ICWA's Works with Seniors at Montebello and Villages at Alameda

The quality of life of our seniors is of paramount importance. As a community benefit organization and health care partner to both Montebello Senior Living and Alameda Assisted Living, we are aware that falls are increasingly recognized as a serious public health issue.

Each year, one in every three adults age 65 and older falls. Falls can cause moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas, and can increase the risk of early death. Fortunately, falls are a public health problem that is largely preventable. 

Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury death.  They are also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma.  These rates have risen sharply over the past decade.

In 2000, direct medical costs of falls totaled a little over $19 billion-$179 millions for fatal falls and $19 billion for nonfatal fall injuries equals $28.2 billion in 2010 dollars.

Research and evidence state that regular exercise will improve your muscle tone, strength and endurance, keep joints, tendons and ligaments more flexible. This creates a flexibility reservoir that will dramatically decrease risk of injuries. 

ICWA's Fall Prevention Program staff  of fitness and healthcare professionals assess each client and together develop a customized program resulting from the assessment  and designed to reach achievable goals.  The programs include a combination of flexibility, weight bearing exercises, skill building to increase knowledge about fall risk factors with a focus on strength and balance.

Even if you do fall, being in good physical condition will lessen your chances of serious injury and raise your ability to heal quickly and completely.

"Fall prevention was little understood in 2003. Today it is clear that if we don't make fall prevention an issue of public discourse we will not be prepared for the inevitable falls of 75 million baby boomers who are marching toward their inevitable destiny."
                                                                                                   Fernando Torres-Gil, PhD

To schedule an assessment for yourself or a senior you love, please call (505)554-2315

Jen E. Testimony

I am a former rugby player. I played at the premier women's collegiate rugby program in the country - a D1 school - and also on the the national level for both age-grade and senior side teams. I retired from rugby about ten years ago for various reasons - not the least of which was a chronic neck issue. Since rugby retirement, I have become a runner, a triathlete of sorts, and an overall athlete who loves to train and challenge myself. But, I had chronic neck pain - so much so that I had trouble sleeping, I couldn't turn my head to look over my shoulder, and I had general discomfort all the time. I spent quality time in physical therapy, acupuncture, at the chiropractor, paying ridiculous prices for massages, and even got a steroid injection. I was told that there was nothing that could be done for the pain and that I would have to live with it. I just couldn't accept this - I was too young for this kind of pain. And then, we moved to Albuquerque and I found my people - the Institute of Community Wellness & Athletics (ICWA). I had my initial assessment with Nathanael and I left feeling optimistic and confident that my neck pain could be helped. I hadn't felt optimistic for a long time. Nathanael and the ICWA team assessed my entire body - not just my neck. They assessed me from top to bottom and found several imbalances and muscle tissue issues. The years of a high impact sport, combined with a youthful attitude of invincibility had caught up with me - in the way of chronic pain. To make a long story short, I have been working with the ICWA team for a year now. It took several months of muscle tissue work, scrutinizing my gait and how I move, and identifying physical tendencies that I did without even thinking about but that contributed to my chronic pain cycle. I'm happy to report that my neck is pain free. It has been amazing. I'm fitter, stronger, and healthier than I have ever been in my life. I attribute this to the ICWA team.

I am an athlete and will be for my lifetime. I have aches and pains (but not my neck now!) as any athlete who pushes the limits. I place a high value on the services that ICWA offers. The integrated, total-package approach that ICWA offers is very hard to find. In fact, I have been looking for this kind of facility for years.  As a team, ICWA keeps me healthy and my body feeling good. This alone, allows me to push my limits. They challenge me at every class and educate me about what it means to be an athlete. The ICWA staff are total professionals at what they do. They are current in the industry and genuinely want to make the general population healthier. They are my people, my friends, and professional who I trust. At age 35, I have once again realized that I am an athlete - and I can be a pretty good one at that. Thank you ICWA!

