National Women’s Health Week

The week of May 8-14 is National Women’s Health Week. It was created to remind women to prioritize their physical and mental health, especially for women who are at risk for cardiac disease, respiratory issues, obesity, and diabetes.

Strategies to Help the Mind and Reduce Stress

• Talk to someone
• Meditation (refer to Mindfulness and Mindful Movement for Pelvic Pain for tips)
• Find an enjoyable hobby
• Improve sleeping habits and quality of sleep (refer to our blogs Sleep: the brain’s most active time of day and Part 2: The Importance of Sleep)

Signs of Poor Sleep Quality

• Signs of poor sleep quality include
  • feeling sleepy or tired even after getting enough sleep
  • repeatedly waking up during the night
  • having symptoms of a sleep disorder (such as snoring or gasping for air).
• Consult a physician if there is evidence of a sleep disorder, such as snoring or being very sleepy during the day after a full night’s sleep

Strategies to Help the Body

• Health screens
• Maintain healthy weight and eat a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Stay active for at least 30 minutes per day

Guidelines for Working Out

• Here are some guidelines to follow in order to start working out safely:
• Start with short periods of activity and gradually increase activity level
  • walk-to-run program
  • start with lighter weights and less reps
• Warm up with light cardio and/or active stretching like butt kicks, high knees, or yoga
• Cooling down transitions the body back to a lower state of stress 
• Take a day off to let the body recover and keep you from getting burned out
• Watch for early signs of injury
  • Common issues to watch out for with return to activity:
    • Swelling or bruising
    • Joint pain, especially in the knees or shoulders
    • Foot pain, which could be a sign of plantar fasciitis
    • Muscle strains -particularly common in the hamstrings
    • Sprains -most common in the ankle 
• If you are pregnant, follow these guidelines found in our blog, DO’s and DON’Ts of Fitness and Pregnancy

How Can Physical Therapy Help?

Physical therapists will evaluate and treat individuals to help safely guide them back into a more active lifestyle. Getting checked out early can prevent an injury that can interfere with any attempt to return to activity. Body Harmony Physical Therapy specializes in pelvic floor and orthopedic conditions including prenatal and postnatal rehabilitation. Our practice has 4 skilled physical therapists who focus on finding and treating the cause to alleviate symptoms through a variety of techniques such as: patient education, pelvic floor assessment and treatment, manual techniques, and gentle core and pelvic floor stretching and strengthening. We offer virtual sessions and one-hour, one-to-one sessions in private treatment rooms and are conveniently located in lower Manhattan.

References:

1. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/features/getting-enough-sleep.html
2. https://www.womenshealth.gov/nwhw/about