Almost all of us rely on our cars for daily transportation. We often spend a good portion of our time each day in the car as we drive to various appointments, go to work, out to lunch with friends, or to run errands. When commuting, extended time in a poor posture can cause pain or discomfort and could exacerbate chronic problems. To help avoid irritation of pain in your back, neck, shoulders, hips, or knees, it is important to be aware of your posture in the car. Here are a few quick tips on what to look out for and how to make some adjustments if needed. goes here

First, look to see if your hips are sitting lower than your knees. This position increases the strain on your hips as well as lower back and makes it very difficult to sit up straight. You want your hips equal to or higher than your knees.

TIP: Consider putting a wedge cushion in your chair or possibly a pillow or towel under your hips to bring them higher.

Unfortunately, many cars allow for significant slouching in the lower back, even if it appears to have lumbar support. Slouching can increase the pain and discomfort on your spine from your head to your pelvis.

TIP: Consider moving the seat back to a more upright position to help support a straighter spine. You may also need to scoot the seat forward to avoid the need to reach too far forward in order to hold steering wheel.

Your head should be supported and back over your shoulders to decrease strain on your neck.

TIP: You may have to make adjustments to the headrest for better support or to prevent it from pushing you too far forward.

Keeping your shoulders back can help decrease strain on your neck, upper back, and shoulders.

TIP: Consider placing a rolled towel or pool noodle along length of spine vertically to allow shoulders to come back. Support should be for the whole spine, not just lumbar.

Your weight should be equal on both hips. You should avoid leaning or shifting to one side.

Still have questions? Feel free to discuss with your physical therapist in person or reach out to us at amy@affiliatesprimeplus.com

The core includes more than just your abdominal muscles. The core is defined as the lumbo-pelvic hip complex, meaning all of the muscles around your spine, hip, and pelvis are included - that's 29 sets of muscles! To truly work on core stabilization therefore we need to work in lots of different positions and motions.

It can be hard to know where to begin. The most important step before progressing with core stabilization is to start with the foundational component of abdominal bracing. The core acts like a corset, tightening the muscular box around the spine, pelvis, and hips. Your muscles should act like a brace for your spine and pelvis. Think about drawing your belly button towards your spine to tighten your abdominals. Then you can further tighten the core by exhaling when you tighten and activating your pelvic floor like a Kegel. You might also activate your back muscles to help keep you upright. When all of these muscle activate together, your spine should not move. Being able to achieve this "neutral spine" and hold it is where you should start. Try doing it 10x for 10 seconds before progressing to the picture above.

After mastering abdominal bracing, the research indicates that you should progress to static stabilization. Stuart McGill, a renowned researcher in spine biomechanics, suggested 3 exercises: the curl-up, the bird dog, and the side bridge. These challenge the core muscles in 3 different directions. Above you can see a few examples of how to make these 3 exercises easier or harder, depending on your level. With these exercises, try to hold 20-60 seconds for 1-3 sets of each. The next progression after these exercises would be dynamic stabilization and functional stabilization (walking, rising form a chair, lifting weights, etc.)

NOTE: If you have any pain or any concerns about spine/pelvic/hip conditions, then please consult a health professional before beginning a new exercise program.

The Southeastern District (SED) of the Texas Physical Therapy Association (TPTA) has awarded Amy Gremillion, PT, DPT the 2023 Service to the PT Profession Award, recognizing her service of exceptional value to the SED, TPTA, and American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Amy has served as the 2nd Vice Co-Chair on the SED Board of Directors for the past 4 years, during which she has coordinated continuing education opportunities for members and non-members practicing in different settings. Additionally, she has used this platform to coordinate education for PTs, PTAs, and students on important professional issues, like Texas' legislative priorities and fall screening and prevention during Fall Prevention Month.

In addition to her service on the SED Board of Directors, Amy has frequented TPTA Day at the Capitol, visiting with state representatives and state senators to discuss priority issues for the TPTA. During this event, she has served as a role model to professionals and students, mentoring them on how to speak to legislators and best advocate for patients and the PT profession.

Finally, Amy consistently serves the community. Amy and Affiliates Prime sponsored a Fall Prevention Awareness event at the Trotter Family YMCA to educate seniors on strategies to reduce their fall risk. Amy provided her expertise as a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric and Orthopedic Physical Therapy to provide an informational session, and her team provided free fall risk screens for over 30 participants.

Her nominator shared, "It is encouraging to witness Amy’s dedication to professional service. She sets an amazing example for others to emulate!"

Congratulations Amy Gremillion!

We are so excited to be launching Affiliates PrimePlus this month! We are in the final stages of construction and are set to be officially open by the end of June! Affiliates Prime Plus will be taking the legacy of Affiliates in Physical Therapy and AffiliatesPrime to the Tanglewood area in order to help serve more seniors in greater Houston community. We strive to be experts in physical therapy as well as fitness and we look forward to serving you in our new space!

How It All Started

Amy Gremillion and Erich Folmer began working together in 2014 at another clinic in Pearland and formed a great partnership and friendship. They both joined Affiliates in Physical Therapy in 2016 and helped kickstart Affiliates Prime in 2020. They had always dreamed of one day opening their own clinic and are so thrilled to make that dream a reality now with the support of the Affiliates work family and their own families! Affiliates Prime Plus has officially been in the works since late 2021.

Where we are now

After we took the time to find the right location and design our ideal space, we are in the final stages of completion for Affiliates Prime Plus! We are ready to celebrate with our family, friends, and clients, as well as all of the colleagues and other small businesses who have helped us get the clinic ready to go. We would like to invite you to a "sip and see" party to see the finished space before we officially open! Please stop by for a visit and some beverages on Friday, June 23rd, 2023 from 2-4pm for our open house.

Our new clinic is located at 800 Bering Dr, Suite 101, Houston, TX 77027. There is usually plenty of parking in the front of the building and our suite is to the left at the end of the atrium in the main lobby if you are entering the main entrance. There is also overflow parking on the top floor of the garage behind the building. If coming in from the parking garage, you can follow the hallway to the main lobby / atrium and then turn right to find us at the other end of the atrium. If you need any assistance getting in or finding the clinic, please call us at 832-494-2200.

We look forward to seeing you on Friday 6/23/23 between 2-4pm!