Scudder Physical Therapy

“Weight loss is a side effect of health gains”.
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I heard that on a podcast recently and it has really resonated with me. 5 years ago (photos on the left) I weighed about 15 lbs more than I do now. I wasn’t eating well. I hadn’t prioritized intermittent fasting, protein, healthy fats, sleep or weight lifting. I didn’t fully understand, even as a physical therapist, what was happening to my perimenopausal body. And I was about to enter one of the most stressful stages of my life (but wouldn’t change the past if I could), that of becoming caretaker for my dying mother for 6 months. The stress of that on my less-than-resilient body, along with my emotional carb overeating to help cope with grief, resulted, I believe, in a breast cancer diagnosis 9 months after my mother’s passing.
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Fast forward to April ‘22, now cancer-free but about 35 lbs overweight, I had tried several calorie-counting based weight loss programs but had gained the weight back soon after stopping. I needed to do something different. I prayed for God to lead me on a path of better health, not just weight loss.
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And He did! I stumbled upon IG story posts from Dr Morgan Nolte of , a fellow physical therapist turned weight loss & health coach. She spoke about the fact that not all calories are created equal. I learned that insulin resistance is a “silent partner” in many chronic diseases, not just Type 2 diabetes, but also heart disease, fatty liver disease and even some types of breast cancer, especially the estrogen-mediated cancers like the type I had been diagnosed with. A light bulb had switched on for me.
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Within 6 months of starting the program I reached my weight loss goals, but more importantly my health goals as well. I’m finding the maintenance phase to be challenging at times but absolutely doable. The low insulin lifestyle is just that. NOT a diet.
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And now my husband is getting on board with me. He sees that the weight loss is just a happy side effect of good health. We can ride 40+ miles on our bikes together now!
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I highly recommend the program! Registration will be opening soon for their next session starting in September. Check them out!
www.Zivli.com

I recently experienced an eye-opening situation while at the lake reading my book. A group of people (who appeared to be primarily female) sitting near me on the beach started a loud discussion about body shaming which culminated in one of them shouting “F #*% you, skinny bitches!” multiple times. I continued reading, although somewhat apprehensively, I must say. Perhaps this book needs to come with a warning label: “Caution: read in public at your own risk”….?

This is fascinating. I spent some time working with special needs students at our local Loudoun Therapeutic Riding and loved seeing the tremendous physical & emotional benefits the kids experienced on the horses!

The information below is shared by work of Ann Baldwin, Ph.D. and Rollin McCraty, Ph.D.
Webinar and can be found at https://www.heartmath.org/resources/downloads/heart-heart-communication-horses/

"Recent studies conducted by the Institute of Heart-Math provide a clue to explain the two-way ′′ healing ′′ that occurs when we're close to horses.

According to researchers, the heart has an electromagnetic field larger than the brain: a magnetometer can measure the energy field of the heart that radiates from 2.4 meters to 3 meters around the human body.

While this is certainly significant, perhaps more impressive than the electromagnetic field projected by the heart of a horse is five times larger than that of a human being (imagine an electromagnetic sphere around the horse) and it can influence straight into our own heart rate.

Horses are also likely to have what science has identified as a ′′ coherent ′′ heart rate (heart rate pattern) that explains why we can ′′ feel better ′′ when we're close to them. Studies have found a coherent heart pattern or HRV to be a solid measure of well-being and consistent with emotional states of calm and joy-that is, we exhibit such patterns when we feel positive emotions.

A coherent heart pattern is indicative of a system that can recover and adapt to stressful situations very efficiently. Many times, we just need to be in the presence of horses to feel a sense of well-being and peace.

In fact, research shows that people experience many physiological benefits by interacting with horses, including lower blood pressure and heart rate, higher beta-endorphins (neurotransmitters acting as pain suppressors), decreased stress levels, decreased feelings of anger, hostility, tension and anxiety, better social working; and greater feelings of empowerment, confidence, patience and self-efficacy."~ Picture credit goes to the artist, Valerie Eric

Ready to ride? Bike to Work Day 2023 is almost here. Let’s hit the road together on Friday, May 19. Enjoy free food, beverages, and giveaways at 108 pit stops, while supplies last. Let the good times roll. There’s still time - so don’t forget to sign up for free today at biketoworkmetrodc.org.

welcomes new and experienced riders to join the fun on Friday, May 19. Looking for a little extra motivation? Sign up by May 12 for a free T-shirt and your chance to win a brand new e-bike! Get rolling on a healthy habit! Sign up today at biketoworkmetrodc.org.

I’m registered! It will be a fun morning round trip ride for me! ☺️🚴🏻‍♀️

BTWD – Bike To Work Day Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 19, 2023. Join us at over 100 pit stops in DC, MD, and VA for this FREE event for a fun and healthy way to start your day. The first 15,000 who register and attend at a pit stop receive a FREE T-shirt. Free giveaways, food, and beverages at participating locations, wh...

Hitting the golden hour after the longest bike ride of the year thus far: so satisfying.

