React Physical Therapy

01/15/2026

👣 Your Feet = Your Foundation 👣

Did you know your feet play a HUGE role in how your entire body moves? Anytime you stand, walk, run, or jump — your feet are the first point of contact with the ground. 🏃‍♂️✨

When your arches collapse (aka flat feet), it can affect everything up the chain: ankles, knees, hips, and even your lower back.

👉 Structural Flat Feet

You’re born with it 🍼

Not much to correct, but can be managed with support

👉 Functional Flat Feet

You have an arch at rest, but it collapses when you stand

Often caused by weakness in the foot muscles

Can lead to pain in the feet, knees, hips, or back

💡 Quick Test:
1️⃣ Sit or lie down → look for an arch in your foot
2️⃣ Stand up → if the arch disappears = functional flat feet

If this sounds like you (and you’ve been feeling pain in your feet, ankles, knees, hips, or back) — your arches may be the missing piece of the puzzle. 🧩

👉 Let’s keep your foundation strong. Book online today at www.bereact.com
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01/15/2026

Strong gluteal muscles (gluteus Maximus, medius, minimus) are essential for hip extension, pelvic stability, and efficient movement in daily life and sport.

Read more 👉 https://lttr.ai/AnIzc

01/13/2026

In physical therapy, glute weakness or poor activation is associated with conditions such as low back pain, patellofemoral pain, gait dysfunction, and reduced sport performance.

Read more 👉 https://lttr.ai/AnFHb

01/13/2026

🔥💪 Plank Pull Through 💪🔥

Looking for a move that hits your core, hips, AND shoulders all at once? Try this killer stability drill! 👇

👉 How to do it:
1️⃣ Start in a tall plank/push-up position with a weight placed just outside your shoulder
2️⃣ Reach through with the opposite hand and pull the weight across your body to the other side
3️⃣ Reset and repeat, keeping your body stable (no hip rocking 🚫!)

⚡️ This challenges your stability, strength, and control from head to toe.

✅ Try it for:
⏱️ Time: 3x30 seconds
🔢 Reps: 2–3 sets of 8–10 per side

💡 Slow and steady wins here — keep form tight and core engaged!

👉 Unable to complete a plank without lower back pain, does this discomfort prevent you from performing daily activities? Book online at www.bereact.com
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01/13/2026

For gluteus medius and minimus, therapeutic exercises such as side-lying abduction, clam shells, and various weight-bearing tasks have shown high EMG activation and are often used in early to mid-rehab stages.

Read more 👉 https://lttr.ai/AnEJG

01/13/2026

The Pilates Reformer provides adjustable resistance, controlled stability challenges, and gradual progression, making it an effective tool for targeting glute engagement in physical therapy.

Read more 👉 https://lttr.ai/AnEBx

01/09/2026

🏃‍♂️💥 Your Knees Are Stronger Than You Think! 💥🏃‍♀️

Did you know? When you jog, your knee joint absorbs about 3.6–4.2x your body weight 😱
👉 If you weigh 175 lbs, that’s ~700 lbs of force with every stride!

That’s why strong muscles = healthy, pain-free knees. 💪 Supporting your joints with strength training helps keep you moving for the long run (literally).

⚡️ Other daily activities & knee forces:
🚶 Walking: 2.5–2.8x body weight
⬆️ Stair ascent: 2.8–3.0x body weight
⬇️ Stair descent: 3.1–3.5x body weight

✨ Your joints take on a lot every day — make sure your muscles are doing their part to protect them!

👉 If you’re experiencing pain that limits your mobility, call us today to schedule an appointment: www.bereact.com
💻📞

👩‍🏫 Citation: D’Lima DD, Fregly BJ, Patil S, Steklov N, Colwell CW Jr. Knee joint forces: prediction, measurement, and significance. Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 2012 Feb;226(2):95-102. doi: 10.1177/0954411911433372. PMID: 22468461; PMCID: PMC3324308.

