Category Archives: Michelle Jang

Take a Hike! Health Benefits of Nature Walks

michele jangBy Michele S Jang, PT

The next time someone tells you to “take a hike”, maybe you should! Research shows that nature walks result in greater mental health benefits as compared to urban walks. Maybe this is why the San Luis Obispo area ranks as one of the happiest cities in America. We are still fortunate to have exposure to natural environments; unlike urban dwellers surrounded by concrete jungle. Continue reading Take a Hike! Health Benefits of Nature Walks

Are Cellphones Hazardous for Your Health?

michele jangBy Michele S Jang, PT

How often do you carry your cellphone on your body; in your pants or shirt pocket for example? Cell phones emit low levels of radiofrequency energy and scientists have been conducting studies to determine if release of this energy can adversely affect your health.
Back in early 2000 when pagers were more popular, I would perform an experiment for a class of therapists that demonstrated how pagers can affect your body. I would have one of the students wear their pager, usually on their hip. As a class, we would observe their posture and measure range of motion and strength.  Then I would ask the student to remove their pager from their body.  The change was remarkable!  Posture, range of motion and strength all improved!
Current communication technology has resulted in much more powerful equipment that we hold or wear in close proximity to our tissues for longer periods of time.  Not only do we have cellphones, but we have smartphones which transmit electromagnetic radiation signals at a much higher rate than pagers do. Continue reading Are Cellphones Hazardous for Your Health?

Light Therapy

Lichttherapie zu Hause
Lichttherapie zu Hause

By Michele S Jang, PT

Mainstream light therapy has historically referred to the use of an artificial light source to treat mood disorders associated with a lack of sunlight. Light is a powerful source for creating positive health changes and its mechanism of action is the topic of much research. Other therapeutic uses of light are becoming main stream in the fields of physical therapy and psychology. Two of these include low-level lasers and guided imagery/visualization with light.
Low-level laser therapy involves exposing tissue to low levels of red and near infrared light. Studies have indicated therapeutic benefits from exposure to these specific wavelengths of light; including, Continue reading Light Therapy

The Importance of Physical Touch

michele jangBy Michele S Jang, PT

Did you know that physical contact is important to the healing process?  A simple pat on the back is not just an acknowledgement of the other person but also has additional benefits. Even a handshake can go beyond a simple greeting. Physical touch is a way to connect with another person in a more intimate fashion. Touching can reassure, acknowledge the other person, lessen fears, as well as soothe and calm. Continue reading The Importance of Physical Touch

Do you have Good Posture?

michele jangBy Michele S Jang, PT

How do you know if you have good posture? At Spirit Winds Physical Therapy we have an exercise that we call the “3 – S” posture drill.  Stand against the wall and feel what parts of your body touch the wall.  When you have good spinal alignment, three parts of your body will touch the wall.  These three body parts are what the “S’s” stand for.  They are your Sacrum, Shoulder blade(also known as your scapula) and lastly, your Skull.
In order to have your sacrum flush with the wall, it is important to engage your abdominal muscles and perform a slight posterior pelvic tilt as if tucking your coccyx or tailbone between your legs.
For most people, keeping our shoulder blades against the wall means rolling our shoulders backwards, gently squeezing the shoulder blades together and down. Continue reading Do you have Good Posture?

Keep your Back in Action

health club: women doing stretching and aerobics

By Michele S Jang, PT

Can you bend over and touch your toes without bending your knees? Did you know that the inability to do so can indicate your risk of developing back pain? If you can’t, you probably have tight hamstrings, which increases your risk of injury. Many of our daily duties that are sedentary, can precipitate tight muscles; such as, sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day. A flexible core is critical to perform any recreational activity while reducing back strain. Many muscles that encourage a flexible back are actually in the hip and lower extremities. Here are a few stretches that you can perform daily to reduce your risk of developing back pain. Continue reading Keep your Back in Action

Wellness Through Writing

mittelalterliches Tagebuch in Sütterlin-SchriftBy Michele S. Jang, PT

Are you familiar with the expression “get something off your chest”? Holding our thoughts and feelings inside can wreak havoc in our lives and can actually negatively affect our health. Sometimes friends and family are not available to talk to. We have, however an access to an easy, affordable tool that can create positive and measurable changes in our physical and mental health: writing! Continue reading Wellness Through Writing

Affordable Care?

michele jangMichele S Jang, PT

This is just my personal perspective of the healthcare industry. I do not speak for any other physical therapy owner. My goal here is to let the public know how the changes in healthcare have affected my business.
First the good news; we saw 306 more patients in 2014 compared to 2013. I wish there was more good news to report, but there’s not. Yes, I am glad to have served an increased numbers of patients.
Now for the bad news; despite seeing an increase in the number of patients, we made about $6,500 less than we did the previous year! How can that be? Our reimbursement rates were slashed. We were forced into contracts to accept smaller payments for our services. Simultaneously, we had an increase in demand for documentation with higher regulations & restrictions surrounding people being seen for physical therapy. Continue reading Affordable Care?

Even Adults Need Timeouts

By Michele S Jang, PT
michele jangGiving a child a “timeout” can be effective in decreasing various problem behaviors, such as temper tantrums. Timeouts are not only good for kids, but they’re also good for adults. Have you ever been so frustrated, angry or fearful that you lost the ability to think or rationalize? If you’ve ever been in that state, have you ever felt that if you stayed on course, you could cause harm to yourself or others? This is the perfect time to take a “timeout”! When we’re in such an emotional state, we stop being able to rationalize. Our heart races and the structure in the reptilian part of our brain, the limbic system which is involved in fright, flight or freeze survival behaviors, kicks into hyper drive.
Some of the benefits of taking a timeout include calming down, lessening intense emotions, and allowing one self to speak from a rational versus reactionary position. Timeouts don’t need to be when you’re emotionally charged. Timeouts can also simply serve as a time for reflection. Continue reading Even Adults Need Timeouts

Super Bowl Exercise Challenge

By Michele S. Jang, PT

michele jangIt is estimated that over 115 million people will watch the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks go at it during Super Bowl Sunday on February 1st. A number of you will find yourself sitting in front of the tube possibly with hot wings, beer and soda, chips, burgers, sweets. The football players will be busting their butts while we sit on ours.  How about channeling some of that adrenaline into a fun exercise challenge with your buddies?
All of the following exercises should be repeatedly performed for 30 seconds for an easier challenge and up to 60 seconds for a more difficult challenge.
Continue reading Super Bowl Exercise Challenge