Since this article points out that friendships are just as important to health as diet and exercise, I thought I’d share it here. A good read, shared with me by a good friend! ☺️💗

The 5 types of friendship we all need for optimal happiness Studies suggest that friendships are as essential to our health, well-being and longevity as diet and exercise.

Can’t agree with this more!

We want to improve as much as we can in as few visits as possible.

Learn how 👉 https://bit.ly/3UT0Rn0

Back home & back to business! 💪🏼

Just posted a new video on YouTube for the 1st time in about a year.
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Let me know what you think…brutal? Or fun?
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My 2 Favorite “Brutal But Fun” Weightlifting Exercises Betsy Scudder, PT, DPT demonstrates two of her favorite full-body weight training exercises. The multi-joint, multi-muscle group movements are excellent for...

I highly recommend this TedTalk. This is basically the same talk I gave bimonthly for 5 years in the corporate setting.

Thank you Dr. Yoav Suprun for speaking for all of us Mechancial Diagnosis & Therapy (aka The McKenzie Method) practitioners! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Aging without aching | Yoav Suprun | TEDxBreckenridge NOTE FROM TED: While some viewers may find this helpful as a complementary approach, please do not look to this talk as a substitute for medical advice. Ther...

Check out my 1st blog post of 2023!
Starting at the top...of the spine! This post is about about neck pain.

Let's Start at the Top! For my first blog post of 2023, I decided to start at the top...of the spine, that is! Let's talk about the neck, or the cervical spine. In this post, I'll discuss:

My website, updated & improved for 2023! Check it out and let me know what you think!



http://scudderpt.com

MLK quote of the day 💙

Living with love and care for one another on and off the mat🧘🏽💙🙏🏽

"Let no man pull you so low as to hate him."- Dr. King 💙

When I was a few minutes late for my last Orange Theory workout, I apologized to the coach after class. His response was so gracious: “Hey, you made it here and did the work. That’s the most important thing.” I really appreciated that!

My colleague Dr Laura Mannering Physical Therapy says it like it is. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

I argue if you don’t understand repeated movement testing you’re missing a huge piece of the orthopedic puzzle.

New Years Eve Eve Eve in New York City 🎄📸

“All I want for Christmas is______”
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Fill in blank!
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(Honestly, I can’t really ask for much. Feeling pretty blessed these days ☺️❤️!)
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Merry Christmas from ! Happy & Healthy Holiday wishes to you all!

PS: If you’re asking Santa for relief from some form of joint pain right now, let me know. I’m an official elf in that department! ☺️💪🏼

Thank you, Vets!

Wow. Just wow.

"The pilot was standing around as I got out of my wheelchair to board my flight to Portland. He followed me and the flight attendant who volunteered to carry my bag. I fling myself into my seat. He quickly asked, "were you in the military." I replied "yes."

He said, "Afghanistan 2010?" Again, although surprised this time, I said slowly "yessss."

He then told me that he recognized me, my injuries, and my face. He told me he never knew if I survived or not.

Marc Vincequere is his name. He flys w United now. Crazy small world. He was the pilot that flew me out of Afghanistan."

Follow Us 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗹
Credit: Todd Love

And specifically, stretch or move in directions OPPOSITE of how you are normally positioned or repeatedly move!

For instance, if you repeatedly bend forward to pick up a pet or child, stop and do some standing backwards bends (5-10) a few times a day ☺️👍🏼

Here's your reminder to squeeze in at least 10 minutes of stretching. We know you got 10 minutes 😉

I really enjoyed seeing my 1st patient at Mosaic Theory MD yesterday. A great space for Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy sessions! Stay tuned…more to come!

My Lyme Disease Story Part 2: Exercise
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As a physical therapist, I knew I needed to get myself moving again. After reading an early paper by Dr Joseph Burrascano, Board Member of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), I knew why. The Lyme bacteria, called spirochetes, cannot survive in an oxygenated environment. More exercise, more oxygen in the blood. So off I went to the gym try to walk on the treadmill. I’m not going to lie, it was rough at the start. But I stuck with it. Eventually, along with my naturopathic treatments and a no-sugar, no-dairy nutrition regimen, I gradually worked up to a bit of a run. About 2 years after starting this LD journey, I ran a 5k in the Loudoun Lyme fundraiser run. I got back to my preferred body weight. I actually started feeling better than BEFORE Lyme Disease. This was when I knew I had reached the end of this particular life journey 😊🎉
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Here is the link to Dr Burrascano’s paper “Advanced Topics in Lyme Disease, 16th Edition: https://lymediseaseassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/BurrGuide200810.pdf