01/07/2026

💪🔥 Shoulder Mobility & Strength Check! 🔥💪

Try this Prone Elevated Shoulder Drill to fire up your rotator cuff and see how your mobility stacks up. 👇

👉 How to do it:
1️⃣ Lay face down with your elbow elevated, shoulder at 90°
2️⃣ Rotate your arm upward toward the ceiling from the shoulder
3️⃣ Keep it clean — no cheating with your wrist or forearm!
4️⃣ Move slow and controlled to avoid other muscles taking over ⚡

💡 Want to make it harder? Add a light dumbbell or wrist weight for extra strengthening.

This drill is perfect to test mobility and build rotator cuff strength at the same time. 🙌

👉 Experiencing shoulder pain or mobility issues? Book with us online at www.bereact.com
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01/06/2026

New Year. Same goals — just smarter habits. 💪

Every January, we all set out with big goals for the year ahead. But did you know that around 80% of people drop their resolutions before spring? 😬

Let’s change that in 2025. Here are a few reasons resolutions tend to fail — and what to do instead 👇

1️⃣ Not Educating Yourself
Making lifestyle changes is tough! Take time to learn what actually works. Talk to a physical therapist, personal trainer, or nutritionist — or do your own research to make your changes effective and sustainable.

2️⃣ Falling for Fad Diets
Quick fixes don’t last. Diets that cut out major nutrients or promise extreme results often lead to burnout. Focus on balance, not deprivation.

3️⃣ Setting Unrealistic Expectations
Real progress takes time. Stop stepping on the scale every day — measure results weekly and look for trends, not instant changes.

4️⃣ Giving Up Before March 6th
Science shows it takes 66 days to form a habit — and March 6th marks that milestone. Stick with it! Your consistency will pay off.

5️⃣ Forgetting to Have Fun
Health shouldn’t feel like punishment. Find activities and foods you actually enjoy so your lifestyle changes stick for good. 🙌

This year, don’t chase perfection — build consistency.
Move better, feel stronger, and have fun along the way. 💥

👉 Ready to start your journey? Book an appointment or training session at www.bereact.com

01/06/2026

One of the most overlooked causes of muscle and joint discomfort is the presence of myofascial trigger points.

Read more 👉 https://lttr.ai/AmwN7

Dry needling relieves pain by targeting hidden muscle trigger points, addressing the root cause so you can move, feel, and perform better.

01/05/2026

🦵🔥 Knee or Hip Pain When Squatting? 🔥🦵

Don’t ditch squats just yet — try this joint-friendly squat modification instead! 🙌

👉 How to do it:
1️⃣ Find an elevated surface (bench, chair, box)
2️⃣ Use it as feedback to control how deep you squat
3️⃣ Keep good form: chest tall, weight in your heels, core on 💪
4️⃣ As it gets easier → progress to a lower surface → work back to full depth ✅

This way you can keep squatting (and building strength) while giving your knees & hips a break. 🙏

Remember: Modify, don’t eliminate!

👉 Need help finding pain-free ways to move? Book online at www.bereact.com
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01/01/2026

🌟✨ Hello 2026! ✨🌟

January brings a sense of freshness and new possibilities. Resolutions inspire us to aim higher — physically, mentally, financially, and beyond. 💪💡

But here’s the truth: lasting change doesn’t happen overnight. Motivation fades, life gets busy… and goals can slip away. So how do we make 2026 different? 👇

💡 Tips to Stick With Your Goals This Year:
1️⃣ Break big goals into bite-sized wins
Focus on daily habits like drinking more water or improving sleep. Small steps build lifelong habits.

2️⃣ Prioritize consistency over intensity
Starting small (and sustainable) builds momentum 💥. Motivation comes and goes, but consistency wins.

3️⃣ Do what you enjoy
Running, walking, lifting, CrossFit, Peloton 🚴‍♀️ — if it’s fun, you’ll stick with it!

4️⃣ Find accountability partners
Friends, trainers, or group classes make the journey more fun and keep you on track 🙌.

🌟 2026 is your year to build habits that last — let’s make it happen together!

👉 Ready to get stronger this year? React now offers personal training at our Wilmette clinic! Book online at www.bereact.com
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