For many people, April marks the transition from cold winter months into a beautiful summer. Although the weather might not cooperate every day, the sunshine and warmer days provide numerous opportunities to enjoy the fresh air and stay active. May has also been announced as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. As the month now comes to an end, we can continue to take that motivation with us throughout the rest of the summer. Getting in the recommended 150 minut

Whether we’re seasoned exercisers or just starting out, motivation – or lack thereof – has probably crossed our minds at some point. Maybe the results we’re looking for are slower to come that we would like or we just have a lot of other things on our plates; but whatever the reason, we’re lacking some motivation and could use some tricks to get it back. While it’s okay and even recommended to take a rest day we don’t want our lack of motivation to lead us to taking m

Staying Fit Doesn’t Have To Be Hard Let’s face it, sometimes it can be really hard for us to slow down and take it easy. We all just want to get as much done during the day as possible! However, it’s time that we become a bit more realistic about what is and isn’t feasible for us to accomplish through sheer willpower alone. Our bodies have limits. Even though you might really want to complete your entire to-do list within a 24-hour time span, it probably isn’t going to h

Get Moving Once Again with Physical Therapy If you’ve been living with acute or chronic pain, physical therapy can help. Whatever your injury or underlying condition may be, our licensed physical therapists understand how pain can significantly impact your daily life. Physical therapists are movement experts who are trained in several different methods and modalities that are natural, non-invasive, and successful. While there are numerous reasons why physical therapy is

Heart disease is a leading cause of death and disability. This should not be a surprise – it has been at the top of the list for years. You know that taking care of your heart is important. That means doing things like eating right, avoiding smoking, and exercising regularly. While all of those things can be difficult, today we are going to focus on exercise. HOW PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN HELP WITH YOUR HEART HEALTH Cardiovascular exercise is anything that makes you breathe h

Getting in Shape For Spring Activities Winter Blues hit hard if you don’t enjoy the cold! It can be hard to motivate yourself to stay active during the winter months if you aren’t interested in winter activities such as skiing, snowboarding, etc. This can lead to inactivity during the winter, followed by your body being in less-than-optimal shape when spring and summer roll around. Studies show that most people are more active in nicer weather. With spring approaching,

Each year, to no surprise, the most popular New Year’s resolution is to improve one’s health and get in better shape. How do you succeed with this resolution? What are the keys to getting started, and more importantly, maintaining that focus throughout the year to stay in shape? Here are 5 tips to help you succeed with your New Year’s Resolutions in 2024 and beyond. 1. Pick an activity you enjoy When choosing a way to exercise, find an activity you will enjoy. By liking what

Keeping Active in the New Year After a long week of work, countless errands and running around, the weekends may be your opportunity for leisure to do nothing but sit around all day. While there’s nothing wrong with taking well deserved time off to relax, you may be doing more of a disservice than you realize. The human body is des igned for movement and as the saying goes, “sitting is the new smoking.” According to research at Cornell University Department of Ergonomic

Avoid Injuries while Shoveling Snow Every winter, those of us in the states that tend to get snow wonder whether we're going to get a lot or a little. No matter how much snow we end up getting though, it’s always good to know the proper way to shovel so injuries can be prevented. We at Physical Therapy Specialists of Idaho have some advice to help avoid those snow shoveling injuries Stretch Take 5–10 minutes to warm-up your muscles with some stretches before starting to

To most of us the holiday season is all about tradition, fun, and family, but sometimes the holidays can also be a pain in the neck— literally. The American Physical Therapy Association offers some great tips to avoid discomfort this holiday season. Lifting Test an object’s weight before attempting to lift heavy packages or luggage. Try pushing it with your foot. If it seems too heavy then take smaller loads, which are less likely to strain your back and are easier on arm and

Physical Therapy and Dizziness For most of us it’s easy to get out of bed in the morning or turn our heads or walk across the street without getting dizzy or losing our balance. We may not even realize that there is a whole system within our body dedicated to monitoring where we are in space and to keeping us balanced as we move through our environment. However if you’ve ever stumbled dizzily off the Tilt-A-Whirl at the country fair you’ve experienced how vital our sens

Tips For Staying Active at Work It’s becoming more well known that staying physically active throughout the workday isn’t just better for your health. It can also boost productivity, job satisfaction, and psychological well-being, too. Even if you work at a desk, there are plenty of simple things you can do to get moving more often. Check out these five tips! 5 Simple Strategies to Stay Active at Work Hydrate. Drinking more water throughout the day can improve mental c

Falling is a serious and common problem among older adults, and it can often lead to significant life changing injuries. In fact, nearly 1 in 4 older adults experience a fall each year. The good news is that many falls can be prevented by understanding the risks and taking a few simple steps. An assistive device is your best friend. Always keep it with you and make sure you are using it properly. Avoid reach for unstable furniture, countertops, or other surfaces for balance b

Heat vs. Ice Treating pain with hot and cold can be extremely effective for a number of different conditions and injuries, and easily affordable. The tricky part is knowing what situations calls for hot, and which calls for cold. Sometimes a single treatment will even include both. As a general rule of thumb, use ice for acute injuries or pain, along with inflammation and swelling. Use heat for muscle pain or stiffness. HEAT What it does: Heat promotes muscle relaxat

As we age, our bodies naturally go through changes. Muscle mass decreases, bones become more fragile, and overall strength starts to...

You’ve Got Options For Relief. Let’s face it, your joints just aren’t treating you the way they used to. You might be dealing with the aftermath of an injury that has made it hard for you to get around the way you’re used to. Or maybe you’re just suffering from age-related arthritis, and everything is starting to hurt! One thing is for sure, taking excessive amounts of over-the-counter painkillers and sitting around all day definitely isn’t doing you any favors. If you

Most people think of physical therapy as something you turn to after an injury or surgery. And yes, it’s an incredible tool for helping...

Don’t let this form of movement fool you – isn’t just a simple activity; it’s a powerful, low-impact exercise that can help alleviate...

What is Graston®? Here at PTSI, we offer a technique known as Graston®. Graston® is a highly trained skill that utilizes specific tools...

5 Reasons to Get Moving! It has become common knowledge that exercise is good for the body. Regular exercise can aid in weight loss and...