This is what Lyme Disease looked like for me back in 2000.
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In the Spring of 1999, just a few weeks after my youngest daughter was born, I saw an odd, circular non-tender rash on the underside of my right breast. I figured it was a spider bite. I told myself the fatigue & headaches I was experiencing were due to having an infant and a lack of normal sleep.
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But as months went on, I was tired almost all of the time and started noticing unusual joint & muscle pains. I had frequent periods of being in a mental fog. Taking care of my 3 daughters was getting harder & harder. The day I couldn’t carry my 9-month old up the stairs, I started to get really worried. The day I forgot to turn my car engine off after parking my car at work, I got scared.
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In talking to a nurse friend, and telling her about the weird rash I had seen months earlier, she encouraged me to get tested for Lyme Disease.
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Three negative ELISA tests and almost 9 months later, still feeling poorly all the time, a friend who had been diagnosed with MS told me she was seeing a naturopath and feeling really great. The naturopath was treating her for possible LD infection, which she called “the great mimicker”.
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By then I was taking doxycycline & zithromax but not getting any better. In fact, if anything I was worse from side effects of the meds, one of which was a 30 lb weight gain. I decided it was time to see this naturopath. I needed some hope.
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Well, fast forward 7 months, I was finally seeing some improvement in my health. I wouldn’t start to feel like I was finally ahead of Lyme Disease for good for another 4 years, but I was finally on my way, thanks to (at that time) groundbreaking alternative medical care from the functional medicine naturopath who treated me in 2000-2001.
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Please check out this podcast from Dr Morgan Nolte, PT DPT, who interviewed one such naturopath: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reshape-your-health-with-dr-morgan-nolte/id1494789211
If you have been diagnosed or think you may have LD, listening to this podcast may get you started on your own health recovery journey.

It’s Pi Day 3.14.22!
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And just for today, I’m sharing a blog post I wrote in 2013 highlighting my own mother’s “famous” apple pie recipe. Homemade. From scratch. Including the crust!
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Enjoy!

https://escudderdpt.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/heritage-in-a-pie-shell

Today, on International Women’s Day, I’m smiling because of a new window of opportunity that is coming in to view, thanks to 2 amazing women docs at Theory MD who are changing healthcare as Direct Primary Care physicians. Check out my story for more info & stay tuned for further developments!

What’s your favorite way to kick a bad mood?
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During the winter months, especially in the evenings, far too often I turned to high sugar, high fat foods to elevate my feel-good hormone levels. And now, well, I’m not feeling too good about that.
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Now that spring is around the corner and the sun is shining more, I will be exercising more with longer walks and farther bike rides…not just for physical fitness, but also for that mental health boost as well!
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Rio is happy about this plan of action!
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Happy almost-Spring, everyone
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Not physical therapy, but soul therapy.
Thank you Jenn Kish. 💛

Today, I found myself complaining about the rising cost of fuel and then I remembered I’d never had to run from missiles.

I worried if I needed to stock up on a few staples and then realized I’d never had to send my children to school with their blood type taped on their backs.

I shook my head at the thought of our young men and women headed overseas and then remembered that for the Ukrainians war showed up on their doorsteps.

Then I decided- I won’t sit in my house in suburbia and brood over the downward turn of the stock market while people are literally facing death.

Instead I’m going to pray. I know that God will hear from heaven, he will lean down to listen when I pray. The Bible tells me that. I’m going to pray that whatever evil intends that God would turn it around for His glory. I’m going to pray that good would overcome evil and that it would happen sooner rather than later. I’m going to pray that God would hear the cry of every lost soul facing a war they didn’t want and come to their rescue. I’m praying for the overwhelming, supernatural presence of God almighty in every corner of the world tonight.

And sister, I came here to ask if you’d pray with me. Let’s fill the throne room with our voices as we call out for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. May God hear our prayers and turn this whole thing around.

If he can shut the mouths of hungry lions, split an entire sea in half and raise the dead- he can surely save Ukraine.

Hey all you Grandparents out there…how comfortable are you sitting on the floor with your grandkids. Does back, hip or knee pain prevent you from sitting this way for very long…or at all?
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Reach out to Scudder Physical Therapy for a movement evaluation to learn how a simple movement-based solution may make floor sitting easy-peasy once again!
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Happy 4th Birthday, Scudder Physical Therapy, LLC!
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I’ve definitely gotten better at videotaping myself! And doing this crazy social media stuff…!
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I continue to be so grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given to help people in Virginia & Maryland manage musculoskeletal pain with movement-based evaluation & treatment using the Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy method, over the internet!
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Thank you to everyone who has entrusted me with their care over the past 4 years!
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Click on my website link in bio and check out the reviews from my very 1st patients!

It’s so good to see the science of COVID coming out in top medical journals. This research letter by Dr Marty Makary & his Johns Hopkins team was published last week in JAMA. Just needed to share 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
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See my story for Dr Makary’s summary of the letter from LinkedIn
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New YouTube video is up! Check it out, and let me know what you think!

And while you're there please subscribe to my Scudder Physical Therapy channel. I would so appreciate it!

Happy comfy chair working! 😉
https://youtu.be/KyVfFv6RtVU

Ask Dr. Scudder, PT: How Can I Work In My Favorite Chair Without Pain? Ergonomic tips for working on a laptop in a non-ergonomic comfy seat or couch, from musculoskeletal pain & ergonomic expert Dr. Betsy Scudder , PT, Cert MDT....