Audrey Bowden

They're always there, doing what they're supposed to do: holding up your body, helping you get from point A to point B, and tapping that foot to let everyone else know you're in a hurry. But how often do you actually think about your ankles? Care for them in depth? Strengthen them, lengthen them, tenderize them? That last part was a joke, but unless you've recently suffered a sprain, chances are you may not be giving your ankles the attention they deserve. 1. So, What Exactly Is an Ankle? The...

While many of your kids are grown and don't require the same level of back to school effort, many of you are still going through adjustments as shorter days often call for a bit of routine shake up. Since our last post was about the posterior chain, it's important to follow up on that same line of thought. To recap: the posterior chain includes the calves, hamstrings, glutes and back. The body craves symmetry and when one side works harder than the other, it can easily pull things out of...

A tight lower back. Stiff hips. Hamstrings that feel like they're made of piano wire. Achy shoulders after a long day at the computer. While these areas may seem unrelated, they're all part of an incredible network called the posterior chain: the muscles and connective tissues running from your heels all the way to the base of the skull. Pretend for a minute you're going scuba diving. You wrangle on your wetsuit, stepping in with your feet, you wiggle it up past your hips and tug it onto...