…and have a Healthy, Happy Holiday Season—(with a little help from Studio DelCorpo’s friends)
White lights, Christmas trees, and holiday décor are in view already…And it is not even Thanksgiving yet. Scarily, the holidays are upon us and more than a few folks I know have voiced their anxiety about going into this season.
Late nights, poor nutrition, alcohol and lack of time for workouts, can lead to a downward spiral of extra stress, adrenaline overdrive, immune system demise. Time for some intense damage control and self care!
Fortunately, we have a few friends who can help. We chatted with some of them and now pass along their expertise to you. First, our friends at Delos Therapy, and second Delcorpo’s staff Physical Therapists Brett Painter and John Randa.
Read on for their thoughts on self-care…and make sure to read until the end for a special class announcement.
Feeling sore or stuck with tight muscles? Have a muscular issue that needs resolution? Go where our clients go when they are in need of some targeted bodywork… Our neighbors at Delos Therapy! I spoke with the owners of Delos, Mimi Bosika and Eric Owens to find out more about their proprietary protocol that decreases inflammation and obliterates injury.
CD: Tell me briefly about the history of your technique.
Mimi and Eric: The Delos Therapy technique was developed in the 1970s by Kenny Owens, who was an engineer specializing in troubleshooting complex systems. He experienced years of chronic pain without a reliable solution. Out of desperation for relief, he turned his body into an engineering project. He made some very interesting discoveries, which ultimately led to the development of the technique that we utilize today to restructure muscle tissue back to a functional and dynamic state.
CD: What should I expect at my first session, and after?
M and E: The first session includes a detailed explanation regarding what we believe is happening in each patient’s body and what makes Delos Therapy a unique solution. We also formulate a treatment plan customized to each individual client so they can continue to do the activities they love and live life without limitations. The goal for each client is to have a new perspective on muscle health and to be able to live life without any pain or stiffness.
CD: Why is Delos therapy important for people without injuries or issues as a regular self care practice?
M and E: Most people wait until they are actually injured or in pain before seeking treatment. This is analogous to waiting until you get a cavity to start brushing your teeth. A common misconception is that if the muscles don’t hurt or feel stiff, they are perfectly healthy. In reality, everyone’s muscle tissue is gradually getting tighter and stiffer through activity or lack of activity until such a vast amount of congestion and tightness exists within the muscle that it actually begins to hurt. As the percentage of tightness increases, even before there is pain, there is a compromise of the muscle tissue. As a result, energy levels will suffer, workouts will plateau and the muscles will not function at their best even when there are no symptoms of pain or stiffness. This is what we want to educate patients on – they shouldn’t assume that the absence of pain defines the health of muscles.
CD: What is the most prevalent issue your therapists are addressing?
M and E: We see everything from head to toe, but the most common area we address is the upper back, specifically between the shoulder blades, which seems to originate from people sitting at their desks and/or using their smartphones.
To schedule an appointment with Delos simply contact the location closest to you!
Now, back to Studio DelCorpo where we chatted with our on-site Physical Therapist/Bespoke Performance® Trainers Brett Painter and John Randa. These guys are some of the smartest physical therapists we know. Their day jobs, doing physical therapy are at Northwestern Medicine Center for Orthopaedic and Spine Care, but we are lucky to have them at the Studio a few days a week.
CD: Tell me about the new law in Illinois regarding physical therapy.
John and Brett: A new law was passed in August 2018 that allows direct access to physical therapy providers. This bypasses the need to see a physician prior to coming to physical therapy so that now you can be evaluated and treated by a physical therapist without a referral. This law acknowledges the extensive education that physical therapists go through, as a majority of physical therapists have their doctorates in physical therapy (including Brett and John!).
CD: Briefly, what is your philosophy about injury/issues?
J and B: Our philosophy regarding injuries is that there is not a "one size fits all" approach. Every injury differs so much person to person and can vary based on a number of factors; including severity, location, and chronicity. Therefore, with our Performance® and physical therapy sessions, we make sure to make a thorough examination to understand each individual’s injury or inefficiency, as opposed to taking a cookie-cutter approach.
Too often, a “no pain-no gain” philosophy is assumed when it comes to physical training or re-habilitation programs. However, we take an approach that safely and comfortably loads the involved tissues while also strengthening the surrounding areas. This strategy promotes optimal healing so that one can return to whatever it is they like to do, as soon as possible.
CD: What is the process if someone comes into DelCorpo with an injury? What if I come in and I just have some tightness or soreness from some tough workouts?
J and B: When someone comes in with an injury to DelCorpo, we first take a comprehensive exam of the injury or issue. If the injury is quite self-limiting and impacts your day-to-day function, we will recommend that you initiate physical therapy with us. Now that we have direct access (see question 1!), heading right into PT is a very seamless process.
However, if the musculoskeletal injury is deemed to be not self-limiting and does not fall under the umbrella of physical therapy, we offer specialized Performance Training®. These sessions are designed to keep you fit and active while keeping an informed eye on your movement inefficiencies and limitations. These comprehensive sessions are ideal for improving your total-body strength, flexibility, range of motion, and balance in a safe manner, allowing you to reach your optimal level of fitness. These sessions also aim to bridge the gap for those who have recently been discharged from physical therapy and want to progress to a safe and effective exercise routine.
CD: What is your favorite tool to address injury?
J and B: Our favorite tool to address injuries is dry needling! Dry needling uses acupuncture needles to help relieve pain and reduce muscle tension. From our experience, dry needling has a very powerful impact on boosting the healing process. Patients and clients often see instantaneous results, such as reduced pain and improved mobility after dry needling…as a result dry needling has become a very big part of our practice.
For those who are not injured and are looking to prevent injury, improve mobility, or enhance performance, we offer Wellness Dry Needling. These sessions are a valuable piece of overall self-care and physical maintenance!
CD: What can I do to optimize injury recovery?
For the best results for the recovery process it is very important to live in a state of “active rest”. Simply put, this means exercising without performing activities that aggravate any injury or issue. During a period of active rest, it is important to provide the optimal stimulus for repair for your injury, which is some form of movement that fosters an environment of healing and does not add unnecessary stress on the tissue. Providing regular exercise for the rest of your body will expedite your recovery by improving blood flow and by accelerating protein synthesis at the injury site. It is also very important to be cognizant of your nutrition while in a state of rehabilitation. Providing adequate amounts of protein for your system is crucial during the healing process in order to give the body the building blocks necessary to heal.
To make an appointment for Physical Therapy or for Performance Training® with either Brett or John, or to schedule a consult to discuss which course of action may be best for you, email Brett at bpainter324@gmail.com or John at cranda2@gmail.com.
You may also leave a message at the Studio at 773.340.3359.
And now something special for your self-care…
Kiehls x Studio Delcorpo
Make your holiday season happy and healthy on November 18! Kiehls on Armitage and Studio Delcorpo have teamed up for a special workout class. Our very own star trainer SHANNON KELLY will teach a one hour, part strength, part stretch class at Kiehls.
How do you register?
Purchase a $25 gift card at Kiehls to reserve your spot, bring yourself, and a mat on Nov. 18, and from 9:30am-10:30am de-stress with the workout and some treats afterwards. The rest of the holidays should be this easy!
(Class is limited to 12 participants so register now!)
Bespoke your self-care with this great workout and some samples from Kiehls!
Brilliant. Easy. Bespoke.