At Fit 4 Life Physical Therapy, we believe your story matters. We help fit, active, healthy people, recover from pain and injury, to get back to doing what they love quickly. Our practice is built around four pillars, posture, strength, flexibility, and balance. Each of these pillars has a distinct physical therapy meaning but also has real life application to living a truly fit life. Posture: the first pillar of our practice here at Fit 4 Life Physical Therapy . Like the rest, this pillar has a double meaning. When speaking to my patients, all of them are sure to hear about the importance of their posture in the treatment and prevention of their problem. 
While posture is important in the Physical Therapy Fit 4 Life, the way you carry yourself, the way you react to situations around you, including life events that are outside your control, truly sets the tone for your whole body health. 
Work on your posture by practicing slouch overcorrect (See our You Tube Channel and our Number 1 Tip for preventing neck and back pain.) Work on your posture by reading good personal development books. Both tips will help you truly be Fit 4 Life. Strength 💪 is the second pillar of our practice here at Fit 4 Life Physical Therapy. Along with Posture, it holds a double meaning. In the Physical Therapy world, strength can be defined as the quality or state of being physically strong. Strength is necessary to prevent injuries, to have proper posture, to have good metabolism, to have optimal performance. 
In life, strength is necessary for the journey. Strength comes from overcoming challenges we didn’t think we could handle. Often we need divine strength to help us when the road is hard. We are not guaranteed an easy life, in fact, it’s just the opposite. Life will be hard and you can choose to grow or crumble. Lean into the resistance in your life, it will make you stronger. Look for an opportunity to grow in strength today. 
In the Physical Therapy world, balance is important. As we age, we need to have good balance in order to prevent falls. We need to work on flexibility in our ankles and hips; We need to challenge our vestibular system, not to mention the fact that we lose our eyesight the older we get. All of these factors impact one’s ability to maintain good balance, at rest and while moving. Physical Therapy can do much to improve all of these systems (well maybe not they eyesight part 😉) Balance is important for those of us in the younger age brackets as well. Athletes who have sustained one or more ankle sprains must commit to regular balance challenging activities in order to strengthen the weakened ankle. Runners need to work on balance in order to prevent injuries considering that they spend a significant amount of time on one leg. Imbalance in strength between legs can lead to injuries. 
Now let’s chat about balance in life. For most of us, this word seems illusive or impossible. I tend to agree, life will never be in balance completely. In each season, your efforts and attention must be directed asymmetrically in one or two directions. It’s the sense of harmony, in being whole and complete that we can achieve when we work to make sure the things we do say YES to align with our goals and priorities. The best way to achieve balance in life is to surround yourself with positive people, set focused time aside for yourself each day to complete a solid self care routine, read books that are good for you, and learn to say “thank you so much for thinking of me but I am not able to help you with that at this time.” 
In the Physical Therapy world, flexibility is defined as the ability to move completely through an available range of motion. Flexibility can be achieved, or improved, by working on range of motion and stretching. Flexibility is lost by lack of use. 
In life, flexibility is defined as one’s willingness to change or compromise. Flexibility is important in order to hold meaningful and healthy relationships. Flexibility is important in order to see another’s point if view. Flexibility is important in order to grow. 
There you have it friends. The four pillars of our practice and tips to help you be truly Fit 4 Life. Please visit our YouTube channel for specific exercises to help you work on all four pillars.
The 4 pillars of our practice here at Fit 4 Life Physical Therapy.