 

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Jen E.

ICWA's Holiday Workout #4 Full Body Focus

Holiday Workout #3 Full Body

Holiday Workout #2 Upper Body

ICWA's Holiday Workout #1 Lower Body Focus

This program is divided into a glute/core activation, and 2 blocks of exercises.  This video is supported by ICWA's Warm-up video available at our facility or online soon.

Healthy Tissue leads to Optimal Health

How Healthy Can We Get?

This is a question that we have been asking lately here at ICWA. Health goes way beyond aesthetics as I hope everyone knows. It is not about look good, it’s about actually being healthy irrespective of external/societal definitions. For this post I want to talk specifically about tissue health. If you have pain or dysfunction it is a lot easier to treat that pain consistently. When you are in pain you can foam roll, STARWRAP, stretch, or exercise to return your body to that pain free state. The old adage, a teaspoon of prevention is worth an ounce of care.  If you can identify your tension patterns early, the amount of direct pressure via massage, foam rolling, and STARWRAP application to restore the tissue to healthy function is minimal.  However, what do you do when your not feeling pain? If you’re like me you don’t continue to treat areas that are not at the top of your painful/problematic area on your body.  You probably don't continue to focus on keeping the soft tissue supple and healthy. We are a very reactive society. We only go to the doctor when we are sick or injured. We wait until we get a pain signal to treat the tissue issue. What I want to challenge everyone with is to think and be preventative rather than reactive. For those of you that foam roll every day, fantastic, keep it up.  But you should also be doing more. Foam rolling is great for treating fascial tension and trigger points, but there is so much more. Deeper tissue can be neglected and are you really foam rolling as you should? I have been focusing on consistent treatment and application of the foam roller and STARWRAP for myself so I don’t continue to build up tension and wait for something to start bothering me to do something about it. We have the tools and ability to not only keep out of pain but make the tissue as healthy as we can. This action makes a difference in the way we move daily, the way we feel (our psychology becomes our physiology), and what type of an athlete we are.  By the way our motto at ICWA is Everyone's An Athlete.  I note the difference in function and mobility between my friends who like me, all are veteran elite soccer players.  At one time we've been in top physical condition.  We have all experienced a number of injuries and training patterns that create our "normal functioning patterns" that we attribute to the aging process. However, some of us are moving much more efficiently than others.  Some of us still have explosive speed, not like a 25 year old's, but still have change of speed an direction capabilities.  Some of us have created a flexibility reservoir to prevent injury and improve our performance.  This is by the work we put in off the field, training, and helping keep our bodies as healthy as possible.  Yet within this group that I know, there are still noticeable differences in performance.  I challenge to what degree we've reached our fullest potential.  If we questions our current state of health, we can't remember how good we used to feel because of our bodies amazing ability to adapt to whatever we demand of it.

Ways in which we reach optimal tissue health include regular soft tissue mobilization (myofascial release massage, structural integration) techniques that actually get the tissue to release and be restored to healthy function.  Regular exercise, we recommend functional training using mainly body weight driven exercises, a regular warm-up and cool down routine, and consistent stretching. 

What we are talking about is a positive stimulus that will get your body to adapt and be restored to optimal functioning. That is why I’m so excited that ICWA is offering a preventative health care package that includes a foam roller, small STARWRAP, and a DVD with how to foam roll, warm-up, and cool down around exercise. So call or stop by today and let’s find out how healthy can we get our tissue this holiday season and into the new year.  Because it is a process.  And it can be a very enjoyable one once you start feeling as good as you deserve.

