Physical Therapy Blog

Physical fitness is not just a personal choice but an essential requirement for military and law enforcement personnel. These brave individuals face unique challenges and physical demands in their line of duty. They often turn to physical therapy to maintain peak performance and recover from injuries. We consider it a privilege at EW Motion Therapy to help these heroes reduce pain and maintain optimal mobility to perform their duties effectively. Even if you decide that our physical therapy isn’t right for you, you can still read on as we explore the most common conditions and injuries that military and law enforcement personnel experience and what a treatment plan in physical therapy can look like.

Gymnastics is an incredible sport that demands dedication, discipline, and determination. You have already shown extraordinary commitment to your craft as a young gymnast. However, balancing the demands of gymnastics with other obligations like school and friends can sometimes feel overwhelming. But don’t worry - many resources are available to help you care for your body and mind as you pursue excellence in and out of the gym. You can always go to your coach or other trusted professionals for advice, including a physical therapist. We love helping our young gymnasts at EW Motion Therapy succeed by helping them progress their skills and encouraging them not to push their bodies beyond what they can handle. Even if you decide that our services do not fit your needs, you can still read on as we explore some valuable tips to help you find harmony and succeed in all areas of your life.

Competition day in gymnastics is an exciting yet nerve-wracking experience for athletes. It's the culmination of months, or even years, of hard work and dedication. A combination of mental and physical preparation is critical to perform at your best and maximize your potential. Every gymnast needs to ensure their body can handle the demand of their sport - we love helping our gymnasts toward this goal at EW Motion Therapy. While you may decide that our services don’t fit your needs, you can still read on as we explore some essential tips to help gymnasts shine on competition day.

When you are looking for a cheerleading gym for yourself or your child, it can be challenging to narrow down your options. Many communities have multiple options for cheer, and Birmingham is no exception. Our city has a thriving cheerleading community with many nationally-ranked competition teams. With so many choices of gyms in the area, how do you decide which one to join for your or your child’s cheer career?

Cheerleading is an exciting and dynamic sport that combines athleticism, teamwork, and spirited performances. However, despite its popularity, cheerleading is plagued by numerous myths and misconceptions that often overshadow the hard work and dedication put in by athletes. We admire the strength and determination of our cheer clients at EW Motion Therapy, and we dedicate ourselves to helping them prepare for the demands of their sport. Even if our services do not fit your needs, you can still read on as we aim to debunk some of the biggest myths surrounding cheerleading while providing valuable advice on finding the best cheer gym in your area.

Cheerleading is an exciting and high-energy sport that requires a lot of strength, flexibility, and coordination. However, it also comes with its fair share of injuries. In fact, according to the National Cheer Safety Foundation, cheerleading has one of the highest injury rates of any sport. Physical therapy can often be integral to any cheerleader’s healing process and helps them return to practice or competition. We love to do this for our cheer clients at EW Motion Therapy, but even if you decide our services do not fit your needs, you can still read on as we explore some of the most common cheerleading injuries, their symptoms, causes, and how physical therapy can help.

Cheerleading has come a long way from its origins as a sideline activity. Today, it's a highly competitive sport that requires excellent athleticism and skill. However, with the increasing complexity of cheerleading routines and stunts comes an increased risk of injury. Cheerleaders, coaches, and parents must prioritize safety and injury prevention in a school or a competitive team. Our cheer specialists at EW Motion Therapy can help cheerleaders of all levels overcome their movement impairments, prevent injury, and condition their bodies to progress skills. Even if you decide our services do not fit your needs, you can still read on to learn critical tips for preventing cheerleading injuries.

You might have heard about concussions in sports news, specifically within the NFL. Football players incur many head injuries due to the nature of their sport, and concussion protocols have been significantly improved in recent years to ensure players get the treatment they need as quickly as possible, including changes to helmet design. But football is not the only sport with a risk of head injuries - cheerleading, gymnastics, and many other sports have an inherent risk of concussions. You do not have to be an athlete to be at risk for a concussion; falls and car accidents can also cause them. So what do you do if you or someone you know gets a concussion? What is the treatment protocol?

Every single cartwheel, back handspring, or split a gymnast performs relies on the flexibility and strength of their hip joints. Think about it: each bend or stretch can push the joint to the end of its range of motion, and with the amount of bending and stretching a gymnast does each practice, the joint can become stressed. So how do you ensure that your hips continue to stay healthy and withstand the impact of your skills?

We all know the strength required to participate in a sport like gymnastics, but how do gymnasts develop strength? What is their normal workout routine? When you think of these workouts, weightlifting may not be the first thing that comes to mind. Gymnasts must be incredibly agile - they can’t be too bulky by lifting heavy and still perform at a high level, right? This thought process is a common myth throughout the gymnastics community, but in reality, weight training can be instrumental in staying healthy, preventing injury, and promoting the longevity of a gymnast’s career. But what would this look like, and how would you have the time to fit it into an already-packed training schedule?