—this…

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Spring Better Your Balance Challenge

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Here is the PDF of the Spring balance challenge. You can print it yourself, I can print it out for you or you can get a copy at the Perinton Rec Center and Pittsford Senior Center. I have also made a video with demonstrations of the exercises and the link for that is here: https://youtu.be/0rr4IophTmk?si=ai3Jeqx9avHjeCQE If you have any questions please let me know! If you would like ways to make it a little less challenging or more challenging please let me know and I'd be happy to accommodate. Have fun with it and get ready for all the nice…

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Your Grip Strength Can Tell More About You Than You May Realize

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I’m sure grip strength is not something you think about everyday, I definitely don’t. I think we may only think about it when we have trouble opening a jar (or maybe that’s just me). If you do think about it and work on it then that is fabulous! If not, here are some reasons why it is important to maintain and/or improve good grip strength. Grip strength is a good marker for how well you are aging. People who have good grip strength age more slowly compared to those with weak grip strength which tends to lead to more frailty. …

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Are You Activating Your Core?

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You have probably heard of your core or activate your core or use your core or strengthen your core. Do you know how or why it is so important?  If you are unsure about what your core is, it is what connects your lower body to your upper body. It involves the muscles in your trunk, abs, hips, pelvis and muscles surrounding your spine. It plays an important role in keeping us stable and balanced. Which means it helps prevent falls and also prevents any other injuries! The stronger our core the better our balance and coordination is. The core…

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Ways to Improve and Maintain Strong Bones

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What can you do to improve or maintain good bone health? The best things you can do are exercise and make sure you are maintaining a bone healthy diet. Getting enough Calcium and Vitamin D is extremely important. Also important is making sure you are eating enough protein.  Trying to spread out both calcium and protein consumption throughout the day instead of at just one meal is beneficial for bone health. Eating enough protein throughout the day helps maintain muscle mass. Foods rich in Vitamin D include egg yolks, cheese, salmon, tuna, mushrooms, some yogurts, milk and orange juice that…

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A Quick Warm Up for Pickleball to Avoid Injuries

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Did you know April is National Pickleball Month? It also happens to be the time that outdoor courts have started to open up for the season.  I am only a beginner, but after hearing my mom talk obsessively about it, I have started to play a little and finally understand the craze! It is such a great way to be social while being physically active; I am all for it!  If you haven’t played in a while or are a beginner, try to ease into playing and slowly build up playing time so that you don’t injure yourself. Pickleball does…

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