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Movement Screen

Movement Screen

Here at ICWA we perform a functional movement screen. In this screen we observe your movement patterns to detect compensations which can come from muscular imbalances, pain avoidance, or poor postural habits.  The body is great at compensating, which is great, except that the compensations will lead to dysfunction and eventually cause pain or injury.  At ICWA we strive to eliminate these dysfunctions and compensations because we want to eliminate pain and injury. Many injuries are 100% avoidable and so we want to prevent those injuries from occurring.  After identify the ways in which your body has compensated we can then come up with a plan to eliminate the dysfunction and improve the function of your body. We do this through foam rolling, STARWRAP (www.thestarwrap.com), corrective exercise, and yoga/static stretching. Once your dysfunction has been addressed then the focus can shift to improving overall fitness utilizing functional training such as: TRX suspension training, kettle bells, medicine balls, and most importantly…your body. Eliminating the pain and dysfunction is not a one-time process, but rather a lifestyle of continuous self-treatment. We are always building up tension in life. No matter what you do, or do not do, you are building tension so you always have to break that tension down to avoid pain and injury. We don’t just want to avoid injury and pain; we also want to see how healthy we can get your tissue and body! So stop by or go online today www.icwanm.org to schedule an appointment for a FREE assessment to start your journey of living a healthy pain free life.

Testimony from Kelly L.

I was introduced to the staff at ICWA when I began to have trouble with my leg. I had been a person who loved to run and loved going to the gym and hopping on the Stairmaster for and hour.  I began to notice that when I ran, after about a mile I would have trouble lifting my right leg and my right foot would start to feel tingly, like it had fallen asleep.  This went on for about a year until I finally decided that something was definitely wrong.  I went to the Dr. where they, based on the symptoms I was having, decided to run some blood tests. They thought that it might be a problem with circulation.  After getting a clean bill of health from the Dr I decided to go to the chiropractor. Some of my friends had said that I was probably simply out of alignment and that I just needed an adjustment.  I went once a week for about 4 weeks and while I would get a little better right after the appointment, I was never able to run again or for that matter walk for any length of time, without dragging my foot.  After doing a little research and talking with a few friends I was convinced that the problem was with my hip.  My first thought was, "No way, I am too young to have a hip replacement."

A friend of mine told me that she had discussed my problem with the trainers at her gym (ICWA) and they believed that they might be able to help me.  I went in for my initial assessment with Jonathan and he was convinced that they could help.  I was a bit skeptical but thought what have I got to lose?  I began training with them a year ago and I am very pleased to say that I am now able to walk without dragging my foot, run across the gym without falling and my latest accomplishment, I can do jumping jacks? I was a total skeptic a year ago but after working with Jonathan, enduring soft tissue massage with Tait and using my STARWRAP (www.thestarwrap.com) I am convinced that I am stronger and healthier.  I know that with the help from everyone at ICWA I will be running on the track soon.  

My husband and daughter have seen the progress I have made and are training along with me. We all believe that this is the way to train.

New Mirrors

ICWA has newly installed mirrors!!!  This is not so you can check out your biceps while doing curls, although you can if you like, this is for you and your coach to better monitor your form.  Using mirrors as external feedback will allow you to see and feel yourself doing movements with appropriate posture to help improve your results and adaptation to exercise.  So come on by and check yourself out in our mirrors!

ICWA's Video for Warm-up Now Available

Check out our new workout video trailer.  Go to www.icwanm.org to purchase for friends and family this holiday.  $15 gives you training on foam rolling for the entire body, a dynamic warm-up program, and a cool down sequence which will prepare you for any activity.  Be proactive with your health! Let us show you how to create a flexibility reservoir and help improve your performance. 

ICWA Videos and Gift Certificates

ICWA's Videos and Gift Certificates are now available for the holidays.  Our video contains a foam rolling, dynamic warm-up, and cool down.  This video is best resourced before or after your current exercise program or sport.  It is a perfect compliment to your current functional training workout routine.  Our video is available for $15 and can be picked up at our facility, 4110 Ellison Rd. Albuquerque, NM.   It will also be available online soon!!

We are pleased to offer performance packages and membership gift certificates for your friends and family.  Please think of us as a local, small business option for your health and wellness needs.